New rumors have emerged online regarding Apple’s iPhone 7 that further cement the estimation having Cupertino killing off the classic 3.5mm headphone jack and that the Smart Connector gimmick will be joining the smartphone series in 2016.

We have been hearing about Cupertino dismissing the 3.5mm headphone jack, which has been serving the iPhone since its inception back in 2007, for months now. Though, yet another reliable source, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara, published an article considering it as “granted” too. Instead, it will be supplanted by the Lighting port, which is currently being used for charging purposes in the iPhone series.

From now on, though, just like with the Apple Pencil in the iPad, the new wired pair of earbuds that will come in the box will connect via the Lighting port. The source also thinks it is quite probable that we will see a pair of genuinely wireless earphones as well.

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Alleged Apple iPhone 7 casing.

Moreover, when it comes to the iPhone 7 casing that surfaced last month, MacOtakara had a very interesting takeaway regarding the three dots spotted on the bottom of the device. The blog assumes them to be the Smart Connector that we saw earlier this year on the iPad Pro — to date, Smart Connector is exclusively being used as a keyboard accessories plug.

In addition to the leaked image, the website is confident that it is the “real thing”, and that the casing was actually assembled by Cupertino’s manufacturing partner Catcher Technology.

If the claim is accurate, then rumors of Apple dropping the camera bump next year will be false, since in the particular image it is clear that the camera module — left upper hand corner — is surrounded by a small rise in the material.

iPhone 7 concept.
iPhone 7 concept.

MacOtakara also entertains the notion of two sensors embed on the top of the device. That could enable the possibility of a True Tone display technology, originally delivered by the recently released smaller 9.7-inch iPad Pro. If that is the case, the pair of sensors will be in charge of automatically adjusting colors based on ambient light, says Apple Insider.

The last estimation made by the Japanese source reports that both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will maintain the same dimensions found in their current counterparts from the 6S series.

Apple’s next generation of smartphones are expected to be unveiled during the annual September event, so until then we still have four months of plenty of new info hitting the web.