Among the many iPhone 7 rumours from the past few months has been the suggestion of a pressure-sensitive 3D Touch-style home button.
Whereas current models feature the standard clickable home button, there have been numerous reports of late suggesting Apple is intending to add the more capable setup to the upcoming handset.
But, as with all these rumours, it hasn’t taken long for another leak to cast doubt on the suggestion, as is the case with today’s iPhone 7 news.
New spy shots, posted by GeekBar on Weibo and spotted by MacRumours, appear to show the front panel and display array of the unreleased smartphone.
Related: iPhone 8
In the images, a cut-out for the standard home button setup can be seen, suggesting Apple may well be sticking with its current home button design for the iPhone 7.
There’s no way to verify these images of course, but if they are authentic, they don’t necessarily disprove the rumour of a 3D Touch-style home button.
As MacRumours points out, a separate home button component could feature on the phone which could very well come with the haptic feedback technology.
While these images fail to shed any real light on whether we can expect a new home button or not then, they are notable for another reason.
Related: Best smartphone
In one particular shot, the display assembly is shown paired with the front panel of the phone, and it seems the display itself is mounted upside down in comparison with previous iPhones.
Whereas other models have display and digitizer flex cables running from the top of the display, the images seem to show those same cables running from the bottom of the phone.
It’s not clear why this is, for the time being, but we’re intrigued to see whether Apple has some exciting feature in store which has thus far evaded the leakers.
The company is expected to unveil the iPhone 7 in early September, with numerous reports suggesting September 7 as the day we’ll finally get our official introduction to the handset.
WATCH: What’s the no.1 smartphone in the world?
Let us know your thoughts on these latest photos in the comments.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
