iPhone 7 Tipped to Be Slimmest Yet, Similar to 6.1mm-iPod touch

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, who is known for his accurate Apple estimations, already has inside information and insight about the next year's iPhone. Three days ahead of Apple's mega event where it is expected to launch the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, Kuo noted that the iPhone 7 will be the slimmest iPhone when it launches next year.

Kuo said that for next year's iPhone, Apple plans to approach iPod touch levels of thinness (the fifth-generation iPod touch is 6.1mm-thick), and make the iPhone with a waistline between 6mm and 6.5mm. This will be a huge jump over the existing iPhone models, as the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are respectively, 6.9mm and 7.1mm thick.

As 9to5Mac further speculates, it appears Apple intends to continue with in-cell panels, and not move to glass screen technology. This, as KGI noted, while limiting Apple from upping the screen resolution to 4K, will provide the thinness Apple requires to trim the waistline of iPhone 7. The in-cell panels comes with touchscreen sensors that are integrated into the LCD panel.

The company's decision to further slim the device raises concerning questions. More often than not, to make a mobile handset thin, companies have to make tradeoffs on the battery capacity of the device, and its sturdiness. Previously, we have seen Apple trimming the size of its handset while moving from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6, and making the device significantly less stronger. As a result, multiple users noted bending issues - popularly known as bendgate - in earlier units of the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6.

But a recent report suggests that Apple has changed the aluminium alloy combination in the iPhone metal shell for the forthcoming generation, adding zinc to make it capable of withstanding immense pressure before bending. Separately, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are tipped to be built out of Series 7000 aluminium, and be 0.15mm longer and 0.2mm thicker, all of which makes it be stronger.