2017 Apple iPhone and iPad Pro could lose the home button altogether
The original iPhone turns 10 next year, which could mean big changes in the design of the handset going forward, at least according to sources cited by Bloomberg, reporting news of a new mobile payment feature, planned for the iPhone, and specific to Japan’s infrastructures.
According to these sources, Apple might remove the home button from the iPhone in 2017, which is consistent with Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive whose interest in designing an iPhone from a single sheet of glass, has been quoted frequently over the past few years.
Speaking of the latter, another rumor has been circulating in regard to Apple replacing the anodized aluminum casing of the iPhone, with glass. This could lead to the next iPhone, and possibly other iOS devices, to integrate features like Touch-ID, directly within the touchscreen, which would allow for the touchscreen itself to extend to the entire surface of the device.
This design could prove a game changer, not only for the iPhone, but also for future iPads, especially the Apple iPad Pro, and any other device that supports Apple Pencil.
“We are going to give you things that you can’t live without that you just don’t know you need today,” Tim Cook was quoted saying last month over the course of an interview with CNBC, which seems to embody Apple’s long standing commitment to delivering a successfully disruptive user experience with every new product.
While it’s entirely possible that these changes, as well as other radical choices, such as the elimination of the 3.5mm audio jack, will make it into a brand new handset by 2017, as well as future iPads, the only true evidence that such changes could happen, are contained within a scattered number of patents, covering many of these features, such as the integration of Touch-ID into the touchscreen, which is the feature that has lead some to believe that future iPhones might no longer have a home button.
Ready to shop?
If you are looking for a great deal on the latest iOS devices, PortableOne has you covered with a great selection of Apple iPads, including the latest 9.7 inch iPad Pro, and the original 12.9 inch version.