It’s barely been a month since our last roundup of iPhone 7 rumors, yet so much has happened since that there are a whole slew of new rumors to report on. Apple Inc.’s supplier, Foxconn Technology Group, may be supplying it with sapphire glass for the next generation iPhone; Apple has won a patent for a 3D graphical user interface and designers are mocking up visually impressive concept images of the iPhone 7.

Here is a look at the top iPhone 7 rumors:

Will Apple’s next iPhone actually be called the iPhone 7?

Apple’s naming convention has been a subject of some debate over the years, but if they stick to it, next year’s iPhone may be called the iPhone 6s instead of the iPhone 7. Right now, though, everyone seems to be referring to it as the ‘iPhone 7.’ However, we may see both an iPhone 6s and an iPhone 7 launch in 2015 (see below).

When will the iPhone 7 be released?

Apple has stuck to a regular release cycle for some years now. Most recently the 2014 iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were announced on September 9 and finally released to the public on September 19; in 2013 the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s were announced on September 10 and the 2012 iPhone 5 on September 12. If Apple sticks to this established schedule, we are likely to see the iPhone 7 around mid-September 2015.

However, reports have surfaced that Apple is considering releasing a new iPhone twice a year going forward. This could mean we’ll see the iPhone 6s in spring 2015, possibly to coincide with the launch of Apple Watch, and the iPhone 7 later in the year, in September.

What size screen will the iPhone 7 have?

Current screen sizes include the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus and the 4-inch iPhone 5c. Looking at sales numbers and Internet traffic for the iPhone 6 vs. iPhone 6 Plus, it appears the iPhone 6 is much more popular than the iPhone 6 Plus. Apple may choose to release the iPhone 6s with a 4.7-inch screen and possibly an iPhone 6c with a 4-inch screen in spring 2015. This could mean that the iPhone 7 will feature a 5.5-inch screen…or not. We take a look at other potential changes to the screen later in this article.

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Will the iPhone 7 have wireless charging?

Tim Cook hinted at wireless charging when he introduced the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch in September. Unfortunately the iPhone 6 is charged via USB while the Apple Watch is getting inductive charging, which is a type of wireless charging, but there is still a cable involved.

Wireless charging is becoming mainstream so we may still see some developments around this in the near future.

Design

The iPhone 7’s design may not vary much from that of the iPhone 6, so expect to see the same rounded edges. The iPhone 7 may be thicker than the current 6.9mm iPhone 6 to accommodate a “sidewall display” for which Apple was granted a patent earlier this year. The sidewall display can be used to show a host of virtual controls to replace traditional static physical buttons as well as app icons.  The extra screen real-estate can also be used to display slide-to-unlock functionality, music player controls, messaging readout, caller ID and system controls.

Will the iPhone 7’s display be made from sapphire glass?

Apple already uses sapphire glass to cover the Touch ID sensor on the latest iPhone models, and the Apple Watch will feature sapphire glass as well. Plans to produce enough affordable sapphire glass to allow Apple to use it for the entire iPhone screen amounted to nothing following the bankruptcy of Apple’s chosen supplier, GT Advanced Technologies, earlier this year.

All is not lost though, since new reports surfaced late last month that long-standing Apple supplier, Foxconn, has signed an agreement to build a “display factory” to produce sapphire glass.

Given this, it’s reasonably safe to speculate that the next generation of iPhones may have sapphire glass screens.

The iPhone 7 may have a Liquidmetal chassis

Following the ‘Bendgate’ controversy surrounding the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple may be considering a stronger material for the chassis of future iPhones. Evidence for this comes from a joint patent filed by Apple and Liquidmetal developer Crucible Intellectual Property. The patent specifies “Methods of melting and introducing amorphous alloy feedstock for casting and processing.”

3D display and a 3D graphical user interface

In November reports surfaced that Apple is developing 3D iPhone display technology and earlier this week Apple was awarded a patent for touch-free, motion sensing gestures within 3D GUI concepts. Both these features may make it into the iPhone 7.

The iPhone 7 could feature a DSLR quality camera

Earlier this month Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber revealed that Apple could introduce its “biggest camera jump ever” in the next-generation iPhone. According to Gruber the next-generation iPhone camera could feature a “two-lens system where the back camera uses two lenses and it somehow takes it up into DSLR quality imagery.”

The iPhone 7 will likely have a more powerful ‘A9’ processor

Samsung is said to have secured the bulk of Apple’s iPhone chip orders for 2015 and will be supplying the ‘A9’ processor that will most likely go into the iPhone 7. The processors are anticipated to be manufactured using Samsung’s 14-nanometer design resulting in the chips being smaller, more powerful and improve battery life.

Are there any leaked images of the iPhone 7?

Unfortunately not, but that hasn’t stopped designers from creating their own concept images of the iPhone 7. One such designer is Martin Hajek, renowned for his 3D renderings of future products. Hajek’s concept, pictured on the left, imagines that the iPhone 7 will be bezel-less and he may be close to the mark if Apple incorporates its patented sidewall display.

As spring 2015 and the launch of the Apple Watch draws nearer, we are bound to see more rumors surrounding the next iPhone surface, but it will be a while before anything is confirmed. Who knows, Apple may even take some of the ideas suggested by the concept images to heart and incorporate them into the next iPhone.

Image credits: Martin uit Utrecht via photopin cc;  Martin uit Utrecht via photopin cc; Martin uit Utrecht via photopin cc; Martin uit Utrecht via photopin cc