Apple may have scrapped a big iPhone 7 feature

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Your next iPhone might have two camera lenses.
The next iPhone might not be so "smart" after all.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Fans hoping Apple will bring the new Smart Connector from the iPad Pro lineup over to iPhone 7 may be in for some disappointment this fall.

The iPhone 7 won’t feature a Smart Connector, according to a new report from Asia that claims Apple has shelved the idea for now.

Apple is under pressure to deliver a big hit with the iPhone 7, which is presumably coming this fall. While recent iPhone sales have been strong, the numbers have fallen from previous highs — and so has Apple’s stock price as a result.

The small-yet-powerful iPhone SE might be a bigger hit than Apple expected, but it hasn’t been enough to assuage investors’ fears of “peak iPhone.” Slowing iPhone sales have fueled an AAPL losing streak in the past week or so.

iPhone 7 Smart Connector? Maybe …

iPhone 7 with Smart Connector (left) and iPhone 6s.
iPhone 7 with Smart Connector (left) and iPhone 6s.
Photo: Bastille Post

To help combat the falling stock price, Apple CEO Tim Cook recently promised that future iPhones will deliver killer features you haven’t even dreamed of yet. While adding a Smart Connector wouldn’t necessarily fulfill that promise, who knows how Apple might make use of the next-gen port on an iPhone?

Despite the lingering rumor that the iPhone 7 would come with a Smart Connector, it still isn’t clear what purpose the port would serve.

Some have suggested it could be used for charging while the Lightning port is used by headphones or other accessories. Mac Otakara suggests Apple was considering adding the Smart Connector this year, but ultimately decided to drop it.

It’s also unclear if Apple was ever truly considering adding a Smart Connector in the first place. An alleged leaked rear shell of the iPhone 7 appeared to show three small connector dots on the back of the upcoming device, but there haven’t been any other substantive rumors to back up the claim.

iPhone 7 rumors and leaks

The iPhone 7 is expected to feature a slightly tweaked body design with fewer unsightly antenna lines.

Apple might kill the headphone jack on the device while adding a dual-lens camera, a Liquid Metal home button, waterproofing, faster processor and more.

Apple isn’t expected to unveil the iPhone 7 until September.

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