Leak shows iPhone 7 will likely have big camera changes

The iPhone 7 (or whatever it will be called) will be boring. 

Based on leaks from the shadiest tech blogs to well-known publications like the Wall Street Journal, the general consensus is that this year's iPhone will be a modest update. 

There will reportedly be no significant redesign -- the iPhone 7 is expected to come with the same unibody design as the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, but with cleaner antenna lines.

For months, the rumor mill has focused on the iPhone 7 ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack. But the reason Apple may be removing the ugly antenna lines that run horizontally on the back may be related to big camera improvements.

Leaked photos from well-sourced Nowhereelse.fr, have revealed what appears to be the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. 

A larger camera cutout could mean any number of big imaging changes are coming.

The purported images corroborate many earlier rumors and reports on the cleaner antenna lines and the dual rear camera setup that will reportedly be exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus.

If authentic, the rear camera on the regular iPhone 7 will have a larger rear camera (bump and all). A larger cutout could also mean any number of changes are coming. A bigger camera sensor for better low-light performance? Optical image stabilization? (OIS is currently only in the larger iPhone 6 and 6S Plus.) More megapixels? Dual-phase autofocusing like on the Samsung Galaxy S7?

And what's going on with the dual cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus? Is Apple preparing for a major zoom overhaul, like what LG has on its flagship G5, where one camera is a regular angle lens and the second camera is an ultra-wide angle lens? Or will it take an approach like Huawei's P9, which uses two cameras (one of them shoots a color image and the other a monochrome image) to create a single sharp image? Or perhaps it'll be something completely new?

These are questions we don't have answers to yet and probably won't know until Apple announces the new iPhones on stage.

The new iPhones are expected to come with faster, more efficient Apple processors, iOS 10, larger batteries and maybe a touch-sensitive home button.

Another report says Apple may ditch the Space Gray model colorway and replace it with a deep blue.

Apple will announce the next iPhones this fall (likely in September). We've still got to get through the summer, but the wait's almost over.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.