When the iPhone 6 first came out, one of consumers' gripes concerning its design included the white plastic band embedded in the unibody chassis. For Apple designers, it is inevitable because that is where the antenna is located, and using a completely metal body would have hampered the device's cellular signal. Fans would be delighted to know that the next iPhone would probably do away with the plastic bands due to the use of a mysterious compound that would render them invisible.
"The upcoming new iPhone products are rumored to be water-proof and use new compound materials to hide the antenna," a Chinese language publication stated, according to DigiTimes. The story mainly cited insights from Catcher Technologies, which is an Apple supplier. The company is purportedly developing chassis components that indicate the use of new compound materials in order to conceal the antennas. This rumor could also mean that Apple is considering a non-metal body for the iPhone 7, Apple Insider noted.
The new waterproof feature is not as exciting as the mysterious phone material since it has been a staple in many Android smartphones such as several devices in the Sony Xperia lineup. It is still, however, significant for Apple. The company had to close off ports, switches and buttons, and it would be interesting to see how these would impact the iPhone 7's aesthetics. A potential clue might be found in a recent patent filing wherein Apple demonstrated a clever method of internally sealing vulnerable entry points from liquids such as speakers and the headphone jack, BGR reported.
