One of the more intriguing rumors about Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) coming iPhone 7 launch was the iPhone 7 Pro, but it now appears to be dead. According to Japanese blog Macotakara, Apple has backed away from any plan to release a premium-priced 5.5-inch smartphone, instead sticking with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus for 2016.
How Did the iPhone 7 Pro Rumors Get Started?
Two factors have combined to drive the prediction that Apple was at least considering a premium version of its biggest smartphone — the iPhone 7 Pro.
The first was the appearance of two distinctly different 5.5-inch smartphone shells shown off in leaked photos. While superficially identical, one sported the typical round camera lens bump found on the iPhone 6 Plus. However, the second has a much wider cutout to accommodate the dual-camera system that is widely expected to make an appearance in Apple’s 2016 iPhone lineup. It also has what appear to be Smart Connector ports.
The second was AAPL’s strategy of releasing “pro” versions of its products to designate a more capable — and more expensive — version. First there was the MacBook Pro and the Mac Pro. Then last year, in an effort to appeal to professional users and combat sliding iPad revenue, Apple introduced the more expensive iPad Pro.
With iPhone sales also facing downward pressure and the challenge of convincing consumers to buy into an incremental upgrade, the idea of releasing a premium-priced iPhone 7 Pro made sense.
The two distinctly different iPhone 7 Plus shell photos fueled speculation that Apple had chosen this approach. The standard iPhone 7 Plus would be the expected incremental refresh, as part of Apple’s new three-year release cycle. It would get the usual upgrades of a faster CPU and tweaked camera and sell for the same $749.
However, the iPhone 7 Pro would incorporate the new dual-lens camera system that is expected to offer vastly improved photo capabilities. Smart Connector ports mean it could also plug into accessories like the Smart Keyboard offered for the iPad Pro. And for those big upgrades, consumers would be expected to pay a premium.
Is the iPhone 7 Pro Really Dead?
Macotakara, citing “reliable information sources,” says Apple plans to release the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus this year. No iPhone 7 Pro in the lineup. This is just one Mac rumor site, but Macotakara has a pretty good track record of calling these things, including getting the early scoop on the names of the iPhone 5c and iPhone SE.
Obviously, we won’t know who’s right until September when AAPL finally reveals the new iPhones. It’s entirely possible the photos showing the iPhone 7 Pro are fake, and it’s also possible they’re prototypes. It’s also possible Apple has been hedging its bets, developing multiple iterations of the same basic phone — the latest spy shots of the iPhone 7 Plus show the bigger camera cutout, but no Smart Connector.
There’s a high degree of certainty that Apple will be introducing a powerful, dual-lens camera in September. The question is whether that camera shows up in the iPhone 7 Plus, or a new iPhone 7 Pro.
For now at least, the smart money is on the iPhone 7 Plus, with plans for an iPhone Pro shelved, at least for 2016.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
