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Alleged iPhone 7 Prototype Case Leak Shows Four Separate Speakers

In a curious twist on recent rumors about the upcoming iPhone 7 (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-7/), French language blog Nowhereelse.fr (http://www.nowhereelse.fr/iphone-7-photos-prototype-italien-114025/) today posted a series of images purporting to show a prototype rear case for the next-gen iPhone featuring four separate speakers.





According to previous rumors, Apple could drop the headphone jack (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/01/iphone-7-flush-camera-stereo-speakers/) in the iPhone 7 and replace it with a second speaker that would potentially allow for the use of an additional audio amp provided by Cirrus Logic (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/12/iphone-7-lightning-headphones-noise-canceling/), which would also supply the noise-cancellation smart codec in an also-rumored Lightning-equipped headphone accessory.





<img src="(http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2016/05/iPhone-7-Proto-Italien-01.jpg)" alt="iPhone-7-Prototype Italian" width="524" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-503624" />


Other more recent rumors based on alleged leaked iPhone 7 blueprints have cast doubt on that claim, showing no second speaker (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/11/iphone-7-and-7-plus-drawings-uswitch/) in place of the missing headphone jack and suggesting Apple's evolving iPhone design will continue to have a single speaker setup.





Today's post by serial leaker Steven Hemmerstoffer (http://twitter.com/stagueve) has therefore thrown a curveball into the rumor mill, with some images apparently taken from a promotional video made by an Italian casemaker, which allegedly received a prototype iPhone 7 case in anticipation of the coming refresh in September.





<img src="(http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2016/05/iPhone-7-Proto-Italien-02.jpg)" alt="iPhone-7-Prototype Italian 02" width="524" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-503625" />


While the wider lens and lack of horizontal antenna lines are consistent with previous leaks (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/02/iphone-7-flush-camera-no-bands/), the appearance of four separate speaker grilles - two at the top and two along the bottom - is a new, albeit sketchy contender.





As Hemmerstoffer himself notes, it doesn't seem viable for a speaker to sit so close to the camera module, unless the reorientation of the camera and LED flash holes from a horizontal alignment across the rear of the handset, to a vertical arrangement running down it, somehow allows for the possibility.





In addition, it's unclear what benefit four speakers would have in such a small profile over one or even two of them. Still, the alleged leak remains an unexpected and therefore interesting development in the continuing iPhone 7 rumor story.





<img src="(http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2016/05/iPhone-7-Proto-Italien-03.jpg)" alt="iPhone-7-Prototype Italian 03" width="528" height="581" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-503626" />


Other, more consistent industry mutterings and leaks suggest Apple's new iPhones will look similar to the iPhone 6 (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-6/) and iPhone 6s (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-6s/) series, featuring only minor tweaks to the design such as the horizontal antenna band removal, flush camera, and a thinner Lightning port (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/02/iphone-7-flush-camera-no-bands/), while the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus model is thought to get exclusivity to a dual-lens camera system and Smart Connector (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/11/iphone-7-and-7-plus-drawings-uswitch/).

<div class="linkback">Related Roundup: iPhone 7 (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-7/) </div>
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Source: Alleged iPhone 7 Prototype Case Leak Shows Four Separate Speakers (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/22/iphone-7-case-shows-four-speakers/)