The CEO of an Apple supplier just seemingly confirmed one of the biggest iPhone rumors
The current word on the street is that the iPhone 7, expected this fall, is going to be fairly boring. Instead, the next exciting iPhone will come out in 2017, and it could have several new features, like wireless charging, an edge-to-edge screen, and better camera all wrapped up in a glass body.
Catcher Technology makes some of the aluminum shells for the iPhone 6. So its CEO, Allen Horng, might have inside information on Apple's chassis plans.
And on Thursday, he said: "As far as I know, only one [iPhone] model will adopt glass casing next year," after Catcher's annual shareholder meeting, Nikkei reports.
"I don't think this move will have an impact on Catcher's revenue as glass casing still needs a durable metal frame which requires advanced processing technology and would not be cheaper than the current model."
As Nikkei points out, one-third of Catcher's revenue comes from Apple. So it's a critical customer for the company. Before the iPhone 6 came out, with its Catcher-supplied case, Catcher revenues ballooned.
Apple blog Patently Apple speculates that Horng's comment means that Apple might come out with a "special anniversary" or "pro model." And reliable Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, who has sources in the Apple supply chain, has tipped the possibility of a new "Pro" tier of iPhone recently.
Apple's iPhone has followed a "tick-tock" cycle in recent years. In one year, it gets a new design, and in the other year, Apple upgrades its internals.
A growing amount of evidence points to Apple planning to change to that cycle in 2017.