iPhone 7 to Double Base Model Storage Capacity from 16GB to 32GB

Just a couple of months from now, the official release of the iPhone 7 will arrive. And although nothing surrounding the release of the phone has been officially confirmed, many analysts and pundits agree that the next iPhone will be more of a minor upgrade than an exciting new redesign. Aside from the oft-rumored lack of a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack, repositioned “antenna lines”, upgraded camera, and possible dual-lens camera for a 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Pro, rumor has it that the iPhone 7 doesn’t really add any new groundbreaking features. However, according to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, the release of the iPhone 7 will see Apple fix one of the most notorious problems with the iPhone 6s – storage.

Before the release of the iPhone 6s, many users expected Apple to bump up the storage on their entry-level phones. With more advanced technology in our phones, 16GB just doesn’t seem to cut it these days. Faster processors allow developers to create more intense and feature-rich apps that tend to take up more space. And more advanced cameras take higher-resolution photos and videos, which also take up more space – add in the iPhone’s Live Photos feature, and that 16GB is gone rather quickly. With no expandable storage on the iPhone, users can either upgrade to a (much pricier) 64GB device, or shell out for more iCloud storage (and possibly a more expensive data plan). According to the Wall Street Journal, however, Apple has eliminated the 16GB storage option for the iPhone 7, opting instead for a 32GB entry-level option.

Rumors surrounding the iPhone 7’s storage options have circulated the internet for months, although the Wall Street Journal is the first big-name media outlet to confirm the step up to 32GB for the entry-level model. If the rumor is indeed true, it would likely follow that previous rumors about the pricing and storage options of the iPhone 7 would also hold true. The 32GB iPhone 7 will likely cost $649, while 128GB and 256GB models will likely run users $749 and $849, respectively. The iPhone 7 Plus is rumored to follow the same storage options, with a 32GB option costing $749, 128GB option costing $849, and 256GB model costing $949.

Although this September’s iPhone release likely won’t be as revolutionary as some of Apple’s past releases, the new storage options are quite generous, and the base model will finally contain enough storage for the average customer’s daily usage. If the new storage options and upgraded camera don’t excite you, however, there are plenty of rumors circulating that next year’s iPhone, the iPhone 8, will see a dramatic redesign featuring an all-glass enclosure, bezel-free OLED display with the Touch ID and FaceTime Camera embedded underneath, and more. Until then, a minor hardware upgrade and major storage upgrade will have to do.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]