The Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus might support a design similar to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, according to new reports in the techsphere. Both next generation iPhone models are likely to come with waterproof capabilities enabled by a "self-healing elastomer" that prevents water from seeping into their internals.

A patent was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an “electronic device with hidden connector” in June 2014. This patent has been published by the USPTO, according to Apple Insider. It reveals Apple will use self-healing elastomers for connectors like the audio jack.

For instance, inserting an earphone in the audio jack protected by the elastomeric material will break the elastomer. When the earphone is removed from the audio jack, the elastomer will re-seal automatically and regain the original shape.

As of this writing, there has been no official confirmation on whether next year’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus smartphones will have water proofing and dust resistant capabilities. The upcoming iPhones might feature it because the current iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models already feature a water-resistant logic board.

The chassis of the iPhone 7 will be made of stronger material that won't allow water to come into contact with its internal components, said a report in Xiaomi Today. Hence, Apple is likely to market the iPhone 7 as a waterproof device.

Other reports on features of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus suggest both devices will continue using the same 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays present on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

The Apple A10 SoC manufactured with 16 nm FinFET technology by TSMC will power both iPhone 7 models. The new chipset will be supported by 2 GB of RAM. Both handsets are expected to be unveiled in September 2016.

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