New photo purports to show 'iPhone 7' shell with single, raised rear camera opening

A new image, claimed to depict a genuine rear shell for Apple's "iPhone 7," may support some other recent leaks pointing to the device's design features.

The part — shared on Weibo — has a significantly larger camera opening than the iPhone 6s, though still with an elevated "bump" like that device. This conflicts with one-time rumors that Apple was intending to eliminate the bump, but matches recent schematics leaks and another supposed shell piece.

If the new part is authentic, it would discredit a dummy shell that emerged over the weekend, since the latter positioned the flash under the camera lens, instead of to the side. The dummy also featured four speaker ports, whereas rumors have pointed to the "iPhone 7" having two at most.

Also present on the new part are relocated antenna bands, found only across the top and bottom edges, instead of across the back like all 6-series iPhones. Reports have almost universally supported this change.

While the shell's authenticity is difficult to gauge, 9to5Mac noted that the source previously leaked an accurate iPhone 6 design.

Apple is expected to ship two new iPhones this September. The second — a 5.5-inch "Plus" model — may be the centerpiece with upgrades like a dual-lens camera, 3 gigabytes of RAM, and/or a Smart Connector.