IPhone Rumors: What’s Probably, Possibly and Definitely Not Happening

The rumor mill is in full swing for Apple's impending iPhone announcement. The company's phone releases have followed the same pattern since the release of the iPhone 3 in 2008: a new model one year, and a slightly modified version of that model -- the "S" version -- the following year. This year, we're due for a new model. Apple is expected to announce it Sept. 7 at its keynote event.

Ahead of the announcement, the tech giant hasn't said exactly what customers can expect from the new phones. But hints can be found from its Chinese suppliers, said MacRumors Editor In Chief Eric Slivka, and journalists sometimes get tips from Apple higher-ups.

Slivka, whose website has tracked Apple gossip and news since 2000, discussed which recent rumors are almost certainly going to prove correct for the new models, which ones are still up in the air, and which ones are definitely not happening this time around.

Probable

No more headphone jack. The biggest rumor of this iPhone cycle is the alleged vanishing headphone jack. Slivka said this rumor has come from multiple sources, and MacRumors lists it as an "expected" change on its site. It's still unclear what will replace it: The charging port could pull double duty, or people may have to switch to wireless headphones.

Neither option is particularly appealing to change-averse consumers. (We've only just recovered from having to buy new charging cables.) If Apple's proprietary lightning port will also accommodate headphones, people will have to choose between charging their phone and listening to it. Wireless headphones generally have lower audio quality, need to be charged separately, and are easy to lose. Best case scenario for audiophiles with fancy wired headphones: plugging in using an adapter.

Pressure-sensitive home buttons. The iPhone 6S has a pressure-sensitive "force touch" screen that can tell how...