Some may say it's too early to talk about a device that is still a year away before hitting stores, but the fact is that planning for a flagship device begins months before its release. So, it is natural for people to talk about Apple's upcoming device, the iPhone 7, which is expected to be a game-changing handset for the company.

Apple never announces the release date of its devices but it has become predictable over the years, as it has the tradition of unveiling flagship devices in September. The iPhone 6s was released in September this year, and so its successor, the iPhone 7 is also expected to come at around the same time in 2016.

Not much is known about the device but several reports have suggested that it should come with feature overhaul, unlike the recently released iPhone 6s that has nothing much to boast of in terms of novelty.

Here are five things you will want to know about iPhone 7:

1. Design: Apple's last few iPhones have been boring as far as design is concerned as they wear almost the same look. It's time the company change the look of its popular handset, and the iPhone 7 could be the one to sport a new design. It is reported that Apple might discard metallic frame used in its earlier iPhones and introduced a different material, though there is no mention of the kind of casing material to be used.

2. Dimension: The iPhone 6s has 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm dimension, which means it is 7.1 mm thick, but the iPhone 7 is expected to be the slimmest iPhone so far. According to DigiTimes, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has claimed citing sources that Apple is planning to make its future iPhone, possibly the iPhone 7, measuring between 6.0 and 6.5 mm thick. 

3. Home Button: It is reported that Apple might finally increase display size without increasing the actual size of a device by going away with its iconic Home button. The 3D Touch technology seen in the iPhone 6s could be taken as a hint that the company might go the Android way.

4. Unique Features: Apple has filed patents like "Protective Mechanism for an Electronic Device", "Elevated Joystick", "Mirror Tilt Actuation" and "Touch Surface for Simulating Materials" but will they be introduced in its upcoming iPhone 7? Apple fans will be happy to see at least a couple of these technologies in the device.

5. According to reports, the iPhone 7 is expected to be water and dust proof, and house six-element lenses. Geek reported that the device will be powered by A10 chip and that the company has started "placing orders for iPhone 7 parts" and mass production of the processor may begin in March 2016.