If you think Apple's iPhones have become monotonous over the years, the upcoming iPhone 7 could well come with some freshness, perhaps new design and features. It is reported that the flagship smartphone will be a complete overhaul and not just some upgrades like its predecessors.

The next Apple phone will come with a new design that is waterproof and dustproof, reported Macotakara (via 9to5Mac) citing posts on Chinese social networking site Weibo. Another post claimed that the flagship device will come with a new casing material, hinting that Apple might discard metallic frame. 

It may be noted that most flagship android devices have waterproof and dust-resistant features.

According to reports that have surfaced so far, iPhone 7 may come with a flat LCD screen panel, and even do away with the iconic Home button. If it turns out to be true, the upcoming device could end up looking more like Android phones with bigger display despite not increasing phone size.

The iPhone 7 is expected to be powered by A10 chip and Apple has apparently started "placing orders for its parts" and mass production of processor may begin in March 2016, according to a report by Geek. It added that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) secured exclusive supply contract of chips. 

The upcoming flagship device is also expected to be ultra slim, perhaps the slimmest iPhone till date. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said in a note to investors that Apple is planning to make its upcoming iPhone between 6.0 and 6.5 mm thick, according to a report by DigiTimes

A report by Business Insider has also claimed citing a source close to Apple's supply chain that the company is planning to introduce six-element lenses to its future iPhone, possibly the iPhone 7. 

Nothing about iPhone 7 is certain as of now, as Apple is yet to reveal any detail about it. But it is expected to be a game-changing device. Its release date is expected to fall in September 2016, as iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will complete a year cycle in the market by then.