Apple's upcoming flagship device, dubbed the iPhone 7, is expected to sport a new design not only in terms of thickness but also its ports for speaker and microphone, which will come with shutters to prevent contaminants from getting inside the device.

Also Read

A new patent, titled "Electronic Devices With Housing Port Shutters", filed by Apple has detailed a new way of blocking openings in a handset that can allow entry of harmful particles and liquid. It came a few days after reports emerged that the iPhone 7 would be waterproof.

"An electronic device may have a housing in which a display and other components are mounted. Audio components such as a speaker and microphone and other electrical components may be mounted in an interior portion of the housing," reads the patent published by the US Patent & Trademark Office. 

"A shutter may be interposed between the audio component and the housing port. The shutter may have an electrically controlled positioner that is used to position a movable shutter member," adds the patent.

The iPhone 7 is expected to be released next year along with its bigger sibling, the iPhone 7 Plus. AppleInsider has reported citing reliable sources that the devices will be launched early. So, it wouldn't come as a surprise if it is released in June and July like the iPhone 4s and its predecessors.

According to reports, the iPhone 7 will sport a 4.7-inch LCD display, measure between 6.0 and 6.5 mm in thickness, will be powered by an A9 chip and come packed with 2 or 3 GB RAM.