Future iPhone speakers could turn the volume up to 11
Probably won't be noise complaint-loud, but might sound better
Apple is hoping you like your music loud – it’s working on a way to let your iPhone’s speakers pump up the volume.
Getting anything substantial from something as thin as a smartphone is a tough ask, but the recently-filed Apple patent uncovered by 9to5Mac might have the answer.
The idea is to use the rest of the phone as a giant echo chamber, with circuit boards and other parts effectively becoming a part of the speaker.
It’s pretty densely packed inside an iPhone. If Apple really is going to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack, there might be a little extra space, but it won’t be enough to add a bigger speaker driver.
An audio chamber would mean there’s a lot more air to move around, which would create a bigger sound and give quality a bit of a boost in the process. It would have a similar effect on the microphone as well, which could mean clearer recordings and less distortion.
It sounds like complicated stuff, and doesn’t explain if Apple would have to completely change the layout of the phone to make it work.
If it works as promised, though, it could mean getting rid of the 3.5mm audio jack is only the first step to making future iPhones seriously thin.
Because it’s just a patent, there’s not much chance the tech will appear in the iPhone 7, or even the 7S, but it could make a big difference to the phone that follows it though.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
