Apple's Newest iPhone Won't Have Many Changes

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL)'s stock has fallen nearly 9 percent since the start of 2016 and nearly 25 percent over the past year.

Investors who have been holding on to the stock with the hopes of a fresh and innovative iPhone 7 announcement may find themselves disappointed, at least according to a new report.

Dow Jones, citing "people familiar with the matter," reported on Tuesday that Apple will only make "subtle changes" to the iPhone 7. The new phones are likely to maintain the prior model's 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display and the most notable change would likely be the removal of the headphone plug.

The Lightning connector will now double as a phone jack and charging port.

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On the other hand, Apple has big plans for the subsequent iPhone release, potentially in 2017 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the iPhone. Potential changes include an edge-to-edge organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen, a fingerprint sensor built directly into the display and the elimination of the iconic home button.

The publication noted that Apple's decision to delay a major refresh is due to the new technology features that take time to implement and won't be ready in time for a 2016 launch.