On September 9, Apple will hold its annual press conference, where the iPhone 7 is expected to receive its official launch. Unfortunately, not much is expected from the unit in terms of a hardware update. And this lack of a change is dragging Apple's sales down before the unit even hits the market.

Estimates For Apple

According to Yahoo!, Andrew Uerkwitz, who is a senior analyst in Oppenheimer & Co., has said that the iPhone 7 is "unlikely to either drive enough existing users to upgrade sooner or attract more switchers than before from Android devices."

Uerkwitz is expecting a decline of 6.4 percent year-after-year of iPhone shipments or an estimated 197 million units. This is a far cry from the view of most other analysts. That is, a 5.5 percent growth or a sale of 221 million units. However, Uerkwitz is basing the assessment from Apple's current trend, where the Cupertino-based company experienced its first sales slump.

Expected Changes From The iPhone 7

The changes that are expected in the iPhone 7 include a re-lining of the back antenna lines and an upgrade to a dual lens camera. Further, the upcoming unit is estimated to come with either the standard 3.5mm audio jack or a physical home button, which will be replaced by a pressure-sensitive home button.

The Feature That Could Help Apple's Sales

However, there is one other expected change that might just push the iPhone 7 enough to entice more buyers. According to The Independent, Apple is working on making the upcoming handheld waterproof.

This estimate is coming from a patent, which covers a technique that would allow Apple's devices to take photos when submerged under water. Logically, the camera will only work if the unit itself can survive in a wet environment.

Though unconfirmed, it is evident that Apple has been trying to make their devices physically stronger. It is possible that waterproofing the iPhone 7 is just part of this initiative.