The next-gen iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are finally here, but they are not yet available for purchase. When compared to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, you will notice huge similarities in terms of looks, but dig a little deeper and you will be surprised at the powerful features and upgrades the new phones pack over their predecessors.
Despite the many unnoticed additions that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus bring to the table, there are also some omissions, most notably the 3.5mm headphone port. However, there is a workaround to this, although many might not enjoy it. So, what are the specs and new features of the new Apple flagship phones as well as their release dates?
No 3.5mm headphone jack
As noted earlier, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a lot of design similarities with last year’s iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. Still, there are slight changes that include an upgraded camera, a missing 3.5mm headphone jack and a brand new home button. To take care of the headphone issue, Apple will be shipping the iPhone 7 with Lightning port-based EarPods. However, this should mean the days of listening to music while charging the phone are over. Alternatively, you can use wireless Apple AirPods for the same purpose.
Apple will also be supplying iPhone 7 buyers with adaptors that allow those using traditional headphones to keep using them on their new iPhones.
A better camera
The camera of the new iPhone is now much better than last year’s version. There is enhanced low-light abilities and sharpness is also better. You get a 12MP sensor on the 4.7-inch model with a f/1.8 aperture and according to Apple, it lets in 50% more light than its predecessor. Furthermore, the new sensor is said to be 30% more energy efficient and 60% faster.
On the other hand, the iPhone 7 Plus comes with a 12MP dual-lens setup, one for wide-angle views and the other being a telephoto lens that is capable of zooming up to 2X without the need of any software. There is also the support for 4K video recording on both phones as well as live video editing. Apple has included image stabilization and a new flash that promise enhanced photography in low-light conditions.
The iPhone 7 comes with two more LEDs at the back, with two being cool and the other two warm, so as to end up with a more effective flash when taking shots. A flicker sensor has also been added to make sure that the flash looks more like natural light. There are also some improvements on the front-facing snapper, which now carries a 7MP lens instead of 5MP.
The looks
It has been said once and again that the iPhone 7 is more like the iPhone 6S in terms of looks. But get closer to the new phone and you’ll notice that there are two new color variants that take the place of space gray. Matte black and glossy black variants will link up with the traditional silver, gold and rose gold variants to make it a total of five. For those who go after the 128GB and 256GB models, there will be room to get the all new and shiny jet black finish.
There are still some noticeable changes on the design language, with the antenna lines moving to the edges instead of the back as with the iPhone 6S.
Performance
While the changes on the outside are minimal, changes happened under the hood. Apple packed an A10 SoC in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which is a 64-bit processor that is 40% faster than the A9 SoC used on the iPhone 6S. Apple also says that the graphics performance of the new chipset is also 40% more powerful than its predecessor.
Battery life
There are some serious improvements in the battery life of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Apparently, you will be getting two more hours of battery life with the new standard model while the Plus model will get you an extra hour of usage.
On 4G, the iPhone 7 gives you 12 hours of usage while Wi-Fi gets you an extra 2 hours. On the other hand, the iPhone 7 Plus gives you 13 hours of LTE browsing and 15 hours on Wi-Fi.
Water resistance
Apple has finally included water resistance in the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus thanks to an IPX7 rating. This means the phone can still survive a dive of up to 3 feet for about 30 minutes. Many Android devices have had this feature for quite some time, but Apple has made the jump, something that KGI thinks has had a huge impact on the number of units produced in comparison to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.
Home button
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a new home button that is now sensitive to pressure, in the process vibrating when touched to give back haptic feedback. This is the same thing you will find on Apple’s MacBook laptops.
Release date
Coming down to the release date and pricing of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the two should be available for preorders as from September 9 and shipping begins on September 16. As for the price, the base model of the iPhone 7 will cost $649 while the larger model will start at $769. The 128GB and 256GB models are priced at $749 and $849 for the smaller model, respectively; while the larger model will come at a price of $869 and $969 for the same storage options, respectively.