“This is 7.” The front page of Apple.com shows off the new iPhone 7 that CEO Tim Cook announced at the company’s keynote. Following the same naming pattern as previous generations, the iPhone 7 follows the iPhone 6s, which has been available since September of last year and is still being sold by major retailers. No one creates buzz around a new product better than Apple, but what really sets the iPhone 7 apart? Let’s take a look.
The Elephant in the Room
The biggest news surrounding the iPhone 7 isn’t about a new feature it has but an old feature it doesn’t — the 3.5mm headphone jack. The analog port that exists in virtually every smartphone in the world is absent from the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. This will force owners to use the new ear pods (included) with a lightning connector or a pair of wireless headphones via Bluetooth. The opinions on the removal of the headphone jack are heated, but only time will tell us if Apple made the right call on this “courageous” move.
Should Have Called Them AirBuds
The lack of a headphone jack leaves many of us scratching our heads, but Apple hopes to alleviate the confusion with its newest proprietary wireless headphones, called “AirPods.” The headphones look almost identical to the wired EarBuds, but without wires. AirPods are two independent wireless pieces that connect seamlessly to the iPhone 7 and deliver five hours of playtime per charge. If that doesn’t sound like a lot (and it isn’t), the AirPods carrying case doubles as a battery pack to extend the life to a full 24 hours.
Bigger, Better Camera
The camera is the biggest upgrade in the newest generation and also the biggest difference between the 7 and 7 Plus. Both cameras now have optical image stabilization, a feature that was exclusive to the 6s last year, but the 7 Plus exclusively touts a dual wide-angle and telephoto lens camera to allow for real 2x optical zoom and greater depth in pictures.
The camera on the iPhone 7, however, is no slouch. Apple bumped the camera in both phones to a whopping 12 megapixels (on par with top Android phones) and a smaller aperture to take better pictures in dim light. Combine these features with a new quad-LED flash and improved sensor and you have a camera that shines in almost any condition.
Now Toilet Proof
Gross factor aside, dropping your iPhone in the toilet or other unholy body of water used to mean certain death. This is no longer the case now that the iPhone 7 is officially water-resistant. You probably shouldn’t start showering and swimming with your new phone, but a quick drop will no longer induce a full panic attack.
The Colors are now More Colory
White, gold and rose gold are still the same in the iPhone 7, but Apple is introducing two new colors: space black (to replace space gray) and the extremely sexy jet black, which boasts a beautiful piano black finish. We’re not sure how well jet black holds up to scratches yet, but many people are perfectly willing to find out.
The Usual Suspects
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus come with the usual upgrade we expect from a next-gen iPhone:
- Brighter screen with wider color gamut
- Longer battery life
- New A10 Fusion processor, which promises faster speeds
- Speakers on both the top and bottom for a true stereo mode
- Faster LTE connections
- New home button with customizable features
- 32, 128 and 256GB storage options
The iPhone 7 starts at $649 for the 32GB option. Pricing plans are available through Apple and all major carriers. You also can expect the iPhone 6s to drop in price when the new phone launches September 16.
