14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has just unveiled its new iPhone 7 today, finally putting an end to rumors that the company could use a different designation for this generation and save the name for the next-year model celebrating the iPhone’s 10th anniversary.
Many of the new iPhone 7’s features have already been leaked in the previous weeks and months, so if you’re an Apple fanboy who’s completely up to date with what’s happening in the iWorld, you should already know almost everything about the device.
Although the conference has only started, the official Twitter account Apple has apparently rushed to post the official announcement, revealing that the iPhone 7 comes with new cameras, is water resistant, features stereo speakers and offers longer battery life.
A video that was included in the tweet, which is no longer available, shows that the iPhone 7 will be water-resistant, just like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, and will come in a black version.
A teaser that has been posted on Twitter by the same Apple account and that you can see in this article too shows what's likely to be the iPhone 7 Plus with a dual-camera system. The dual cameras will be exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus, according to leaks. The new black version you see here is likely to be called Piano Black, and Apple should confirm it later in its keynote.
The new iPhone 7
“It’s the best iPhone we have ever created,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said. “It has a gorgeous new design,” he explained. “It makes all the things you do every day so much better.”
The iPhone 7 features an improved design that includes a new finish called “Jet Black,” and not Piano Black as it was initially believed. There’s also a second black version, and “we call it simply… black.” The iPhone 7 will also be available in silver, gold, and rose gold.
The device also features a Home button that’s been redesigned and is now force-sensitive and uses a new-generation taptic engine that’s more responsive and creates a real-time feel on the button. This engine offers distinctive notifications for quick actions, messages, ringtones and more.
The new enclosures of the iPhone 7 are water- and dust-resistant, so they meet the IP67 protection standard. This means you can take a shower with your iPhone, and it should be safe.
Then, the new iPhone 7 comes with completely new cameras. The standard 4.7-inch version features optical image stabilization up to 3x longer exposure, a larger f/1.8 aperture that allows 50 percent more light on the sensor, there’s also a 6P lens, and a new 12MP sensor that’s 60 percent faster.
The flash is also new, has four LEDs and offers 50 percent more light. It also features a flicker sensor that compensates for artificial light. The FaceTime camera has been upgraded to 7MP too and features wide color capture and auto image stabilization.
Apple is also announcing a dual-camera system for the iPhone 7 Plus. It features 2 12MP cameras, one wide-angle and one telephoto for better quality. The company says that, this way, it managed to create a zoom lens for a phone. It works just like before, but there’s a new button that’s called “1x” and that lets you zoom to 2x and use the telephoto lens instantly. You can digitally zoom to 10x, and Apple says that photo quality won’t be compromised. Optical zoom is supported up to 2x.
The Retina HD display has been improved to be 25 percent brighter and boast wide color gamut. It continues to feature the 3D Touch layer, which is being used more in iOS 10.
Speakers built into the iPhone 7 are finally stereo for the first time ever. One speaker is at the bottom and the other one at the top, and they are 2 times louder, featuring increased dynamic range.
The EarPods are certainly the most controversial change, as the headphone jack is officially discontinued. The Lightning connector is now audio too, so it serves multiple purposes on the iPhone 7.
The reason for removing the headphone jack comes down to courage, Apple says. “We proved we can use Lightning, which is a great connector for audio too. Second, and this is really important, is that our smartphones are packed with technology and we want more, so we need more space inside. Third, when you have a vision of how audio should work on mobile devices, you want to be there as fast as possible.”
There are new wireless headphones launched with the iPhone 7, and they are called Apple AirPods. They use a new W1 chip specifically built for “a reliable connection,” and infrared sensors detect when the AirPods are in your ear and play music when you need. Sensors let you launch Siri with a touch. Each AirPod provides up to 5 hours of battery life per charge, Apple claims.
The iPhone 7 is the fastest smartphone on the market, Apple claims. There’s a new-generation chip in the iPhone 7 that is called A10 Fusion, a four-core CPU with 3.3 billion transistors. It features 2 high-performance cores that are 40 percent faster than the A9 and two high-efficiency cores for longer battery life. They operate with a performance controller that chooses which cores need to be used for each process.
There’s a six-core graphics chip that’s 50 percent faster than the A9 and that uses only 2/3 the power of the A9, so it’s super efficient. The A10 fusion is the most powerful chip ever in a smartphone, Apple says.
The new iPhones benefit from the longest battery life ever in an iPhone, Apple claims, so if you upgrade from the 6s, you should get at least 2 more hours of autonomy or 1 hour if you’re upgrading from the Plus.
The iPhone 7 will cost the same as the 6s that it replaces, with pricing starting at $649. There will be three storage versions, so it’s now 32GB, 128GB, or 256GB. The Jet Black comes only in the last two versions. The Plus starts at $749. The storage of the iPhone 6s will also be upgraded to 32GB and 128GB.
Pre-orders start on September 9, and shipments will begin one week later on September 16 in a total of 28 countries. iOS 10 launches on September 13.
