iPhone 7 review confirms features, UK release date, specs and price of Apple’s smartphone
Is the much-anticipated iPhone 7 the hottest gadget in the world or a big fat flop? We found out
APPLE’S new iPhones are out on Friday - and The Sun is one of just a handful of newspapers in the WORLD given an early look.
I have spent the past week testing the 7 and the bigger 7 Plus. Both are identical except for three things - screen size, battery and camera.
But there are lots of differences compared to previous models - including being waterproof but also controversially not having a headphone jack.
The 7 costs from £599 to £799 and the 7 Plus from £719 to £789 depending on how much storage. Phones will be cheaper on two year deals with networks - for example EE has them from £49.99 upfront then £50.99 a month with calls, texts and 5GB of data.
IT IS WATERPROOF. SO I AM FINE TO DROP DOWN THE LOO?
Actually, yes. Finally, the iPhone is waterproof - and dust proof. This is good news after you’ve had a few too many drinks down the pub and drop it down the loo (hopefully after you’ve flushed). And, canvassing pals, it seems you don’t just have to be drunk to drop it down the pan.
I can confirm it works. We did drop it down a loo and I was able to call the editor right after - well, after I’d washed it under a tap and towelled it off - to tell him the test worked. It means you also don’t need to fret about dropping it if you like to catch up on Facebook while lounging in the bath.
Chatting to my tradesman mates, the thing they like the sound of is the dustproof feature. Sure, they can get a case but stuff still gets in unless it is one of the huge and cumbersome ones that make it look like a brick.
REALLY, NO HEADPHONE SOCKET? AND WHAT ARE THESE AIRPODS?
There are headphones in the box with a lead that plugs into the lightning socket plus an adapter so that ordinary ones can be plugged in too. I tested these out and they worked just like normal.
But ditching the audio jack is more about Apple’s vision for headphones in the future. - basically, a new breed of wireless ones such as their new AirPods
These are based on a new tech Apple has developed and have extra features missing from normal Bluetooth headphones plus much longer battery life.
For example, there are no buttons - and I liked how they turned on as soon as I popped them in my ear. Similarly, taking one out when you need to, say, order a coffee pauses music and putting it back in starts it again. So, when the editor came over to question why I’d not finished my review I took one out and Britney Spears was paused.
They also automatically switch between an iPhone, iPad, Watch and Mac computer - depending on what you are using.
Three new headphones from Apple-owned Beats will also use the new tech - which is also likely to be licensed to other headphone makers so cheaper versions should become available. That’s good news as the AirPods will cost £159 when out in October. The entry level Beats ones are £129.95.
Normal Bluetooth headphones will also work with the 7 - but won’t have the extra features. And headphone makers like JML are making cans with the lightning connector lead.
It’s a huge gamble from Apple - to give users no option but to embrace their vision for how we listen to music. If consumers reject it and don’t buy the 7, it will not only be embarrassing - it will cost them dearly since the iPhone is their main earner.
But then they also were first to ditch the floppy disc drive and then the DVD drive - so who would bet against them?
The AirPods work brilliantly and in a few years these types of headphones will become common - once the price comes down. New tech is always a bit pricy - and I think the AirPods cost too much. In a year or two I hope Apple will bundle them in with the iPhone as it does normal headphones now.
WHY DO I NEED TWO LENSES IN MY CAMERA?
This is a key area where the Plus is significantly different to the 7 and predecessors - and a real reason to upgrade if you take a lot of snaps on your smartphone.
It has a so-called “dual-lens” main camera. One is a normal wide-angle lens and the other is “telephoto” - which takes snaps the same as a 2x zoom. But using it you don’t have to worry about which one you use. The Plus switches between them as you zoom. Or swap between the two with a press of the screen.
I thought the two lenses might be a gimmick but they aren’t. For me, like most Brits, my smartphone is now my main camera. It has been a frustration that I cannot zoom in without losing quality.
This is a smart way to get proper optical zoom on a smartphone - and is, in fact, a first.
Related Stories
To fit the zoom lenses found on normal digital cameras, which are pretty big, into a phone would mean making the phone much thicker or giving it a huge bulge.
It is a feature that is sure to be copied by rivals. Rivals Huawei and LG have put two lenses in - but not yet to help with zoom. You can see down the line three or even four lenses for even more zoom.
Both the 7 and the 7 Plus now have optical image stabilisation - which was previously just on the Plus. It works like the suspension on a car - keeping the picture still even if your hand shakes. It helps a lot with snaps in low light, such as in a bar. In those cases, the shutter needs to stay open longer to let in more light - where any handshake can cause a blur.
The front facing camera - basically the selfie one that is also used for FaceTime calls - is upped from 5MP to 7MP. This means each snap is made up of 7 million pixels, or little dots. The main camera is still 12MP.
DESIGN - DOESN’T IT LOOK THE SAME?
The new phones look much like last year’s 6s and 6s Plus that they replace - which looked like the 6 and 6 Plus from 2014. So the 7 has the same 4.7inch screen and the 7 Plus has the same 5.5inch screen, which has more detail in it than its smaller brother.
Normally, Apple changes the design of the iPhone every two years - and this is the third year without a revamp. I was a bit disappointed at first that there was no cutting edge new design.
But I was won over by the two new colours - “jet black” with a high-gloss finish and “black” with a matte one. Both look much sleeker than the drab space grey they replace, which let’s be honest was no one’s first choice. The jet black will top many people’s list - and I am a big fan. It is very eye catching. It does pick up fingerprints and Apple warns it picks up very fine scratches so recommends using a case - but mine was fine.
Both will be the most popular colours I reckon for another reason - as Brits snap them up to show off to mates that they have the latest device.
OTHER NEW FEATURES: BRAINS AND BATTERIES
Another key boost is the brain. The new processor, the A10 Fusion is as much as 40 per cent faster than the one one in the 6s and twice as speedy as the one in the 6.
Crucially, it uses less power. That along with a slightly bigger battery - in the space vacated by the headphone socket - mean the 7 lasts nearly two hours longer and the 7 Plus an extra hour.
The 3D Touch feature - the upgrade to the screen allows users to access different functions depending on how hard they press it - added to the 6s last year is expanded.
It works with more apps. The feature I liked was how I can now use it to do more with the notifications on the home screen. A firm press on, say, a message opens it up to read fully and you can even reply. For me, it was handy after coming out of a meeting to deal with everything from the lock screen in one go.
SOFTWARE
Apple’s new iOS10 software is included - and has some neat new features. Owners of the SE, 6s, 6, 5s, 5c and 5 can also download it.
Siri now doesn’t only work on Apple’s own apps. It now also works with others - so you can order a taxi with Uber or send messages via WhatsApp.
Messages, the most used app, has a major update - with stickers and emoji front and centre. Emoji are now three times bigger. And keywords with a relevant emoji are highlighted - press this when you type, say, beer and get a beer emoji. Plus send “handwritten” replies by drawing on the screen.
WHAT IS MISSING?
A new design would have been nice, but it is still a great looking phone. And you can at least still use cases from the 6 or 6s on the 7 - though the same is not the case on the Plus due to the bigger camera.
Wireless charging would be a great addition. I have used it on phones from Microsoft and Google, and it is dead handy for topping up your phone while still having it to hand. Either you have a special pad on your desk, coffee table or bedside cabinet plugged into the mains. Or it charging pads can be built into furniture, as Ikea is doing.
Really, though I want to be surprised with the next iPhone - with features I didn’t even realise I needed.
SHOULD I UPGRADE?
Should you get a new iPhone or switch from another make of phone?
The new camera on the Plus is as big reason to take the plunge if you take a lot of snaps. It is a big difference to the standard 7 and older models.
If you have last year’s model and don’t need the absolute latest features - or the new camera - stick with what you have.
But if you have a 6, 6 Plus or older then go for it. The new phones will appear lightning fast, take better snaps. If you still have the 5s you also get the bigger screen.
The other thing to consider is next year’s iPhone - due ten years after the first. That is tipped to be a more radical upgrade - looking very different with even more new features.
And what if you are a user of a phone running Google’s Android software like Samsung’s Galaxy S devices or Sony’s Xperia handsets.
The iPhone still has the most apps and is easy to use - and looks great.
But it’s one of the priciest - to buy outright or on contract. Perhaps hold on for a couple of months and networks should lower prices a bit.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368