The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are all about subtle, powerful changes
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are here, and wouldn’t you know it — just about all those leaks were right. It goes without saying that we’re not looking at a massive redesign here, either. There are the new Black and Jet Black finishes, the camera humps have change, the antenna bands have been moved and they’re more subtly worked into the body. The list goes on, but ultimately we’re working with iPhones that look and feel quite a bit like last year’s models.
That’s sure to disappoint some of you — Apple’s seemingly regular timing for dramatic updates didn’t help — but after a bit of hands-on time, it’s clear that the changes Apple did make with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are more meaningful than you might think. Read on for our first impressions of Apple’s updated handiwork (in no particular order).
- In general, it’s really hard to get a sense of how snappy a new smartphone is when a company shows it off for the first time. Apple has said its new A10 Fusion processor is its fastest slice of mobile silicon ever, and it definitely felt very fast while I was thumbing through apps and trying to launch webpages. Then again, of course it would — these are brand new devices loaded up with mostly clean builds of iOS 10. What’s more important is how well this level of performance will persist over time, so we’ll have to see about that.
- The new 12-megapixel camera(s) seem to work really nicely — they’re quick to focus and captured some well-exposed, vividly colored photos in the thick of Apple’s press scrum. Then again, the room itself was well-lit, which is obviously the sort of environment smartphone cameras excel in anyway. Using the iPhone 7 Plus’s new dual-camera setup was slick, too, even if it feels a lot like what LG did with its G5 earlier this year. In fairness, Apple’s implementation feels a little more consistent since both sensors are the same resolution (the G5 had one 8-megapixel and one 16-megapixel sensor each), and tapping to switch between 1x and 2x modes was as dead-simple as you’d expect. Most importantly, it only felt like a gimmick for a few moments — after that, its flexibility felt valuable and obvious.
- Man, that new Home button is weird. iPhone newcomers won’t have any trouble adapting to the change, but it feels almost jarring to someone who has used iPhones pretty regularly since the 4’s launch in 2010. It works like force-pressing one of Apple’s new Macbook trackpads, but it doesn’t really feel like it — you’ll feel a blip from the phone’s Taptic Engine instead of feeling the button depress like you’re using a 3D Touch gesture on the screen.
- Apple can chalk it up to “courage” as much as they want, getting rid of the headphone jack makes things much trickier. I asked multiple Apple spokespeople whether or not you could somehow charge the iPhone 7 while the included EarPods were plugged in, which seemed like a straightforward, yes or no sort of question. I still haven’t gotten a straight answer, though I’ll update this post when I do.
- That Jet Black finish is beautiful, but it probably won’t stay that way for long. A spokeperson said Jet Black iPhones have an oleophobic coating meant to keep them from getting too oily, but it can only do so much — it took moments for my hands to reduce the phone to a smudgy mess. That said, it never felt like the phone was going to slip from between my fingers, which is saying something for a klutz like me. Apple also said that the Jet Black iPhones are more prone to scratches, but I still get the impression it’ll sell really well — though maybe not as well as the more conventional Black.
- Apple’s press pit was a madhouse, and as a result it was damned hear impossible to get a sense of the iPhone 7’s new stereo speakers. Still, I figured out a few things — while Apple’s on-stage imagery sort of made it look like there’s a another discrete speaker on top of the phone, the audio just comes out of the main earpiece speaker.
- The iPhone 7 Plus is only a few grams lighter than the 6s Plus that came before it, but that feels like a significant differences. I had to stop using the 6s Plus because its weight and width were enough to make my wrist hurt after a while. The 7 Plus, on the other hand, might be just light enough to mitigate some of those issues.
- I can’t wait to spill a drink on these things.
This is a developing story, stay tuned for more.
Apple Debuts Wireless ‘AirPods’ With 5 Hours of Music Playback
Apple today announced a new pair of wireless “AirPods,” which provide up to 5 hours of music playback and high-quality sound through a “seamless and automatic connection” between devices. The AirPods include a rechargeable battery case that delivers up to 24 hours of battery life.
The AirPods connect instantly with a single tap and switch between iCloud-connected Apple devices on the fly. Playback is controlled by dual-optical sensors that “know when you are listening” and will pause music automatically when taken out. A double tap on the buds invokes Siri, allowing the user to select and control music, change the volume, check battery life or perform any other Siri task. This functionality is enabled by an ultra-low power Apple W1 chip inside, which also delivers higher quality audio, claims Apple.
“AirPods are the first headphones to deliver a breakthrough wireless audio experience, and with the new Apple W1 chip they deliver innovative features including high quality sound, great battery life and automatic setup,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “AirPods are simple and magical to use, with no switches or buttons, automatically connecting to all your Apple devices simply and seamlessly, and letting you access Siri with just a double tap. We can’t wait for users to try them with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2.”
Each AirPod also has an additional accelerometer that detects when the user is speaking, while a pair of beam-forming microphones focus on the sound of the user’s voice and filters out external noise.
The AirPods come with a Lightning cable for charging the case, and will be available to buy from late October in stores and online at a price of $159. The earphones require Apple devices running iOS 10, watchOS 3 or macOS Sierra.
The company also showcased a pair of new, lightning-connected EarPods at the media event in San Francisco. These wired headphones will be included in the box for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, along with a Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone adapter.
Tag: September 2016 event
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Apple Unveils iPhone 7 With Water Resistance, A10 Fusion, New ‘Jet Black’ Color, Updated Cameras, No Headphone Jack, and More
Apple today announced the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus at its “See You on the 7th” media event in San Francisco.
The new iPhones feature a 64-bit four-core A10 Fusion processor, stereo speakers positioned on opposite ends of the device, a flush Force-sensitive home button with a Taptic Engine for haptic feedback, and IP67-standard water and dust resistance – but no headphone jack. Wired Lightning in-ear EarPod headphones and a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter are included in the box. Apple is offering Siri-enabled wireless earbuds called AirPods as a separate accessory, available for $159 in late October.
The iPhone 7 features a faster, more energy efficient 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization, six-element f/1.8 aperture lens, an artificial light compensating flicker sensor, Quad-LED True Tone flash, and enhanced tone mapping. The device also has a 7-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD camera with wide color capture and auto-image stabilization.
The iPhone 7 Plus differentiates itself from the 4.7-inch handset with a dual-lens 12-megapixel camera featuring all the same features, but is much more advanced, including a wide-angle lens and a separate telephoto lens that combine to create 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom features. The ISP dual-lens camera is also capable of producing live shallow depth of field shots and “bokeh” effects in preview mode.
Depth of field shot taken with the iPhone 7 Plus dual-lens camera
The smartphones are crafted from anodized aluminum and have a stainless steel Apple logo, and come in a new glossy jet black color, as well as simple “black” (with a black Apple logo), alongside silver, gold and rose gold. The antenna bands are aligned along the edges of the handsets, instead of across the rear like on the previous models, and the volume buttons are positioned directly on the side of the handset (as opposed to inside a recess as per the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus).
Both devices also benefit from a 25% brighter “cinema standard” Retina HD display with wider color gamut, improved color management, and 3D Touch. Audio has also been improved with the new speakers, which include increased volume and better dynamic range.
The A10 Fusion four-core processor powering the two devices delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance, up to 50% faster graphics performance, and better efficiency compared to the A9 chip inside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Both the new smartphones come with improved battery life, faster wireless, and the improved water resistance means the iPhones stand up to splashing and even short periods of immersion in water.
Pre-orders begin Friday September 9 and the devices are available to buy in more than 25 countries from September 16. iPhone 7 starts at $649 and comes in 32GB/128GB/256GB capacities. The iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769, also in 32GB/128GB/256GB capacities. All come pre-installed with iOS 10, which is also available for download on September 13.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are also available through the iPhone Upgrade Program, starting at $27/month and $32/month in the United States respectively. Apple said the iPhone Upgrade Program will be expanding to the United Kingdom and China.
Tag: September 2016 event
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Apple Announces New Line of Beats Headphones With W1 Wireless Chip
Apple and Beats today announced a new line of wireless Beats by Dre headphones powered by Apple’s new W1 chip. The chip allows the new headphones, like Apple’s new AirPods, to take advantage of easy, instant pairing to an iPhone.
The new Beats Solo3, Powerbeats3 and BeatsX can be paired to an iPhone by powering them up and holding them near an iPhone. The headphones will pair with your iPhone and simultaneously connect to your Apple Watch and Mac.
The Solo3 and Powerbeats3 are updates to Beats’ two signature lines of headphones: the over-the-head casual listening Solo line and the athletically-focused Powerbeats line. The BeatsX, however, are a new line of headphones aimed at being a more mobile everyday pair of headphones.
All three headphones come with Fast Fuel, a fast-charging solution that can deliver more power with 5 minutes of charging. 5 minutes of charging delivers 3 hours of playback for the Solo3, 2 hours of playback for the BeatsX and an hour of playback for the Powerbeats3.
The Solo3 headphones are available for $299 on Apple.com. The Powerbeats3 and BeatsX will be available for $199 and $149, respectively, later this year.
Tags: Beats by Dre, September 2016 event
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iOS 10 and watchOS 3 Coming September 13, macOS Sierra Coming September 20
At today’s event held at the Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco, Apple announced the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the Apple Watch Series 2, and shared release dates for iOS 10, watchOS 3, and macOS Sierra.
Both iOS 10 and watchOS 3 will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 13, three days before the September 16 release date of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus will both ship with iOS 10 while the Apple Watch Series 2 will ship with watchOS 3.
macOS Sierra will be released to the public one week later, on Tuesday, September 20, according to Apple’s macOS Sierra webpage.
Apple has not yet provided a release date for the tvOS 10 operating system that has also been in beta testing since June. The tvOS 10 website simply says “Coming Soon.”
Related Roundups: iOS 10, macOS Sierra
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Apple Seeds tvOS 10 Golden Master to Developers
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of tvOS 10 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of tvOS 10 that will be released to the public. Apple has not yet shared when tvOS 10 will officially launch, but iOS 10 and watchOS 3 are coming on September 13 and macOS Sierra is coming on September 20, so either of those dates is a possibility.
tvOS beta software is more difficult to install than iOS or macOS beta software. Installing the golden master version of tvOS 10 requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes or Apple Configurator. Once a beta profile has been installed on the device through iTunes, new beta updates will be available over the air.
tvOS 10 builds on features initially introduced with tvOS last October, bringing expanded Siri capabilities like topic-based search, Live Tune-In for automatically accessing live channels, and options for managing HomeKit accessories.
Single-Sign On allows users to sign in and authenticate cable credentials just once instead of requiring authentication in all cable-supported apps, games are now able to require controllers, and there are new features for Photos and Music.
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A dark mode offers a better visual experience for darker rooms, universal apps are automatically downloaded, and there’s a new Apple TV remote for iOS devices that mirrors the Siri Remote.
For a full overview of all of the new features in tvOS 10, make sure to check out our tvOS 10 roundup.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 2 Updated With Improved Storage, iPad Pro Price Reduced
Apple today quietly updated its lineup of older iPads, increasing the minimum storage on the iPad Air 2, the iPad mini 4, and the iPad mini 2 and lowering the prices of the maximum storage tier. The iPad Pro has also been updated with new pricing options, with Apple making storage increases more affordable.
The iPad Air 2 is now available in 32 and 128GB configurations, priced at $399 and $499, respectively, for the WiFi only models. Previously, Apple offered a 16GB model for $399 and a 64GB model for $499. Cellular models continue to be priced at $130 more than WiFi models.
The iPad mini 4 is now available in 32GB and 128GB configurations at the same price point as the iPad Air 2, $399 and $499. Apple previously sold a 16GB iPad mini 4 for $399, a 64GB model for $499, and a 128GB model for $599.
The iPad mini 2 is now only available in a 32GB capacity, priced at $269. Apple has done away with the 16GB model and has dropped the price of the new 32GB model to the price the 16GB model used to be sold at.
As for the iPad Pro, Apple has dropped the prices on higher storage tiers by up to $100. Pricing on the iPad Pro is as follows:
12.9-inch
32GB – $799
128GB – $899 (was $949)
256GB – $999 (was $1099)
128GB Cellular – $1029 (was $1079)
256GB Cellular – $1129 (was $1229)
9.7-inch
32GB – $599
128GB – $699 (was $749)
256GB – $799 (was $899)
32GB Cellular – $729
128GB Cellular – $829 (was $879)
256GB Cellular – $929 (was $1029)
The new iPad pricing is available immediately on iPads purchased from the online Apple Store, the Apple Store app, and Apple’s retail locations.
Related Roundups: iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 (2015), iPad Pro
Buyer’s Guide: 9.7″ iPad Pro (Neutral), iPad Mini (Don’t Buy), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Neutral)
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Apple to Sell Standalone Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter for $9, Lightning EarPods for $29
Apple today announced the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which both come without a headphone jack. To make up for the lack of a headphone jack, the iPhones will be shipped with a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter and EarPods that feature a Lightning connector.
Apple also plans to sell its Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter and its new Lightning EarPods on a standalone basis for iPhone 7 buyers who want extra accessories.
The Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter is priced at $9 and while it can’t be purchased yet, it will presumably go on sale alongside the iPhone 7.
The EarPods with Lightning Connector are priced at $29, the same price as the EarPods with a 3.5mm Headphone Plug. The Lightning EarPods are also unavailable for purchase at the current time, but should be available alongside the iPhone 7.
Apple today also announced wireless Bluetooth earbuds called AirPods, which will be sold on a standalone basis starting in October. AirPods will be priced at $159.
Apple plans to begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus on Friday, September 9. The two devices will officially launch a week later, on Friday, September 16.
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Apple Says New ‘Jet Black’ Color May Show ‘Fine Micro-Abrasions’ With Use
The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus come in a new “Jet Black” color that features a gorgeous high-gloss shine and nearly invisible antenna bands, but that glossiness comes with a caveat — it’s going to scratch.
On all of the iPhone 7 pages that mention the new Jet Black device, Apple has a small footnote that says that while the surface of the device is as hard as other Apple products, the shine may show micro-abrasions. Apple recommends customers who are concerned about the abrasions protect their Jet Black iPhones with an iPhone case.
The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process. Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use. If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone.
The disclaimer about scratching on the Jet Black iPhone suggests Apple will not be replacing Jet Black iPhones that become marred with abrasions, as it is a known side effect of the glossy finish.
Alongside Jet Black, Apple is offering the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in a matte “Black” shade that replaces Space Gray, so customers looking for a darker shade who don’t want to worry about scratches should consider that device.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Apple SIM Partners With SoftBank in Japan, Expands to Three More Countries
Following today’s iPhone-centric event, Apple has quietly announced that Japanese carrier SoftBank is the latest Apple SIM partner. Apple SIM has also expanded to three additional countries and territories: Guam, Kenya, and Mauritius.
Apple SIM is embedded in the latest cellular iPads and enables users to easily switch between different short-term data plans from select carrier partners without needing multiple SIM cards. It is particularly useful for traveling abroad.
Through an existing partnership with GigSky, Apple SIM is available in over 140 countries. Other Apple SIM partners include AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile in the United States, EE in the United Kingdom, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, Three in Hong Kong, and au by KDDI in Japan. AlwaysOnline Wireless also offers pay-as-you-go LTE data plans in at least 45 countries, with the option to pay by hour, day, or megabyte.
Apple SIM can be purchased from Apple retail stores in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Tags: Apple SIM, Japan, Softbank
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