iPhone 7 review: Seventh heaven

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iPhone 7 review: Seventh heaven

Is the iPhone 7 prepping us for what's coming up next from Apple?

By Alvin Cabral

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Published: Fri 7 Oct 2016, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Fri 14 Oct 2016, 12:53 PM

Apple released its latest iteration of its flagship, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. But we'll make do with the 7 for now, as we don't yet have its big brother to take out for a spin.
You may be aware of its specs by now, but in case you missed it, the 7 has some decent upgrades - although several analysts and critics agree that they don't really give that oomph impression.
To be fair, the phrase "beauty is skin-deep" - or, better yet, "beauty is metallic frame-deep" - can be used to describe the new iPhone. While its looks still retain that of the 6 and 6s - save for the white antennae bands knocked off from its rear - you have to really pay attention to detail if you want to see and feel the updates on the new device.
A few examples: the phone unlocks a split second faster compared to the 6s and exiting apps via pressing the home button is noticeably quicker. Speaking of the home button, it's received a makeover in which it's now non-clicking with haptic feedback (similar to 3D Touch), though with iOS 10, I find it really annoying that you have to press the home button to unlock the screen (before that update, simply placing your finger opened the phone).
The biggest up - for me, at least - is its camera. There are now more flashes - from two to four - and you will notice the difference in low-light situations. The 7 Plus, on paper, has an even more powerful snapper, though I can't comment on that in detail just yet. Moreover, these are the first-ever iPhones (first-ever iOS devices, as a matter of fact) to be water- and dust-proof.
For those asking my thoughts on the 3.5mm audio jack being ditched. now that I've experienced it for myself, I don't agree with it. I feel like it's as if Apple is isolating the iPhone from incompatible audio devices (never mind if there's an adaptor in the box or available in the market; it's just a hassle to have something additional). At least the storages have been doubled at the same prices and there are dual speakers. But the RAM remains at 2GB.

AND SO.
While I agree that you need to look further beyond to appreciate stuff, this can't really be applied to the iPhone 7; not everyone is geeky enough to understand, and some won't even care about minor changes. Like many others out there, I don't feel like the changes from the 6s are up to the mark (which may compel me to continue using my trusty and bigger 6s Plus). The updates on the iPhone 7 can be considered mandatory ones, since it's a new model. However, this gives us hope for next year: remember, we've got iPhone's 10th anniversary to look forward to then!

THE LOWDOWN
CPU: Apple A10 Fusion; M10 motion co-processor
Memory: RAM - 2GB; storage - 32GB/128GB/256GB
Platform: iOS 10
Display: 4.7" Retina HD with IPS
Camera: Main - 12MP with OIS, quad-LED True Tone flash, 4K recording; front - 7MP HD
Durability: IP67-rated, splash-/water-, dust-resistant (up to 30mins, 1 metre in water)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, Lightning
Audio: Dual stereo speakers
Price: 32GB - Dh2,599; 128GB - Dh2,999; 256GB - Dh3,399
Pros: Better camera, double storage
Cons: Upgrades can't be felt that much, the 3.5mm audio jack is gone
Editor's rating: 7.5/10

EXTRA BYTE
Apple AirPods
Frustratingly, we still don't have these new wireless audio gizmos to test out - but we sure have an idea of what to expect. To start off, they're basically the good ol' EarPods we've come to love without the tangles. However, they really look like toothbrushes, hairbrushes, sticks or whatever-else-with-a-handle-you-can-think-of dangling from your ears when they're pushed into them. And apparently, they can easily be plucked out of your ears (though they hang in there pretty well when you jog). One good thing about it is that with a tap, you can activate Siri. But aside from that, it's still the same. So we're still really looking forward to next year.
alvin@khaleejtimes.com


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