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A new iPhone is always a big deal in the smartphone world, and the iPhone 7 was no exception – especially considering some of the moulds Apple’s latest smartphone was looking to break.
No more headphone port. Water and dust resistant. Dual rear cameras. A Home button that actually can no longer be pressed. These would all be headlines if introduced in a generation each, let alone all at the same time.
Apple is known for doing things a certain way – its own way – and while some of the additions made here follow that thought pattern of trying to predict the curve and staying ahead of it, others feel like responses to the market and consumer needs.
The process of making this iPhone has been drastically altered, Apple told us in the keynote address. That is most obvious in the two new colour finishes on offer, black and jet black.
These are the two colours we saw as we encountered the device for the first time, and both look and feel like striking departures from iPhones of old.
The jet black has a gloss and shimmer not seen on previous iPhone handsets. It does make the device look more uniform though as it is a single piece of material.
However, it is now very prone to smearing from your hands, and that can make it look untidy and frankly, un-iPhone like.
The black version on the other hand avoids this thanks to a more matte finish to it. In truth, the result is a lot more pleasing and feels like a step forward in iPhone design when combined with the colour, which this year is replacing the space grey of versions gone by.
The camera – which will be discussed in more detail later – is also more prominent on both the 7 and 7 Plus. The circular enclosure of the single lens is larger, while naturally the dual lens on the 7 Plus stands out quite a bit too.
As the name suggests, the Home button on the iPhone is a fairly central and familiar piece of the device’s set-up. It’s always been there and we all know how to use it. But that is changing on the 7.
Now, the Home button is no longer a button, it doesn’t in fact move. Instead, Apple has applied its Taptic engine to provide vibration feedback when you press it.
This simulates the sensation of pressing it, much like clicking is handled on modern MacBooks.
But not only that, the new Taptic system enables the button to offer feedback at other moments that feel relevant. The system has been opened up to developers so this should only expand over time, but an early example is machine gun fire in a zombie game being fed back through the button to give the extra sensation that you’re firing the weapon.
It’s a new and impressively engaging feature.
Arguably though, few parts of the iPhone 7 have been as overhauled as the camera set-up.
The iPhone 7 has a single rear camera, while the 7 Plus has two. That’s the first thing worth clearing up.
But all of these lenses have also been greatly altered compared to their 6s predecessors.
The new 12 megapixel sensors come with optical image stabilisation and a larger aperture, so that more light can be let into the sensor – the aim is better low-light photography but it needs further testing to be sure.
On the 7 Plus and its two lenses, the new telephoto zoom option provides an interesting new possibility when it comes to taking photos. The one-tap zoom is better than it sounds in that it jumps into your focus point without any loss of quality, as we’re used to with smartphone lenses.
Experimentation will bring the best results here
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Getting rid of the headphone jack was one thing, introducing bold-looking, smart AirPods as a possible replacement is another.
The wireless earphones look similar to the existing EarPods, simply minus the wires but adding infrared sensors that detect when the Pods are placed in your ears. Music won’t be played otherwise, and can be paused if you remove one, which is a slick feature.
Also impressive is the instant, if slightly showing off, connection process for the Bluetooth, which occurs simply by opening the smart case the Pods come in that also double as the charging base.
They’re comfortable in your ear too and have built in microphones so voice commands and calls are still very much possible.
However, losing one or both of them is going to be inevitable – and at £159 are not cheap to replace. They’re also not the best looking thing in your ear, especially when compared to other wireless headphones and even earphones out there.
In the long term, the wireless move could well pay off for Apple, but this first step into it isn’t the surest.
Walking away from a short period with both phones there are mixed emotions.
The iPhone 7 feels like a smaller step forward. It feels like an S model. A small iteration or half step.
On the other hand the 7 Plus is more interesting. The dual camera has potential and the black finish (also available on the 7) is a smart new design perk.
The accident-prone will also be thrilled by the phones finally going water resistant.
Stereo speakers are a welcome addition too and the new Taptic Home button works very well, but a lot of what’s good here was already here. If you are on the hunt for an update, you’ll feel more of a jump and as a result get more out of it by going for the 7 Plus.
