iPhone 7
iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black | |
Brand | Apple Inc. |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Foxconn (on contract) |
Slogan | This is 7[1] |
Generation | 10th |
Model |
A1660 (iPhone 7 with Qualcomm modem) A1661 (iPhone 7 Plus with Qualcomm modem) A1778 (iPhone 7 with Intel modem) A1784 (iPhone 7 Plus with Intel modem) |
Compatible networks | GSM, CDMA2000, EVDO, HSPA+, LTE, LTE Advanced |
First released | September 16, 2016 |
Availability by country |
September 16, 2016
September 23, 2016
October 7, 2016
October 14, 2016
October 21, 2016
November 4, 2016
November 11, 2016
|
Predecessor |
iPhone 6S iPhone 6S Plus |
Type |
iPhone 7: Smartphone iPhone 7 Plus: Phablet[2] |
Form factor | Slate |
Dimensions |
7: 138.3 mm (5.44 in) H 67.1 mm (2.64 in) W 7.1 mm (0.28 in) D 7 Plus: 158.2 mm (6.23 in) H 77.9 mm (3.07 in) W 7.3 mm (0.29 in) D |
Weight |
7: 138 g (4.9 oz) 7 Plus: 188 g (6.6 oz) |
Operating system |
Original: iOS 10.0 Current: iOS 10.1.1, released October 31, 2016 |
System on chip | Apple A10 Fusion |
CPU | 2.34 GHz quad-core (two used) 64-bit ARMv8-A[3] |
GPU |
Apple G9 custom GPU (hexa-core) based on Power VR Series7XT Plus [4][5] |
Memory |
7: 2 GB LPDDR4 RAM 7 Plus: 3 GB LPDDR4 RAM |
Storage | 32, 128, or 256 GB |
Removable storage | None |
Battery |
7: 3.80 V 7.45 W·h (1960 mA·h) Li-Po[6] 7 Plus: 3.82 V 11.10 W·h (2900 mA·h) Li-Po[7] |
Display |
7: 4.7 in (120 mm) Retina HD: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 1334×750 px resolution (326 ppi) 7 Plus: 5.5 in (140 mm) Retina HD: LED-backlit IPS LCD, 1920×1080 px resolution (401 ppi) All models: 625 cd/m² max. brightness (typical), with dual-ion exchange-strengthened glass, and 3D Touch |
Rear camera |
7: 12 MP 2nd-generation Sony Exmor RS[8] with six-element lens, quad-LED "True Tone" flash, autofocus, IR filter, Burst mode, f/1.8 aperture, 4K video recording at 30 fps or 1080p at 30 or 60 fps, slow-motion video (1080p at 120 fps and 720p at 240 fps), timelapse with stabilization, panorama, facial recognition, digital image stabilization, optical image stabilization 7 Plus: In addition to above: A telephoto lens with 2× optical zoom / 10× digital zoom |
Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 aperture, burst mode, exposure control, face detection, auto-HDR, auto image stabilization, Retina flash, 1080p HD video recording |
Sound | Stereo speakers |
Connectivity |
All models:
Models A1660 & A1661:
|
Other | IP67 IEC standard 60529 (splash, water, and dust resistant)[9] |
Hearing aid compatibility | M3, T4 |
Website |
www |
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. They were announced on September 7, 2016, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco by Apple CEO Tim Cook, and released on September 16, 2016, succeeding the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus as the current flagship devices in the iPhone series.[10] Apple also released the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in numerous worldwide countries throughout September and October 2016.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
The iPhone 7's overall design is similar to the iPhone 6S, but introduces new color options, water and dust resistance, a new capacitive, static home key, and the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The device's internal hardware also received upgrades, including a heterogeneous quad-core system-on-chip with improved system and graphics performance, and upgraded 12 megapixel rear-facing cameras with optical image stabilization on all models and an additional telephoto lens on the iPhone 7 Plus model to provide enhanced zoom capabilities.
Specifications
Hardware
The iPhone 7's exterior is similar in shape and volume to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S, though with a "mirrored" finish option. Alongside the existing silver, gold, and rose gold colors, the device is offered in new matte black and "jet black" colors. The "jet black" color is a dark shade, high-gloss black finish. It is created through a multi-step process, beginning with an anodization phase to make the surface of the casing a porous aluminum oxide, and then using a machine to sweep the casing through a powdered compound, absorbed by aluminum oxide. The process is concluded with an "ultra-fine particle bath" for additional finishing; the entire process takes less than an hour.[10][18] iPhone 7 is rated IP67 water and dust resistant.[19]
iPhone 7's home button uses a capacitive mechanism for input rather than a physical push-button, as on previous models.[20] Physical feedback is provided via a Taptic Engine vibrator; the button is also pressure-sensitive.[21] iPhone 7 retains the "3D Touch" system introduced on the iPhone 6S, providing pressure-sensitive touchscreen input.[10]
The iPhone 7 does not feature a 3.5 mm headphone jack; it was replaced by a second grille that houses the phone's new Taptic Engine vibration feedback system.[22] A Lightning-to-3.5-mm connector adapter, as well as in-ear headphones that use the Lightning connector, are bundled with the device; replacements for the former are sold separately.[10][23] iPhone 7 uses the Apple A10 Fusion 64-bit system-on-chip, which consists of two low-power cores and two high-power cores (only two cores are used at any point in time[24]). The A10 chip also features a hexa-core graphics chip capable of "console-level gaming".[25] As with prior models, iPhone 7 is available in two sizes: one with a 4.7-inch screen, and a "Plus" variant with a 5.5-inch screen.[26] The displays have identical sizes and resolutions to iPhone 6S, but with a wider color gamut and increased brightness.[10][27] Both device variants also contain a new iteration of Apple's motion coprocessor, the M10.[28] Unlike previous iPhone models, internal storage options for iPhone 7 begin at 32 GB instead of 16 GB.[29] iPhone 7 Plus offers 3 GB of RAM, more than any other previous iPhone,[24] the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 has 2 GB.[30]
The iPhone 7 includes a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with a quad-LED "True Tone" flash; its aperture was widened to f/1.8, and the standard-size phone model adds optical image stabilization – a feature that was previously exclusive to Plus models. The iPhone 7 Plus includes a second 12-megapixel telephoto lens, which can be used to achieve 2× optical zoom, and up to 10× digital zoom. The front-facing camera was upgraded to a 7-megapixel sensor.[19][31][32]
Software
iPhone 7 ships with iOS 10 pre-installed.[33] The iPhone 7 Plus received an exclusive portrait camera mode in the iOS 10.1 software update.[34] This camera mode is capable of producing a bokeh effect using depth of field analysis.[35]
Accessories
Each iPhone 7 comes with a Lightning-to-3.5-mm adapter. Apple sells the adapter independently as well.[23] Apple also unveiled several Bluetooth wireless headphones ostensibly intended for use with iPhone 7, including AirPods, wireless in-ear headphones, and three new Beats headphone products. All four products utilize an in-house wireless chip known as Apple W1, which is designed to provide low-power Bluetooth operation and integration with iOS and macOS products (though they are still compatible with other Bluetooth-supported devices).[36][37]
Reception
Reception to the iPhone 7 was mixed. Forbes noted that rival smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S7, had increased battery life and added water resistance over its predecessor while retaining the headphone jack, and that the iPhone 7's camera photo quality was improved but still lagging behind some phones already on the market, including the Galaxy S7 and Nexus 6P. Forbes also praised how Apple was able to extract improved brightness and accurate color reproduction from its LCD display panel, while noting that it was old technology which was also well behind rivals who had already moved to sharper 1080p or even 2K screens. The iPhone 7's exterior, which reuses the aging design of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S, was criticized since its thick bezels made it less ergonomic to hold, in particular the "iPhone 7 Plus is simply far too big for a smartphone with a 5.5-inch display. The 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 Edge is a fraction of the size".[38]
Nilay Patel of The Verge described the devices as being "full of aggressive breaks from convention" despite their design continuity with previous models (going as far as dubbing them "a prototype of next year's rumored drastic iPhone redesign disguised as an iPhone 6"), citing the headphone jack removal (which he felt was an attempt to encourage the use of wireless headphones), heterogeneous CPU, and home button redesign. The display quality was considered an improvement over previous models, albeit "not as insane" as the quad HD displays on competing phones. The Taptic Engine was considered the "first really valuable new UI concept I've seen on phones in years" (as opposed to the "gimmick" of 3D Touch), Patel felt that the cameras of the devices were a "step" above the 6S in terms of performance, and praised the dual-lens camera on the 7 Plus for enhancing the phone's camera functionality. However, he panned the lack of editing features that made use of them. In regards to the enhanced Bluetooth audio support provided by devices containing the W1 chip, he argued that Apple "took away an established open standard in favor of new technologies, but instead of making the experience of using those new technologies better across the board, it made every third-party wireless audio product a second-class citizen of the Apple ecosystem." Giving the iPhone 7 a 9 out of 10, he concluded that the devices were "legitimately among the most interesting, opinionated, powerful phones Apple has ever shipped, and the most confident expressions of the company's vision in a long time. iOS 10 is excellent, the cameras are better, and the performance is phenomenal. And the batteries last longer."[39]
The German computer magazine c't compared the audio interface of the iPhone 6 and iPad with the Lightning connector of the iPhone 7. The dynamic was 4.5 dB(A) lower, and that got only a "sufficient" rating.[40]
Removal of headphone jack
Criticism of the iPhone 7 centered around the removal of the headphone jack, including the hypothetical inability to use wired headphones with the included adapter and charge the device simultaneously[note 1][41][42] and the inconvenience of having to carry around an adapter for what is purely a mobile device, diminishing its utility.[43]
Forbes noted that wireless audio technology was immature at the moment, with Bluetooth audio quality being inferior while Lightning audio reliability was still in question. The removal of the headphone jack meant "you’re being pushed into an era where you will have to pay more for decent headphones due to their need for an integrated DAC and/or Lightning licensing", and pointed out that "the only company to profit from this situation is Apple, who will now be charging licensing fees to millions of headphone companies".[38]
In particular, Apple's vice president Phillip Schiller, who announced the change, was mocked extensively online for stating that removing the headphone jack took 'courage'.[44][45] An online petition created by the consumer group SumOfUs, that accuses Apple of planned obsolescence and causing substantial electronic waste by removing the headphone jack, reached over 300,000 signatures.[46]
Hissing noise
Some users have reported a strange hissing noise during heavy usage of the phone. CNET reports it as "faint buzzes and hums coming from the backside".[47] The Daily Telegraph speculates that the iPhone 7's new A10 Fusion processor is the source of the noise, linking to tweets that compare the phone's hissing sound to "hearing the fans spin up loudly whenever your Mac’s CPU gets used to its actual potential."[48]
Performance issues
The Guardian reported in October 2016 that storage tests from Unbox Therapy and GSMArena showed the 32 GB iPhone 7 is "significantly" slower than the 128 and 256 GB versions, measuring data write speeds of 341 MBps on a 128 GB iPhone 7 model versus 42 MBps on a 32 GB model.
A network test by Cellular Insights showed that iPhone 7 Plus models with model numbers A1778 and A1784 had "noticeably" poorer network speeds than models A1660 and A1661. The A1778 and A1784 models use Intel modem chips, compared to the Qualcomm modem chips in A1660 and A1661 models. Intel chips showed 30-75% poorer network speeds than Qualcomm chips, and Milan Milanović from Cellular Insights commented: “In all tests, the iPhone 7 Plus with the Qualcomm modem had a significant performance edge over the iPhone 7 Plus with the Intel modem. We are not sure what was the main reason behind Apple’s decision to source two different modem suppliers for the newest iPhone.” Further testing revealed that the Intel iPhone 7 Plus models had worse reception than the iPhone 6S in the majority of signal conditions.[49]
Sales
Apple has deliberately withheld pre-order sales numbers, citing that these are "no longer a representative metric for our investors and customers".[50] Without releasing specific numbers, T-Mobile US stated that the iPhone 7 had broken the carrier's all-time record for first-day pre-order sales. The following weekend, T-Mobile US stated that iPhone 7 was its biggest iPhone launch ever, being "up nearly 4x compared to the next most popular iPhone".[51]
On September 15, 2016, one day before the iPhone 7 went on sale, Apple announced that due to high demand, they have sold out of all Jet Black iPhone 7's, and all colors of the iPhone 7 Plus (the first time that the Plus model outsold its smaller sibling),[38] and that those models won't be available in Apple Stores for walk-in customers on launch day.[52] This may be because Apple opened up more reserve slots for customers in the iPhone Upgrade Program[53] after those customers complained about the system used to reserve the phones had the slots filled up quickly after pre-orders opened, and customers couldn't get the phone they wanted.[54] These issues also caused a class action lawsuit to be filed against Apple because of the way they handled the system.[55]
US carrier trade-in deals
Contributing to high initial US sales of the iPhone 7 were trade-in deals from all four major U.S. wireless carriers.[56] After carrier T-Mobile announced that consumers could obtain an entry-level iPhone 7 32 GB model at no cost upon trade-in of an iPhone 6 or 6S, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint followed suit.[56] Under the deals, the monthly installment plan cost of the iPhone 7 is negated by a monthly credit on consumers' bill, but consumers who cancel their service with the carrier or pay off the phone prior to the installment contract completion will not receive credits for the remaining months.[57][58] Commentators noted that these deals constituted a return to the two-year cell phone service contracts that had been in decline in the years prior.[58][59]
In the wake of these deals, Verizon announced they had seen an increase in sales over the release of the previous year's iPhone 6S, AT&T said that sales had exceeded its expectations, and T-Mobile and Sprint announced "huge increases in sales" and a demand roughly four times higher for the 7 than the 6S.[60]
Timeline of iPhone models
Notes
References
- ↑ "iPhone 7 – This is 7". Apple. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ↑ Rogerson, James (September 12, 2016). "iPhone 7 Plus release date, news and features". Tech Radar. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ "iOS Benchmarks". Primate Labs. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ↑ "The iPhone 7 has an exciting new feature that Apple is keeping secret". BGR. October 27, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- ↑ "A Look Inside Apple's Custom GPU for the iPhone". Real World Technologies. October 25, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone 7 Teardown". iFixit. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone 7 Plus Teardown". iFixit. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple iPhone 7 Teardown". Chipworks. September 15, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "iPhone 7 specs". Apple. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "iPhone 7 and 7 Plus announced with water resistance, dual cameras, and no headphone jack". The Verge. Vox Media. 2016-09-07. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple iPhone 7 enters 30 more countries". The Hindu. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ↑ Fingas, Roger (September 30, 2016). "Apple's local iPhone 7 pages point to more international launches on Oct. 14". AppleInsider. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
- ↑ Kahn, Jordan (October 7, 2016). "Apple confirms more international iPhone 7 & Apple Watch 2 dates as it launches in India". 9to5Mac. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ↑ Kahn, Jordan (October 17, 2016). "Apple confirms iPhone 7 launching in 7 more countries later this month". 9to5Mac. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ↑ Kahn, Jordan (October 21, 2016). "Apple's iPhone 7 rollout continues with 4 more countries November 4". 9to5Mac. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone 7". Apple. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone 7". Apple. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ↑ "How Apple Made Its Jet Black iPhone None More Black". Wired. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- 1 2 Stein, Scott; Dolcourt, Jessica (September 8, 2016). "Jet-black Apple iPhone 7 is here with a water-resistant body, better cameras, 256GB capacity – and no headphone jack (hands-on)". CNet. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 8, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple dropped the iPhone 7 headphone jack for a speaker grille … but no speaker". The Guardian. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
- 1 2 "Apple will sell replacement iPhone 7 headphone adapters for $9 each". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- 1 2 Benjamin, Jeff (September 8, 2016). "GeekBench benchmarks confirm iPhone 7 Plus ships with 3GB of RAM, faster than 12.9" iPad Pro". 9to5Mac. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple's new A10 Fusion processor is 120 times faster than the original iPhone". The Verge. Vox Media. 2016-09-07. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone 7 vs iPhone 7 Plus (Comparison)". SpecTell. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
- ↑ "Improving Color on the Web". WebKit. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ "iPhone 7 – Technical Specifications". Apple. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ "The iPhone 7: More Camera, More Colors, Less Headphone Jack". Wired. Conde Nast Digital. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ Slivka, Eric (September 16, 2016). "iPhone 7 Teardown Reveals 'Incredibly Thin' A10 Chip With 2 GB RAM, Intel Modem". MacRumors. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- ↑ "With the iPhone 7, Apple Makes Dual Cameras the New Normal". Wired. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ "The iPhone 7 Plus has two cameras that work as one". The Verge. Vox Media. 2016-09-07. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ "iOS 10: Release date, the best features and what iPhones and iPads you can get it on". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. September 8, 2016. Archived from the original on September 8, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ Clover, Juli (October 24, 2016). "Apple Releases iOS 10.1 With New Portrait Mode for iPhone 7 Plus". MacRumors. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ↑ Martin, James. "The iPhone 7 Plus' 'portrait' mode does background blur better". CNET. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ↑ "Apple's first wireless chip is the new W1 for wireless AirPods". The Verge. 2016-09-07. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple intros totally wireless AirPods and 3 new Beats wireless headphones that use new W1 chip". C|NET. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Kyle, Gordon (September 21, 2016). "iPhone 7 Vs iPhone 7 Plus Review: Should You Upgrade?". Forbes. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
- ↑ Patel, Nilay (15 September 2016). "iPhone 7 Review". The Verge.
- ↑ Hartmut Gieselmann (2016-09-16). "iPhone 7 nachgemessen: Audio-Adapter liefert schlechteren Sound". c't.
- ↑ "This $40 adapter can charge the iPhone 7 with your headphones plugged in". The Verge. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ↑ Cooke, Henry (September 8, 2016). "Why Apple will ditch the iPhone headphone jack, and why that sucks". Sydney Morning Herald. Australia.
- ↑ Patel, Nilay (2016-06-21). "Taking the headphone jack off phones is user-hostile and stupid". The Verge.
- ↑ "The iPhone 7's Dead Headphone Jack and AirPods Are Being Dragged All Over Twitter". Complex.
- ↑ Statt, Nick (September 7, 2016). "Apple says it took 'courage' to remove the headphone jack on the iPhone 7". The Verge.
- ↑ Abbany, Zulfikar. "iPhone 7 petition: Apple 'screwing customers and planet' with headphone jack". Germany: Deutsche Welle. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ Carey, Bridget (September 19, 2016). "iPhone 7 'Hissgate:' CNET Update viewers share their experiences". Retrieved September 20, 2016.
- ↑ Cristina Criddle (September 19, 2016). "iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets are making a mysterious hissing sound".
- ↑ Gibbs, Samuel (October 21, 2016). "32GB iPhone 7 significantly slower than more expensive versions, tests show". The Guardian. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple Won't Release First-Weekend iPhone 7 Sales Numbers". Variety. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Shatter Records at T-Mobile". t-mobile.com. September 13, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple says it has sold out of initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus". CNET.com. September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Apple Makes More iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Stock Available to Upgrade Program Members". macrumours.com. September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ "iPhone Upgrade Program Causes Headaches on Launch Day Due to Limited Stock". macrumours.com. September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- ↑ "iApple Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over iPhone Upgrade Program Woes". macrumours.com. September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
- 1 2 Pressman, Aaron (September 23, 2016). "These Free iPhone 7 Promos Are Ending This Weekend". Fortune.com. Time, Inc. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
- ↑ Miller, Matthew (September 9, 2016). "T-Mobile's free iPhone 7 offer requires upfront costs and lots of patience". ZDNet.com. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
Can I just pay $250 and be done? No. You have to buy the new iPhone 7 using the EIP (equipment install plan). The way this works is that T-Mobile will apply a credit each month to your account for 24 months. In my case, T-Mobile will apply about $16.67 to each line each month until the $399.99 trade-in value is met. Can I pay off the EIP early? Yes. But you will not see the full value of the trade-in and will have to pay the outstanding balance.
- 1 2 Kastrenakes, Jake (September 9, 2016). "'Free' iPhone 7 offers from AT&T, Verizon, and others are basically two-year contracts". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
Once you agree to make the trade in, you’ll have to stick with that carrier for two years in order to actually get an iPhone 7 for free. If you cancel service, you’ll either have to give up the phone or pay off its full price, minus however much you’ve been credited on your monthly wireless bills.
- ↑ Klosowski, Thorin (September 9, 2016). "There's No Such Thing as a "Free" iPhone 7, Even If Carriers Offer You One". LifeHacker. Gawker Media/Univision. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
If this all sounds familiar, The Verge points out that it’s because these free plans look a heck of a lot like a two-year contract. It’s not exactly the same because you’re not signing anything, but the end result is the same: carriers want to lock you into their service for as long as possible. If you like your carrier, this isn’t a big deal, but it’s still worth noting.
- ↑ Pressman, Aaron (September 22, 2016). "Here's Why Verizon Thinks iPhone 7 Sales Are Better Than Last Year". Fortune.com. Time, Inc. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
- ↑ Apple Inc. (2004-2016). Press Release Library. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
External links
- iPhone 7 – official site
Preceded by iPhone 6S / iPhone 6S Plus |
iPhone 7 / iPhone 7 Plus 10th generation |
Most recent |