Iphone 7 Review

The iPhone 7 has been unveiled - but what can you expect? We go through details of the new smartphone.

 Apple’s soon-to-be-released iPhone 7 is likely to be one of the best phones around– but our testing has found that new iPhones aren’t always better than their predecessors.

 What is it? 

Apple claims it’s the best iPhone it has ever created. The company talks about a super-fast processor, enhanced cameras and improved battery life. Last year our independent tests found that the battery life on the new iPhone 6s when released was actually less than the iPhone 6.

The removal of the headphone socket on the iPhone 7 also looks to be unpopular. You can pre-order the latest iPhone from 9 September and it will be available from 16 September so we’ll be able to bring you our independent test results in early October. You won’t be able to buy a 16GB or 64GB version of the iPhone 7. You’ll have three options to choose from: 32GB, 128GB and a generous 256GB. 

 

There’s often buzz around the aesthetics of any new upcoming Apple device, and the iPhone 7 is no different. You’ll have five colors to choose from: jet black, black, gold, silver and rose gold. Jet black will only be available for 128GB and 256GB models. 

The screen size of the iPhone 7 measures up at 4.7 inches, while that of the 7 Plus is 5.5 inches. That’s exactly the same as the 6s and 6s Plus respectively. It has a Retina HD display, which Apple says is even better on the iPhone. The company claims the display is 25% brighter and has an improved color range. 

The iPhone 7 comes with the newest Apple operating system, iOS 10, which is available from 13 September. What will it be like to use? It will be fast. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will feature the A10 Fusion processor – one up from the 6s’ A9.

 Apple claims the new chip is 40% faster than the A9 and offers better graphics, so demanding games should look exceptional. Its new 12-megapixel camera should bring out light better, and it offers image stabilization to help you zoom without blurring.

 Plus another two LEDs have been added onto the camera’s flash to help bring out warmer and cooler colors. 

The iPhone 7 Plus boasts two 12-megapixel cameras on the back – one for wider-angle shots, the other a telephoto camera. The front-facing camera is a new 7-megapixel snapper, and Apple says you can expect sharper images. We'll be testing the camera in outdoor conditions and low light to see if it is really better than Android rivals. Apple claims the iPhone 7 lasts two hours longer than an iPhone 6s on average, while the 7 Plus lasts one hour more than the 6s Plus. We'll put those claims to the test in our lab. 

Is there anything I should watch out for? 

The iPhone 7 won’t have a headphone socket. Instead, you’ll have to connect headphones through the Lightning port. Apple says it will supply Lightning headphones in the box, as well as an adapter for any traditional headphones you have. You can also use Apple’s newly announced wireless headphones – AirPods – with the iPhone 7. 

The headphones have sensors that mean they should only play when they’re in your ears, plus they come with an in-built microphone. There is no cord to wrap the headphones around your head so the pods may be dropped and lost easily. The $212  price tag makes them an expensive piece of lost property. They should be available from late October. As ever with iPhones, it doesn’t look like there’s a micro-SD card slot to increase the on-board storage. 

Is there anything else I should know? 

There are stereo speakers on both the bottom and top of the iPhone 7. Apple says they offer twice the volume of the iPhone 6s. . The home button is pressure sensitive rather than clickable but it’s likely you’ll adjust to this pretty easily with time. Apple claims the iPhone 7 is water- and dust resistant. We all know someone who’s accidentally spilt water over their phone or dropped it into a sink, so this is a positive move.

 Which? first look verdict 

 The iPhone 7 will almost certainly stand among the premium mobile phones on the market. But we won’t know how its battery life, camera quality and speed measure up to the iPhone 6s and Samsung Galaxy S7 until we put it through our independent lab tests.

The iPhone 7 has been unveiled - but what can you expect? We go through details of the new smartphone.

Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/mobile-phones/article/your-complete-guide-to-the-latest-iphones/iphone-7-first-look-review - Which?