LET’S just get straight to it: The new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are underwhelming, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise.
The months of speculation leading up to the release suggested Apple wouldn’t offer an overhaul of its landmark smartphones; instead it would just offer slight improvements to the predecessors.
Admittedly, some of the new features are impressive. But not impressive enough to justify paying upward of $A1079 and $A1269 for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, respectively.
And while we are talking about money, the new ceramic Apple Watch is very pricey at $A1799 – a tad excessive for a smartwatch.
If your plan is coming to an end and you drastically need to update your old smartphone, upgrading to iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus is a solid move.
But, if you were looking to buy the handset outright, it would be worth holding off an extra 12 months.
Why would I want to do that, you ask?
Next year will be the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, which means Apple is likely holding out until 2017 to offer the huge changes everyone has been chasing.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a closer look at the two new releases.
The dual camera feature on an iPhone 7 Plus allows for higher quality images. Picture: AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez
The dual camera feature on an iPhone 7 Plus allows for higher quality images. Picture: AP/Marcio Jose SanchezSource:AP
The biggest new feature of the smartphone is the new camera technology, although both models are not created equal.
While the iPhone 7 has been fitted with a 7 megapixel forward facing camera and 12 megapixel rear camera — with features to improve photos in low light — it lacks the potential seen on the iPhone 7 Plus.
The larger of the two devices has been fitted with two lenses and two cameras — one 28mm wide-angle lens and one 56mm telephoto lens.
Having a dual camera allows for increased zoom capabilities and the ability to keep the subject of the shot in focus, while blurring the background.
The ability to take photos similar to what can be achieved with a larger DSLR is obviously appealing, but it also means parting ways with a minimum of $A1269 for the iPhone 7 Plus.
Also, those who prefer the smaller 4.7 inch iPhone 7 will be forced to move to the larger 5.5 inch model if they wanted the better camera.
The camera on both devices still protrudes from the phone, which will disappoint many Apple users who have been troubled by this on previous models.
The next major change was the removal of the headphone jack.
Users will still be able to connect wired headphones via the Lightning port, with a new set of headphones shipping in every box.
An adaptor to connect your existing 3.5mm headphones to Lightning will also come with every iPhone, although the small accessory looks like it would be easy to misplace.
The ability to still use wired headphones is great for those not wanting to move to wireless just yet, but as many Twitter users have been quick to point out, what happens when you want to charge your phone and listen to music?
The Lightning headphones are obviously a nice stepping stone, but the amount of time Apple spent showcasing wireless headphones means the removal of the headphone jack is the tech giant’s way of getting people to move to Bluetooth technology.
Apple showcased its own AirPod wireless earbuds. The technology is impressive, with the AirPods just being two single earbuds with no cables at all.
In addition to offering five hours of battery life, the AirPod has infra-red sensors to detect when the earbuds are in your ear — which is the only time they will play.
Don’t get too excited about the AirPods, though. The Apple-designed wireless accessory will cost an extra $A229 — a hefty price for something that will be easily lost.
Other improvements include a longer battery life, dual speakers, a brighter screen with a wider colour gamut and it is water resistant — all great features, but not really deal-breakers in my opinion.
If I was going to hand over a grand on a new iPhone, I would prefer to see improvements to the glass to make the iPhone more durable. I also think the smaller iPhone 7 should have the same features as the iPhone 7 Plus.
Apple has delivered a new and improved smartphone, it’s just hard to justify paying more than $1000 dollars for something that’s only slightly better than what you own now.
Saying that, if it’s time to upgrade and you’re OK with the bigger display, I would recommended the iPhone 7 Plus.
Customers will be able to order iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus from Friday, September 9, with the devices shipping, and available in store, on Friday, September 16.
Will you be buying the new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus? Continue the conversation on Twitter @mattydunn11
