Click for larger view
Apple finally launched their new line of smartphones, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus. The products were among the most highly anticipated products in 2016, many forums even discussing the possible improvements they anticipated before the release. Now that the products are here, it is time for the litmus test; this article provides a side by side comparison between iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S as well as the iPhone 7 plus. By the end of the article, we aim to ascertain whether or not it is necessary and worth the upgrade.
Hardware
The new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus has an A10 fusion processor and M10 embedded motion co-processor are improvements to iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus which features the A9 processor with an M10 motion co-processor embedded. According to Apple, the new processors make the new iPhones faster devices than their predecessors, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus by 40%. Additionally, the phones have new GPU which is said to boost performance by 50%. With the increased performance, the A10 fusion processor consumes two thirds more power than the A9 fusion processor.
The iPhone 7 memory is larger, coming in the sizes of 32GB, 128GB and 256 GB storage. This is larger to than the iPhone 6S which had 16GB, 64GB and 128 GB storage capacities. Similarly, the iPhone 7 plus has 32GB memory on the lower side and 256GB on the higher side. Considering that iPhone 6S also introduced a 32GB storage device then there is no need for the hardware upgrade if you are considering the storage.
The battery life for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus is also longer than the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus by 2 hours. The battery is also non-removable as in other models. This shows that Apple did little to improve the battery life of the phone which is way behind its competitors such as HTC and Samsung. The iPhone 6S has a 14-hour battery life.
Cameras
The cameras are the biggest improvements done to the iPhone 7. The iPhone 7 boasts of a 12 megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization and 4 LEDs in the True Tone flash to boost artificial light and a new image signal processor (ISP). The ISP is said to make the iPhone 7 60% faster and 30% more energy efficient while the quad-LED flash increases the light by 50%. All these comparisons are with respect to the iPhone 6S.
The iPhone 7 plus has dual lens rear camera which doubles the zoom capability without compromising the image quality. This makes the iPhone 7 plus the ideal phone for those looking for great camera capability. In both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus, the front camera has a 7MP sensor which is similar to the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus.
Design
The iPhone 7 design is quite similar to the iPhone 6S. The size, in terms of length, width and thickness are similar with the iPhone 6S. However, the iPhone 7 is a little lighter than the iPhone 6S by 5g, weighing 138g. The home button has been replaced with a touch sensitive key using a taptic engine. Additionally, the screen size has also remained the same, at 4.7 inches as well as the resolution of 1334*750 pixels. Similarly, the iPhone 7 plus has the same design features as the iPhone 6S plus. The screen size retains the size of 5.5 inches and 1920*1080 pixels.
The phones have the same lightning charging port and lack room memory expansion. However, the headphone jack in all the previous iPhone models is no more. The iPhone now comes with new wireless headphones. The functionality also allows for dual speakers rather than the single speakers in the previous versions.
However, the display for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus has been enhanced to enhance its display by having a wider color gamut. The wider color gamut will improve the user experience by giving better defined gaming and photos graphics. The iPhones’ screens display is also 25% brighter than the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus. The new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus is also water and dust resistant. According to Apple, the new phones can be submerged up to 1m deep in the water for 30 minutes without damage. Therefore, if you are the type that loses phones by dropping the phone in the bath, it is advisable to upgrade.
Software
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus launch were used to launch the iOS 10 software. The new iOS 10 software has several improvements. Most notable is the ability for iWork users to synchronize in real-time. This means that iWork users in different locations can collaborate in working on a document. Apple also announced that Mario would be in the Apple store before Christmas and shall come with Mario stickers for iMessages.
The iOS 10 will also offer improved functionality for Siri, ability to detect spam calls and smart photo search and tagging. The iOS 10 is available for iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 as well. Therefore, the user experience will not have much difference in the case of the operating system. However, there may be some features that will be accessible to the iPhone 7 users that will not be available for iPhone 6S users.
Prices
The pricing for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus in the USA and UK are as follows:
- iPhone 7, 32GB $649/ £599
- iPhone 7, 128GB $749/ £699
- iPhone 7, 256GB $849/ £799
- iPhone 7 plus, 32GB $769/ £719
- iPhone 7 plus, 128GB $869/ £819
- iPhone 7 plus 256GB $969/ £919
Summary
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus have made little improvements to warrant an upgrade from the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus. The choice to upgrade will depend on the features that one holds dear to them. For instance, if a user looks for the best camera and image quality, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus are plausible upgrades, especially the iPhone 7 plus for its dual-lens rear camera. The availability of iOS 10 for iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus makes it all less necessary for a hardware upgrade. However, for those who fear losing their phones to water damage or living in dusty environments, it is advisable to upgrade to the new iPhones. I hope you enjoy this short article, Comments and suggestions always welcome!
Leave a Reply