Jack is dead
Despite all the uncertainties, Apple went ahead and took off the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Now the new generation of EarPod headphones connect over the lightning connector. While Apple claims to have courage to end a tradition which is almost a century old, they decided to play safe and throw in a lightning to 3.5 mm adapter.
Interestingly, Apple also got IP67 water resistance certification of the new models. While you still can’t take it underwater, it can at least withstand the mild splashes. What is worse however, is that the device warranty would strictly not cover any kind of liquid damage, which means you still have to exert caution before taking your phone for a dip. Apple further acknowledged that it is not a permanent feature and with time, may not work as advertised.
The 4.7 inch Retina display of the iPhone 7 and the 5.5 inch Retina display of the iPhone 7 Plus are shockingly the exact same used in the last generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. While Apple claims that it has improved its displays to offer 25 percent more brightness, it is still far far behind when compared to the latest Android flagships which offer Quad HD resolution with remarkable viewing angles.
No ‘super’power
Nowadays, battery is a major concern for smartphone users. Even though Apple hinted that iPhone 7 would last longer than the iPhone 6s, the device apparently packs in just a 1915 mAh battery. In contrast, entry-level Android smartphones start at 2000 mAh. While we certainly do not doubt Apples claims of superior optimization to provide improved power efficiency, we cannot neglect the fact that it still doesn’t match up to our expectation of lasting at least an entire day on a single charge.
Further, Apple also managed to slim down the iPhone 7 making it thinner by using a smaller battery but we as consumers definitely wouldn’t mind using a slightly thicker iPhone that lasts longer. To add to that, Apple completely seems to have ignored wireless charging options, which has become a default standard for flagship Android smartphones. Apple expects you to purchase a third-party wireless charger to use the feature.
If that wasn’t enough, thanks to the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack, you cannot charge the device and listen to music at the same time. Unless, (you guessed it) you purchase a premium wireless headphone accessory.
The hard(ware) facts
Coming to the hardware, Apple definitely has put in a lot of thought to the processor “ the A10 Fusion chip. The quad core chipset has a multi-cluster architecture of four 64 bit cores, two of which are reserved for high-performance operations and the other two for power efficiency. However, it bundled in just 2 GB RAM in the iPhone 7 and 3 GB in the iPhone 7 Plus. With the Android flagships coupling deca-core processors with 6 GB of RAM, it would still be safe to assume that your iPhone would get your job done.
What is disappointing however is that Apple still has ignored the microSD card expansion. While the base version is now at 32 GB, it still is not sufficient for users, which would eventually compel them to go for the 128 GB or 256 GB storage variants (which obviously are going to cost you a lot more).
An arm and a leg
Apple has reiterated its commitment to the Indian market and revealed that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are scheduled to be launched in India on October 7. However, the base variant of the iPhone 7 (32 GB) is said to start priced at Rs. 60000, which means that the iPhone 7 Plus would be even higher (around Rs. 72000).
Going further, if you are one of those users who would like to flaunt your iPhone and would like to pick up the shiny Jet Black version, you would have to purchase either the 128 GB or 256 GB variants. That’s not all, you will also have to keep in mind that this particular variant is prone to scratches and marks, which is why Apple recommends that you use a cover. So much for the shine.
- Jonathan Pereira is a technology enthusiast with a keen eye for mobile and mobile technology. He’s a foodie by heart, and loves both the edible chips and the non-edible silicon chips. Find him on twitter @GoanIdle
