iPhone 7 and big brother iPhone 7 Plus, Apple’s new great white hope to reinvigorate its flagging smartphone sales, have arrived on stage, with the world’s richest technology company touting 10 new features, including new wireless ear buds, improved camera systems, better battery life and ‘immersive’ stereo speakers.
In a totally saturated market, where smartphone makers are struggling to differentiate themselves, Apple has notably released its new flagship product range touting features that have little to do with telephony or online connectivity.
Rather Apple has focused on "new camera systems", "the best battery life ever in an iPhone", "water and dust resistance", "immersive stereo speakers" and "two new beautiful finishes" as the key selling points of its new product – which will be available in more than 25 countries beginning 16 September.
“iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus dramatically improve every aspect of the iPhone experience, reaching a new level of innovation and precision to make this the best iPhone we have ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice-president of worldwide marketing.
“The completely redesigned cameras shoot incredible photos and videos day or night, the A10 Fusion chip is the most powerful chip on any smartphone while delivering the best battery life ever in an iPhone, and an entirely new stereo speaker system provides twice the sound, all within the first water and dust resistant iPhone.”
The 12-megapixel camera includes optical image stabilisation on both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and a larger ƒ/1.8 aperture and 6-element lens, which according to Apple enables brighter, more detailed photos and videos. iPhone 7 Plus features the same 12-megapixel wide angle camera as iPhone 7 and adds a 12-megapixel telephoto camera that together offer optical zoom at two times and up to 10 times digital zoom for photos.
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Coming later this year, the dual 12-megapixel cameras also enable a new depth-of-field effect, using both cameras on iPhone 7 Plus to capture images, while sophisticated technology including Machine Learning separates the background from the foreground "to achieve amazing portraits once possible only with DSLR cameras".
Also, the new camera system includes a "7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with wide colour capture, advanced pixel technology and auto image stabilisation for even better selfies".
Apple says the new custom-designed Apple A10 Fusion chip features a new architecture that powers these innovations, making it the most powerful chip ever in a smartphone, while also getting more time between charges with the longest battery life ever in an iPhone – and the A10 Fusion’s CPU now has four cores, integrating two high-performance cores that run up to two times faster than iPhone 6, and two high-efficiency cores that are capable of running at just one-fifth the power of the high-performance cores.
Both phones include support for up to 25 LTE bands and 4G LTE Advanced for a claimed three times faster data rates than iPhone 6 at up to 450 Mbps.
New stereo speakers offer immersive sound that is claimed to be two times louder than iPhone 6s, offering increased dynamic range of sound and a higher quality speakerphone. The new iPhone comes with EarPods with Lightning connector, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter that allows customers to use old headphones and accessories.
Apple has also announced new wireless headphones called AirPods.
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus come in silver, gold and rose gold finishes and introduce two new black finishes.
Finally, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus come with iOS 10, which Apple says has a host of new features for users and developers.
Pricing & Availability
• iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be available in silver, gold, rose gold and the new black finish in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models starting at RRP A$1079 inc.GST for iPhone 7 and RRP A$1269 inc.GST for iPhone 7 Plus, and the new jet black finish will be offered exclusively on the 128GB and 256GB models from Apple.com, Apple Stores, Apple Authorised Resellers and select carriers.
• Customers will be able to order iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus beginning Friday, 9 September, with availability beginning Friday, 16 September, in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, US Virgin Islands and the US.
• The new Apple-designed wireless AirPods including charging case will be available for RRP A$229 inc.GST from Apple.com and Apple Stores beginning in late October. All iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models will include EarPods with Lightning Connector and a Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter, also sold separately at Apple.com and Apple Stores, for RRP A$45 inc.GST and RRP A$12 inc.GST, respectively.
• Apple-designed accessories including leather and silicone cases in a range of colours will be available starting at RRP A$55 inc.GST and iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case will be offered in black and white for RRP A$165 inc.GST from Apple.com and Apple Stores. Lightning Docks in several colour-matching metallic finishes will also be available for RRP A$75 inc.GST.
• Every customer who buys iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup, in-store or online3, to help them customise their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store® and more.
• Anyone who wants to learn more about iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus or iOS 10 can register for the free workshops offered at every Apple Store.