Apple iPhone 7 Plus Review: The Best Gets Just a Little Bit Better

Apple iPhone 7 Plus Review: The Best Gets Just a Little Bit Better

As Apple’s new flagship, the iPhone 7 Plus delivers an improved camera system and some new features that debuted first on various Android handsets. But where the iPhone 7 Plus really shines is in the details: Its pleasant if too-familiar industrial design, improved battery life and performance, and the consistency of the overall experience.

One might claim, cynically, that the iPhone 7 series might have been more honestly branded as the iPhone 6SE, since these devices are no more different from their predecessors than the iPhone 6S series was from the original iPhone 6.

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That’s fair, but it’s also somewhat beside the point. Most iPhone users are upgrading from iPhone 6S, they’re coming from older devices. Too, there’s a case to be made that, as the iPhone and the overall smartphone market matures, the two-year product cycle we’ve come to expect is no longer sustainable. With the iPhone 7, we see the welcome start of a three-year cycle.

I embrace this change, as we already spend far too much money on these overly-expensive baubles. But it could cause some problems for those on a two-year carrier contract, which is still the norm, at least here in the United States. But work with me here: Stretching out your smartphone usage to three years is probably a great idea if you can swing it. And the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are still perfectly viable handsets today, and are not all that different, in truth, from the iPhone 7.

So, yes, the iPhone 7 is a step up from its predecessors, of course. But it’s a smaller step than you might expect. There are unexpected delights, like the new Home button, and temporary annoyances, like the removal of the legacy headphone jack. Throughout, there is a sense of promise, that this handset is a step towards some incredible future. It’s just not a fully-realized vision of that future.

You see it everywhere. You see it in that missing headphone jack which, yes, will bite you in the ass at least once. You see it in the camera, which is the first in an iPhone to offer real optical zoom, albeit at only 2X magnification. And you see it in the haptic feedback in the new Home button, which is so much more enjoyable than the haptic-based Touch 3D screen that debuted in last year’s Plus.

So there’s a lot going on here. But let’s start with the missing headphone jack.

Not a headphone jack to be found.
Not a headphone jack to be found.

Leaving aside the rationale for removing the jack for a moment—I give Apple credit for taking this dramatic step, frankly—it’s very clear to me that this change will be problematic in the short term. The first time I brought the iPhone 7 Plus upstairs—I listen to podcasts and audiobooks while I shave and clean up—I stood there, momentarily dumbfounded in the bathroom, with the speaker’s headphone cable in one hand and the headphone jack-less iPhone in the other. Right. I had forgotten the little dongle Apple provides.

Funny, right? But the second day, I did the same thing. So I bought three more of these stupid little adapters (thankfully only $9 a pop) and put them where they’d be needed: On that speaker, on my Bose noise-canceling headphones, and a spare in my travel bag. So I was at least ready for my Atlanta flights this past week. (Except that I had forgotten to download music to the new phone. Because I am firing on all cylinders, obviously.)

It’s a transition. And I know I’m not done being bitten by this change, regardless of my preparation. Someday we’ll just look back on this and laugh. Hopefully.

The new Home button has been a happy surprise. Here, too, I’m sure Apple had reasons for switching from a “real” mechanical button to a virtual button with haptic feedback. I’ve heard water-proofing as an obvious candidate. But whatever: There is something really pleasant about using this button. Granted, it’s not gloves season yet.

I noticed it immediately in the Apple Store when I bought the phone. I often joke that my phone has “thrown up in my pocket” when I feel it rumble with a notification, and I was no fan at all of the pointless haptic-based Touch 3D effect that debuted in last year’s iPhone 6S Plus. But this … works. It feels really neat. And there’s even a simple interface in Settings that lets you configure how much haptic feedback the button delivers.

The new Home button is so good, in fact, that I’m now starting to warm to Touch 3D as well. Though, to be fair, there is no reason to limit the Touch 3D interfaces—like the pop-up menus you get when you long press on a Home screen icon—to haptic-based iPhones. You can easily long-press on any Android or Windows phone too. That is very much a cheap stunt.

And then there’s that camera. Sorry, camera system.

The iPhone 7 Plus camera system looks like Bender from "Futurama".
The iPhone 7 Plus camera system looks like Bender from “Futurama”.

Here, I see a more clearly delineated upgrade as you move from the iPhone 7 to the 7 Plus than was the case with previous iPhones. Yes, optical image stabilization is now standard across the board, a long-overdue change, but the iPhone 7 Plus offers two 12 MP cameras, one wide-angle (28 mm) with a Æ’/1.8 aperture and one “telephoto” (56 mm) with a Æ’/2.8 aperture, compared to just a single 12 MP unit on the non-Plus iPhone 7. (That it appears to be the same camera as the telephoto unit in the Plus explains the quotes I used above.)

Smartphone cameras matter to me, a lot.

Two summers ago, I used the original iPhone 6 Plus as my camera on trips to Ireland, Lyon, Venice, and elsewhere, and the photos speak to the quality of that camera. Over the past year, I used my iPhone 6S Plus to take literally thousands of photographs, and I came away equally impressed. (That said, virtually all of my Paris photos this past summer were taken by the Google Nexus 6P, because of the low-cost Project Fi service. And those shots came out incredible as well.) With the iPhone 7 Plus’s move to two cameras, plus the addition of 2X optical zoom, I had big expectations for this version.

Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Atlanta in the rain.
Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Atlanta in the rain.

And … that hasn’t panned out. Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus takes absolutely fantastic photos, for a smartphone. But they seem to be on par with what I achieved with the previous two Plus handsets. That is, I have seen no major advantages to this system so far. Now, I don’t have my previous iPhones for comparison—I had to give up the iPhone 6S Plus as part of my iPhone Upgrade Program lease agreement, and we sold the iPhone 6 Plus on Craig’s List—but I do have several thousand pictures taken over two years to compare.

I will say this. The new 2X (optical) zoom capability is quite nice, and you can toggle it on the fly. But it’s also just a nicety, and a reminder that today’s smartphones still have a long way to go before they can match the zooming capabilities I had on point and click cameras a decade ago. My last few cameras had upwards of 20X optical zoom, and that really opens up some interesting possibilities that are still impossible with phones.

Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Atlanta at night.
Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Atlanta at night.

The iPhone 7 Plus camera system does let in more light than their predecessors and they work in tandem, with each other and with Apple’s custom-designed image processing circuitry. As a result, the device’s low-light photo performance is greatly improved, but such shots are still hit or miss. At various bars in Atlanta, I was able to get some decent shots in the dimly-lit rooms without a flash. But many low-light shots are quite grainy and are of low-quality.

Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Mary Jo Foley and Richie Jennings in Atlanta.
Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Mary Jo Foley and Richie Jennings in Atlanta.

Put simply, low-light shots are a step-up from previous iPhones, but that’s a low bar. This device can’t compete with the low-light performance of the camera in the Nexus 6P, for example: That camera produces truly stunning night shots, though to be fair, it’s a slow performer as well.

Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Low-light, outside, in the rain.
Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Low-light, outside, in the rain.

I know. That’s a lot of complaining for something that is still very much a step forward. But this will evolve over time, as I use the phone more for real world photo-taking, and as Apple introduces the portrait mode functionality that is now only in beta. (My early results are unsatisfying because Portrait mode is just a software trick, sadly.)

Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Early Portrait mode shots betray fuzzy edges. It's in beta.
Taken with iPhone 7 Plus: Early Portrait mode shots betray fuzzy edges. It’s in beta.

Beyond these three big changes, the iPhone 7 Plus is largely familiar.

It has the same basic size, form factor, and 1080p screen as its predecessors. Yes, Apple moved the antenna bands around a bit, but few people would notice that, especially those who use a case, as I do. (And seriously, how anyone could use an iPhone 7 Plus without a case is unclear: Its aluminum exterior is like a greased-up bar of soap in the hand.)

Be smart: Get a case for the slippery iPhone 7 Plus.
Be smart: Get a case for the slippery iPhone 7 Plus.

The iPhone 7 Plus screen is allegedly brighter than before, as well, but that is something you won’t typically notice. Unless you’re in the bright sunlight, where new brightness levels you can’t manually select come into play automatically. I still find AMOLED displays like the one on my Nexus 6P to be superior, frankly, but Apple has probably pushed LCD technology to its apex with its recent devices. (The 9.7-inch iPad Pro ups the ante even further with an auto screen warmth feature I wish was available for the iPhone.) Perhaps Apple will go AMOLED with the next generation.

Speaking of which, the iPhone 7 Plus still ships with a comparatively paltry 1080p screen in an age when Android flagships are hitting 1440p and even 4K resolutions. I don’t find this to be an issue per se, but I do wonder about the laughably low-res 1334 x 750 screen that Apple still uses in the non-Plus iPhone 7.

Performance is excellent, but then performance is one of the key reasons to buy an iPhone: Unlike even the best Android devices, an iPhone will never hitch or pause, and I find this consistency reassuring. Ditto for the reliability of Apple’s hardware, and the consistency of its software experiences, though there are always exceptions. (Check out Apple Music and Apple News for weird Windows phone-like UIs that aren’t repeated elsewhere in the system.)

Battery life continues to be excellent. I can’t vouch for the non-Plus iPhone 7, which comes with a smaller battery, but the iPhone 7 Plus delivers all-day battery life with no caveats. Indeed, even Apple’s spec sheet for the devices hints at the battery life advantages of the iPhone 7 Plus, which seems to deliver at least 50 percent better performance across the board. In two weeks of regular usage, I’ve never once worried about the battery. But then that was true of the iPhone 6S Plus as well.

angles2

And that’s the issue, in a nutshell. The iPhone is so good that making appreciable improvements is difficult. It’s easy to be dismissive of a device like the iPhone 7 Plus, which offers little in the way of revolution. But this is still very much the apex of the smartphone food chain, and while other phones may offer one-off features—better cameras, perhaps, though I think the differences are subtle, wireless charging, or curved screen edges—that improve on what Apple offers, the iPhone delivers on the big picture. It is clearly the best smartphone overall.

Choosing between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus can be difficult. I find the non-Plus iPhone 7, with its 4.7-inch screen, to be just a bit too small; had Apple bumped this to the 5-inch sweet spot, I might have been tempted. Likewise, the iPhone 7 Plus can feel a bit too big at times, especially when it’s in your pocket. And I say that having just purchased the third Plus version in a row: I have big hands, and I really can’t use this thing one handed. It’s just top-heavy.

But I choose the Plus because of the camera. And while the differences may be minor, the iPhone 7 Plus camera system, with its 2X optical zoom and coming Portrait mode capabilities, is absolutely a step up from the iPhone 7, and a minor step up from the iPhone 6S Plus.

back-from-bottom

Still, for those considering the upgrade, I do have some unusual advice. If you are currently using an iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6S Plus, do not upgrade to an iPhone 7 Plus. Instead, use that phone as long as you can, or until we know what the next generation looks like. It’s just not that big of an upgrade.

In fact, one of the things that is shocking about the iPhone 7 Plus, compared to the iPhone 6 Plus, is how much heavier and denser it is. I recall this being the case with the iPhone 6S Plus as well, but when you hold these things side-by-side, the iPhone 6 Plus’s lighter 6-ounce frame pays off with a feather-like feel that is easily discerned. The iPhone 7 Plus, at 6.6 ounces, is a brick by comparison.

If you’re using an older and smaller iPhone, your choices are a bit more complex. Yes, by all means, consider upgrading to an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, or even an iPhone 6SE, I guess, if you prefer that smaller form factor. But make sure you gets some hands-on time with these devices before you make any decision. With iPhone ownership stretching out to three years for many people, you want to make sure you get the right version.

iPhone: It's where the apps are. It's where everything is.
iPhone: It’s where the apps are. It’s where everything is.

For those coming from other smartphone platforms—Android, of course, but also Windows phone—I’ll say this. In addition to the superior hardware, with its better reliability and performance, the iPhone offers a few other advantages over whatever you’re currently using. Many seem to believe that the Android ecosystem is just as good as that on iPhone, but that is not the case. Apple attracts the best apps, and the most apps, and it does so first. It also offers a wider range of digital media ecosystem choices as well. Put another way, everything you can get on Android is available on iPhone too, and then some. Just not the bugs.

And if you’re coming from Windows phone, my God. What an eye-opening experience this will be. Welcome to the 21st century. Apps as far as the eye can see. Broad support from all quarters. You’ll jump from a third-rate has-been to the front of the line. It’s freeing, and wonderful.

The only real downside to the iPhone 7 Plus is the price: The various models cost $769, $869, and $969, which is an astonishing sum. But look at it this way: You’re going to use this handset for two to three years, and it’s going to be the most personal device you’ve ever used. And flagship Android handsets, like those from Samsung, typically cost just as much. (We’ll have to see where Google’s new Pixel handsets fall, price-wise, but the rumor is that they’re going to be expensive too.)

It’s more than a bit trite to say you get what you pay for, but in the case of the iPhone 7 Plus, it’s true. This is an elegant, mature, and high-end handset, and it is absolutely the best smartphone, overall, that I’ve ever used. Highly recommended.

 

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Conversation 51 comments

  • 134

    30 September, 2016 - 8:15 am

    <p>Paul, how would you compare the 7’s camera vs latest WP variants?&nbsp; I miss the widescreen photos of my Icon.</p>

    • 442

      30 September, 2016 - 8:24 am

      <p>I’ve read a number of reviews on the camera, and most say there’s virtually no improvement beyond the dual lense thing.&nbsp; Normal photos are identical to the iPhone 6s Plus.</p>

      • 134

        30 September, 2016 - 8:28 am

        <p>Thanks.&nbsp; I have the 6S+ and am not satisfied with the camera at all comapared to the Nokia Icon.&nbsp; I had thought I saw wide angle pictures on a review somewhere and was hoping that was at least similar to the Icon.</p>

        • 412

          Premium Member
          30 September, 2016 - 8:38 am

          <p>I went from the ICON to the Note 5 last year and now to the Note 7. I was so worried over camera quality coming from my beloved ICON but I am happy to report the Samsung Cameras are on par or better than I ever imagined. I do miss live images but there is an option on the Note 7 to have a longer live image but it isn’t automatic like it was on the ICON.&nbsp;</p>
          <p>I do plan on taking some pictures with the iPhone 7/7+ soon to compare.&nbsp;</p>

          • 412

            Premium Member
            30 September, 2016 - 9:13 am

            <p>And not to digress into the Note 7, but here is a very good look at the cameras between the iPhone 7+ and Note 7:</p>
            <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seSJvwF68-0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seSJvwF68-0&nbsp;</a></p&gt;

          • 134

            30 September, 2016 - 9:42 am

            <p>Thanks for the input, but I don’t want anything to do with the Google ecosystem (I don’t trust them).&nbsp; So my only option now is Apple, which I’m not crazy about either.&nbsp; :/</p>

            • 677

              Premium Member
              30 September, 2016 - 9:57 am

              <p>Feel that about Apple.</p>

            • 412

              Premium Member
              30 September, 2016 - 11:57 am

              <p>I can respect that…this is why I turn off as much of Google as I can…it doesn’t need to know where I park… :)&nbsp;</p>

    • 677

      Premium Member
      30 September, 2016 - 8:27 am

      <p>This is what I was going to ask. Apps aside how does the camera compare to the 950, 950xl. Especially as this is so important. (And no i would never get anything apple. No Never. The nexus or even the pixel perhaps.)</p>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

  • 5620

    30 September, 2016 - 8:19 am

    <p>As soon as availability for the iPhone 7 Plus increases I will be kicking my 950 XL out the door and upgrading. I have been a WIndows Phone user for many years, but I can’t contuinue with it after what Microsoft has done (or hasn’t done) to the platform. They clearly don’t support it, so I don’t see the need to any longer. There are things I’ll miss, but I am lookiing forward to having a phone that has apps and a device that I don’t have to soft reset a few times each day.</p>

    • 5563

      30 September, 2016 - 10:46 am

      <p>MS are supporting it, it’s just that Devs aren’t. My XL never needs soft resets, you must be on an buggy insider build &amp; need a hard reset or something.</p>
      <p>Tempted by an iPhone myself for the odd app, but I still much prefer Windows Phone as an OS, so will stick with my 950 &amp; save myself $500.</p>

    • 5592

      30 September, 2016 - 11:10 am

      <p>Yep. I’d have to agree with feedtheshark on this.</p>
      <p>I have a Lumia 950 and my wife has a 950 XL. Neither of us need to do soft reboots at all let alone "a few times a day". In my case I’m on a relatively safe Insider build so it gets rebooted with each new build but my wife’s 950 XL is stock with only the updates that have come to production builds.</p>
      <p>If you are having this problem something is wrong in your system.</p>

  • 442

    30 September, 2016 - 8:22 am

    <p>The missing headphone jack is stupid and a blast from the past where people hated not having a jack on pre-iPhone smartphones.&nbsp; It’s a dumb move.&nbsp; Nothing will replace a true wired connection for analog signals.&nbsp; Be it a 3.5mm jack or another format, nothing will ever be good enough to replace this basic need for solid connectivity of signals.&nbsp; Making it harder with non-standards is not an improvement.&nbsp; All other "improvements" aside, this jack fiasco is a 1000% step in the wrong direction.&nbsp; Lots of folks agree too.&nbsp; Even Steve Wozniak agrees this was a bad move.&nbsp; And 25% lower iPhone 7 sales over iPhone 6s I believe proves it.&nbsp; What’s next, removing the touch keyboard?&nbsp; Because you know MS thinks that’s outdated too….</p>

    • 186

      30 September, 2016 - 11:42 am

      <p>Narge:&nbsp; Jesus christ, is this now your standard copy/paste comment? We get it, over and over… you want to stay behind and have your headphone jack. So donn’t get a 7.</p>

  • 412

    Premium Member
    30 September, 2016 - 8:32 am

    <p>I am really torn right now. I moved from Windows Phone (ICON and Verizon User) to a Note 5 last fall. Now, I have my recalled/replaced Note 7 and use it with Arrow Launcher and I really, really like this phone. And if you research and learn about it, the S-Pen is very underrated and very powerful The camera also rocks on it. Yet, I am almost tempted &nbsp;to go iPhone 7+ if only for the camera and just general uniformity across our companies users (mostly iPhones here now)</p>
    <p>Here at work, I’ve already upgraded three people to iPhone 7’s, with one 7+. I played around with them some and I like the options for&nbsp;widgets and the 3D Touch app information. That is kind of nice as I am a big widget user as I was a big live tile user. And our company President said I could get an iPhone 7+ 256GB if I wanted to.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Yet, it is still standard fare iPhone and maybe it is just my preference but I like having the option for custom launchers like Arrow or Nova. And considering the improvements with Android 6.01 and 7x, it keeps getting more refined and less messy feeling. Plus, Samsung&rsquo;s "ecosystem" (if you will) isn’t bad. The GearVR is a neat little device and with upcoming XBOX Controller support, the Note 7 is about as close to a "Microsoft" Phone as I’m going to get.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Very tough decision but I may stick with the Note 7 for now and see what is instore for the 10th Anniversary iPhone next year.</p>

    • 412

      Premium Member
      12 December, 2016 - 3:59 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#16456">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/wolters">wolters</a><a href="#16456">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Just had to add a reply to this. After the Note 7 issue, I went briefly to a Pixel and I’ve settled on the Moto Z Force Droid. While the Moto Z Force has a much slower camera, it’s quality is on par with the Pixel, S7 and Lumia cameras of days past.&nbsp;</p>

  • 206

    30 September, 2016 - 9:19 am

    <p>Switching from Lumia 950 &amp; Samsung S6 to the iPhone 7 Plus. &nbsp;Its time, for all the reasons you’ve listed. &nbsp;I had the same realization a few months ago. &nbsp;Now…I only have to wait until Thanksgiving or so for my backordered Plus to arrive.</p>

  • 5394

    30 September, 2016 - 9:30 am

    <p>The haptic feedback works on the screen too. Maybe the home button should go away.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>I agree this new iPhone isn’t a game changer. Not too &nbsp;impressed with it.&nbsp;</p>

  • 5623

    30 September, 2016 - 10:05 am

    <p>I might suggest checking out the Moto Z family of phones. Unless one is allergic to Android, they are I’d say the most interesting smartphone development in years given their modularity.</p>
    <p>I love the speaker mod in particular. Yes one can carry around, and charge, a Bluetooth speaker, but the JBL speaker is always ready to snap on and go.</p>
    <p>The camera mod gives 10x optical zoom, which is far more than any other smartphone camera. Yes one could carry a separate camera, but the integration is a real advantage.</p>
    <p>Battery life is great – especially on the Play I’m told – and you can also carry around a battery mod to slap on if you really need it (easier than having to plug in somewhere).</p>
    <p>The projector mod is a bit cutesy but I’ll admit I’ve spent a lot of time watching TV or moves on the ceiling!</p>
    <p>Plus, the shatterproof screen on the Force model means you don’t need a case. My kids both have the apple Plus phone and the big bezels are made only larger by the necessity of a case.</p>

  • 239

    Premium Member
    30 September, 2016 - 10:15 am

    <p>Just recently I did something that I never believed I would ever do and that is&nbsp;purchase an iPhone and mothball Windows Phone.&nbsp;Yes, I have joined the dark side. Being a long time user WP is a platform that I once had faith in and as a matter of fact I even shelled out $600 plus for the Lumia 950XL last December. After a year of poor updates even worse battery life and a lack of meaningful business APP developement I have had enough. I heavily invested in the 950XL too buying the useless continuum dock, bluetooth peripherals, etc. After a year of visiting&nbsp;a Microsoft store to complain all I have heard is further developement is on its way. Well I am waiting no more. Now I wait patiently for my new iPhone 7 Plus to arrive. This posting by Paul has me believing I made the correct choice.</p>

  • 5592

    30 September, 2016 - 11:06 am

    <p>No. No. No.</p>
    <p>The iPhone 7 Plus does NOT offer Optical Zoom no matter how many times Apple misuses the phrase to pretend it does.</p>
    <p>Optical zoom allows you to use any focal length between its minimum and maximum without having to manipulate the image in software.</p>
    <p>If you want 28mm you use 28mm. <br />If you want 56mm you use 56mm.</p>
    <p>Great so far. The 7 Plus has native fixed length lenses for both of those.</p>
    <p>But, what you cannot do with Apple’s two fixed length lenses is use lengths in between.</p>
    <p>With an actual optical zoom, if you want 42mm you use 42mm.<br />With the iPhone 7 Plus, if you want 42mm you use 28mm and then Apple takes 2 pixels and uses a zoom algorithm in software to create an averaged one between them to fake it.</p>
    <p>That’s not <em>optical</em> zoom. That’s <em>digital</em> zoom.</p>
    <p>All Apple has done is created a camera system with clean optics at 2 fixed&nbsp;lengths and digital zoom for everything else. There is NO optical zoom.</p>
    <p>(They also used the term bokeh completely wrong but that’s another topic)</p>

    • 5554

      30 September, 2016 - 12:21 pm

      <p>Sorry but it’s optical zoom. &nbsp;GET MAD</p>

    • 5623

      30 September, 2016 - 1:35 pm

      <p>thanks for the clarification</p>

    • 5629

      30 September, 2016 - 4:30 pm

      <p>You do realize that in 2 years you will be known as the dinosaur with the ear-phone-jack on his iPhone.</p>

      • 5592

        30 September, 2016 - 8:04 pm

        <p>I suspect you replied to the wrong post. I didn’t say anything about "ear-phone-jacks". I talked about optical zoom.</p>

    • 5672

      01 October, 2016 - 2:14 pm

      <p>Apple didn’t use the term&nbsp;bokeh&nbsp;no matter how many times you pretend they did.</p>

      • 5641

        01 October, 2016 - 2:36 pm

        <p>No they did. Phil Schiller specifically mentioned it in the keynote when he was describing the ‘extra depth of field’ feature of the iPhone 7.</p>

    • 6405

      11 October, 2016 - 9:32 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#16502">In reply to MikeGalos:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>There’s some pedantry here, but he is correct. A zoom lens, is a lens that has variable focal length. A prime lens is one with a fixed focal length. You can get wide angle zoom lenses, such as 16-24mm, and a telephoto prime lenses, such as 600mm.<br />They really, really, reallyreally, don’t have optical zoom.</p>

  • 260

    30 September, 2016 - 2:42 pm

    <p>I sort of hate myself for loving my 6S Plus as much as I do…&nbsp; because I put it off for SO LONG because I loved my Windows phone so much more.&nbsp; And honestly, still do on the OS and UI.&nbsp; But, you’re right.&nbsp; Having that first-rate experience when it comes to apps, accessories, and more is definitely making up for it.</p>
    <p>#HappySadSameTime</p>

    • 412

      Premium Member
      30 September, 2016 - 3:18 pm

      <p>Question…how do you easily copy to and from the phone? I’ve copied photos from an iPhone with Windows Explorer but you can’t delete off the phone. It is really that locked down to iTunes?&nbsp;</p>

  • 5631

    30 September, 2016 - 3:34 pm

    <p>My iPhone 6S is my last iPhone. &nbsp;I refuse to buy a phone that doesn’t have a headphone jack.</p>
    <p>To some that may seem silly, but it is a big deal. &nbsp;I’m very heavily involved with audio and video production, and the fact that the iPhone has had a real headphone jack makes it convenient to use for playback of background music over the PA. &nbsp;Or when a client only brings a copy of the music to be played as part of a show&nbsp;on their phone. &nbsp;With the iPhone 7, that is gone. &nbsp;Yes, there is a workaround with an adapter, but it isn’t a good workaround. &nbsp;I guarantee I would never carry one of those adapters around with me. &nbsp;Not just because I don’t want to, but also because I would never remember to grab it. &nbsp;And, of course they’d also get lost. &nbsp;And when you’re dealing with professional scenarios, operating a piece of equipment&nbsp;on battery when plugging into a power source would otherwise be an option (since you can’t charge and plug into the audio output at the same time) is unacceptable. &nbsp;Bluetooth is even less acceptable.</p>
    <p>I know a lot of people wouldn’t really be affected by the change, but those of us that are are really inconvenienced by it. &nbsp;Personally, I can’t stand the sound of the Earpods that come with the iPhone, so I ALWAYS use a better pair of headphones. The Earpods never even leave the iPhone packaging. &nbsp;And I’m certainly NOT going to carry two sets of headphones — one with Lighting and one with 3.5mm. &nbsp;And I am also not willing to carry a dumb adapter around with me everywhere I go.</p>
    <p>While it may be true that only a small percentage of iPhone users actually buy aftermarket headphones, I can assure you that many of those users are very unhappy. &nbsp;And justifyably so. &nbsp;</p>
    <p>This was a horrible decision by Apple. &nbsp;Those that think it is forward thinking and that we ought to leave old technology behind need to stop and put more thought into it. &nbsp;Just because a technology is old doesn’t make it bad or obsolete. &nbsp;The wheel is a lot older than the headphone jack. &nbsp;Should we abandon that just because it is old? &nbsp;Certainly not. &nbsp;Electric motors? &nbsp;Older than headphone jacks. &nbsp;The list goes on. &nbsp;The headphone jack has stuck around because it is simple and reliable. &nbsp;Lightning is not simple, and it isn’t going to be around in ten years. It’s a passing technology at best.</p>
    <p>We have&nbsp;standards for a reason. &nbsp;Any time Apple (or any other company) walks away from one users can be badly inconvenienced. &nbsp;We as consumers need to stand up and say "Enough!" rather than just roll with the punches. &nbsp;For that reason, even though I’ve purchased every model of iPhone I could in the past, I will NOT be buying another iPhone until the headphone jack makes a return.</p>

  • 257

    Premium Member
    30 September, 2016 - 6:21 pm

    <p>Regarding Paul’s advice to hold off on upgrading if you have the 6+ or 6S+, it all depends on which features are important to you. For me, the "always listening" Siri feature is important, so I’m upgrading from the 6+ to the 7+. I’m also using the Apple Upgrade program for the first time this year, so that I’ll be able to get the new phone next year.</p>

  • 4325

    30 September, 2016 - 6:25 pm

    <p>You need to proof read your articles Paul, they are full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. I thought you were a journalist not a blogger!</p>

  • 5496

    30 September, 2016 - 6:45 pm

    <p>I hate bokeh effects in images. Some pictures blur the backround to much. It makes it look a little fake.</p>

    • 5592

      30 September, 2016 - 8:08 pm

      <p>Bokeh, despite Apple’s usage, is NOT depth of field. It’s not the term for the background being out of focus, it’s a term that refers to the quality of the out of focus parts of an image – whether they appear smooth or have sharp gradations or are "creamy" or "harsh".</p>
      <p>What you mean is shallow depth of field. That’s a property of the aperture and focal length of the lens respective to the size of the film or sensor</p>
      <p>Since phone cameras have generall one fixed aperture and one fixed length, the amount of depth of field is a fixed property. The artifical ways of emulating different lens characteristics looks fake because it <em>is</em> fake. It’s a software simulation that may be done well or badly.</p>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

      • 5672

        01 October, 2016 - 2:12 pm

        <p>This is a good point, or it would be had Apple used the term bokeh. They have consitantly and correctly called it a "depth of field" effect.</p>

        • 5641

          01 October, 2016 - 2:38 pm

          <p>Nope – Phil Schiller used the term ‘Bokeh’ in the keynote when he was describing ‘Depth of Field’.</p>

  • 5486

    01 October, 2016 - 9:43 am

    <p>The iPhone 7 is a weak upgrade from the 6, which itself was only a small upgrade from the 5. Typical Apple – modify a few things, take some things away, sell it as ‘all new’, watch the faithfull line up. Innovation doesn’t seem to be something Apple are capable of anymore. As long as people come out annually and buy a product that is 90% the same as last years model all over again, why should they care.</p>
    <p>iOS is just looking appallingly out of date and old fashioned now too. If everyone is still taken in by a few slick slides and transitions, and can’t see beyond the complete dumbness of the core O/S, then I can see it staying that way for years to come. If Apple don’t starting doing something pretty significant very soon though, the wheels could start coming off, because you can only see pulling the wool over the eyes of the sheep for so long.</p>

  • 3167

    01 October, 2016 - 10:43 pm

    <p>and a lot to spend on a phone that was not your first choice (color). How many Apple enthusiasts were forced into the same problem – wanted to upgrade now but accepting a phone that was not their first choice?</p>

  • 1146

    Premium Member
    02 October, 2016 - 12:06 am

    <p>After thinking about this alot, I think it’s clear that Microsoft’s retreat from the consumer market to focus solely on businesses will seal its fate into becoming another IBM. Consumers bring their tech to work, and ultimately, consumer tech becomes work tech.</p>
    <p>If you want a phone in your pocket with a thriving ecosystem, there has to be consumer appeal as well as the capacity to get things done at work.&nbsp; I dont think many people (if given the option) would prefer to straddle ecossytems for work/home – they want their stuff to "just work" in whatever situation they find themselves in.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Apple seems to offer solutions for mobile, desktop, wearable, TV, and soon to be home automation all in a stack that is integrated and works together. The downside is you either buy into the Apple solution or you have no solution/sub-par experience.&nbsp; This will be the case with using an iPhone with Windows – not all the phone features work.&nbsp; You have to be all-in on the Apple ecosystem to realise the full benefit.&nbsp; Once this occurs and you have digital purchases locking you in and proprietry plugs on everything, it doesnt matter what Apple does, you must continue buying their stuff – but it seems most people who do have a good time along the way, and aren’t afraid to tell others.</p>
    <p>The Android situation appears to be murky at best; there is more choice, and Windows compatibility seems better, but seemingly not as integrated across the stack – and the consumer is not at the center – Google is an Advertising company after all, and Android/mobile is not a core business for them, if Android failed and all users moved to Apple – would make almost no difference to Google’s bottom line.&nbsp; Samsung is stuck using Android because they cant use anything else, and hence held to ransom by Google to bundle the Google suite of software on their handset.&nbsp; The EU is just about to start anti-trust proceedings against Google to fix this, which may give Samsung to drop the Google Apps from their handsets, and use a different search provider, but still have access to the Play store – but will this be good for customers? Probably not.</p>
    <div>With the demise of whats left of Microsoft’s consumer ecosystem, I think Apple’s ecosystem is the only one that exists to serve customer’s needs – It seems they have no competition left which is why they can do things like remove the headphone port, because they know there really isnt a viable alternative for a complete and comprhensive digital existence.</div>

  • 670

    02 October, 2016 - 5:19 pm

    <p>Paul – I think you really need to do some experimenting with the digital zoom, as Apple is doing something unusual with the combined data from the two cameras. I know, digital zoom is a no-no to expert photographer’s like yourself, but check out Serenity Caldwell’s review over at iMore – those 10x digital zooms are actually serviceable – much better than full crops of a 1x pictures (especially the runner and the red lake buouy).&nbsp;http://www.imore.com/camera-tests-zoom-iphone-7-vs-iphone-7-plus</p&gt;
    <p>It’s not like cropping the Lumia 1020, but pretty good nonetheless.</p>

  • 953

    03 October, 2016 - 12:52 am

    <p>I switch from the Lumia 950 to iPhone 7 last Friday. It was time for me to move on from Windows Mobile. Even though find the UI easier and quicker to use. The iOS just work and I have all the apps. The iPhone 7 camera is not as good as the Lumia 950 but it works fasters and has not crash on me. At this point, the only people who are still on Windows Mobile are fanboys or dont habe the money to switch to an iPhone or Android. But I was always a Windows Insider in Fast Ring so it may work flawless outside of Windows Insider but from what i hear from people I dont think that was the case.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>I went through two Lumia 950. First one broke.</p>

  • 5496

    04 October, 2016 - 4:00 pm

    <p>So Paul, tell me what you really think about it.</p>

  • 5496

    04 October, 2016 - 4:01 pm

    <p>"You can easily long-press on any Android or Windows phone too. That is very much a cheap stunt."</p>
    <p>Form videos I’ve seen and stuff I’ve read. It exactly the same thing as a long press.</p>

  • 6204

    07 October, 2016 - 2:12 am

    <blockquote><em><a href="#16489">In reply to gerardt:</a></em></blockquote>
    <p>Nice</p>

  • 6205

    07 October, 2016 - 2:16 am

    <p>Well&nbsp;</p>

  • 6204

    07 October, 2016 - 2:16 am

    <p>I resigned my office-job and now I am getting paid &pound;59 hourly. How? I work over internet! My old work was making me miserable, so I was forced to try something different, two years after…I can say my life is changed-completely for the better! Check it out what i do</p>

  • 6204

    07 October, 2016 - 2:27 am

    <p>I resigned my office-job and now I am getting paid &pound;59 hourly. How? I work over internet! My old work was making me miserable, so I was forced to try something different, two years after…I can say my life is changed-completely for the better! Check it out what i doo</p>
    <p>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; Netself30.Tk</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>

  • 9753

    03 January, 2017 - 5:23 am

    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Brand new Original Apple iphone 7 and 7 plus cost 550usd with 1year warranty.</p>
    <p>Serious buyer should contant us.</p>
    <p>Whatsapp CHAT or Call : +254703285513 or 00254703285513</p>
    <p>Email: [email protected]</p>

  • 5272

    Premium Member
    04 January, 2017 - 3:05 pm

    <p>Yes okay Paul, you win. Finally. After 14 years with Window Mobile/Phone I’m getting one of these tomorrow. Too bad, Windows Mobile has the best design but the app situation is just too dire.</p>

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