The iPhone 7 has finally been unveiled by Apple and the question on everyone's mind is, is it worth upgrading to?
The company claims that the latest iteration of the 4.7-inch iPhone is a stellar device.
"iPhone 7 dramatically improves the most important aspects of the iPhone experience. It introduces advanced new camera systems. The best performance and battery life ever in an iPhone. Immersive stereo speakers. The brightest, most colorful iPhone display. Splash and water resistance. And it looks every bit as powerful as it is. This is iPhone 7," says Apple.
But is it really giving us enough reasons to upgrade from the iPhone 6s? We compare the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 6s to give us a better idea.
Display
Like the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 7 also sports a 4.7-inch Retina HD screen with a resolution of 1,334 x 750 pixels and 326 ppi pixel density.
However, what has changed is that the iPhone 7 has a screen that is 25 percent brighter than that of its predecessor. Moreover, Apple asserts that the iPhone 7 offers a wider color gamut, which basically translates to more detailed photos and a richer mobile gaming experience.
Design
The major design change for the iPhone 7 is the fact that it is dust- and water-resistant unlike the iPhone 6s. The new flagship is IP67-certified, which means that it can be submerged in 1 meter (3.28 feet) of water for nearly 30 minutes.
The dimensions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s are exactly the same, but what has changed is the weight. At 138 grams (4.87 ounces), the iPhone 7 is lighter than the iPhone 6s, which weighs 143 grams (5.04 ounces).
Another change in design is the removal of the headphone jack port, which gives way to the stereo speakers on the iPhone 7. The fact that the Lightning port doubles up as the port for the EarPods wins some brownie points for the iPhone 7.
Processor, RAM And GPU
The iPhone 6s houses a dual-core A9 processor and 2 GB of RAM, whereas the iPhone 7 packs in the next-gen dual-core A10 Fusion chipset and 2 GB of RAM.
Apple asserts that the A10 Fusion chipset, which will allow "console-level gaming" on the handset, is 40 percent faster than the A9 chipset. The company claims that this is the most powerful chipset it has put into a smartphone.
The GPU of the iPhone 7 also improves on the predecessor. The A10 Fusion chipset is 50 percent quicker than the A9 GPU. Moreover, per Apple, the A10 Fusion chipset also consumes less power - two-thirds of the A9's power consumption.
Storage
While the iPhone 6s was available in 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB storage options, Apple has changed things around for the iPhone 7. The latest iPhone will be available in 32 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB storage options.
Camera
Like the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 7 sports a 12-megapixel primary camera, but it has been completely redesigned to house a novel image sensor that is capable of wide-angle and telephoto support.
The iPhone 7 also gets OIS support, which was missing in the iPhone 6s, but available for the iPhone 6s Plus. Selfie lovers have also been kept in mind as the front-facing camera has been bumped up to 7 megapixels versus the 5 megapixels on the older-gen model.
While the iPhone 6s had a five-element lens, the iPhone 7 touts a six-element one. The 4K video recording support at 30 fps remains the same, but the iPhone 7 offers Quad-LED True Tone Flash instead of True Tone Flash on the iPhone 6s.
Battery And Bluetooth
The NFC-capable iPhone 7 will offer 2 hours longer battery support when compared to the iPhone 6s. The new smartphone supports Bluetooth 4.2 vis-à-vis the iPhone 6s' Bluetooth 4.1.
Operating System
The iPhone 7 will come with iOS 10 out of the box, but the iPhone 6s will also get updated to the latest Apple OS in the near term.
Price
The unlocked 64 GB model of the iPhone 6s was priced at $749 upon release. By comparison, the 128 GB model of the iPhone 7 is priced at $749, which is a welcome change. The 32 GB model of the iPhone 7 will cost $649 and the 256 GB variant is priced at $849.
Apple has now discontinued the 16 GB and 64 GB models of the iPhone 6s and is instead retailing a 32 GB model for $549 and a 128 GB variant for $649.
Colors
Apple has introduced two new hues for the iPhone 7 - Jet Black and Black, which are not available for the previous-gen model and could lure consumers.
The fact that the iPhone 7 is finally waterproof and boasts a faster processor and camera capabilities could be enough reason for you to upgrade from the iPhone 6s. Moreover, the lure of a new color - Jet Black or Black - as well as the stereo speakers could be the draw.
The preorders for the iPhone 7 kick off on Sept. 9 and the phone will ship from Sept. 16.
