The tests performed on the new iPhone so far suggested that the extra 1 GB doesn't make an outstanding difference in the overall phone performance. While some might think 'the more RAM, the better' is true, it didn't seem to matter so much in the context of iPhone 7 Plus.
The entire RAM vision, especially on Android, has created mixed comments. Phones with 4 GB of RAM and even up to 6 GB still seem to underperform and have an annoying lag while multitasking. A speed test video comparing the performance of Galaxy Note 7 and iPhone 6S seems to make it clear that the latter performs better than former in multitasking, even though it only carries 2 GB of RAM and the Note 7 packs a 4 GB RAM.
What's more confusing is that early speed tests between iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus showed no real advantage in a 1 GB RAM difference. It is said that the increase of RAM is due to the extra processing needed for the dual camera. However, this should imply that whenever the camera is not in use, the extra RAM would be repurposed for other tasks.
Reports suggest that Apple will master this RAM repurposing once the iOS 10.1 is launched and it seems that the beta version has already worked on this issue. Based on the beta tests, apps had their states saved way often and cuts the wait time when a user switches back to the app. Previously, apps are flushed when minimized to the background — this extends the waiting time as the app needs to be refreshed again.
Another feature that created an entire hype around the update is the portrait mode. In this mode, users won't be needing DSLR cameras just to get a bokeh background effect. The person is separated from the background, which also gives a narrow "field of focus" when it comes to the subject of the portrait. It uses the wide angle lens for the depth data and the telephoto lens for the subject. The nine-layer map is generated using a 56mm lens when capturing the image. This depth mapping uses the technology from the Apple-acquired company LiNx to gather data that the image processor can use to create a 3D terrain map of the surroundings.
While the iOS 10.1 is still in beta and there is virtually no clear guarantee of what will and won't make the final cut, it's definitely a change for the better among iPhone 7 plus users.
