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Apple iPhone 7 review

8.1/10 AVG.
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Apple iPhone 7
Apple iPhone 7
Apple iPhone 7
Apple iPhone 7
...


8.1/10
Informr score
The Apple iPhone 7 currently has an Informr score of 8.1 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 52 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Sleek design
  • Beautiful screen
  • Fast performance
  • Great camera
  • IP67 water resistance
  • Stereo speakers

What's bad

  • Price
  • Lack of headphone port
  • Limited NFC support

Quickly selling out upon release, the iPhone 7 is the next release in Apple’s famous smartphone series. While they typically followed what they called a “tick-tock” release pattern, where major updates and features changed every two releases, the 7 marks a first in that while it should be a “tick” release, it appears to be a refinement of previous releases.

As it’s also the most expensive iPhone to date, do these refinements make it worth purchasing? Reviews are rolling out and we’ve dug into them all to bring you this summary!

Four of the biggest changes to the iPhone 7 come in the design. Reviews indicate that while some are controversial they’re all improvements.

The first is the lack of headphone port on the phone. Apple provides both a pair of Lighting port earbuds and a 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter in the box to ensure you can still enjoy your iTunes collection. In a few months, they plan to introduce their AirPods for wireless connectivity.

The second change is a virtual home button. While the button no longer clicks, Apple claims their “taptic” feedback will make it feel like a physical button. Reviewers agreed with Pocket Lint noting, “It works amazingly well. Although Apple says that Touch ID hasn't been upgraded, it feels a lot more responsive to our touch in the iPhone 7 - even with sweaty hands after a run.”

The third change is an IP67 water-resistance rating. Reviewers ran their iPhones under taps, dunked them in pitchers and jumped in the pool and all still had working phones.

Lastly, ditching the headphone jack made room for Apple to upgrade the audio experience. The phone now includes two stereo speakers. Pocket Lint put the audio to the test and declared, “The audio enhancements certainly make a difference: the iPhone 7 produces a richer sound that the iPhone 6S.”

The 4.7-inch display on the phone runs at 1334-by-750 and Apple claims it has both improved color range and brightness. Reviews on the screen were great with many noting the details and vibrant yet natural colors.

Powering the phone is Apple’s newest A10 Fusion processor. Review benchmarks found significant performance increases over the iPhone 6 and comparable performance to most Android flagship models at the time of release. Phonescoop said, “In terms of real-world performance, the A10 delivers a huge jolt. I've never seen apps download to any mobile phone this fast.” IT Pro UK noted, “It's great at handling demanding tasks like 3D gaming and video streaming.”

While you won’t find microSD support, Apple increased the storage of the base iPhone 7 to 32GB. Need more space for your apps and media? You’ll find 128GB and 256GB models too.

Apple’s latest phones have set the bar for mobile photography. While only slightly so, reviews indicate the 7’s front-facing 12MP lens with optical image stabilization appears to continue to this trend. IT Pro UK described images captured with their phone as “absolutely superb” while BGR put the camera to the test and declared, “If you don’t have the time to mess with settings, the iPhone 7’s camera will reliably get a usable photo.”

All of this is available from a device that will easily last a full day on a single charge. While specifications aren’t available at the time of writing on exact capacities, Phonescoop noted, “On what I consider to be a normal day (email, some music, social networking, taking a few photos, watching some video, messaging, and so on) the iPhone 7 easily managed to last from breakfast to bedtime. I had about 20% left at the end of each day — and that's with location services on and a Bluetooth device connected the entire time.”

Overall, reviews on the iPhone 7 are overwhelmingly positive. Even those who initially questioned the lack of headphone port were warming up to the idea by the end of the review. In the end, the biggest questions for most reviewers centered around price.

Pocket-Lint summed up opinions well, saying, “Tim Cook is right: the iPhone 7 is the company's best iPhone yet. It's just that the best is only slighter better than what we've already had for the past year.”


iOS
Operating system
Operating system
iOS
1.8 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.8 GHz
4.7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4.7"
12+ MP
Camera
Camera
12+ MP
1960 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


The Wirecutter
The Wirecutter

The 7 is almost as good as 2017’s iPhone 8 for $150 less, though it lacks wireless charging. But make sure 32 GB is enough storage for you.

- Andrew Cunningham, The Wirecutter
Mirror
Mirror

The iPhone 7 is undoubtedly an evolution rather than a revolution. It represents two years of refinements and tweaks, building on the design first unveiled by Apple in 2014. Having said that, the addition of water-resistance is a very attractive feature, and for those who want to be able to capture...

- Sophie Curtis, Mirror
BGR
BGR

Considering that pricing of the Apple iPhone 7 has drastically fallen, it’s emerging as a value premium product. You’re placed in a safe spot with the iPhone 7, giving you a couple of years of good performance to get you going.

- Nash David, BGR
Talk Android
Talk Android

It’s a fantastic phone, and it’s exactly what Apple and their users want. But it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. There are plenty of other options to pick from on the other side of the fence.

- Jared Peters, Talk Android
GSMArena
GSMArena

So, is Apple giving haters something else to complain about or is there a hidden agenda? A long-term masterplan that most of us are unaware of? And does the average Joe care enough for it to hurt sales? The A10 Fusion chip, waterproofing, stereo speakers and sane storage options - these are som...

- GSMArena team, GSMArena


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


Apple backs up the iPhone 7 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your iPhone 7 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Apple support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Apple's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
4.7"

The Apple iPhone 7's screen size is 4.7 inches with 750 x 1334 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.8 GHz

There is a Apple A10 Fusio Quad core 1.8 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the iOS 10 (Update Available: 14) operating system (OS).

Camera
12+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 12+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 7+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32/128/256 GB

Internal memory is 32/128/256 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
1960mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1960 mAh battery. Apple's performance ratings are 840 minutes, 840 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

iPhone 7 Specs

Overview
Release Date September 16, 2016
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System iOS 10 (Update Available: 14)

Compare iOS Smartphones

Processor Apple A10 Fusio Quad core 1.8 GHz
Internal Storage 32/128/256 GB
RAM 2 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.19 W/kg
Body: 1.09 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Headset, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Lightning
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP, PAN
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot No
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
12+ Megapixels
Zoom
5x digital
Flash
Yes (Quad LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Image stabilization, Multi-shot, Panorama, Exposure control, HDR, Slow motion recording
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, AVI
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
7+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Face detection, Image stabilization, Multi-shot, Self-timer, 7+ megapixels, HDR, ƒ/2.2 aperture, Exposure control
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 750 x 1334 pixels
Pixel Density 326 pixels
Size 4.7 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Retina display
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1960 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 780 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 840 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 840 minutes
Standby Time Up to 10 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Black, Jet Black, Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 13.8 x 6.7 x 0.7 cm (5.4 x 2.6 x 0.3 in)
Weight 138 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design No
IP Rating IP 67
Headset Jack Other / proprietary
External Speakers Stereo
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
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Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Apple A1660, A1778

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