Apple's iPhone 7 introduces water resistance, improved camera performance and the removal of the headphone jack

Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 today at a Special Event in San Francisco. The latest version of the iPhone ramps up performance thanks to a new Apple A10 Fusion chip is twice as fast as the iPhone 6S but also adds battery life of up to two hours. The new iPhone is dust and water resistant for up to 50 metres, features a new 12 megapixel camera (the larger iPhone 7 Plus features dual 12 MP cameras with one serving as a telephoto which translates into 2x optical zoom). 

Other notable upgrades with the iPhone 7 include a Quad-LED True Tone flash that is 50 percent brighter than iPhone 6s including an innovative sensor that detects the flickering in lights and compensates for it in videos and photos. A 7-megapixel front-facing camera, an improved display with wide colour gamut for cinema-standard colours and a solid state Touch ID home button. iPhone 7 is also the first to feature stereo speakers with 2 times the loudness of existing iPhone 6S devices.

Apple has also omitted the headphone jack in favour of using the Lightning adapter. Each iPhone 7 will come with Lightning EarPods and a dongle for using existing headphones. Tough luck if you want to listen to music and charge your device at the same time unless you use a Bluetooth headset.

With improved camera hardware and software, a refreshed design and two new colours (Jet Black and Black), the iPhone 7 now offers 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models starting at $899 (CAD), and the new jet black finish will be offered exclusively on the 128GB and 256GB models directly from the Apple Retail Store.

Apple rumoured to be launching a curved iPhone next year

If this new report from the Nikkei Asian Review is anything to go by, we would be seeing a trio of iPhones next year. One of the new phones that might make its debut next year will reportedly be a premium version with a curved display similar to what Samsung has done with its Galaxy edge models. According to a source supposedly familiar with plans of Apple: “There will be a 4.7-inch model, another that will be 5.5 inches, and a premium handset that will be either 5.5 inches or larger equipped with a screen bent on two sides.” Samsung is also said to be supplying the new displays to Apple with this supposed curved version to be sporting an OLED screen. The South Korean tech company is currently the only manufacturer that offers these flexible OLED screens so that checks out.

This premium device was supposed to come out this year but was scrapped. According to Nikkei’s source, there will only be a regular 4.7-inch “iPhone 7” and 5.5-inch “iPhone 7 Plus” with a dual lens camera coming next month when the company is set to release new iPhones. 

Wireless Apple ‘AirPods’ might be coming with the ‘iPhone 7’

Rumours have spread earlier this year that Apple planned to release wireless headphones alongside the “iPhone 7,” the latest iteration of the iPhone which will supposedly not have a 3.5mm connection. Apple has reportedly trademarked the term “AirPods” adding credence to the rumours that a wireless headphone accessory will be available for the upcoming iPhone. More details have surfaced recently about these AirPods. A trademark going through the review process shows that a company called Entertainment in Flight LLC filed for it. And it isn’t exactly news that Apple uses shell companies to file for trademarks. They have done this before for “iPad,” “CarPlay,” and “iWatch.”

The latest filing for the patent was signed by manager Jonathan Brown, who shares the name of an attorney Apple employs as Senior Standards Counsel. The position has him handling things such as patents and trademarks. Whether this is just a shell company for Apple or not, Apple files patents and trademarks without necessarily using them. Perhaps this could be a case of them covering all bases (if it is a shell company) or we could be seeing wireless AirPods to go with the iPhone 7s (or be sold separately as an extra accessory).

Source: MacRumors | Via: 9to5Mac

iPhone 7 rumoured to have a larger battery than the iPhone 6s

It’s natural to assume that when a tech company updates its devices, everything gets an upgrade. But that isn’t exactly the case with Apple and its iPhones. When the iPhone 6 came out, it had a 1,810mAh battery pack. Following that, the iPhone 6s got only 1,715mAh. But a new rumour from OnLeaks’ source claims at least the upcoming Apple flagship won’t have it any worse than that and it’ll have 1,960mAh battery. However, we don’t know if this will improve battery life since we don’t know how the performance of the new device will be and if it’ll need more power to support its performance. For now, this is also just a rumour so we’d have to take it with a grain of salt.

Source: SlashGear