Have you settled down yet? Yes, finding out your beloved headphone jack has been killed off was shocking, but it's time to move on. Okay? Good. Move past the initial outrage and it's clear that this is the iPhone you've been waiting for. Sure, it might look pretty familiar, and yes, that missing headphone port will annoy at times, but beyond the surface (and #firstworldproblems), the iPhone 7 is easily the best iPhone ever made –well apart from its big brother, the iPhone 7 Plus that is.
A comprehensive update beneath the surface, the iPhone 7 is everything you need and more. With a superior camera, improved screen and oodles of additional power, after an indifferent iPhone 6S, the iPhone 7 shows that Apple is back on form. Bloomin' Brexit means it will hit you for a bit of extra cash – prices start at £599 – but that's no more expensive than its main rivals. Yes, this is the best iPhone yet, but is it good enough to topple the Samsung Galaxy S7 as the latest must-own smartphone? We put it to the test to find out.
The Good:
- Brilliant Force Touch home button
- Finally plays nice with water
- Beautifully, vibrant display
The Bad:
- Missing 7 Plus's dual camera
- Lack of headphone port a little restrictive
- Only certain colours show off design wins
iPhone 7 Design: The same, but different, and better
Related: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6S
Oh hi old friend, good to see you again. Yes, the iPhone 7 looks pretty familiar. Just because the phone's overall style is now a couple of years old doesn't mean it's not still the best-looking phone going, though. To turn your nose up at this would be like kicking a model out of bed. At 7.1mm thick and 138g this metal-bodied masterpiece is sleek, stylish, and a classic. It's been refined, too, albeit very, very slightly. Those ugly antenna lines have been pared back and, well, that's pretty much it. At least visibly. The phone's most important design difference is one you can't see – it now plays nice with water.
It's not fully waterproof, so don't try take it swimming with you, but its IP67 certified body is more than capable of standing up to the odd spilt drink or accidental toilet dunk without succumbing to a watery demise. To put it to the test we submerged it in the sink and dropped it in a stream. After a quick shake off, neither caused the phone any concern. Impressive considering the phone's unaltered design.
Instead of that radical redesign we'd all kinda been hoping for, Apple has given us new iPhone colours to choose from. Surprisingly, it's this choice of tone that dictates just how new this phone looks and feels. Plump for a silver, gold or rose gold option and it really is an echo of the iPhone 6S. Pick up the black or jet black models, however, and it suddenly feels like a completely new beast.
The black unit that we've been testing is simply stunning. The near invisible antenna lines give the phone a new, cleaner look. What's more, while the Jet Black model is a fingerprint apocalypse, one you'll wish you'd never touched as soon as it's lifted from the box, the black's matt finish is a brilliant blend of grippy and gorgeous. It gets our vote as the best looking iPhone ever.
What about that missing headphone port?
All these little tweaks are nice, but it's not what's been added, rather what's been taken away that has people up in arms about the iPhone 7's design. We're talking, of course, about the wayward headphone jack. Yes, it's gone, and it's never coming back. Get over it. Aesthetically, this gives the phone a more symmetrical look, but who cares about aesthetics when practicality means this phone's now a duffer, right? Except, it's not. Not by a long shot.
Yes it's an unusual move and yes, it feels a little restrictive at first. But that's short lived. There's a pair of Lightning connection EarPods in the box and if you don't like these (we're not overly keen on the fit) a Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor also comes bundled with the phone. There's always the choice of Bluetooth cans too. This adaptor's small and sure to be misplaced before your 24 month contract is up, but it works, and once the phone's in your pocket doesn't feel as daft as it first looks. Would we have liked to have seen the traditional headphone jack remain? Absolutely. Have we noticed it's no longer there? Not really. We're pretty sure you won't either.
iPhone 7 Screen: Brighter means better
Related: iPhone 7 vs Samsung Galaxy S7
It's not just the thought of a missing headphone jack that disappointed when the iPhone 7 was first announced. We admit it, we'd really been hoping Apple would give the iPhone 7 a Full HD resolution boost and were more than a little disappointed when this failed to materialise. Resolution isn't everything though, and picking up the 7 for the first time, you can't help but be impressed. This screen is simply stunning.
Despite the 4.7-inch Retina HD panel having retained the same 1334 x 750 pixel resolution as both the iPhone 6 and 6S, the iPhone 7 leaves everything thats come before it in its wake. How? Well you've got a wider colour gamut and a 25% bump in screen brightness to thank. A few extra colours and a bit of added brightness might not sound like the biggest breakthrough, but trust us, it makes a world of difference and brings this screen to life.
Sure, the Galaxy S7's QHD panel might be technically sharper, but so what? You're eyes can't see that much detail anyway, and the iPhone's add-ons really make this panel pop. Colours aren't just powerfully vibrant, there's a beautiful subtlety in tones that give images an unrivalled level of accuracy. Throw the phone's boosted graphics into the mix and the 3D Touch-friendly iPhone 7 quickly becomes a visual delight. Whether you're looking at snaps, playing games or enjoying a Netflix binge, you won't want to look away. It's one of the best screens we've ever seen slotted inside a smartphone.
iPhone 7 features & performance: classic Apple elegance
Related: Best iPhone 7 cases and covers
Someone give Jezza Clarkson a ring because the iPhone 7's got enough power to give him that fizzy feeling in his trousers he likes so much. The trademark annual power boosts have been kicked into overdrive this year, with the handset's new A10 Fusion chip offering more grunt than you'll ever need. Twice as powerful as the iPhone 6 and with a graphical boost that makes your games look all sorts of lovely, it will keep the phone cruising along no matter how much multitasking or heavy duty gaming you throw at it.
It's not just raw power that makes the iPhone 7 an effortless joy to use either. iOS 10, Apple's latest mobile operating system is an out-of-the-box win. Elegantly refined with enough new features to appease everyone from Siri-loving business users to Messages-spamming teens, it's the ultimate mobile OS. It's paired with increased storage options too, with the restrictive 16GB model making way for a new 32GB base and sizeable 128GB and 256GB options.
Just because the headphone jack's gone doesn't mean sound has suffered either. A second speaker has been squeezed in up top, bringing stereo sound to the iPhone for the first time. If you're going to watch a movie, you'll probably still want to plug in a decent pair of headphones, but for the casual YouTube session, kitchen-filling playlist listen or bit of gaming, it will more than tick the boxes.
While all that sits under the hood, out of sight and out of mind, there's another, far more prominent iPhone 7 feature you should get excited about, and it's one that you can get hands-on with – the home button. Stop yawning and listen up, this isn't just any traditional home button – we're not even talking about its Touch ID skills. Instead, Apple has shipped in a new Force Touch control with its own Taptic Engine to mix things up.
Now, instead of simply pushing the button, this thing's pressure sensitive and offers vibration feedback. Why does this matter? Well, as well as opening up new control options, it can also transform your phone into a full-on rumble pad when gaming. It will take a few days to get used to the new feel, but then you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
iPhone 7 Battery Life: It's no Nokia 3310, but it's better
Who want's a week-long battery life? Well then you'll need to pick up a pre-smartphone era flip phone. Back in the modern world, the iPhone 7's battery might not set the world alight, but it's moving in the right direction.
Improving the thing's power in more ways than one, Apple has managed to squeeze in an extra two hours of staying power between charges compared with last year's phone. Or at least that's what they claim. Save for a couple of gaming binge sessions, though, we've found this to be a little on the conservative side. The new iPhone easily cruises through a full day and keeps us occupied during our commute the following morning all without hitting the red. What's more, when it needs a trip to the mains, recharges are super speedy. There's still no wireless charging though – c'mon guys, pick up your game.
iPhone 7 Camera: Keeping you snap happy day or night
Related: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 7 Plus
Say cheese. Why? Well because the iPhone 7's camera is brilliant. On paper it might not sound that special – like last year there's a 12-meg offering – but it's been rebuilt from the ground up and the results will have you leaving your dedicated camera in a cupboard for the rest of time.
So, what's changed? Well, a larger, faster sensor has been thrown in alongside a new f/1.8 wide aperture six-element lens. The result? More light, and more light means more detailed, sharper shots. Photos look great. Colours really pop, focussing is super speedy and optical image stabilisation has finally been added. Huzzah.
It's not just in bright, natural light that the camera impresses either. Indoors, in tricky lighting, the iPhone 7 has come on leaps and bounds. Everything's now more naturally toned and well balanced. Colours are again the highlight, but skin tones feel natural and depth to shots is seriously impressive. Even when the lights come fully down, the iPhone's image quality still holds its own. After dark it's not quite Galaxy S7 strong, but it runs it a close second, balancing areas of light and shade and reducing unwanted background noise.
All sounds great, right? And it is. There is a serious catch though. There's nothing wrong with the iPhone 7's camera, it's great, but it's just not as good as the dual camera offering squeezed into the rear of its big brother, and that's a shame. The Plus's second, telephoto lens offers a whole world of improved imaging options, and once you've used both, there's only one phone that comes out on top. While a second camera would no doubt bump up the cost, you know it's going to pop up on the iPhone 8, and that just makes it all the more frustrating. Buy the iPhone 7 and you'll always know you're missing out, slightly.
Forget what's not there though, what's present is still impressive. It's not just about what's around back either. The selfie snapper has been given a boost too. Last year's 5-meg front-facing camera has been given the boot, with a new 7-megapixel offering taking its place. Here things are sharper and a little more detailed – your Snapchats and Facebook selfies will never have looked so good.
Verdict: The best iPhone ever (sort of)
No radical redesign, no resolution boost and no headphone port. If you look at what the iPhone 7 is missing, at least on paper, it's all too easy to dismiss Apple's latest pocket blower as just yet another iterative update. There's more to it than that though. A lot more. This is a phone that's added more updates than you can count on your hands and importantly, all of these additions combine to make a major difference.
Sure, the missing headphone port will remain the taking point for some time, but only for those who don't have an iPhone 7. Within a day or two of owning one, you'll forget what all the fuss was about and spend the next two years blissfully happy with your purchase. Yes, the 7 Plus does edge its little brother thanks to its impressive dual camera, but you'll need to be deep of pocket in more ways that one to make the bigger device work for you. For those with regular-sized trouser holes, the iPhone 7 is the best iPhone ever made. Comfortably.
