Seven iPhone Features and Design Changes Explained

The latest iPhone models have brought about some exciting changes, but what exactly are they? Let's break down seven key features and design changes you need to know.

The new iPhone has a sleeker design, with a smaller notch and a more rounded shape. This makes it easier to hold and use.

One of the most significant changes is the introduction of a faster processor, the A14 Bionic chip. This chip provides a significant boost in performance and efficiency.

The new iPhone also features a more advanced camera system, with a wider-angle lens and improved low-light capabilities. This makes it perfect for capturing stunning photos and videos.

The iPhone's battery life has also seen an improvement, with some models lasting up to 50% longer than their predecessors.

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The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have identical dimensions to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, except for weight. The iPhone 7 measures 138.3mm tall, 67.1mm wide, and 7.1mm thick, while the iPhone 7 Plus is 158.2mm tall, 77.9mm wide, and 7.3mm thick.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are slightly lighter than previous-generation iPhones, weighing 138 grams and 188 grams respectively. The relocated antenna bands on the back of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are a notable design change.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a larger protruding camera, especially noticeable on the larger iPhone 7 Plus with a dual-camera setup.

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The "No Service" issue is a frustrating problem that affects some iPhone 7 models. These devices can say "No Service" even when cellular coverage is available.

Apple has launched a repair program to address this issue, offering free repairs for affected devices. The impacted iPhone 7 models have model numbers A1660, A1779, and A1780.

To get a repair, customers can contact Apple support, visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or visit an Apple retail store.

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Peeling Regulatory Labels can be a real issue for some iPhone owners. Apple customers who purchased a Jet Black iPhone 7 or 7 Plus should exercise caution when using a device skin that covers the back of the smartphone.

The problem arises when the skin is peeled off, it removes part of the regulatory labeling and rear text, such as "Designed by Apple in California". This can be frustrating for those who want to keep their device looking like new.

If you're an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus owner with a Jet Black model, be aware of this potential issue and take steps to avoid it.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus no longer feature a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The removal of the headphone jack was done to save space and to make room for new technologies. Apple is using its elimination to drive the development of wireless headphone technology.

You'll need to rely on a Lightning converter for your current headphones, or upgrade to a pair of Bluetooth earbuds.

Apple is including a pair of Lightning-connected EarPods in the box and a Lightning-converter for your 3.5mm headphone plug.

You can't charge your phone and listen to music at the same time without a converter.

If you only use the earbuds Apple includes in the box, you probably won't care about the missing headphone jack.

If you have a beloved pair of wired headphones, you'll be seriously put off by the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Apple has developed new wireless headphones called AirPods, which get 5 hours of battery life. They aren't included in the box, but you can read more about them.

You can also use any normal wireless headphones with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

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The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a water-resistant body, but they're not fully waterproof. Keep them submerged in a meter of water for more than 30 minutes and things might not go your way.

Samsung's Galaxy S7 and Note 7 are technically even more water-resistant, but it's basically a push. You can get these phones casually wet now without catastrophe, and that's a big win.

The iPhone 7's water resistance is a major improvement, but it's not a reason to go snorkeling with your phone without a case. You should probably get a case anyhow.

The iPhone 7 looks exactly like an iPhone 6 once you put it in a case.

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The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have dimensions that are identical to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, aside from weight, with the iPhone 7 measuring 138.3mm tall, 67.1mm wide, and 7.1mm thick, and the iPhone 7 Plus measuring 158.2mm tall, 77.9mm wide, and 7.3mm thick.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are slightly lighter than previous-generation iPhones, weighing 138 grams and 188 grams, respectively. The iPhone 7 Plus is particularly heavy due to its dual-camera setup.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a similar design to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, with the main external differences being water resistance, relocated antenna bands, and a larger camera bump. The iPhone 7 Plus has a dual-camera setup, which is especially noticeable on the larger device.

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The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have identical dimensions to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, aside from weight. They measure 138.3mm tall, 67.1mm wide, and 7.1mm thick for the iPhone 7, and 158.2mm tall, 77.9mm wide, and 7.3mm thick for the iPhone 7 Plus.

The iPhone 7 is slightly lighter than the iPhone 6s, weighing 138 grams, while the iPhone 7 Plus weighs 188 grams. The relocated antenna bands on the iPhone 7 are no longer visible across the back of the device.

The larger protruding cameras on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are a notable design change. The dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus makes it especially noticeable. The iPhone 7 has a single camera, but it's still larger than the one on the iPhone 6s.

The bottom of the iPhone 7 has a second set of speaker holes, which are largely cosmetic. The first hole on the left side of the device is a microphone. The absence of a headphone jack on the iPhone 7 is a notable design change, with the space replaced by the second set of speaker holes.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have improved water resistance, but they're not fully waterproof. They can withstand being submerged in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. However, prolonged exposure to water can cause issues.

The antenna lines on the back of the iPhone 7 have been tweaked and colored to blend into the body on the matte black and glossy jet black models. The antennas remain a dull gray color on the silver, gold, and rose gold variants. The camera bump has been enlarged and more artfully curved into the rear casing, which looks particularly handsome on the smaller phone with a single camera.

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The iPhone 7 looks exactly like an iPhone 6 when put in a case. The jet black model scratches and scuffs easily, so it's recommended to get it into a case immediately. The matte black model is a better choice, as it looks meaner and is less prone to scratches.

The Home button on the iPhone 7 has been redesigned to provide a more immersive experience. You'll feel haptic vibrations in response to actions like unlocking the screen or making a payment with Apple Pay.

The level of haptic feedback can be adjusted from light to powerful, giving you more control over the experience. The Home button is capacitive, requiring skin contact or the right kind of capacitive gloves to press.

The Taptic Engine, a piece of hardware first introduced in the iPhone 6s, powers the Home button and is more responsive than ever. It can be programmed by third-party applications for new feelings and experiences.

The iPhone 7 features two speakers, one at the bottom and one at the top, which provide surround sound for the first time. This setup allows for stereo sound in both portrait and landscape orientations.

The two speakers in the iPhone 7 produce twice the volume of the single speaker in the iPhone 6s, making them a noticeable improvement. The increased dynamic range also results in a better overall sound.

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The display on the iPhone 7 is 25 percent brighter than the iPhone 6s, making it perfect for outdoor use, especially in full sunlight.

The resolution of the display is the same as the iPhone 6s, but the screen sizes continue to measure in at 4.7 inches for the iPhone 7 and 5.5 inches for the iPhone 7 Plus.

The iPhone 7 has the "best LCD display" it's ever tested, according to DisplayMate, calling it a "major upgrade" over the iPhone 6s.

The display on the iPhone 7 achieved the highest color accuracy, peak brightness, and contrast rating in bright light of any smartphone display.

The Home button on the iPhone 7 is no longer a physical button, but rather a "solid state" button that provides haptic feedback from the Taptic Engine.

The iPhone 7 Plus features a dual-camera setup, including a second 12-megapixel 56mm telephoto lens with an f/2.8 aperture.

The two lenses create a new zoom feature that allows iPhone 7 Plus users to switch seamlessly between standard 1x zoom and an optical 2x zoom.

The optical 2x zoom function enables better digital zoom for clearer photos up to 10x closer, and the quality is up to four times better than digital zoom in the iPhone 6s.

The camera on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus features a huge jump forward in camera technology, with optical image stabilization, a new 6-element f/1.8 aperture lens, and a 12-megapixel high-speed sensor that's 60 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient.

The image signal processor, custom designed by Apple, sets exposure, focus, white balance, and uses wide color capture for more true-to-life images.

The FaceTime camera on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus features a 7-megapixel sensor with new sensor technology for sharper images, auto image stabilization, and wide color capture.

The display on the iPhone 7 is a major upgrade over the iPhone 6s, with a 25 percent increase in brightness.

It's especially noticeable outdoors, where the display will look brighter and clearer in full sunlight. Apple has also implemented cinema-standard wide color gamut and end-to-end color management for more vivid and saturated colors.

The resolution of the display remains the same as the iPhone 6s, at 1134 x 750 pixels for the standard model and 1920 x 1080 pixels for the Plus model. The screen sizes are also unchanged, measuring 4.7 inches for the standard model and 5.5 inches for the Plus model.

DisplayMate has praised the iPhone 7's display, calling it the "best LCD display" it's ever tested. The display has achieved the highest color accuracy, peak brightness, and contrast rating in bright light of any smartphone display.

The Home button on the iPhone 7 has also been upgraded, using haptic feedback from the Taptic Engine to mimic a button press.

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The FaceTime Camera on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus is a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera that's perfect for taking better-than-ever selfies.

It features new sensor technology that helps capture sharper images, making all your photos look fantastic.

Auto image stabilization reduces shakiness, so you can take clear photos even when you're not holding the camera steady.

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The iPhone 7 Plus has a dual camera setup that's a game-changer for photography enthusiasts. The two lenses, a wide-angle 28mm lens and a 12-megapixel 56mm telephoto lens, work together to create a seamless zoom feature that allows you to switch between standard 1x zoom and optical 2x zoom.

This optical zoom is a significant improvement over digital zoom, which can result in a loss of detail. With the iPhone 7 Plus, you can get up to 10x closer with better quality than digital zoom in the iPhone 6s. Apple's image signal processor uses machine learning techniques to recognize people and create a depth map of the image.

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The Portrait feature, available as of iOS 10.1, uses the two cameras to create a shallow depth of field that makes portrait photos "pop." You can even see the background blur in real-time before taking the photo. This feature is unique to the iPhone and is a major selling point for the iPhone 7 Plus.

Here are the key features of the dual camera setup:

The dual camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus is a significant upgrade over the single camera on the iPhone 7. If you're a photography enthusiast, the iPhone 7 Plus is definitely worth considering.

The iPhone 7 has a powerful processor, the A10 Fusion, which is 40 percent faster than the A9 in the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.

This processor is a 64-bit quad-core processor, meaning it has four cores that work together to make the phone run smoothly. Apple has designed a performance controller to determine which actions make use of either the high-performance or high-efficiency cores, helping to save battery life.

The high-efficiency cores are perfect for tasks like checking email, while the high-performance cores handle more demanding tasks. This results in a smoother iOS 10 experience on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus compared to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.

Here are some benchmark results to compare the iPhone 7 Plus to other Android phones:

The matte black iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have been known to experience chipping or peeling off of the anodized finish in certain areas.

Apple has stated that this is a normal cosmetic issue, but it's not covered by warranty.

Some customers have reported that the chipping occurs even with little wear and tear on the device.

The battery life of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus has seen significant improvements. Apple's processor upgrades and larger batteries have led to the longest battery life ever in an iPhone.

According to Apple, users upgrading from an iPhone 6s to an iPhone 7 can expect two hours of additional battery life on average. iPhone 7 Plus users upgrading from an iPhone 6s Plus will see at least an hour more battery life.

The iPhone 7 has a 1,960 mAh battery, an improvement over the 1,715 mAh battery in the iPhone 6s. The iPhone 7 Plus has a 2,900 mAh battery, up from 2,750 mAh in the iPhone 6s Plus.

In most cases, users will see much greater increases in battery life. Apple says average battery life during real-world usage has improved.

The iPhone 7 gets longer battery life during internet use and video playback, but shorter battery life for audio playback and talk time.

The new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a significant boost in processing power thanks to Apple's A10 Fusion chip, which is 40 percent faster than the A9 in the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.

This chip is a 64-bit quad-core processor, with two high-performance cores and two high-efficiency cores. Apple's performance controller determines which actions use each set of cores for optimal performance and battery life.

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The A10 Fusion chip improves the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus' graphics, making them 50 percent faster than the A9.

Here are some benchmark results in Geekbench 4 to give you an idea of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus' processing power compared to other popular Android phones:

The A10 Fusion chip is also designed to save battery life by using the high-efficiency cores for tasks like checking email.

The iPhone 7 has a dust/water resistance rating of IP67, making it entirely dust proof and able to withstand 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

It's safe from splashes and accidental submersion, but you shouldn't take it swimming. Tests have proven that the iPhone 7 can survive immersion in a variety of liquids, from coke and hot coffee to sea water.

It's even been tested in deep water, but the results aren't specified.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have some amazing special features that set them apart from other smartphones.

Water and dust resistance is a game-changer, allowing you to use your phone in the rain or near the pool without worrying about damaging it.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have a sleek and durable design, with a new IP67 rating that means they can withstand being submerged in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

The camera on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus is incredibly powerful, with a 12-megapixel sensor and a telephoto lens that allows for stunning portraits and zoomed-in shots.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus also feature a new feature called "wireless headphones", which uses Bluetooth to connect to earbuds or headphones without the need for a wire.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus come with a powerful A10 Fusion chip that provides fast performance and efficient battery life, making it perfect for gaming and multitasking.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus also feature a new feature called "water lock", which prevents accidental water or dust from entering the phone when you're using it in wet conditions.

The 7 Plus is essentially an upgraded version of the iPhone 7, with a few key differences. It features a larger 5.5-inch display, which is perfect for binge-watching your favorite shows or browsing the web.

The 7 Plus also has a dual-lens camera, which allows for some amazing photography features like Portrait mode. This mode creates a beautiful bokeh effect, blurring the background and making your subject stand out.

One of the standout features of the 7 Plus is its improved battery life, lasting up to 1 hour longer than the standard iPhone 7. This is perfect for long days on the go or for those who tend to use their phone extensively.

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The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are available in stores and online, but you might have some trouble snagging certain models.

The jet black variant is facing a global shortage due to quality control issues, causing delays in shipping, with models shipping in November instead.

About 30 to 40 percent of the manufactured glossy jet black models need to be retooled.

Pre-orders for other colors are shipping faster than expected.

If you're in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, or San Francisco, you might be in luck with finding a jet black model.

You'll want to make an online reservation or call your local store ahead of time to check availability.

The iPhone 7 starts at $650 and the iPhone 7 Plus starts at $770.

There is no longer a 16GB storage option, which is a welcome change.

You can choose from 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options for both models.

The jet black color only has 128GB and 256GB internal storage options.

You can also order the sim-free version of both phones, which requires setting up a contract with a carrier yourself.

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