The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
s that were designed, developed, and marketed by
Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...
They are the
tenth generation of the
iPhone. They were announced on September 7, 2016, at the
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (formerly San Francisco Civic Auditorium) is a multi-purpose arena in San Francisco, California, named after promoter Bill Graham. The arena holds 8,500 people.
About the venue
The auditorium was designed by re ...
in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
by Apple CEO
Tim Cook
Timothy Donald Cook (born November 1, 1960) is an American business executive who has been the chief executive officer of Apple Inc. since 2011. Cook previously served as the company's chief operating officer under its co-founder Steve Jobs ...
, and were released on September
16, 2016, succeeding the
iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are smartphones that were designed and marketed by Apple Inc. They are the eighth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 5, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S, and were announced on September 9, 2014, and rele ...
, iPhone 6 Plus,
iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus as the flagship devices in the
iPhone series. Apple also released the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in numerous countries worldwide throughout September and October 2016. They were succeeded as flagship devices by the
iPhone 8
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. They along with the iPhone X make up the 11th generation of the iPhone. The iPhone 8 was released on September 22, 2017, succeeding the iPhone 7 an ...
and iPhone 8 Plus on September 12, 2017, and were discontinued with the announcement of the
iPhone 11
The iPhone 11 is a smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the 13th generation of iPhone, succeeding the iPhone XR, and was unveiled on September 10, 2019 alongside the iPhone 11 Pro at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple ...
and
iPhone 11 Pro
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are smartphones designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. Serving as the Apple's flagship models of the List of iOS devices, 13th-generation of iPhones, they succeeded the iPhone XS and iPhone XS M ...
on September 10, 2019.
The iPhone 7's overall design is similar to iPhone 6S and iPhone 6. Changes introduced included new color options (Matte Black and Jet Black), water and dust resistance, a new capacitive, static home button, revised antenna bands, and the controversial removal of the 3.5 mm
headphone jack
A phone connector, also known as phone jack, audio jack, headphone jack or jack plug, is a family of electrical connectors typically used for analog audio signals. A plug, the male connector, is inserted into the jack, the female connect ...
. The device's internal hardware received upgrades, including a
heterogeneous quad-core
A multi-core processor is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit with two or more separate processing units, called cores, each of which reads and executes program instructions. The instructions are ordinary CPU instructions (such a ...
system-on-chip
A system on a chip or system-on-chip (SoC ; pl. ''SoCs'' ) is an integrated circuit that integrates most or all components of a computer or other electronic system. These components almost always include a central processing unit (CPU), memor ...
with improved system and graphics performance, upgraded 12
megapixel
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the sm ...
rear-facing cameras with optical image stabilization on all models, and an additional
telephoto lens
A telephoto lens, in photography and cinematography, is a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length. This is achieved by incorporating a special lens group known as a ''telephoto ...
exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus to provide enhanced (2x) optical zoom capabilities and portrait mode. The front camera is the first in the series with 1080p (Full HD) video resolution. The iPhone 7 & 7 Plus are supported from
iOS 10
iOS 10 is the tenth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 9. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 13, 2016, and was released on September ...
to
iOS 15, and they are the third to support six, and only six, versions of iOS before support was terminated, after the
iPhone 5S.
History
Prior to its announcement, multiple aspects of the iPhone 7 were heavily rumoured. Apple's plans to remove the 3.5 mm
headphone jack
A phone connector, also known as phone jack, audio jack, headphone jack or jack plug, is a family of electrical connectors typically used for analog audio signals. A plug, the male connector, is inserted into the jack, the female connect ...
received significant media attention. Other rumors included a flush camera, stereo speakers, a 256
gigabyte storage option, and a larger 3,100 mAh battery.
On August 29, 2016, invitations to a press event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
on September 7, 2016 were sent out to members of the media, prompting immediate speculation of the iPhone 7's upcoming announcement. The iPhone 7 was officially announced at that event, with pre-orders beginning September 9, and general availability on September 16.
The iPhone 7 launched in 30 new countries later in September, with further international rollouts throughout October and November 2016. Indonesia was the last country to release the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, with availability starting on March 31, 2017, following Apple's
research and development investment in the country.
On March 21, 2017, Apple announced an iPhone 7 with a red color finish (and white front), as part of its partnership with
Product Red
Product Red, stylized as (PRODUCT) or (PRODUCT)RED, is a licensed brand by the company Red, stylized as (RED), that seeks to engage the private sector in raising awareness and funds to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in eight African countries, namely E ...
to highlight its
AIDS fundraising campaign. It launched on March 24, 2017,
but it was later discontinued after the announcement of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X in September 2017 as well as the 256 GB Variant.
On September 12, 2017, Apple announced the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus as direct successors to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, alongside the iPhone X.
The iPhone 7 & 7 Plus, as well as the
iPhone XS and its Max variant were discontinued and removed from Apple's website after the announcement of the
iPhone 11
The iPhone 11 is a smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the 13th generation of iPhone, succeeding the iPhone XR, and was unveiled on September 10, 2019 alongside the iPhone 11 Pro at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple ...
and
iPhone 11 Pro
The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are smartphones designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. Serving as the Apple's flagship models of the List of iOS devices, 13th-generation of iPhones, they succeeded the iPhone XS and iPhone XS M ...
on September 10, 2019. They are no longer available for sale.
On June 6, 2022, Apple announced on its website that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will not receive support for
iOS 16
iOS 16 is the 16th and current major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple for its iPhone line of products. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022, as the successor to ...
. Controversially the
iPad (5th generation)
The iPad 9.7-inch (officially iPad (5th generation)) is a tablet computer designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. After its announcement on March 21, 2017, conflicting naming conventions spawned a number of different names, including ...
, which has the A9 chip, will receive
iPadOS 16
iPadOS 16 is the fourth and current major release of the iPadOS operating system developed by Apple for its iPad line of tablet computers. The successor to iPadOS 15, it was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on ...
, along with the 6th and 7th generation iPads, which have almost identical hardware to the iPhone 7 and 7+ respectively.
Specifications
Design
File:IPhone 7 - A1778 Rose Gold - Back Right - White BG with shadow.jpg, Back and side detail from a standard iPhone 7 in Rose Gold
File:IPhone 7 Plus Black dual camera back.jpg, Dual cameras on the back of the iPhone 7 Plus
The iPhone 7's exterior is similar in shape and volume to the
iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are smartphones that were designed and marketed by Apple Inc. They are the eighth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 5, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S, and were announced on September 9, 2014, and rele ...
and
iPhone 6S, although the camera bump is bigger on the iPhone 7. Alongside the existing silver, gold, and rose gold colors, the device is offered in new colors of matte black, glossy "jet black",
and, for a limited time, red.
The "jet black" color is a dark shade, high-gloss black finish. It is created through a multi-step process, beginning with an
anodization
Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts.
The process is called ''anodizing'' because the part to be treated forms the anode electrode of an electr ...
phase to make the surface of the casing a porous
aluminum oxide, and then using a machine to sweep the casing through a powdered compound, absorbed by aluminum oxide. The process is concluded with an "ultrafine particle bath" for additional finishing; the entire process takes less than an hour.
Water protection
iPhone 7 is rated
IP67 water and dust resistant, making it the first officially water-resistant iPhone, although tests have resulted in malfunctions, specifically distorted speakers, after water exposure. The warranty does not cover any water damage to the phone.
Home button
iPhone 7's home button uses a
capacitive
A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field by virtue of accumulating electric charges on two close surfaces insulated from each other. It is a passive electronic component with two terminals.
The effect of a c ...
mechanism for input rather than a physical push-button, as on previous models, meaning direct skin contact (or a capacitive glove) is required to operate the device.
Physical feedback is provided via a Taptic Engine vibrator, and the button is also pressure-sensitive. iPhone 7 retains the
3D Touch display system introduced on the iPhone 6S, providing pressure-sensitive touchscreen input.
Headphone plug removal
![IPhone 6 and iPhone 7 ports comparison](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/IPhone_6_and_iPhone_7_ports_comparison.svg)
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the first iPhones not to feature a
3.5mm headphone jack. It was replaced by a second speaker grille that serves as a vent for the internal barometer. A
Lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an avera ...
-to-3.5-mm-connector adapter, as well as in-ear headphones that use the Lightning connector, were bundled with the device,
and the adapter is also sold separately as an accessory.
The adapter is also compatible with other iPhone,
iPad
The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating ...
, and
iPod Touch devices running iOS 10 and newer.
Hardware
Chipsets
iPhone 7 uses the
Apple A10
The Apple A10 Fusion is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC), designed by Apple Inc. and manufactured by TSMC. It first appeared in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus which were introduced on September 7, 2016, and is used in the sixth generation iP ...
Fusion
64-bit
In computer architecture, 64-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 64 bits wide. Also, 64-bit CPUs and ALUs are those that are based on processor registers, address buses, or data buses of that size. A compu ...
system-on-chip
A system on a chip or system-on-chip (SoC ; pl. ''SoCs'' ) is an integrated circuit that integrates most or all components of a computer or other electronic system. These components almost always include a central processing unit (CPU), memor ...
, which consists of
two low-power cores and two high-power cores (only two cores are used at any point in time
). The A10 chip also features a hexa-core graphics chip capable of "console-level gaming". As with prior models, iPhone 7 is available in two sizes: one with a screen, and a "Plus" variant with a screen. The displays have identical sizes and resolutions to iPhone 6S, but with a
wider color gamut
In color reproduction, including computer graphics and photography, the gamut, or color gamut , is a certain ''complete subset'' of colors. The most common usage refers to the subset of colors which can be accurately represented in a given circ ...
and increased brightness. The screen-to-body ratio is about ~66% and ~68% for the 7 and 7 Plus, respectively.
Both device variants also contain a new iteration of Apple's
motion coprocessor, the M10. Unlike previous iPhone models, internal storage options for iPhone 7 begin at 32
GB instead of 16 GB, and max out at 256 GB. iPhone 7 Plus offers 3 GB of RAM, more than any other previous iPhone;
the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 has 2 GB.
Cameras
File:IPhone 7 Plus (29789933241).jpg, iPhone 7 Plus with dual-lens camera
File:Capturing Araku valley in iPhone 7 (2).jpg, Capturing timelapse photos using an iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 includes a 12-
megapixel
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the sm ...
rear-facing camera with a quad-LED "True Tone" flash; its aperture was widened to f/1.8, and the standard-size phone model adds
optical image stabilization
Image stabilization (IS) is a family of techniques that reduce motion blur, blurring associated with the motion of a camera or other imaging device during exposure (photography), exposure.
Generally, it compensates for panning (camera), pan an ...
a feature that was previously exclusive to Plus models.
The iPhone 7 Plus includes a second 12-megapixel
telephoto lens
A telephoto lens, in photography and cinematography, is a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length. This is achieved by incorporating a special lens group known as a ''telephoto ...
, which can be used to achieve 2×
optical zoom
A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length (and thus angle of view) can be varied, as opposed to a fixed-focal-length (FFL) lens (see prime lens).
A true zoom lens, also called a parfocal lens, is one t ...
, and up to 10×
digital zoom
Digital zoom is a method of decreasing the precise angle of view of a digital photograph or video image. It is accomplished by cropping an image down to an area with the same aspect ratio as the original, and scaling the image up to the dimen ...
. However, the telephoto camera has an 2.8 aperture and lacks
optical image stabilization
Image stabilization (IS) is a family of techniques that reduce motion blur, blurring associated with the motion of a camera or other imaging device during exposure (photography), exposure.
Generally, it compensates for panning (camera), pan an ...
.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus record video with single-channel
mono audio.
Still photos with 6.5 megapixels (3412×1920) can be captured during video recording.
The front-facing camera was upgraded to a 7-megapixel sensor with automatic
image stabilization.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are the first iPhones to be able to record
1080p
1080p (1920×1080 progressively displayed pixels; also known as Full HD or FHD, and BT.709) is a set of HDTV high-definition video modes characterized by 1,920 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 1,080 pixels down the screen ve ...
video using the front camera.
Battery Life
The iPhone 7 has a 1,960 mAh battery which can last about 3-5 hours. The iPhone 7 Plus has 2,900 mAh battery and can last for 5-8 hours.
Software
The iPhone 7 originally shipped with
iOS 10
iOS 10 is the tenth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 9. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 13, 2016, and was released on September ...
pre-installed. The iPhone 7 Plus received an exclusive portrait camera mode in the iOS 10.1 software update. This camera mode is capable of producing a
bokeh
In photography, bokeh ( or ; ) is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image. Bokeh has also been defined as "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light". Differences in lens aberrations and ...
effect using depth of field analysis of the second camera of dual-lens in the back of iPhone 7 Plus. Mainstream software support for the iPhone 7 was dropped when iOS 16 was released. But, it still receives iOS 15 security updates (as of 31 October, 2022). The last version of iOS to support iPhone 7 is iOS 15.7.2 In June 2022, Apple announced that it will drop support for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with the release of
iOS 16
iOS 16 is the 16th and current major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple for its iPhone line of products. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022, as the successor to ...
. The device can also run
Android Queen Cake (10.0) unofficially via a project called Project Sandcastle made by Corellium, a security research company.
Ubuntu 20.04 “Focal Fossa” has also been ported via Project Sandcastle.
Accessories
File:IPhone 7 Plus (29872852795).jpg, Headphone jack adapter with an iPhone 7 Plus beside it
File:IPhone7.jpg, iPhone 7 unboxed set in Silver
Each iPhone 7 originally came with a Lightning-to-3.5-mm adapter,
although this was omitted starting on September 12, 2018. Apple sells the adapter independently as well.
Apple also unveiled several
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
wireless headphones ostensibly intended for use with the iPhone 7, including
AirPods
AirPods are wireless Bluetooth earbuds designed by Apple Inc. They were first announced on September 7, 2016, alongside the iPhone 7. Within two years, they became Apple's most popular accessory. The most recent model, AirPods (3rd generation ...
, wireless in-ear headphones, and three new
Beats headphone products. All four products utilize an in-house wireless chip known as the
Apple W1
Apple silicon is a series of system on a chip (SoC) and system in a package (SiP) processors designed by Apple Inc., mainly using the ARM architecture. It is the basis of most new Mac computers as well as iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, ...
, which is designed to provide low-power Bluetooth operation and integration with iOS and
macOS
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop and lapt ...
devices (though they are still compatible with other Bluetooth-supported devices).
Reception
Reception of the iPhone 7 was mixed. Although reviewers noted improvements to the camera, especially the dual rear camera on the Plus model, the phone was criticized for the lack of innovation in its build quality. Many reviews panned the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack; some critics argued that the change was meant to bolster licensing of the proprietary
Lightning connector
Lightning is a proprietary computer bus and power connector created and designed by Apple Inc. and introduced on , to replace its predecessor, the 30-pin dock connector. The Lightning connector is used to connect Apple mobile devices like iP ...
and the sales of Apple's own wireless headphone products, and questioned the effects of the change on audio quality. Apple was also mocked by critics for
Phil Schiller
Philip W. Schiller (born June 8, 1960) is an Apple Fellow at Apple Inc. He is a prominent figure in Apple's keynotes and has been a member of the company's executive team since Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. In 2020 he became the first ...
's statement that such a drastic change required "courage."
Gordon Kelly of ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' noted that rival smartphones, such as the
Samsung Galaxy S7
The Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S7 Active are Android-based smartphones manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics. The S7 series serves as the successor to the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and ...
, had increased battery life and added water resistance over its predecessor while retaining the headphone jack, and that the iPhone 7's camera photo quality was improved but still lagging behind some phones already on the market, including the Galaxy S7 and
Nexus 6P
Nexus 6P (codenamed ''Angler'') (also known as the Nexus 6 Plus, Nexus 6 Pro or Nexus 6 Premium) is an Android smartphone developed and marketed by Google and manufactured by Huawei. It succeeded the Nexus 6 as the flagship device of the Nexus ...
. Kelly praised how Apple was able to extract improved brightness and accurate color reproduction from its LCD display panel, while noting that it was old technology which was also well behind rivals who had already moved to sharper 1080p or even 2K screens. The iPhone 7's exterior, which reuses the aging design of the
iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are smartphones that were designed and marketed by Apple Inc. They are the eighth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 5, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S, and were announced on September 9, 2014, and rele ...
and
iPhone 6S, was criticized, especially the size of the device and thick top/bottom bezels, with Kelly writing that "the iPhone 7 Plus is simply far too big for a smartphone with a 5.5-inch display".
Nilay Patel of ''
The Verge
''The Verge'' is an American technology news website operated by Vox Media, publishing news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, consumer electronics news, and podcasts.
The website launched on November 1, 2011, and uses Vox Media ...
'' described the devices as being "full of aggressive breaks from convention" despite their design continuity with previous models (going as far as dubbing them "a prototype of
next year's rumored drastic iPhone redesign disguised as an iPhone 6"), citing the headphone jack removal (which he felt was an attempt to encourage the use of
wireless headphones),
heterogeneous CPU, and home button redesign. The display quality was considered an improvement over previous models, albeit "not as insane" as the
quad HD
1440p is a family of video display resolutions that have a vertical resolution of 1440 pixels. The ''p'' stands for progressive scan, i.e. non- interlaced. The 1440 pixel vertical resolution is double the vertical resolution of 720p, and one-thir ...
displays on competing phones. The Taptic Engine was considered the "first really valuable new UI concept I've seen on phones in years" (as opposed to the "gimmick" of 3D Touch), Patel felt that the cameras of the devices were a "step" above the 6S in terms of performance, and praised the dual-lens camera on the 7 Plus for enhancing the phone's camera functionality. However, he panned the lack of editing features that made use of them. In regards to the enhanced Bluetooth audio support provided by devices containing the W1 chip, he argued that Apple "took away an established open standard in favor of new technologies, but instead of making the experience of using those new technologies better across the board, it made every third-party wireless audio product a second-class citizen of the
Apple ecosystem." Giving the iPhone 7 a 9 out of 10, he concluded that the devices were "legitimately among the most interesting, opinionated, powerful phones Apple has ever shipped, and the most confident expressions of the company's vision in a long time. iOS 10 is excellent, the cameras are better, and the performance is phenomenal. And the batteries last longer."
John McCann of ''
TechRadar
''TechRadar'' is an online publication owned by Future and focused on technology. It has editorial teams in the US, UK and Australia and provides news and reviews of tech products and gadgets. It was launched in 2007 and expanded to the US in ...
'' wrote that for the first time, the phablet-sized iPhone 7 Plus was "markedly better" than the smaller model. He highlighted improved battery life and praised the camera, calling the Plus' dual cameras "excellent" for point-and-shoot, and "much improved" for low-light performance. McCann wrote that the lack of a headphone jack was "initially frustrating", but noted that it was a "positive step forward for the mobile industry", despite the "short-term effects ... making the most noise for now".
Headphone jack controversy
Criticism of the iPhone 7 centered around the removal of the headphone jack, including the inability to use wired headphones with the included adapter and charge the device simultaneously.
In a particularly scathing article, Nilay Patel of ''
The Verge
''The Verge'' is an American technology news website operated by Vox Media, publishing news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, consumer electronics news, and podcasts.
The website launched on November 1, 2011, and uses Vox Media ...
'' wrote that removing the headphone jack, "a deeply established standard" as he put it, would be "user-hostile and stupid". He goes on to list reasons why removing the port is negative, concluding with "No one is asking for this" and "Vote with your dollars".
Gordon Kelly of ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' noted that wireless audio technology was immature at the moment, with Bluetooth audio quality being inferior and Lightning's audio reliability still in question. The removal of the headphone jack meant that in Patel's words, "You’re being pushed into an era where you will have to pay more for decent headphones due to their need for an integrated DAC and/or Lightning licensing", and pointed out that "the only company to profit from this situation is Apple, who will now be charging licensing fees to millions of headphone companies".
In particular, Apple's vice president
Phil Schiller
Philip W. Schiller (born June 8, 1960) is an Apple Fellow at Apple Inc. He is a prominent figure in Apple's keynotes and has been a member of the company's executive team since Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. In 2020 he became the first ...
, who announced the change, was mocked extensively online for stating that removing the headphone jack took 'courage'. An
online petition
An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. T ...
created by the consumer group
SumOfUs
SumOfUs is a global non-profit advocacy organization and online community that campaigns to hold corporations accountable on issues such as climate change, workers' rights, discrimination, human rights, animal rights, corruption, and corporate pow ...
, that accuses Apple of
planned obsolescence
In economics and industrial design, planned obsolescence (also called built-in obsolescence or premature obsolescence) is a policy of planning or designing a good (economics), product with an artificially limited Product lifetime, useful life o ...
and causing substantial
electronic waste
Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Inform ...
by removing the headphone jack, reached over 300,000 signatures.
Issues
Hissing noises (Hissgate)
Some users have reported a strange hissing noise during heavy usage of the phone. ''
CNET'' reports it as "faint buzzes and hums coming from the backside". ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was f ...
'' speculates that the iPhone 7's new A10 Fusion processor is the source of the noise, linking to
tweets that compare the phone's hissing sound to "hearing the fans spin up loudly whenever your Mac’s CPU gets used to its actual potential." The issue has been referred to as Hissgate.
Performance differences
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' reported in October 2016 that storage tests from ''
Unbox Therapy
Lewis George Hilsenteger (born May 6, 1985), known professionally as Unbox Therapy, is a Canadian unboxing and technology YouTube content creator. As of April 2023, The channel has 18.2 million subscribers, and its videos have received over 4.4 bi ...
'' and ''GSMArena'' showed that the 32 GB iPhone 7 is "significantly" slower than the 128 and 256 GB versions, measuring data write speeds of 341 MB/s on a 128 GB iPhone 7 model versus 42 MB/s on a 32 GB model. October 2016 network tests by ''Cellular Insights'' showed that models A1660 and A1661 with Qualcomm modems had "a significant performance edge" over models A1778 and A1784 with Intel modems. Inspection of the modems also found that the Qualcomm version's ability to use
Ultra HD Voice had been turned off, likely to "level the playing field between the Qualcomm, and Intel variants". The report concluded with the statement that "We are not sure what was the main reason behind Apple's decision to source two different modem suppliers for the newest iPhone". ''
Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to:
People
* Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer
* Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian
* Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician and m ...
'' reported in November 2016 that tests by researchers from Twin Prime and Cellular Insights had shown the two modems to perform similarly on some U.S. cellular networks despite one of the modems being technically capable of faster connectivity. Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told the publication that "Every iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus meets or exceeds all of Apple’s wireless performance standards, quality metrics, and reliability testing ... In all of our rigorous lab tests based on wireless industry standards, in thousands of hours of real-world field testing, and in extensive carrier partner testing, the data shows there is no discernible difference in the wireless performance of any of the models". ''Bloomberg'' quoted analysts and technology advisers who stated that "
ppledon’t want one version to get the reputation that it is better" and that "This may not impact the
fanboys, but it may make other consumers think twice about buying an Apple phone, especially if they think they might be purchasing a sub-standard product".
Explosions and smoke emissions
In a similar manner with the now-discontinued
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is a discontinued Android-based phablet designed, developed, produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics. Unveiled on 2 August 2016, it was officially released on 19 August 2016 as a successor to the Galaxy Note 5. ...
, there have been reports of the iPhone 7 exploding or emitting smoke. In September 2016, one device reportedly exploded while in transit, while another one had a "malfunction that caused the battery to blow up internally". Another report about an iPhone 7 emitting smoke and "melting" was published in October 2016.
Perception of slogan in Cantonese-speaking regions
The iPhone 7's "This is 7" slogan has been misunderstood when translated to certain other languages.
The phone's slogan in
Mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
is "7, is here;" ( zh, c=7,在此, hp= 7, zài cǐ), while in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
, its slogan is, "This, is iPhone 7;" ( zh, t=這,就是iPhone 7, j=ze5, zau6 si6 iPhone 7).
In
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
, the local language of Hong Kong, the slogan could be mistakenly interpreted as "This is
penis
A penis (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'' () is the primary sexual organ that male animals use to inseminate females (or hermaphrodites) during copulation. Such organs occur in many animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate, but males d ...
". "
Tsat",
( zh, c=杘, j=cat6), is a common slang term for an erect penis, and "seven", ( zh, c=七, j=cat1), which varies only in tone, is often used as a euphemism.
Replacing the home button
In the iPhone 7, Apple added a software lock that prevents individuals from attempting to replace the home button on their own. Users are now required to go to an Apple Store to have repairs done, with "recalibration" of the button being necessary. This is a step further than Apple went with iPhone 5S, 6 and 6S, where only Touch ID functionality would get disabled but the "return-to-home" functionality still worked.
Failure to connect to cellular service
Some iPhone 7 devices with the model numbers A1660, A1779 and A1780 suffer from a problem where they show a "No service" message even when cellular reception is available. Apple will repair those devices for free within four years of the first retail sale of the unit.
Loop Disease
Some iPhone 7 devices suffer from a problem that affects audio in the device. Users reported a grayed-out speaker button during calls, grayed-out voice memo icon, and occasional freezing of the device. A few users also complained that lightning EarPods failed to work with the device and that the Wi-Fi button would be grayed out after restarting the iPhone. On May 4, 2018, Apple acknowledged the issue through an internal memo. If an affected iPhone 7 was no longer covered by warranty, Apple said its service providers could request an exception for this particular issue. The exemptions abruptly ended in July 2018 when Apple deleted the internal document. Many customers have complained Apple has charged customers around $350 to fix the issue. Many customers complain the issue first appeared after a software update.
Sales
Apple has deliberately withheld pre-order sales numbers, citing that these are "no longer a representative metric for our investors and customers". Without releasing specific numbers,
T-Mobile US
T-Mobile US, Inc. is an American wireless network operator headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas and Bellevue, Washington, U.S. Its largest shareholder is a multinational telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom AG, which , holds 48.4 pe ...
stated that the iPhone 7 had broken the carrier's all-time record for first-day pre-order sales. The following weekend, T-Mobile US stated that iPhone 7 was its biggest iPhone launch ever, being "up nearly 4x compared to the next most popular iPhone".
On September 14, 2016, two days before the iPhone 7 went on sale, Apple announced that due to high demand, they had sold out of all "jet black" iPhone 7's, and all colors of the iPhone 7 Plus. This caused issues for customers in the
iPhone Upgrade Program, who were unable to reserve new phones. After customer complaints and a class action lawsuit, Apple made changes to ensure members of the program could get new phones as soon as possible.
In May 2017, analytics research company Strategy Analytics announced that iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were the best-selling smartphones worldwide during the first quarter of 2017, selling 21.5 million and 17.4 million units, respectively.
US carrier trade-in deals
For the initial U.S. sales of the iPhone 7, all four major
wireless carriers announced trade-in deals. Under the deals, the monthly
installment plan
A hire purchase (HP), also known as an installment plan, is an arrangement whereby a customer agrees to a contract to acquire an asset by paying an initial installment (e.g., 40% of the total) and repaying the balance of the price of the asset pl ...
cost of the iPhone 7 is negated by a monthly credit on consumers' bill, but consumers who cancel their service with the carrier or pay off the phone prior to the installment contract completion will not receive credits for the remaining months. Jacob Kastrenakes of ''
The Verge
''The Verge'' is an American technology news website operated by Vox Media, publishing news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, consumer electronics news, and podcasts.
The website launched on November 1, 2011, and uses Vox Media ...
'' noted that the deals effectively constituted a return to two-year phone contracts, in which the deals "essentially lock you into that carrier for two years".
In the wake of these deals,
Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate and a corporate component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered at 1095 Avenue of the Americas ...
announced they had seen an increase in sales over the release of the previous year's iPhone 6S,
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile te ...
said that sales had exceeded its expectations, and
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is the brand name used by some of the mobile communications subsidiaries of the German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom AG in the Czech Republic ( T-Mobile Czech Republic), Poland ( T-Mobile Polska), the United States (T-Mobil ...
and
Sprint announced "huge increases in sales", with T-Mobile seeing a demand roughly four times higher for the 7 than the
6.
Reports about trimmed production
In December 2016, ''
DigiTimes
DigiTimes () is a daily newspaper for semiconductor, electronics, computer and communications industries in Taiwan and the Greater China region. It was established in 1998. The company is based in Taipei, Taiwan and currently has a daily newsp ...
'' reported that Apple had reduced production of the iPhone 7 because of decreasing demand for the product after the initial surge of interest waned. A reason cited was consumers and suppliers turning their attention to next year's iPhone model.
A new report from ''Nikkei'' at the end of December included details on sales and production of the iPhone 7. The report, "based on data from suppliers", stated that Apple would trim production of the iPhone 7 by 10% in the first quarter of 2017, following "sluggish" sales. ''Nikkei'' reported that Apple previously trimmed production of the iPhone 7 by 20% due to accumulated inventory of the
previous model, but that the new models had "sold more sluggishly than expected". Additionally, the report notes that the "iPhone 7 Plus, which features two cameras on its back face, remains popular", but "a shortage of camera sensors has curbed Apple's ability to meet demand for the phones".
See also
*
List of iOS devices
Apple Inc. has developed four Unix-like operating systems, namely iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS. Devices using these systems include the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, which are mobile devices; the Apple TV, which is a digital media player; ...
*
History of iPhone
The history of the iPhone development by Apple Inc. spans from the early 2000s to about 2010. The first iPhone was released in 2007. By the end of 2009, iPhone models had been released in all major markets.
Genesis of iPhone
It was comin ...
*
Comparison of smartphones
This is a comparison of the various internal components and features of many smartphones.
Hardware and OS
2020s 2022
2021
2020
2010s
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2000s
2009
...
*
Timeline of iPhone models
Notes
References
External links
* – official site
{{Authority control
*
IOS
Mobile phones introduced in 2016
Computer-related introductions in 2016
Mobile phones with multiple rear cameras
Mobile phones with 4K video recording
Mobile phones with pressure-sensitive touch screen
Products and services discontinued in 2022
Discontinued flagship smartphones