SAN FRANCISCO-The iPhone 7 made its global debut on Wednesday, but many consumers and investors are already setting their sights on Apple Inc’s 2017 version of the popular gadget, hoping for more significant advances.
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The lack of a 3.5 mm headphone jack was rumored for months leading up to today’s announcement, and of course it will be a controversial topic.
The new iPhone is also water- and dust-resistant, has a new home button that doesn’t physically click, stereo speakers, a bit longer-lasting battery, a really fancy camera setup (with low-light capacity and color recognition, and better zoom on the two-camera 7 Plus) and new body options in matte black and “jet black”. “Most of the current Watch owners are early adopters and the next wave could be 10 times the size of that market”.
A new iPhone feature which may ruffle some feathers is the removal of the headphone jack, requiring audio to be delivered via Apple’s proprietary “lightning” connector or by wireless.
Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster is among the industry analysts predicting more dramatic changes to the iPhone next fall to herald the 10-year anniversary of the first model.
But Mike Binger, senior portfolio manager at Gradient Investments LLC in Minneapolis, said the new phone encouraged him that Apple was in good shape for a new sales cycle.
The new-generation iPhones and Apple Watch boast the ability to get wet without getting ruined.
On the business side, bean-counters will be watching closely to see whether this iPhone can reverse a recent stagnation in handset sales for Apple.
Apple said its Apple Watch Series 2, with a swim-proof casing, will be available in more than 25 countries starting on September 16.
Except – oops! – CEO Tim Cook had yet to announce the new version of the smartphone.
Apple sold almost 92 million iPhones during the first six months of this year, or about 15 percent fewer than the same period last year. The dual-lens camera in the iPhone 7 Plus may be impressive, he said, but it’s only available in the larger and more expensive phone, limiting its appeal.
Analysts were split on whether new iPhones would help Apple regain momentum.
Apple says that it will provide an adaptor with each iPhone 7 sold. The larger 7 “Plus” edition, starting at $769, would feature two cameras, including a telephoto lens.
But Neil Saunders of the research firm Conlumino said the iPhone 7 “is not radically different to the previous incarnation.” and that the new features “are unlikely to be persuasive factors in determining whether consumers upgrade or stick with what they have”.
The Apple Watch has been the only major new product released during Cook’s reign, and sales of the device so far have been lukewarm.
“Apple has rethought the Apple Watch significantly since its first release”, said Jackdaw Research chief analyst ja Dawson. Among other things, the software will add more intelligence to Apple services like Maps, Photos, the iPhone keyboard and Siri, the voice-activated digital assistant.
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“It’s original emphasis on apps and communication has faded into the background as health and fitness features have come to the fore”.
