Apple says it will not disclose opening weekend sales of the iPhone 7, claiming the early sales figures are “no longer a representative metric”. And while it looks gorgeous, it also scratches easily.
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RBC analyst Amit Daryanani said Apple margins could get a boost from the new iPhone, driven by sales of the more expensive iPhone 7 Plus model that has a comparatively richer feature set. “Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use”. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are now available for preorders in 29 regions across the globe, not leaving behind key markets such as North America, Asia, and Europe.
Micro-abrasions is a fancy term for scratches. The comparatively tiny display with its pathetic 720p resolution feels like a relic of the past at this point, especially since every Android phone I use is equipped with a big, lovely 2K display. In a research note last week, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus did not begin until the second half of August, later than expected, as Apple’s supply chain faced issues ramping up production due to challenging requirements for IPX7 water resistance. Lighting-to-headphone-jack adapters will allow users to use any pair of existing headphones.
A far less controversial change is the inclusion of stereo speakers that are capable of twice the volume of the iPhone 6S’ speaker, and with an increased dynamic range that further improves audio quality. This makes it incompatible with most wired headphones without an adaptor, however Apple includes the adapter. I was hoping I would be able to hold out until then to switch to an Apple phablet, but the iPhone 7 Plus is just too good to pass up. They can also sense when you’re wearing them, and when you take them out of your ears the music will pause and the AirPods will go to sleep, saving battery life.
-A voice accelerometer recognizes your voice.
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All this cool tech comes at a price, though, as they’ll be going on sale in October for $159 (around £119/AU$200).
