M M Hassan
After the extreme success with the iPhone 6S series, the expectations were really high for the 10th generation of the iPhone. Apple did not dishearten the iPhone lovers and released iPhone 7 & 7 Plus in 2016. This iPhone 7 series had broken the carrier’s all-time record for first-day pre-order sales. 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. The iPhone 7 & the 7 plus were sold for 21.5 million and 17.4 million units, respectively. But after 4 years of the release is iPhone 7 Plus worth buying in 2022?
Release Date of iPhone 7 & 7 Plus
Both the iPhone 7 & the 7 Plus were announced on September 7, 2016, in San Francisco by Apple CEO Tim Cook. Both the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus were released on September 16, 2016, as the 10th generation flagship device in the iPhone series. Apple released these together in numerous countries worldwide throughout September and October 2016.
One year later they were succeeded by the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus on September 22, 2017. And finally, iPhone 7 & 7 plus was discontinued on September 10, 2019.
Display And Design of iPhone 7 Series
Apple is using a display in the iPhone 7 that’s 25 percent brighter than the display in the iPhone 6s. So it’s going to look brighter and clearer outdoors, especially in full sunlight. The display is also using a cinema-standard wide color gamut and end-to-end color management, for more vivid, saturated colors.
Apple has used a 4.7″ Retina HD display. And for iPhone 7 plus a bit bigger size 5.5″ Retina HD display. Resolution is 1334X750 & 1920X1080 respectively for iPhone 7 & the iPhone 7 plus.
Apple is proud of the bold move of removing the audio jack. But in pretty much every other aspect they’ve seemingly taken the conservative route. On the outside, the new iPhone looks basically the same as the iPhone 6/6s.
Another new feature found on the iPhone 7 would be IP67 certification. This protects the device against dust and water (limited protection). You can let your iPhone fall into the toilet or bathtub without having it drown. Another fact that the mechanized Home button is not there anymore. Rather it is a digitized version that delivers haptic feedback at different levels of sensitivity.
The overall design of the iPhone 7 is actually very impressive when you consider the changes that have taken place. The waterproofing always adds thickness, as the seals will need some space within the device.
The new dual speakers, which fire out of the earpiece and the bottom of the phone took space too, which starts to explain why the iPhone 7 is 7.1mm thick, the same as the iPhone 6S, and 0.2mm more than the iPhone 6.
Also to give space for the dual speakers and the other slight changes iPhone 7 is 7.1mm thick. The same as the iPhone 6S, and 0.2mm more than the iPhone 6.
Performance & Capability of iPhone 7 Series
Apple improves the processor in each iteration of the iPhone. In the iPhone 7, Apple added some impressive features for the best chip performance for that time. The A10 Fusion chipset has a four-core CPU (the first in an iOS device). It combines power and efficiency in a unique way. It is “incredibly thin” and was made on TSMC’s 16 nm FinFET+ process.
There are two high-performance cores in the iPhone 7 series. These are 40 percent faster than the A9 chip in the iPhone 6s. Even twice as fast as the A8 chip in the iPhone 6. There are also two high-efficiency cores that run at 1/5th of the speed of the high-performance cores. These preserve battery when doing tasks that aren’t system intensive.
An Apple-designed performance controller switches between the two core systems. It makes sure the correct processes are running for maximum performance and maximum battery. When doing something that requires a more powerful CPU, such as gaming, the high-power cores run. When something doesn’t require a lot of power, the high-efficiency cores get turned on to draw less power. So activities like sending a message or an email would consume very less power.
Along with the four-core CPU, the iPhone 7 features a six-core graphics chip. It is 60 percent faster than the A9 and three times faster than the A8. At the same time, it draws one-third less power than the A9 and half as much power as the A8.
There is an embedded M10 motion coprocessor in the A10 Fusion chip. It captures motion-based data from the compass, accelerometer, and gyroscope to power Apple’s health and fitness capabilities without significant power drain.
RAM of iPhone 7 & 7 plus
Due to the increased demands of a dual-camera system and the software necessary to process images, Apple has equipped the iPhone 7 Plus with 3GB RAM.
The iPhone 7, which uses only a single-lens camera, continues to have 2GB RAM like the iPhone 6s.
The camera of iPhone 7 & 7 plus
The iPhone 7 includes a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with a quad-LED “True Tone” flash. It has a wide aperture of f/1.8. Also, the standard-size iPhone 7 model adds optical image stabilization – a feature that was previously exclusive to Plus models.
The iPhone 7 Plus includes a second 12-megapixel telephoto lens, which can be used to achieve 2× optical zoom, and up to 10× digital zoom. However, the telephoto camera lacks optical image stabilization.
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 were the first iPhones to be able to record 1080p video using the front camera.
You can check some of the amazing photography by this iPhone 7 series in this link
Battery Life Of iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus Compared In 2022
As always Apple releases a bigger version for each model with a bigger display and battery. The iPhone 7 Plus has a bigger battery than the iPhone 7. The iPhone 7 Plus has a 2900 mAh battery while the iPhone 7 offers a 1960 mAh battery capacity. The larger display and higher resolution of the Plus do eat up some of the advantages. But it still lasts substantially longer. You can see the comparison clearly from the below chart. By checking the below specs you can decide if the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus is worth buying in 2022.
Key features of the iPhone 7 Series
- Water-proof metal unibody with redesigned, less-obtrusive antenna strips
- 4.7″ 16M-color LED-backlit IPS LCD of 750 x 1334px resolution, 326ppi, wide color gamut, 3D Touch tech
- Pressure-sensitive Home key powered by a brand new Taptic Engine
- Quad-core (2+2) 64-bit Apple CPU, Hexa-core GPU, 2GB of RAM, Apple A10 Fusion SoC
- 12MP F/1.8 camera with a quad-LED flash, optical image stabilization, phase detection autofocus, wide color capture, 2160p@30fps video recording
- 7MP F/2.2 front-facing camera with BSI sensor and HDR mode, 1080p@30fps video
- Comes in 32, 128, and 256GB of built-in storage
- Second-gen Touch ID fingerprint sensor
- 4G LTE Cat.12 (600Mbps); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.2; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS; NFC (Apple Pay only)
- 1,960mAh battery
Main Shortcomings of iPhone 7 Series! What are Common Problems With iPhone 7 Plus?
- There is no 3.5mm audio jack (ships with a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter)
- microSD slot is not there as all the other iPhones
- NFC functionality limited to Apple Pay
- Still no fast or wireless charging, no IR port or FM radio
- No user-replaceable battery
- Scratch-prone Jet Black model
- Screen resolution, not flagship-grade
iPhone 7 FAQ: What Else Should I Know?
You may have even more questions about the iPhone 7 before taking the final decisions. So we have gathered a few –
Is the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus a good phone for 2022?
It still offers good features like water resistance, a quad-core processor, and a decent starting storage capacity. The overall performance will do the needful at least till 2022 without any difficulties.
When will iPhone 7 be Obsolete? How Long will iPhone 7 Plus be Supported?
The straight answer would be – No!
Apple traditionally offers support for older models for 5 years but is extending that now to 6 years. The latest iOS 15.4.1 still works on models as old as the iPhone 6S, so the iPhone 7 is far from obsolete. When will iPhone 7 stop updating? That said, Apple will continue support for the iPhone 7 through at least the Fall of 2022, which means users can invest in it as both the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus is worth buying in 2022. iPhone 7 in 2022 will not be such a bad idea if you feel confident as long as Apple keep supporting the phone.
Is the iPhone 7 Series battery life good?
The batteries for both models are impressive: the iPhone 7 had a 1960 mAh battery, while the 7 Plus had a 2900 mAh battery. According to Apple, the greater size was meant to increase the 7’s charge time by two hours from the 6s.
Though the iPhone 7 barely makes it out a whole with medium use. But the iPhone 7 Plus will easily make out the whole day with medium usage. Both iPhone 7 & 7 Plus is worth buying in 2022 if you consider the battery capacity.
Does iPhone 7 break easily?
With the iPhone 7, it is water-resistant, but if you drop it, it can break or crack. Most reports state that it can survive short drops, like when it falls from your hand into the floor or off the table/counter onto the floor. It can survive falls to carpeted floors, vinyl floors, even wood floors. However, there is the inner and outer screen, so if you do drop it and see signs of damage, you need to be careful. Damage to the outer screen won’t interfere with benefits like water resistance, but if you damage the inner screen, it won’t be water-resistant anymore and you will need to get the screen replaced.
Is the iPhone 7 better than 6S?
The iPhone 7 has better features than the 6s, like the longer battery life of about 2 hours. Better chipset and the quad-core processor makes the iPhone 7 a much better phone than iPhone 6S. But you will find less difference is outside and the performance gap is not that that visible to understand in general use.
Is the iPhone 7 waterproof?
It is water-resistant. Now, most people assume that means waterproof, and if, for example, you are texting in the rain for a minute, it’s safe to assume the phone will still work just fine. But tests for waterproofing mean that splashes, water, and dust won’t bother the phone and if you drop it in the sink or in the lake, it can survive being submerged 3 feet deep for up to 30 minutes. Obviously, don’t leave your phone in the water if you can help it, and if it goes overboard, catch it before it sinks too far down.
Is iPhone 7 or 7 Plus better?
That really comes down to what features you like best. If, for example, you want a camera for its camera experience, then the iPhone 7 Plus is better because it has the dual-camera system that is faster than previous models and more energy efficient. If you aren’t as worried about that, and prefer the ease of use, storage, and lower cost, then the iPhone 7 is just fine.
How much does the iPhone 7 cost?
Since Apple doesn’t sell these models anymore, there are various stocks with different suppliers. You can get the 32 GB variety at around $200, and the 128GB version at around $250. The 7 Plus starts at around $250 for 32GB and around $300 for 128GB. But you can always get used phones at much cheaper rates.
Is iPhone 7 Plus Worth Buying In 2022?
In one word both the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus is worth buying in 2022 if you can crack a good deal. But the worthiness much depends on the purpose of you. If you wish to have a regular phone for your everyday work and to be that occasional heavy user then iPhone 7 series cracks you the best deal.
Since this series is almost 4 years old there are quite a lot of used phone stock is available in various online stores. Also, many offering excellent offers for even new copies of this model. If you want to start using an iPhone with a minimum amount spent then the iPhone 7 series can be your best choice. This phone was an amazing release with quite a lot of excellent features which are still being used in the latest iPhones.
This old flagship can still amaze you with its speed and camera performance. Though the outcomes are in no way comparable with the latest releases of the iPhones. And you have to tolerate the thick bezels and other shortcomings like the slow charging, missing the wireless charging features, and many other latest tech advancements which you can get on the majority of 2022 phones.
But as there are other competitive models like the iPhone SE (2020) and the refurbished or renewed version of the models like iPhone 8 or iPhone XS or iPhone XR will be available in the market, it would be a hard choice to select buying an iPhone 7 series.
So, for the existing users or recommendation is, “Keep using your iPhone 7 or 7 plus till 2022 without any performance issue.” And for those who are interested in buying a new iPhone 7 series in 2022 or in the later 2022, we recommend, “Look out for the price difference of the later models of iPhones and then decide if you are really securing the best deal or not. If the price is not much attractive then it might be better to go for the later version of iPhones with more value for money options.”
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings