Meet the iPhone 7

The long wait is over, and we've finally taken a look at Apple's new flagship device with our own eyes. From a souped-up camera to some striking new colours, the iPhone 7 is packed with surprises – and here's what you can expect from the latest model of the world's greatest smartphone!

What a night! Apple's September announcements are always one of the highlights of the year for tech-lovers, and last night's event was no disappointment.

If you're curious about Apple's other announcements, Agent Hall has the full lowdown on the new Watch Series 2 and more– but right now, I want to focus on the most exciting thing of all: the new iPhone 7.

Design and colour

The first thing we noticed about the iPhone 7 is that its design hasn't strayed too far from that of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus – which themselves were almost identical to the iPhone 6 series.

The new devices are the same size as the previous models, with a 4.7-inch display for the standard iPhone 7 and a 5.5-inch screen for the 7 Plus. They also keep the same resolutions: 1334x750 pixels for the smaller device and a monster 1920x1080 for the Plus.

But it's not exactly the same. There are a few notable hardware changes evident from the design, in particular a redesigned Home button, a second rear-facing camera for the Plus model and, most controversially, the absense of the 3.5mm headphone jack – and we'll be looking at each of these features in more detail below.

Before we move on, though, there's another major change to the iPhone's design: a couple of new colours.

The new devices will be available in five different colours, including the familiar Gold, Rose Gold and Silver from the last generation. But the venerable Space Grey has now been retired – replaced by not one but two shades of black.

The standard Matte Black is nice enough, but it's the super-glossy Jet Black that'll be turning heads – and letting the whole world know you've got the latest and greatest iPhone. This luxurious colour will only be available for the phones' largest storage sizes, giving it an extra sheen of exclusivity.

Hardware, internals and battery life

In general, the new devices have received a gentle boost in performance – although it must be said, the 6S and 6S Plus were already very powerful devices!

The new phones feature a redesigned 'A10 Fusion' processor, replacing the last generation's A9. Apple claims that this is the fastest processor ever seen in a smartphone, and 40% faster than the A9.

The new chip features four processing cores: two for high-performance applications, and two that run low-power apps more efficiently. This should mean not only better performance in daily usage, but better battery life too. Indeed, Apple say the iPhone 7 should be able to last for an extra two hours compared to the 6S.

In terms of graphics, the A10 Fusion features a six-core graphics chip, which Apple says is 50% faster than the equivalent in the iPhone 6. As a result, 3D graphics and other intensive visuals should appear faster and smoother than ever on the iPhone 7.

One thing that's stayed the same is RAM: both the 7 and 7 Plus make do with 2 GB. There were rumours that this would be bumped up to 3 GB – but with such a boost in processor power, we don't reckon it'll hold the device back too much.

Finally, in terms of storage space, Apple have at last done away with the 16 GB entry-level model. This has long been inadequate for storing decent quantities of photos and video, and we're frankly pleased to see the back of it.

The smallest available size will now be the 32 GB model, with 126 GB and 256 GB models also available.

Home button

One notable hardware change that you'll notice immediately is the redesigned Home button. Indeed, on the iPhone 7, it's not even really a button at all any more!

Rather than a switch that you physically press in, the new Home button is simply a touch-sensitive panel, not unlike the screen itself, which registers the presence of your finger by touch alone. In addition, the new button features haptic feedback courtest of Apple's 'Taptic Engine'– meaning the device will give you a little vibration to let you know the button's been pressed.

The mechanical Home button was prone to failure, and has long seemed a little outdated –especially as so many high-end Android handsets have already done away with them in recent years.

This is a subtle change, but a definite improvement over what's come before – nice one, Apple.

Camera

The iPhone has long been considered one of the very best phones for taking pictures – and Apple love to treat the fans to some serious upgrades in each new iPhone model.

For the standard iPhone 7, Apple are sticking with 12 megapixels for the rear-facing camera, as with the 6S – but as we know, megapixels alone don't define the camera's quality.

The new snapper is souped up with optical image stabilisation for ultra-stable, blur-free photos – a feature previously reserved for the Plus model of the iPhone 6. The LED flash has also been improved, with four LEDs rather than two, and a flicker sensor to make the flash look more like natural light. As before, it can handle 4K video, super-slow-motion and Apple's trademark 'Live Photos' with ease.

But it's the 7 Plus that's seen the real innovation in camera technology. The larger device features two 12 MP cameras: one with a wide-angle lens and the other with a 2x optical zoom telephoto lens. This means that optical zoom is an option for iPhone users for the very first time, and makes the 7 Plus the obvious choice for smartphone photographers the world over.

And for selfie lovers, you haven't been forgotten either: the front-facing camera has been bumped from 5 to 7 MP for smoother shots than ever.

Headphone jack and audio

One of the most significant – and most controversial – changes in the iPhone 7 is the removal of the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

This was strongly rumoured in the run-up to the official announcement, and the news seemed to mystify many users: the jack has been around since the 19th century and, frankly, there's nothing really wrong with it.

But Apple have spoken: and from now, if you want to connect headphones to your iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, they'll need to go through the Lightning port – or take advantage of Bluetooth for wireless functionality. So, why the change?

Initial reports suggested that this was so the phone could be made thinner – but as it turns out, the iPhone 7 maintains the 7.3mm thickness of the 6S. Instead, it's likely that the decision has been prompted by Apple's aim of making the iPhone 7 waterproof – more on which below.

So, what now for all of your current headphones? Well, there's no need to throw them out just yet: as well as a new set of Lightning-enabled 'EarPod' headphones, the iPhone 7 will come bundled with an adaptor which will let you plug 3.5mm headphones straight into the Lightning port.

If you're determined to go wireless, however, Apple also announced some very fancy wireless 'AirPod' phones, too – check out Agent Hall's piece for more detail on these fascinating little speakers.

If you use the iPhone's built-in loudspeakers for listening to music (or making speakerphone calls), there's some good news for you, too: the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus feature stereo speakers for the very first time.

Waterproofing

As mentioned, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are the first Apple devices to carry an offical IP Code waterproofing designation.

Each device is 'IP67 certified', meaning it's 100% protected against solid materials like sand and dust – and can run for at least 30 minutes while submerged in water at a depth of up to one metre.

Now, here at Geek Squad we wouldn't recommend ever taking your phone into the bath, shower or swimming pool, no matter how waterproof it claims to be – but this level of water resistance is highly reassuring all the same, and should certainly cut down on the number of repair bills following any unfortunate bathroom incidents!

Software

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will come loaded with iOS 10.

Our own Agent Mark Lee has already had an extensive run-through of a preview build– and among the many new features, improved messaging, a redesigned Lock screen and a radically overhauled Photos app all stand out.

Of course, iOS 10 isn't just for the iPhone 7. Devices from the iPhone 5 onwards will all be able to take advantage of the new software, which will be officially released shortly before the new phone on September 13th.

Release date and price

So, that's the iPhone 7– but at this point, you may be wondering when exactly you can get it, and how much it'll cost.

As for the price, here's how it breaks down:

Finally, the official launch date for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus is 16th September 2016.

As usual, we can expect immense queues outside Apple Stores all around the world – but you can beat the rush and be one of the first to get one by getting your name down for an exclusive pre-order with Carphone Warehouse today.

So, there you have it: the very first look at the newly unveiled iPhone 7. We'll be bringing your our Expert Review shortly before the device hits the streets – but for now, why not share your thoughts on the new device in the comments below?