iPhone 7: Say Goodbye to the Headphone Jack and Hello to AirBuds
by Claire Fleming | published Sep. 16th, 2016
While the official reveal of the iPhone 7 occurred just this past Wednesday, rumors and leaks about it (and the iPhone 7 Plus) had been permeating across the internet for months. Prior to the September 7 event, many people like Ewan Spence of Forbes highlighted how, due to leaks from Apple's supply chain, it was well known that there would be a new camera, new design, and no headphone jack.
Still, there was much anticipation as to what else Apple might add and doubts as to whether those revelations would be anything special.
During the Apple launch event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, the world got its answers about the iPhone 7 along with many other new updates on apps, Watch, and iOS 10. Rumors about the iPhone 7 were confirmed, and a few new features were announced.
First to be announced was the new design. Simplified further from that of the iPhone 6/6 Plus and with an aluminium body, there seems to be an emphasis on seamlessness. New colors, "Black" and "Jet Black" were introduced, both with a new glossy finish and shine. The screen and body are now splash and water resistant as well, a feature previously implemented by Apple competitor Samsung. The new design also features a pressure-sensitive home button.
One of the rumored new features was a larger camera. Apple confirmed this, stating that its new 12 mp camera has enhanced optical image stabilization, a "True Tone" flash, and a f/1.8 aperture to take vibrant photos and produce better images and videos in lower light settings. The front-facing camera is now 7 megapixels and includes a Retina flash to make selfies more natural looking. The iPhone 7 Plus will have a bonus second camera with both optical and digital zoom and a wide angle lens. The larger lens also works as telephoto camera and is capable of depth-of-field effects to boot.
As with each new product Apple puts on the market, the iPhone 7 is to have the "most colorful iPhone display yet" with an updated Retina HD Display. Apple's latest iteration also boasts the longest battery life ever in an iPhone with its new chip, the A10, which will supposedly run apps more sustainably for the battery. The iPhone 7 will run iOS 10, have faster LTE, and be capable of worldwide roaming.
In regards to the headphone jack, Apple is quite literally cutting the cord with its new "AirPods." Apple is definitively getting rid of the headphone jack. AirPods are going to be completely wireless and last 5 hours on one full charge and 3 hours after only 15 minutes of charging. The catch? AirPods don't come with iPhone 7. iPhone 7 will come with EarPods which are wired, but instead of plugging them into a headphone jack, you plug them into a the lighting connector. If you are nostalgic for the original 3.5 mm headphone jack, though, don't worry. Apple offers a 3.5 mm to lightning adapter- for a cost, of course.
Now confirmed, people did not hesitate to take the loss of the 3.5 mm headphone jack to heart. Time magazine posted an article highlighting the buzz around AirBuds that includes the memes currently circulating involving "Air Bud" the movie.
While many might seem emotional over the loss of the dear old 3.5 mm headphone jack, Apple is still set to release the iPhone 7 on September 16. The phone will start at $649 and $769 for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, respectively. For more information on the iPhone 7, visit Apple's website highlighting every detail. 