Reviewing a new iPhone is always a long-term affair. After all, with several new features packed into each iteration—from its processing prowess to the latest camera to an improved display—there is much to dissect and experience while discovering and using each new capability.
We spent quality time with the flagship iPhone 7 Plus 256GB variant in the all-new black color. The bulk of the phone’s capabilities up the ante through dual cameras, the faster A10 Fusion processor, a brighter and more colorful screen, stereo sound, and more. We decided to first deep-dive into two key areas of use. These specifications are honed toward photography and gaming.
The all-new camera(s)
The standout feature of the iPhone 7 Plus is its dual-lens camera system. With a 12MP resolution, the camera comprises two f/1.8 lenses–one wide-angle and the other telephoto. Switching between the two is simply tapping the ‘1x’/’ 2x’ icon on the camera interface, enabling re-composing your subject in two different frames. The camera also features a wider color gamut that lets it capture more hues than most smartphone cameras, and out of a marketplace at noon, the camera impressed with its ability to reproduce natural tones while nailing the exposure even during challenging lighting situations such as backlit subjects or mottled light that shines through trees. Also, the optical image stabilization made for razor-sharp shots of fast-moving subjects (a toddler, in my case), which would otherwise result in blurry pictures in cameras without this feature.
When roaming around the outdoors hunting for the next photo op, the one new feature that unexpectedly came in handy is its IP67 dust and water resistance. A sudden downpour? A passing lorry kicked up a dust cloud? The ability to use this phone in such scenarios is a huge plus—more for peace of mind than anything else.
Even the front camera is made for vivid selfies with its support for its sensor’s wide color gamut capabilities. Apple states that about 100 billion computer operations go into the capture of each photo. While it’s impossible to verify this, the results reflect this.
High-def gaming
This phone’s new A10 Fusion processor is supposedly twice as fast as the iPhone 6, with higher battery efficiency to boot. To put it through its paces, I played a fair bit of the new Oz: Broken Kingdom game, which is known for its intense graphics and character detail. This became especially evident in the phone’s HD screen and wide color gamut capability—the fight sequences seemed to pop with the specular lighting effects and in the hundreds of flying monkeys Blogging Kits.
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Teamed with the phone’s Haptic feedback, stereo sound (a first for the iPhone, with speakers at both ends of the device) was responsive and immersive. With its increased abilities as a gaming platform, it’s clear that the iPhone 7 will enable game developers to push the limits on what they can deliver.
There’s plenty more to discuss on the phone, but my initial experience has been very positive. There happens to be a big update—iOS 10.1—which will add the much-anticipated ‘Portrait’ feature to the camera, enabling the kind of detail otherwise only reserved for DLSR photos.
We’ll cover this and more as we experience the new iPhone—stay tuned.
