Temple in honor of Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia in...
It's been a whole month since the new generation burst into our lives. Apple tried to improve the previous generation of “apple” smartphones as much as possible, equipping both versions of the flagships with several new features at once, without forgetting to “upgrade” the design component of the device. It's time to evaluate the diligence of the company. And who, if not the owners of new products, will be able to help us with this? In this article, we have collected reviews of the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7, the opinions of "mobile users" a month after the official launch.
“It's a shame the iPhone 7 Plus wasn't bigger than its predecessor, but I still love it. I have almost never dropped it, and I admit: the feeling is a million times cooler than from the iPhone 6s!
- Waterproof
The same girl noted that she had a chance to test the waterproofness of her purchase. One day she was walking in the rain and cursing everything in the world when someone called her. However, she then calmed down, remembering the water resistance of her iPhone 7 Plus. By the way, you can read other iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7 reviews regarding water resistance.
- Design
Another fan of the Apple industry called the new iPhone very beautiful, but a bit expected, expressing the hope that something even more beautiful is being created in the company's laboratories:
“I'm sure that Apple has some interesting developments, but I'm happy with my glass-aluminum iPhone. And this time I decided to buy a rose gold smartphone, so the iPhone 7 is a real change for me personally!
- No 3.5mm jack
But the most interesting moment was the comments about the lack of a standard 3.5 mm port. How has the life of music lovers changed after buying the iPhone 7?
“I have never had a problem with the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack. I take the Lightning adapter with me everywhere, so I haven’t felt any special problems yet. True, I'm sure that one day I will accidentally leave the adapter somewhere, but I hope by then I will be listening to music through AirPods.
- stereo speakers
What about stereo speakers? How did their appearance affect the playback of music and movies on the iPhone 7?
"Absolutely. I started using them more often, especially when watching clips.”
By the way, the rest of the respondents also admitted that they began to watch movies on the iPhone more often and listen to music without connecting headphones.
- Camera
The upgraded camera of the flagships was not ignored either. The owners call it "an incredible tool for mobile photographers." If you have pets at home, you should definitely get an iPhone 7 Plus, because the portrait mode on your smartphone allows you to take simply amazing pictures. Although there were users who in no time criticized the new feature on a 5.5-inch smartphone: “the depth of field does not reach a digital SLR camera.” In any case, from such cool photos you will “start to drool”. 
Another “user” notes that the high quality of photos taken in low light conditions is already a big advantage of the camera compared to previous models. That's enough to justify buying an iPhone 7. But the second lens in the iPhone 7 Plus is the most valuable, thanks to which you can take great portrait and landscape shots. All modern smartphones can take beautiful photos in broad daylight, but not everyone can do it in low light.
- Display
Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus received a display with an extended color gamut. Most users may not notice this nuance the first time, but if you put the new version of the smartphone and its predecessor side by side, the difference will be noticeable. Colors appear brighter on the screen. It sounds trite, but some say that "the world around has become more colorful."
- Battery
The most pressing issue for all iOS owners is always the battery life of the iPhone. Reviews of the iPhone 7 Plus make it clear that the older version is discharged quite quickly, but this is provided that you constantly take a huge amount of photos, for example. This feature was noticed by one of the owners. In Settings, in the Battery section, he saw that the camera had taken its 30% battery.
Compared to the iPhone SE, the difference in battery life of the iPhone 7 Plus is significant, subject to regular photos during the day, playing Pokemon Go, Google Maps. Someone did not notice much difference between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s: as before, at the end of the day, about 20% of the charge remains.
- New HOME button
Another change to get used to. On the one hand, users claim that it takes a few days to get used to haptic feedback. On the other hand, this is a completely new experience of using the home button, attractive in its own way. For many, the new feature has become the most beloved innovation.
Summing up, it is impossible not to praise Apple! The product turned out to be very high quality, beautiful and at the same time functional. For some, the new-generation flagship has been a mixed bag, as compared to past models that are outdated, we see a major hardware upgrade here. But when compared with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, users did not feel a significant difference, with the exception of some functions.
We wrote that we are going to study this device in more detail, use it in real life, after which we will release a second article, summing up our observations. And now the time has come. Almost two months is enough time to feel all the nuances and look at the device as carefully as possible. Let's make a reservation right away: we will not repeat here what has already been said in the first review, so we recommend that you refresh it in your memory - we will often refer to it. Here we will focus on those details that we have not described before, and also share the feelings of everyday interaction with a smartphone. After all, it is no less interesting than objective tests.
Before jumping directly into the user experience, let's say that for almost two months we used the iPhone X as the main smartphone, switching to it from the iPhone 8 Plus (and before that we used the iPhone 7 Plus), so the comparison will be, first of all , with these models.
In addition, it is important to note that now there are no problems to purchase a smartphone. In particular, when ordering on the official Apple website, they promise delivery in Moscow within a few days, and the smartphone is available in large retail chains. In general, the initial hype has subsided, and now you can look at the smartphone with a calmer look. And at the same time, evaluate it as a potential New Year's gift.
Design convenience
The design is, of course, the most attractive feature of the novelty. It really pleases, even a week later you do not stop admiring the smartphone. This, however, was clear after the first meeting. A much more controversial question, which raised some doubts: how convenient will it be to use the iPhone X, as well as the new Folio case?
The fact that the smartphone has become much more compact compared to the iPhone 7/8 Plus is a definite plus. Now it is more convenient to hold it in your hands (there is no feeling of a “shovel”), it is more pleasant to carry it in a narrow jeans pocket, it is easier to type text with one hand. When you look at the owners of the iPhone 7/8 Plus, you think: “What a huge one! How do they use it? ..” In the photo below - iPhone X (left) next to the iPhone 7:
However, the Folio case causes not so unambiguous emotions. With it, the smartphone is more bulky, and there is no buzz from the back glass surface. In addition, there is an inconvenience from the need to make an extra movement when picking up the device - to open the cover. As for the pockets for cards, on the one hand, this is probably convenient, but on the other hand, the prospect is frightening, in which case, to lose both cards and a smartphone at once.
But using a smartphone without a case at all is scary. This toy is too expensive, and glass on both sides (even if it is quite strong glass). However, even in the Folio case, the pleasure of design remains.
face ID
One of the most interesting issues that was physically impossible to describe in detail in the first article is the work of Face ID. The fact is that user authentication is really checked only in everyday use, which reveals all the shortcomings, and possibly the advantages of the chosen method.
In this case, of course, we were worried, because fingerprint authentication has become very common, and Apple has brought its quality to almost perfection. And Face ID is something new, and it was not clear how it would behave in various situations.
In general, it turned out that the fears were unfounded: using a smartphone did not become more inconvenient. Although Face ID has its own nuances.
At first, it's hard to get used to the fact that unlocking requires a swipe up. In other iPhone models, we simply put our finger on the button and pressed - the desktop immediately opened. The iPhone X is different. You glance at the smartphone, holding it in your hand with the screen facing you, see how the lock at the top opens, and then swipe up from the bottom, thereby moving from the lock screen to the desktop.
You cannot change this sequence in the settings. On the one hand, this is bad, because you want the desktop to open immediately, automatically after unlocking, and on the other hand, the probability of accidentally hitting the desktop tends to zero.
And yet at first - a little unusual. We have to adapt to the display of notifications: only the names of applications are shown on the lock screen, and to read the notification itself, you have to wait a second until Face ID recognizes you and the text opens. Gradually you get used to it, as well as to the process of getting to the desktop. You take a smartphone in your hands, you immediately brush it off, you get to the desktop. Everything.
I must say that authentication really works almost instantly. That is, you do not need to look for some special position of the smartphone relative to the face (or vice versa), you do not even need to lift the smartphone up. You can just look at it from top to bottom - the way we usually look at the phone. Sometimes there are small delays (on the order of a second), but practice shows that even in the case of such delays, unlocking occurs faster than you have time to swipe the screen.
The smartphone easily recognizes you immediately after sleep or even at night, when someone sends you a message in the midst of sleep, and you, barely opening your eyes, rise from the pillow to look at it.
There are also no problems with recognition in a hat, in a hood, with and without bristles. Sometimes the iPhone X may ask for a PIN code - you can enter it and thereby help the smartphone recognize you even better, or you can simply click "Cancel" and give the smartphone another chance - it will almost certainly do it the second time. However, such situations are very rare. As a rule, there are no problems with recognizing the owner.
The only situation that can cause difficulty is when you are trying to discreetly reach the iPhone under the table (for example, during a meeting). The table top will prevent him from recognizing you.
People often ask: at what angle can you hold your iPhone X to be able to use Face ID? That is, if not opposite the face, but on the side - how much can it be rejected? Experience shows that about 45 degrees. That is, if you take the smartphone in your hand and take it to the side, turning the iPhone with the screen towards you, then it is enough to turn your head halfway towards it. From this angle, Face ID works just fine; more is no more. Another thing is that more, in principle, is not needed. Yes, and the described option is more likely from the category of an experiment: "can - can not."
An interesting issue that we did not sufficiently explore in the first article is the use of Face ID in third-party applications, primarily in the banking sector. There are three options here. First, the app is already optimized for Face ID, so you can use it the same way you used Touch ID before. An example is Sberbank.Online.
Second option: The app is not yet optimized for Face ID, but allows you to use Face ID instead of Touch ID. The result is similar, so there is no difference from the user's point of view. There is a third option: the application does not allow you to use Face ID, so you have to enter it by entering a four-digit code, the old fashioned way. Example: Beeline Bank.
It is clear that all this is a temporary story, but even in a month, not everyone has attended to the introduction of a new function. So far, the list of programs that have requested access to Face ID is quite modest.
Now there is a lot of gossip that the iPhone X will unlock if you bring it to the face of a sleeping person. This is true if you turn off the “Require attention for Face ID” item in the settings. The wording is not ideal, but in essence it is about the fact that you need to look at the smartphone during unlocking. Accordingly, when this option is disabled, the smartphone does not need to “look into your eyes”.
In principle, in everyday life there is no difference for the user: anyway, we always look at the smartphone when we unlock it. But if you wear sunglasses, you may run into problems leaving this option enabled. If you turn it off and fall asleep at the workplace, putting your smartphone next to you on the table, then there is a chance that your colleagues will play a trick on you.
Third Party Applications
In addition to Face ID, third-party software developers also need to optimize their applications for the new screen resolution, and, preferably, taking into account the “dead zone” at the top. Now, two months after the start of sales of the iPhone X, we can say that many have done it, but not all. Here's what unoptimized apps look like.
It is clearly seen that above and below are black unused zones, on which iOS itself displays information about the time, signal strength, battery charge, etc. It is clear that you can use such applications, but less information fits on one screen.
Another option is applications that use the entire screen, but do not take into account the presence of a “blind zone” at the top of the screen (in portrait orientation). More recently, for example, Asphalt 8 did this. Take a look at the screenshot:
In this case (with horizontal orientation), the dead zone of the screen falls on the left side - where the conditions for receiving prizes were displayed in the menu. Simply put, the information that is placed on the left side will be covered by this "bangs". But more recently, Asphalt 8 has been updated and optimized for the iPhone X, and now this menu is displayed as follows:
As you can see, the block of conditions and prizes was simply shifted to the right, so the “notch” on the screen no longer blocks it.
All this should be taken into account by those who program for iOS. Especially for game creators: don't place vital controls and information at the top (when oriented vertically) or at the left side of the screen (when landscaped).
Another question regarding the use of the software on the iPhone X is how easy it was to get used to the new controls (without the Home button). The answer is: in principle, quite easily. There is no constant desire to find the missing button. But some operations have become less intuitive and easier. For example, completely closing an application and unloading it from memory is now much more difficult: you need to swipe from the bottom to about a quarter of the screen, holding your finger at this level, then press and hold on the application thumbnail, and then tap on the red circle with a minus. Whereas before, for the same, it was enough to double-click on Home and swipe up the application thumbnail.
Offline work
In the last article, we were unable to test battery life in detail. Now, using the iPhone X in everyday life, we have a fairly clear picture. To summarize, we can say this: in the case of high-load operations, the iPhone X lasts for a shorter period than the iPhone 7/8 Plus, but in everyday use, which does not involve watching videos for any long time or hacking into 3D games, the iPhone X shows about the same result as "pluses".
That is, it can be put on charge through the night. You use it for a day, at night it lies without charging, then you use it for another day, and after that you put it on charge for the night. After that, you again have two days of use. Therefore, it cannot be said that the transition from “plus” to X will bring any inconvenience in terms of the need for recharging.
Now let's see how the smartphone behaves in various test modes, involving load and an always-on screen.
| Internet video playback (YouTube, 720p video) | 3D Game Mode (GFX Benchmark Metal, Manhattan 3.1 battery test) | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone X | 4 hours 49 minutes | 2 hours 59 minutes |
| Apple iPhone 8 Plus | 7 hours 34 minutes | 2 hours 24 minutes |
| Apple iPhone 7 Plus | 8 hours 8 minutes | 2 hours 13 minutes |
As you can see, if in the 3D games mode it shows even the best result, then when playing a video it is significantly inferior to both "pluses". In general, the data are contradictory, and it is difficult to draw unambiguous conclusions from them. It is clear that the iPhone X is definitely not a record holder in terms of battery life, but in real life its use is almost as comfortable in this regard as in the case of the iPhone 8 Plus.
cameras
As we noted in the first article, the iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy Note 8 camera shots are very similar. Now we decided to check how the cameras differ in laboratory conditions.
As you can see, the iPhone X still outperforms the Galaxy Note 8, especially in shadows and low light. In the light, the differences are so small that they are difficult to notice. The curve of the iPhone X almost repeats the curve of the LG G4, so there was no breakthrough again - the record was not broken. However, now the iPhone is really in the top and takes first place among the "honest" cameras - only Nokia and Sony are higher, but their results are obtained using mathematical tricks.
The second camera cannot boast of high results, everything is much worse there. When the illumination decreases, the resolution drops sharply, the pictures become completely inoperative. However, if you perceive this camera purely as a portrait camera, then this is normal, because a portrait needs good lighting. At least if you're not a Rembrandt, then the iPhone X's portrait camera might not work for you.
conclusions
This is not to say that switching to the iPhone X from any of the "pluses" will reveal radical functional improvements. The advantages of the camera here are manifested in detail, the speed of the new SoC is simply nowhere to be experienced, and Face ID technology is beautiful in itself, but not more convenient than Touch ID.
However, this product has the same “wow effect” that we expect so much from all the new Apple products. And in terms of aesthetics, tactile and visual sensations, the iPhone X is exactly what we have not seen in Apple smartphones for a long time. This is a thing that pleases as soon as you take it in your hands for the first time, and continues to delight day after day - not because it can do something fundamentally different than other smartphones, but because it is ... special.
We foresee a storm in the comments, but "experience of use" is experience, which is subjective. And in this case, this experience says: iPhone X does not offer new functionality, will not give you new opportunities, but it will give you the joy of owning a very spectacular, beautiful little thing, which at the same time is functionally no worse than the iPhone 8 Plus.
A slight drop in battery life in some modes does not affect the frequency of recharging in everyday life, unless, of course, you play games every free moment. The transition to Face ID does not interfere with the use of a smartphone, although the technology has its own nuances. The disappearance of the home button, thanks to the new gestures, was very easy to get used to.
Clearly, this is an important technological step forward for Apple, and the next generations of the iPhone will somehow use the innovations that debuted in the iPhone X. So in a sense, iPhone X buyers are paying to be among the "guinea pigs ".
But the pleasure they get - both physical and from self-awareness "at the peak of progress" is worth it. And whether it is worth the money that the manufacturer asks for his new product, everyone can decide for himself.
The release of a new device from Apple has long made a stir for the whole world, there has been a lot of praise and criticism about this. In this article, already based on some experience using the device, we will look at the pros and cons of the iPhone 7.
I would like to say right away that one of the reasons for criticism was the company's refusal in the new device from the 3.5 mm mini-jack connector, and replacing it with a new USB type-c port. Many users wondered how on the new device it would be possible to listen to music and charge the battery at the same time? Although the company put a 3.5 mm adapter in the box along with the device, which does not cause much reliability by its appearance, the wire is very thin, it did not solve the problem of simultaneous charging and listening to music.
In addition, the company has changed the packaging method of the new iPhone 7 devices and now it will be enough just to pull the tab to remove the film from the box. Removing the top cover has also become much easier. The box set consists of:
Devices (iPhone 7)
Charger
Adapter for 3.5 mm mini-jack
Wireless Ear Pods with Lightning Connector
Special paperclip for ejecting nano-Sim
Apple has also been very pleased with the release of wireless headphones, although there are controversial opinions among users about this. One sound compared to the previous generation of headphones seems more voluminous and better. And other users of Apple products say that when wearing new headphones, they get the feeling that the earpiece is about to fall out of the ear. The headphones themselves are tablets, and therefore have poor sound insulation. Not all fans liked that someone else could hear their music at maximum volume.
The company also changed the packaging of the headphones.- now, instead of an easy-to-open plastic case, the company has made a more reliable and attractive paper packaging, but the truth is that the adapter will no longer fit there, so not everyone liked this innovation.
The look of the new iPhone 7 has improved, now those plastic strips for antennas that were in previous models were simply hidden at the ends in 7, which gave the new model a neater look. The iPhone 7 went on sale in two color options - matte black and glossy "black onyx". The glossy model is sold only with 128 and 256 GB of memory.
The surface and materials of the case also changed, and now you can not be afraid to carry a new device without a case, unlike the previous model, the case of which was very slippery and there was a great chance that the phone could simply slip out of your hands. The new case is made of a rougher and velvety material, which has a different tactile feel and looks more practical.
Apple has changed the camera eye in its device, which earlier, when the phone was in your pocket, could cling to your pants and scratch because it was a little convex, but now the problem has been fixed and you can safely carry the iPhone without cases without fear of scratching the lens. 
The new smartphone also gained a waterproof surface, IP67 standard. This means that it’s not scary even to swim a little with the phone (although it’s not clear who this can please), well, you can try to do underwater photography.
One of the very nice innovations was also a new home button, which in the new iPhone 7 can determine the pressing force, now some well-known "giants" have already copied this function to themselves. The button works on ForceTouch technology, the same one used by Macbooks, but as the testers of this function say, it is still worse implemented on iPhones. Many users liked the feeling of this new tactile feedback, and some argue that when you press a button, the entire bottom panel of the device is pressed, so it’s not for everyone.
The way to remove the SIM card with a paperclip has changed, for the most part this is due to the appearance of moisture protection, and now there is a plug in that place, which makes it a little more difficult for the tray to “exit”. Also, when trying to insert a lightning cable, you can feel that it is harder to enter.
iPhone 7 has 2 speakers in its design, which the company implemented in a very unusual way, the left speaker will also be responsible for the conversational function. Still, the sound does not reach the level of the speakers, but this is a big step for phones of this type.
If we compare the screens of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7, then formally there are few differences.. But the 7's color gamut is wider, so the 7's photos show that it's more voluminous than its previous model, and the seventh iPhone's display is more warm-toned.
In addition, Apple is the only company that could really implement the ability to automatically adjust the brightness on its devices well, so it’s not for nothing that most users prefer the devices of this company.
The device is running iOS 10.
“Every year Lyapota writes an article on the same topic – how he bought the iPhone.” This is the content that should be the first comment on this post, so I made it easy for you and left it even earlier. That's all, and now I'll tell you about my new iPhone 7 Plus. This is my first Plus, so the material promises to be interesting. Moreover, I am often asked how it is, whether it is very uncomfortable, what are the advantages, why, and so on. In the same material, I will share what accessories I purchased immediately, without leaving the cash register, so to speak. In general, a brief experience, impressions and advice. Everything you love!
Video of operating experience and impressions
I'll start with why I still freaked out and took Plus, and not the usual version. There are many reasons, both direct and indirect. I'll start with the straight lines: the 7 Plus itself, in comparison with the simple "seven", is much more perfect, this difference is much more significant than a year and two years ago. It used to be like: if you want a big screen, take the Plus, if you want a compact smartphone, take the regular one. The difference between them was precisely in the dimensions of the case and the diagonal of the display. Yes, the “plus” versions received more autonomy and optical camera stabilization in the appendage, but these were all the changes. And they, let's be honest, are not critical, which is why I preferred 6s last year, because it is more adapted to humans. Although last year I initially wanted to take the large version, but after the review I changed my mind - it was too uncomfortable.
But this year I had no options, I knew for sure that I would have to put up with the dimensions. In 7 Plus, not only autonomy is better, here the RAM is not 2, but 3 GB, and not two, but three cameras. Lastly, and most importantly, I believe that the second camera on the iPhone is perhaps the best thing that has happened to cameras in smartphones.
Yes, it is said very loudly, but I will try to explain. The quality of photo and video shooting should get better, because technology develops. Therefore, I cannot call a slightly improved shooting quality in some new smartphone a revolution - this is logical. You also need to understand that all top smartphones today shoot well. Someone is better in the dark, someone in the bright sun, someone writes video better, but the difference is very small. With at least a little straight hands, you will get a good result on any flagship (and not so) smartphone. But portraits with a focal length equivalent of 56 mm are something completely new. For the first time, we can see a non-wide-angle picture on the screen. In simpler terms, a two-fold zoom, which is achieved here through the use of a second lens, and not digital zoom, as before.
In, but then I could not appreciate all the charm. The smartphone was in my hands for only a few days, since sales had just started at that time, and I was in a hurry to do what I could. Therefore, yes, the approach was visible, but the real benefit from it became obvious only now. In addition, during the review, I found that in the standard camera application, the portrait lens is not activated if you are shooting in a dark room. O . Now I found out that in third-party applications, like ProCamera, for example, the second camera can be turned on forcibly and it will work even in poor lighting conditions. In the same application, you can take photos in raw, after which they can be processed in Snapseed, for example. Or even in the desktop editor.
Actually, all my delight lies in the two things already mentioned: a 56mm lens and shooting in raw. What does this portrait painter give us? In fact, the ability to take photos with less distortion or line distortion at the edges, as well as shoot in full resolution and without losing the quality of distant objects. Now you can take portraits without facial distortion, shoot cars, and so on. Of course, we can say that such a portrait lens should also contribute to better blurring of the background, but the difference in aperture ratio by more than one stop, as well as a smaller matrix, do not allow separating the object from the background. Only very close objects are blurred, this can be seen from the photo above.
And shooting in raw is a separate issue. I did a whole photo shoot of the car for a little test drive in raw using a 56mm lens, after which I uploaded them to the computer and started processing in Lightroom. And then I saw what a raw picture was made of on the iPhone, and I have to work with it sooo much. I won’t say that I coped with the task at least 30%, but the photos are possible, they were all taken on 7 Plus. But in the example below, you can see how clouds and even trees are stretched out of a completely overexposed sky.
To sum it up about the camera, it's most likely important that the second camera appeared in the iPhone in principle, because now they have practically no way back and they will have to develop the quality of both the main and the second main camera. I said the same thing about slow motion when it appeared in the iPhone 5s, sort of. Once it appeared, it should get better after a while, and over time we saw not only 120 fps in full hd, but also 240 fps in hd. Now we are waiting for a slightly improved aperture ratio, an enlarged matrix, and so on. But it certainly won't get any worse.
By the smartphone itself. I was sure that it would be completely uncomfortable and was ready to put up with everything. Most likely, it is because of the low expectations that I do not experience any problems in using it, one can even say that now it is convenient for me to use it. Of course, if everything was the same in the iPhone 7, I would have bought it, but now I fully feel the dignity of the large diagonal: it’s much more pleasant to watch videos, I became a virtuoso on drums, and it’s hardly possible to play “tanks” no more convenient than on a tablet, since a smartphone, nevertheless, is more convenient to hold. In addition, I noticed that the extra 0.8″ allows me to open the laptop much less often. I increasingly answer emails, chat, and do other work from my iPhone. Therefore, this is the first fact in favor of Plus.
Secondly, I received a very cool watch, about which I recently told you in detail. Now I no longer need to run with my smartphone, I will only run with a watch, because it already has GPS and all the necessary sensors. Accordingly, one of the main questions to the dimensions I have disappeared. Although I did run a few workouts with the iPhone 7 Plus and I must say that it doesn’t bother me in my pocket, but in the summer it would be stressful to hold all 10 km in his hands.
By the way, I liked the horizontal mode of the interface, available only in Plus models.
I will not invent any more cases, I will immediately move on to one of the main advantages of 7 Plus - autonomy. She is truly cosmic. Seriously, I am a person who always, under any circumstances, whine about autonomy in smartphones, it never suits me. And here - not what suits me, even on a difficult day, my smartphone easily survives until the evening, and on a normal one - there are still 40-50 percent left.
Not for nothing in the test for autonomy from the resource Phonearena 7 Plus took first place. I expected a lot, but such a good battery - definitely not. I literally don’t worry when you need to turn on the navigator, or when you want to start a battle in “tanks” - the smartphone will definitely survive until the evening!
After I got acquainted with the UAG cases a year ago, it is difficult for me to work with others, I always want the best. I don’t mind testing something else, especially if my friends recommend it to me, but I’m not going to switch to other cases. At least, if something very good does not appear, and if it does, I will tell you. Actually, this is how I got to know UAG products - a friend just wrote to me and offered to test them, since he had been using them for more than a year. And now, having purchased the iPhone 7 Plus, even before he came to me, I got a UAG case, like this. It's relatively inexpensive, fairly compact for a protective case, and looks stylish if brutal. But design is a matter of taste, for some it will seem too unrestrained.
For me, the most important thing is that the case completely protects the smartphone from external influences from all sides. Even if it falls, most likely nothing will happen to it, here. And since the probability of even accidentally dropping 7 Plus is much greater, I don’t consider carrying a smartphone without a case at all.
And a little about the film on the display. I will not talk about brands, and indeed about whether it needs to be glued. I glue and that's it, who bothers - do not glue. I’ll only tell you why it’s not glass, because it’s much more “cool”! For several years I have been gluing films and purchasing various accessories from my friends - the iWorld.ua store, where I immediately went with the new 7 Plus. But, since the model is new and expensive, there were no rogue films, there were only glasses. By the way, neither films nor glass from 6s Plus are suitable, don't even try it, it's all about a wider speaker. So, there were no films, but they advised me to walk around with glass, they say, I’ll try once and I won’t refuse again, the films suck. They glued the coolest Baseus glass to me, very thin, high-quality ... And a week later I still changed their glass to film. Why don't I like glass? No matter how thin it is, it is still thick. The home button turns out to be very deep, it is difficult to unlock the smartphone, it is generally unrealistic to move the interface down with a double tap. The front camera in the glasses is not cut out, respectively, the picture deteriorates a little, whatever one may say. The picture itself becomes more distant from the surface and from the finger, there is no effect as if you are touching the icon. 3D Touch works much worse, which is logical. The smartphone feels thick and all this made me wildly angry every day. Therefore, I was convinced once again: glass is a goofball, it's like Sparco mudguards on a car. The film quickly becomes unusable (scratches), but does not affect the experience of using a smartphone.
Do I miss the 3.5mm jack? As planned - no. I have indeed been using exclusively wireless headphones and speakers for several years now. I recently bought Jaybirds X2 (and a couple of days later X3 came out), I use them at the stadium. For comfort and good sound I have as well. There was not a single case in a month that I buried my minijack in nowhere.
But the sound from the speakers pleased me, even very much. Nevertheless, stereo sound in a smartphone is needed only when it is spaced on different sides. Of course, this is not the ZTE Axon 7 at all, in it the speakers sound much louder and cooler, but it is also much better than it was before.
I've seen several reviews of the iPhone 7 losing GPS. Everything works like clockwork for me. As with all previous iPhones. It's just that they will ask me about it, I decided to write right away.
Somehow, with all these stories, I did not tell about the color and version. Even during the review of 7 Plus, I said that you need to take one of the black versions. Since Apple hasn't changed much of the case design, in other colors the iPhone looks exactly the same as before. Black colors though somehow distinguish the novelty. I took matte, because I like practicality. I decided to take the maximum version of 256 GB. There are no excuses, I just decided to take the maximum version.
Looking at the fact that Apple is beginning to divide its smartphone lines not only in size, but also in characteristics, I will most likely continue to take enlarged versions. They have too many pluses, among which the main ones are autonomy and a camera. These are my impressions and the first user experience of the new smartphone. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them!
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Not all phones remain in memory, but the iPhone 7 Plus will definitely be remembered. Just like the iPhone 4s and 5s - a comfortable and pleasant phone in every way. Everything is known in comparison, and many months after the purchase of the iPhone 7 Plus, there is something to talk about.
Nice but not practical at all
When Apple unveiled the iPhone 7, it surprised the world with both beautiful and impractical Jet Black. The glossy body of the phone scratches at an incredible rate, but for Apple, this is normal. Here we can recall the iPod Nano, Classic and Touch players, where there were similar problems. Beauty, but scratches appeared in the very first seconds after unpacking the gadget.
So it is with the iPhone 7 Plus Jet Black: it is smart, but the case is different in that the polished aluminum is scratched very quickly, and over time the entire surface becomes rough.
iPhone Jet Black without a case is beautiful, but the phone instantly loses its presentation I must say right away that I am not a fan of covers, I knew what I was doing, and the feeling of the device is more important to me. That's why I chose gloss, and not a more practical matte case. And even after two years, the phone pleases me, although it is no longer a new, but a relatively old model.
The paint around the Lightning connector has peeled off in some places. But given the daily connection of the cable, this can be survived. I still like the black-black case, even if it is covered with scratches, and the phone has survived several drops. By the way, he looks normal for his age: no chips or dents. And it didn’t even bend, although I periodically forgot about the phone in the back pocket of my jeans and sat down right with it.
Glossy beauty requires sacrifice, the body is scratched before our eyes.
Of the more or less serious damage, only a small scuff on the corner after a collision with a tile. It's a wound from a fall off a bedside table, otherwise undamaged.
I use phones quite carefully, but without much tenderness, so I can say that the rest of the quality of the iPhone 7 Plus is nothing to complain about. It is still tightly and well assembled, the buttons do not dangle, and the touch Home key pleases with a pleasant return. Kaif, this is not in the new iPhones, and even a little sorry, it was a convenient thing, but now everything has switched to gesture control.
Selfie in the rain
Water protection has also become a new feature of the phone. But you need to remember that it does not protect against salty sea water - such bathing is almost fatal for devices. And if, after immersion in sea water, the phone did not immediately die, this does not mean that the process of oxidation of the insides did not begin.
All surface with small scratches. But in our ordinary life, water protection is a great thing. Repeatedly washed the phone under the tap, left it by the pool, took pictures by the water, in the rain and snow. And if it would be a pity to ruin a regular iPhone 6 or SE, then there are no such fears with the new ones: the devices are much better suited for active use while traveling and walking.
Water protection is a great thing, but you should not swim in the sea with your phone.
I've always respected the big-screen iPhone, once hooked on the iPhone 6 Plus. But when I tried the iPhone X, my attitude changed. This is the perfect format! Not too big, not too small, but just right. But this realization came with time, but after the purchase, I was happy with the display with a solid 5.5-inch. And even large frames did not bother me.
And of course, after two years of use, the oleophobic coating has worn off. It’s a pity that you can’t take it and apply it again so that your finger glides across the screen again as smoothly as sharpened skates on smooth ice.
Excellent, and now just a very good camera
My choice of the iPhone 7 Plus fell for one simple reason: it was the first Apple phone with a dual camera, which introduced a new and interesting "portrait" mode. More than two years have passed since then, during this time there have been a lot of models with excellent cameras, and the iPhone 7 Plus is no longer the best. Just good.
For several months, Apple has finalized the software, the processing of portraits and objects has become more accurate. Although at the same time it cannot be compared with the optics of cameras, the difference is clearly visible. Yes, and competitors are breathing in the back - I really like how the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 cameras shoot, working through portraits better.
At the same time, despite a respectable two-year age, the iPhone 7 Plus still looks peppy even against the background of newer phones. Here, for example, is our comparison with the fresh iPhone XS Max. According to the comparative photos, you can’t say that the difference in price between them is under 50 thousand rubles.
Comparison of iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone XS Max cameras. Part 2: night shot
Ilya Kichaev
October 5, 2018I want to note one more feature: an additional camera, which is convenient to use for zoom, turns off in poor lighting conditions. All this is determined by the software, by default the user does not have a choice, you need to rely on automation. But bad lighting is everywhere. In the apartment, in the office, in the evening, at exhibitions. So it turns out that you can appreciate the optical zoom only during daytime shooting somewhere on vacation.
The main thing is that in low light, the zoom becomes digital, which dramatically affects the quality of photos. Therefore, for shooting, you have to use additional software to manually switch to a second camera, bypassing Apple's restriction.
And the iPhone, by tradition, shoots videos very well, I rarely record them, but I really like the quality. Smooth video with an excellent picture, and if you take a stabilizer, you can easily shoot videos from exhibitions.
About headphones
After the world learned about Apple's new trend - the rejection of the 3.5 mm headphone jack - a wave of indignation began on the Internet. I switched to bluetooth headphones a long time ago, because I really don’t like wires, so I support and approve Apple’s initiative in every possible way.
But Apple acted wisely: at the presentation in 2016, an adapter was added to the kit. True, as it turned out this fall, with the new iPhone 7, the adapter is no longer in the box. Here is such a savings on matches.
Speed and iOS 12
I would like to thank Apple for iOS 12: the phone added speed and began to respond faster, although Apple does not want to change and improve some things at all. Take, for example, the landscape keyboard, which is essentially useless.
There is also a margin for the future, here are the benchmark results for clarity. Even against the background of the brand new iPhone XR and XS, the phone looks normal and does not feel old. Although he is two years old, and this is no longer a novelty. I think that many are concerned about the question of how long Apple will support and update the iPhone 7 Plus. Judging by the fact that the iPhone 5s lasted five years, I think that the "seven" will last no less.
When I bought the phone, Jet Black was only available in 128GB and 256GB, but now you can choose from 32GB as well. But this is already a very modest option, and you will have to suffer, literally surviving with such a tiny amount of memory. Photos, videos, music - I'm not talking about downloaded videos. Memory runs out easily and quickly.
Working hours
The iPhone 7 Plus comes with a low power charger. I didn’t even take it out of the box, because the charging process drags on for hours. I use more powerful power supplies, this helps me with charging from the iPad, MacBook or universal charging stations. I have already talked about the experience of using one of them.
We charge all smartphones at once and quickly!
Alexander Pobyvanets
August 2, 2018In two years of using the phone, charging it at least every day, nothing terrible happened to the battery. If you use the regular battery analysis tools in iOS, you can see that the capacity has decreased slightly.
It would be interesting to see people's reaction if the first iPhone came out in Jet Black design By the time the iPhone is no longer the champions, 7 Plus at the time of its introduction in late 2016 was the leader in terms of autonomy in the Apple phone family. Since then, new models have appeared, compared to the iPhone 8 Plus and XR, it is no longer so cool.
You need a powerful power supply. For this, charging from the iPad is suitable.
And another such moment. I hoped that 7 Plus works significantly longer than the small "seven". But no, with active use, the phone sits down by lunchtime. Therefore, I didn’t see much difference, and if you plan to buy Plus, counting on increased operating time, then you won’t feel the difference. Moreover, for the iPhone 7 you can also buy a branded battery case, but for 7 Plus it is not provided.
Alternatively, you can turn on the power saving mode, thanks to which the phone works longer. In this simple way, the operating time can be increased by 20 percent.
Should you buy an iPhone 7 Plus now?
I think that few people will choose the iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black. This is a very beautiful performance, but completely impractical. Usually people hide the phone in a case, but that way you won't feel the beauty of the design created by Sir Jonathan Ive's team. Moreover, even in a case (!!!) the case is covered with scratches. So it is more practical to choose a matte case in black, silver or gold colors. And Product Red is no longer for sale.
I bought the phone from our friends at Biggeek.ru, so I also recommend our favorite gadget store to you.
In my opinion, the iPhone 7 Plus turned out to be a very successful phone, so if you are not chasing new products, but want a balanced and not very expensive iPhone, try it. It's still good, even two years after its release. But not as fast as the latest XS and XR. Therefore, I moved to a new generation, and let the old man lie in reserve.
