The keynote event of Apple on September 7 marked the advent of the super sexy iPhone 7, and its smart cousin – Apple Watch Series 2. There were, however, a few points that I believe Apple didn’t tell us at the event, perhaps leaving it for us to figure out on our own.
And we know how difficult it to find the hidden small (yet important) details the mega review articles, so we’ve done all the hard work for you, and put together a list of things Apple didn’t tell us! Here they are:
1. Scratch-prone Jet Black Finish
The iPhone 7 now comes in a jet black finish that is both pleasing to the eyes and the hands. But on a closer look at the fine print of the specifications, you will notice that Apple has mentioned that the high-gloss finish was achieved through a precise 9-step anodization and a polishing process that renders its surface as hard as other anodised Apple products. Also, it mentions that, with usage, the high shine may show micro abrasions, and if people are concerned about it, they may choose to purchase a case for their iPhone 7. Sounds like a dish you can have, but cannot relish. Now, you can either choose to see your jet black iPhone 7 lose its lustre, gathering scratches, or you may encase it, totally hiding the black beauty. Either way, the smile on your face will be a forced one.
2. Change in the Reboot Process
The new touch-sensitive home button now needs a touch and not a ‘press’, unlike the previous iPhones and iPads. This has led to a change in the reboot process and here’s how to do it:
a. First, press and hold the On/Off button located on the right side of your iPhone.
b. While pressing the On/Off button, press and hold the volume down button located on the left side.
c. Ensure that you hold both the buttons as the screen turns off and then turns back on showing the Apple logo.
3. Stereo Speakers Layout in iPhone 7
For the first time, the iPhone family gets stereo sound with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Apple claims that the speakers have a dynamic range and are twice as loud as the iPhone 6S. Several audio engineers concurred that the implementation of on-device stereo would be generated by dual speakers at the bottom of the device, taking advantage of the space freed up by the removal of the headphone jack. But that’s not the case. The additional speaker is located next to mic at the top of the device making the sound better spread across the device.
4. Change in the Cases for iPhone 7
As if not already pampered enough, Apple has also updated its leather casing with a much needed and subtle detail – machined aluminium sleep and volume buttons. The major drawback of the previous leather cases was that the buttons were too hard to press, owing to the inflexibility of the leather. And that has been looked into in this update. Also, these leather cases come in a variety of colours like Sea Blue, Storm Gray, Tan, Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue, Black, and Red. So now you get the class of the leather, in the ‘mass’ of colour! Totally not sure how to feel about that.
5. Apple Watch Cable Shortened
Along launched the Apple Watch Series 2 with many additions like GPS, water resistance etc. But, at the same, the new model comes with a weird reduction – the charging cable is only one meter in length now. So, while considering to buy the new Apple Watch, watch out for the cable length too. Note that Series 1 had (still has) a 2-meter cable. Although, a 2-m charging cable is also available for Series 2. Sold separately, of course!
We are sure that there are many other subtle changes like these that will be discovered as we use the new devices. Let us know if you come across any such change. We will be happy to share it with fellow Apple lovers!