iphone 7 plus specs and price

Apple's third phablet is finally here, and it looks to be an even more exciting handset than the standard iPhone 7.

With a brand new dual-lens camera, a refined design, a better screen and a whole lot of power, the iPhone 7 Plus is looking to topple the mighty Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Of course, that will in part come down to whether you prefer iOS or Android, but there's certainly a lot to like here, and we've collected all the details – including the all-important release date and price.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Apple's next phablet
• When is it out? Pre-orders now open. Shipping from September 16
• What will it cost? Starts at $749 (£719, AU$1,229)

iPhone 7 Plus release date

Hottest facts:

• Pre-order now
• On sale September 16

The iPhone 7 Plus arrives in stores on Friday, September 16, but you can already pre-order your new iPhone now.
If you do pre-order now though, you probably won't get your iPhone 7 Plus on September 16, as high demand has already pushed shipping dates back. If you're looking to get the iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black then the Apple site is currently estimating November delivery.
November simply too far off? You could always try queuing up at your local Apple Store come September 16.

iPhone 7 Plus price

• 32GB: $769 (£719, AU$1,269)
• 128GB: $849 (£869, AU$1,419)
• 256GB: $969 (£919, AU$1,569)

There's good news and bad news when it comes to the iPhone 7 Plus pricing. The bad news is that the phone costs a lot; the good news is that you actually get more for your money than you did with the iPhone 6S Plus - although you'll also be paying a bit more for it.
Starting at $769 (£719, AU$1,269) you'll get 32GB of storage – which is twice what the entry-level 6S Plus offers.
And that trend continues, with the middle model offering 128GB (up from 64GB on the iPhone 6S Plus) for $849 (£869, AU$1,419), and the top-end model giving you a massive 256GB of storage for $969 (£919, AU$1,569).

iPhone 7 Plus design

Hottest leaks:

• Dust and water resistant
• Larger camera bulge
• Two new colors: 'Jet Black' and 'Black'

If you were hoping for big design changes this year you're out of luck, so it's a good thing the iPhone 6S Plus was already one of the best-looking phones around, as the iPhone 7 Plus is essentially a slightly improved version of that design.
It still sports a slim metal shell with a circular home button on the front, but the unsightly antenna lines from the 6S Plus are slightly less visible this time, as they run along the top and bottom edges, rather than straight across the back of the phone.

You'll also note some other changes on the back, with a redesigned camera near the top, which we'll cover in detail below.
The other major visual change is the addition of a new color, with Jet Black joining the usual Space Gray, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold models.
Then there's a change that isn't visible, namely the addition of water-resistance and dust-proofing. The iPhone 7 Plus is IP67 certified, so it can survive a splash or even a dunk in a pool.

iPhone 7 Plus screen

Hottest facts:

• Same 5.5-inch, full HD display
• Increased brightness and wider color gamut

The iPhone 7 Plus has a 5.5-inch 1080 x 1920 display – and if that sounds familiar it's because the iPhone 6S Plus has the same size and resolution screen.
It's a slight disappointment that Apple didn't bring the resolution up in line with its QHD rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, but the iPhone 6S Plus still has an impressive screen and the iPhone 7 Plus is set to be even better.
Why better? Because while the resolution hasn't changed, the screen has got better, with greater brightness and a wider color gamut.

iPhone 7 Plus camera and battery

Hottest facts:

• Dual 12MP rear cameras
• Improved 7MP front snapper

The camera is one of the biggest changes on this year's Plus, and is also very different to what you'll find on the standard iPhone 7, as where that phone has a single-lens snapper, here you get a 12MP dual-lens one.

With an f/1.8 aperture, the snapper should be able to capture more light than the iPhone 6S Plus, but note that the 1/3-inch sensor size is smaller than the iPhone 7's, so it's unlikely to fare as well in low-light situations. This was presumably a necessary compromise in order to stick an extra lens in.

The camera is also backed up by optical image stabilization to help prevent blur, and a quad-LED flash for more natural colors when using the flash.

There's also a bit of a change coming to the front-facing camera, with a boost from 5MP to 7MP FaceTime HD camera.

The battery has been given a boost since the 6S Plus, with a 2910mAh one in place of the 2750mAh we saw previously. That's not a huge change, but every little helps, and with fast charging included this year too we're hopeful battery life shouldn't be a problem.

iPhone 7 Plus OS and power

Hottest facts:

• New Apple A10 Fusion power
• iOS 10 on board

This is another area where the iPhone 7 Plus stands out as more than just a larger iPhone 7, as where that phone has 2GB of RAM, the 7 Plus has 3GB.

In theory that should lead to better performance, though the processor is the same – a speedy Apple A10 Fusion, up from the A9 on the iPhone 6S Plus.

It's a quad-core setup that's said to be 40% faster than the A9 and two times faster than the A8 seen in the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6, respectively. The GPU looks to triple the performance of the A8, and will be more battery-friendly than previous iterations.

On the software front you'll get iOS 10. This is also available as an update on older handsets, so you won't miss out by not upgrading your phone, but it's a significant improvement on iOS 9, with a less cluttered Control Center, a better version of Siri, which can now understand more phrases, improvements to Apple Maps and more.

iPhone 7 Plus other features

Hottest facts:

• No headphone jack
• Updated Home Button

The home button has also undergone a change. Touch ID is still baked in, but now, rather than physically pressing the button to light up the screen you simply get a vibration when you apply pressure.

Perhaps the biggest feature is the removal of the 3.5mm headphone port. Don't fret too much, though as Apple is including a 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter for free. Some may lament its removal, while others won't care at all. Where do you stand?