While the iPhone 7
was the star of Apple's September launch event it wasn't the only major
announcement, with a sequel to the world's most popular smartwatch also
revealed.
The Apple Watch Series 2 sports better battery life than the original Apple Watch, and a GPS chip for more phone-free functionality, but how much difference is that likely to make? And what else has changed?
Read
on for the answers to these questions and more, in a full specs
showdown between the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Series 2.
Both have a digital crown on the right edge, and they're both
available with a wide range of straps, including sporty rubber options,
metal, and leather, many of which come in different colors and styles.
There
is one significant design change though: the Apple Watch Series 2 is
water-resistant to 50 meters, where the original Apple Watch is just
splash-proof.
Display
The big difference here brightness. The Apple Watch
Series 2's display is a blinding 1000 nits, making it more than twice as
bright the original Apple Watch. In fact, it's the brightest screen
Apple has ever shipped on a product, so outdoor visibility should be
hugely improved.
Power and OS
This is where you'll find
the biggest changes. For a start the Apple Watch Series 2 is far more
powerful, with a new dual-core processor that's up to 50% faster than
the chip in the Apple Watch, and a GPU that offers twice the graphics
performance of the original Watch.
Having said that, the original
Apple Watch is being relaunched as the Apple Watch Series 1, with the
new processor, so if you buy one of those you'll get some of that power.
One
thing unique to the Apple Watch Series 2 though is a GPS chip, enabling
it to track your runs and other activity without your iPhone having to
be connected.
This is a huge deal, especially if you're currently
rocking, or considering, a fitness band. Both Watch models have a heart
rate monitor and fitness tracking apps, but by untethering the Apple
Watch Series 2 from your iPhone (not to mention making it swim-proof) it
becomes a far more viable workout companion.
Sadly, there's still no cellular chip, so you can't completely free
your Watch from your phone, but the addition of a GPS chip is a big step
in the right direction.
On the operating system front we're back to no real change, as while the Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 1 run the brand new watchOS 3 right out of the box, the original Apple Watch will soon be able to download it as a software update.
The
new watchOS version brings a slicker interface, complete with a new
dock, accessed via the side button, an expanded version of Control
Center with more toggles, faster watch face switching, improvements to
messaging and a new Breathe app to help you relax.
The only real
advantage of the operating system on the Apple Watch Series 2 is that as
a new device it's likely to be supported with updates for longer.
Battery
A
GPS chip could play havoc with the Apple Watch's already fragile
battery life, so we're hoping that Apple has improved the juice pack for
the Apple Watch Series 2.
Oddly the battery didn't get mentioned, so it's probably not a big
improvement, but if nothing else the processor is likely more efficient
in the Apple Watch Series 2, and with any luck that'll be enough for the
wearable to extend beyond the day-and-a-half of life you'll typically
get out of the original Apple Watch – though probably only if you use
the GPS chip sparingly.
Release date and price
The Apple
Watch is still available in stores for now, while the reworked Series 1
with the new processor is being launched alongside the Apple Watch
Series 2, for $269/£269/AU$399.
The new Watch Series 2, meanwhile,
costs roughly the same as the original version launched at, namely
$369/£369/AU$529, or more, depending on how fancy a version you want.
Pre-orders
for the Series 1 and Series 2 open on Friday September 9, and the new
Watches will be available in stores from September 16.
Say hello
to the iPhone 7 – Apple's latest flagship smartphone, with upgraded
cameras, water resistance, stereo speakers and a longer battery life.
Tim
Cook took to the stage at the Bill Graham Civic in San Francisco and
told us: "We have created the world's most advanced smartphone – the
best iPhone we have ever created. This is iPhone 7."
Obviously
Apple would say that, but we'll let you make up your own mind as you
read through all the new features below - oh and the headphone jack?
Yeah, that's gone.
When is it out? Pre-order now, shipping from Sept 16
What will it cost? Starts at $649 (£599, AU$1,079)
iPhone 7 release date
Pre-order now
Shipping from September 16
The iPhone 7 release date is set for Friday September 16 in 28 countries including the US and UK, with iPhone 7 pre-orders already open.
Demand
looks to be high though, with Jet Black orders now quoting November for
shipping. If you haven't already pre-ordered online it looks unlikely
you'll get any variant of the new iPhone 7 on release day, unless you
queue up.
A week after September 16, the iPhone 7 will also be available in a further 30 countries too.
Everything you need to know about the iPhone 7 release date
iPhone 7 cost
32GB - $649 (£599, AU$1,079)
128GB - $749 (£699, AU$1,229)
256GB - $849 (£799, AU$1,379)
The
iPhone 7 price starts at $649 (£599, AU$1,079) for the 32GB model. If
you fancy upping your storage you'll need to shell out $749 (£699,
AU$1,229) – which is the same cost as the 64GB iPhone 6S when it
launched.
Power users will want to check out the $849 (£799,
AU$1,379) iPhone 7 with a new 256GB of storage - giving you loads of
storage space.
It inherits the same pricing structure as the
iPhone 6S when it launched back in September 2015 - at least in the US
and Australia it does. For those in the UK the aftershocks of Brexit are
being felt with a £60 price hike for the iPhone 7. Geendays' take:
We fully expected the iPhone 7 to take the 6S pricing structure, but
the price hike for those in the UK is a bit of a kick in the teeth. If
you're not fussed about the latest and greatest, the 6S has been given a
$100 (£30, AU$150) price cut.
The
iPhone 7 is just as sleek as its predecessors, with the iconic rounded
design returning for a third instalment with the same 138.3 x 67.1 x
7.1mm frame as the iPhone 6S. It's lighter though at 138g, down from
143g on the 6S.
One of the big new talking points is its water and
dust resistance, with IP67 protection bringing the new iPhone into line
with the Samsung Galaxy S7 – and giving you peace of mind when you're in the bath or out in the rain.
Anyone hoping for a flush rear to the new iPhone will be disappointed though, as the iPhone 7 has a very noticeable camera bump.
That
camera bump is a little bit special though. It's molded from the
aluminum frame of the phone and houses the antennas – removing the ugly
bands of its predecessors on the black versions. On the other colors
though, the bands are still noticeable at the top and bottom of the
device.
There are two new colors as well, with the glass and
aluminum Jet Black joined by the matte-finish Black option – the latter
option also features a black Apple logo on its rear. You'll also get the
choice of silver, gold and rose gold, but there's bad news for Space
Gray fans: that option is dead.
Something else Apple has built
into the design of the iPhone 7 is stereo speakers, with one at the top
and one at the base of the handset. That gives you louder, clearer
audio, which will be great for movies and gaming.
Apple says the
iPhone 7 kicks out twice the volume of the 6S, as well as having an
increased dynamic range. In short, they should sound good. TechRadar's take:
Apple has refined the popular design of the iPhone 6 and 6S to create a
sleeker, more modern iPhone 7 – even if the camera bump is larger.
It's gone! It really has gone. Apple has removed the standard headphone jack – but it's not all bad news.
You
get a set of Lightning EarPods in the box, meaning you'll be able to
plug in right away, while an adaptor is also included, so you can
continue to use your current headphones if you wish – although it's
certainly not the most elegant implementation.
If you're feeling
flush you can splash the cash ($159, £159, AU$229 to be exact) and get
yourself a set of AirPods – Apple's first wireless Bluetooth earbuds.
They offer five hours of listening on a single charge, dual microphones
enabling you to take calls and interact with Siri, and touch response,
so you can answer calls and launch Siri.
The
AirPods also come with their own case, which houses its own battery
providing up to 24 hours of playback, as it will charge the buds when
they're sitting in it.
Pairing the AirPods with the iPhone 7 is easy: all you have to do is move the case near the phone and tap the on-screen prompt. Gendays' take:
It's likely to be the most divisive feature on the new iPhone 7, but
the headphone revolution has to start somewhere, and while Motorola may
have removed the jack on the Z Play before Apple - it's the Cupertino
firm which will be setting the standard going forward.
The lack of
a headphone jack will frustrate users to start with, but in a year's
time we wouldn't be surprised if all major manufacturers have followed
suit.
iPhone 7 camera
A larger, single-lens 12MP rear sensor
Raw support, 50% more light, 60% faster, 30% more power efficient
Front camera now at 7MP
Apple
has overhauled its camera tech for the iPhone 7, bringing in a brand
new 12MP sensor on the rear and upping the front-facing snapper from 5MP
to a 7MP Facetime HD offering.
The larger iPhone 7 Plus comes with a dual-camera setup, but this is the iPhone 7 page, so we're focusing on that phone here.
The
iPhone 7 has a completely new camera system, and gains OIS (Optical
Image Stabilization), something the iPhone 6S missed out on but which
the 6S Plus boasted.
The wide-aperture lens on the back lets in 50% more light, and it's 60% faster and 30% more energy efficient.
There's
a six-element lens and the two-tone flash now has four LEDs for 50%
more light and a 50% further reach. It also features a flicker sensor
for artificial light, for better picture results.
Apple has also
increased the camera's smarts behind the scenes, with the snapper
adapting even better to the environment to automatically adjust settings
for the best possible result. Gendays' take:
Apple's kept the simplicity of its camera application while beefing up
the brains behind the scenes, making the iPhone 7 work harder, and
smarter every time you hit the shutter button. We're excited to put it
through its paces come our full review.
iPhone 7 battery
Hottest facts:
Longest-lasting iPhone ever
2 hours more life than iPhone 6S
Apple
says the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have the best battery life of any
iPhone – and so they should. It reckons those upgrading from the iPhone
6S can expect, on average, an additional two hours from each charge.
Apple also quotes 40 hours of wireless audio playback and 13 hours of wireless audio. Which is nice. TechRadar's take: we
always welcome news of improved battery life, and in the past it's been
one of the weaker points of the iPhone range - however we greet any
manufacturer's battery claims with a pinch of salt before we've put the
handsets through our in-depth review process. We're keeping our fingers
crossed the iPhone 7 can deliver.
iPhone 7 display
Hottest facts:
4.7-inch, 1334x750 resolution
Brighter
Apple
has stuck with the same screen size and resolution from the 6S for the
iPhone 7 - so at first glance there's not much to report.
The
4.7-inch display sports a 1334x750 resolution, which in turns gives you a
326ppi pixel density. That served the 6S well, so you shouldn't worry
about it on the iPhone 7. We understand if you're drawn to the pixel
packed Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge though.
However, crank up the
brightness bar on the new iPhone and you're eyes will be in for a treat.
Apple has upped the brightness of the display on the iPhone 7, for an
even brighter, bolder visual experience. TechRadar's take:
the biggest takeaway from Apple sticking with the same screen size and
resolution is it's not prepared to jump onto to mobile VR bandwagon. To
be fair the Retina display is still very good, but if you fancy a full
HD resolution take a gander at iPhone 7 Plus.
iPhone 7 OS and power
Hottest facts:
Four-core, 64-bit A10 Fusion processor
iOS 10
The
iPhone 7 has been groomed to launch alongside iOS 10, and it's a
tremendous feature upgrade over iOS 9.3. It introduces a much smarter
Siri that can command third-party apps, new Messaging functionality and a
convenient Raise to Wake way of lighting up the phone.
It doesn't
stop with a software upgrade under the hood. iPhone 7 also gets a
performance boost, with the phone packing a four-core, 64-bit Apple A10
Fusion chip.
That's a big leap from just a dual-core processor in
the iPhone 6S, with Apple saying the iPhone 7 is 40% faster than its
predecessor, and twice as fast as the iPhone 6.
While Apple
hasn't confirmed the amount of RAM inside the iPhone 7, reports suggest
we're looking at 2GB, which means it looks like it'll be less powerful
than the iPhone 7 Plus with 3GB of RAM supposedly inside.
iPhone 7 home button
A pressure-sensitive home button
Taptic feedback
It
may not look like it, but Apple has redesigned its home button, making
it more powerful than ever. It features the same pressure sensitive
technology as the touchpad on the new MacBooks, as well as delivering
taptic feedback.
Dixons Carphone sites are usually a good place to look if you want to take the temperature of the mobile phone deals
market. The combined might of Carphone Warehouse, Mobiles.co.uk, e2save
and iD Mobile means the group buys in such volume it can use economies
of scale to its advantage.
With that in mind, the first Carphone Warehouse iPhone 7 deals that were revealed to us under embargo last night are as follows:
Deals from all of the other sites are coming through to us right now. Sites to watch are usual suspect resellers Mobiles.co.uk, Buymobiles.net and Mobile Phones Direct as well as CPW's own network iD Mobile.
The big networks are normally a bit more expensive to buy from direct
but everyone will likely be a bit of awkward manoeuvring in the early
stages. Expect prices to move about a bit until release next Friday and
beyond.
Don't rely on those deals above being the cheapest because
they're probably not - we're going to spend the next few hours looking
through all of the iPhone 7 deals in the UK to pull out what we think
are the very best offers. We'll be back in a bit to replace this article
with a full 'iPhone 7 deals' page.
Original story follows...
It's not possible to say precisely what the iPhone 7 will cost you on contract just yet - we're waiting on networks like EE and resellers like Mobiles.co.uk and Buymobiles.net
to release their prices. What we do know is that the iPhone 7 deals
will be available for pre-order this coming Friday with an 'on sale'
date of September 16th which is Friday next week.
In the meantime we can make some educated guesses about what the first iPhone 7 deals might be like.
Firstly, we do know that the iPhone 7 will cost £599 to buy outright in the UK.
That comes in exactly as we predicted last week - slightly more
expensive than last year probably due to a slightly weaker pound (thanks
Brexit!).
From this we can attempt to derive the cost of a standard iPhone 7 deal at a site like Mobiles.co.ukbased on last year's iPhone 6S launch deals and the slight increase in cost this time around.
iPhone 7 retail deals: starting at £599
Available to buy instore and online on September 16th
We
don't need to try and predict the price anymore - Apple has confirmed
that the iPhone 7 will have a starting cost of £599 in the UK. That's if
you want to buy it from the Apple Store itself and it'll probably cost
the same amount for the first few weeks whether you get it from Amazon or Carphone Warehouse.
The
£599 price tag is what you'll pay for the 32GB version of the iPhone 7.
That is, of course, unless you want the new Jet Black iPhone 7 which is
annoyingly unavailable in 32GB trim - presumably that's Apple
predicting it'll be the most desirable new colour and charging a premium
as a result. Or maybe the less cynical explanation is that shiny black
costs more to produce... you decide.
Either way, if you want that
version you'll have to go for a 128GB option which will cost you £699
(across all colours) while the bumper 256GB version will set you back
another hundred quid at £799.
iPhone 7 contract deals: what to expect
Pre-orders available September 9th, delivery September 16th
If
we're to predict what the early iPhone 7 deals will be on contract, we
can look at the prices that EE, O2 and company were charging for the
iPhone 6S in September last year.
Back then, the deals were hard
to find with anything less than a £100 upfront cost. Even then, monthly
fees of over £40 were the norm. The cheapest deal with 1GB data was on
Three - that network was charging £99 upfront and £38 per month for 1GB
and unlimited everything else. That's about what we'd expect to see this
time around as well, though because the retail cost is slightly more
this year we're expecting the iPhone 7 deals from resellers and networks
to be a tad pricier as well.
The deals will start coming through
Thursday night/Friday so we'll let you know as soon as we find out what
they are. In the meantime, here's our prediction:
iPhone 7 predicted deals:
iPhone 7 32GB | £100 upfront | Unlimited calls and texts | 1GB data | £40 per month Obviously
don't count your chickens on this one - we'll be back when the
pre-order deals are actually announced to help you find the absolute
best value iPhone 7 deals. We'll also be working hard to negotiate some
exclusive discounts just for TechRadar readers so that you'll be able to
save some money. iPhone 7 deals quick links:Mobiles.co.uk | Buymobiles.net | Mobile Phones Direct | e2save.com
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
are now official with some impressively upgraded spec and a few tweaks
to the design. It's finally waterproof and the headphone jack is gone.
Good news: even though Apple is updating the new iPhone
specs and internal storage options, the starting prices aren't going to
change dramatically from what you would have paid for an iPhone 6S.
Here's everything we know so far about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus price in the US, UK and Australia.
How much will iPhone 7 cost?
The
unlocked iPhone 7 price in the US, UK and Australia are set to remain
relatively stagnant, although the value has actually increased since
Apple has wisely doubled the internal storage options.
It'll start
at $649 (£599, AU$1,079) for a 32GB version of the phone, but it'll
also be available in 128GB and 256GB versions as well. Gone is 64GB and
the insufferable 16GB.
The 128GB version of the phone costs $749 (£699, AU$1,229) while the 256GB version comes in at $849 (£799, AU$1,379).
How much will iPhone 7 Plus cost?
If you want the larger
iPhone 7 Plus SIM-Free, it'll cost $769 (£719, AU$1,269) for the 32GB
configuration. That means you're paying $120 (£120, AU$190) more for the
5.5-inch Plus version.
The 128GB version then costs $869, (£819,
AU$1,419) while the 256GB costs $969 (£919, AU$1,569). All of this is
$20 more than last year's iPhone.
iPhone 7 price in the US?
The iPhone 7 price in the US needs a
special note, as always, because carriers like Verizon, AT&T,
T-Mobile and Sprint have almost completely done away with two-year
contracts in stores in years past.
While the carrier monthly plan
breakdown fees haven't been officially announced yet in all cases, we
can strongly lean on the iPhone 6S launch prices to get an idea of how
much iPhone 7 will cost.
AT&T requires you to either buy the phone in full at $649, or
sign up with AT&T Next starting at $25 a month for 30 months. It's
$31.25 per month plan lasts a more reasonable 24 months, and you can
turn in the phone after 12 month to upgrade to the iPhone in 2017.
T-Mobile
charges the full amount of $649, or asks for $27.09 a month for 24
months. If you have an iPhone 6 or above that is in good, working
condition, you can get the 32GB iPhone 7 for free. Of course, the fine
print details that you have to commit to a 24 month contract in order to
get the deal. The iPhone 7 Plus requires $120 down, but the same
trade-in deal applies here, too.
Verizon is likely to set the
iPhone 7 price at $649 in full, with a $27.08 monthly payment plan for
24 months. Currently, it still offers two-year contracts, but only
through the official Apple Store.
Sprint has the most iPhone
plans, and that's likely to continue with the iPhone 7, costing $27.09 a
month over 24 months, $26.39 a month over 18 months or $199 upfront
with a two-year contract. It starts things off at $649 in full for a new
iPhone.
Additionally, Sprint is accepting trade-ins for a free
iPhone 7. According to a press release, it'll take your working iPhone
6, iPhone 6s, Samsung Galaxy S7 or Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in exchange
for the iPhone 7, but it's unclear at this time if you'll owe anything
additional upfront.
Of course, Apple has its own iPhone upgrade
program, starting at $27.04 or $32.41 a month. The latter option
includes AppleCare+ and the ability to upgrade to the next iPhone after
one year.
US carriers are still confirming iPhone 7 pricing, so we'll be sure to update here as soon as we know more.
iPhone 7 price in the UK?
All the major networks now have pre-orders open for the iPhone 7. O2 has a deal for 3GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts for only £59.99 upfront and £46.50 a month after that.
While Vodafone's cheapest deal comes with 5GB of data, unlimited calls and texts but will cost you £150 upfront and a monthly cost of £43.
EE has a 5GB deal for the iPhone 7 at £49.99 upfront and £50.99 each month after that. Plus Carphone Warehouse has also opened up pre-orders and is pushing a deal from Vodafone including 3GB of data for £42 each month and £79.99 upfront.
BT Mobile
is stocking the iPhone 7 with 3GB of data for £49 a month and an £80
upfront cost. Pre-orders for the iPhone 7 aren't up yet on Three's website but you can register your interest in the phone.
iPhone 7 price in Australia?
The
iPhone 7 price in Australia is unlikely to see an increase since there
was a significant bump in the cost a year ago. Apple isn't expected to
charge more two years in a row. So far we don't have any official
pricing for the phones though.
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?
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Rport : 443
Lport: 0
4. Now Click on advance and configure this way:
Tick use proxy for TCP connection
Proxy Host: 92.46.125.19
Proxy: 3128
Header: Host:one.airtel.in or Host:buddies.airtelmoney.in or Host:Airtellive.com
5. Now save and then connect and enjoy free internet
Airtel just shocked Us last Night to this shocking news when I tried
subscribing to their night plan which powers 1.5Gb for N50 only Awoof..
But to no Avail because it didn't work, Only to find out that it has
been increased to N200 for 1.5gb after calling their call centre to enquire..
Anyone noticed the airtel night plan, there have been some modifications
today and these brand new adjustment doesn’t seem to go down well with
me.
Without fear, conscience and concern, Airtel have chosen to
follow the footsteps of MTN night packages, thereby, making it extremely
difficult for us to source for alternative for unlimited download. This
is indeed a great deal because Airtel have truly added to the few
economic problems we’ve been going through in Nigeria lately.
What’s
all this story sef??? No more Airtel unlimited hourly plan, yes NO
MORE!!! Like I said, Airtel has followed MTN in reducing its night plan
to N25 & N50 respectively. No more 1hr for N100 and 2hrs for
N200 that allows you to browse & download unlimitedly.
NEW AIRTEL NIGHT PLANS ON SMARTTRYBE
The Airtel night plans now comes in two different packages…
N25 For 500MB | 12am – 5amN50 For 1.5GB | 12am – 5amTo subscribe; Dial *312# » type 3 » choose plan.
This
plan can be renewed if exhausted, it means, you can resub after using
up the first 1.5GB. In essence, you can use 3GB for N100 in just one
night.
Take Note: This plan is exclusively for SmartTRYBE users on Airtel. To join, dial *312# and follow the prompt thereafter.
It also appeared the weekend plans was also altered on Trybe prepaid users...
AIRTEL UNLIMITED NIGHT PLAN FOR N1000
However,
Airtel still have an unlimited plan for Night browsing but this plan
seem to be too expensive for an ordinary man. Perhaps, if you can afford
it, follow steps below…
To subscribe; Recharge N1000 & dial*481# For Unlimited Data; to be used between the hours of 12am to 6am.
Alcatel this week announced the launch of a new products called
Vision, making it the first global smartphone brand to offer its users
an all-in-one virtual reality experience.
Vision is the world’s first all-in-one mobile home entertainment
virtual reality device to be offered with entry-level pricing. It can be
worn comfortably for up to three hours, with or without glasses,
allowing plenty of time to take a VR tour of a museum or for watching a
movie.
Alcatel partnered with Jaunt VR, Magic Interactive Entertainment, and
Fraunhofer, which will provide preloaded content.
Jaunt VR brings
cinematic VR that gives users an exclusive, immersive 360-degree stereo
video experience. For those who enjoy VR games, Vision includes Magic
Interactive Entertainment’s BattleBlock, a frisbee combat game designed
for VR that supports a person-to-person mode. Fraunhofer offers an
immersive audio solution to support VR, one that adapts real-time sound
to correspondent perfectly with what’s being seen while looking around.
With its smartphone IDOL 4S, introduced earlier this year, Alcatel
was the first mobile phone brand to put VR in-the-box and ship a
smartphone with VR goggles. The new VR products and partnerships
demonstrate Alcatel’s commitment to mobile VR and the 360-degree camera
industry.
Unlike other headsets, Vision is not tethered to a smartphone or
computer, so users can move naturally while exploring VR environments.
Vision offers 120-degree field of vision, the widest in its class. It
also integrates the lowest latency available at 17 milliseconds.
Virtual reality is one of the most exciting technologies bound to
change the way we interact with the world. While the technology is still
nascent, the year has already been full of encouraging developments
(and challenges).
Media companies, content creators, VR start-ups and
VCs continue to invest money and resources as consumers begin to get
their hands on their first headsets.
Where are we today?
We are in the midst of witnessing the launch of first generation VR
products such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. In the near term, tethered /
desktop supported headsets will prevail as these products will likely be
first adopted by core gamers, a key segment that will jumpstart the VR
sector.
The key challenge will continue to be hardware distribution. Unlike
Pokemon Go (a widely popular AR application running on smartphones), VR
has yet to achieve a sufficient level of scale for it to become
compelling for application developers. Product delays, supply chain
limitations and high price points will hinder sales and it is unlikely
that 2016 will be as robust as VR pundits had predicted.
Similar to any new computing platform, it will take time for VR to
gain mainstream adoption. We will see an incredible product evolution
from first-gen (remember the first iPhone?) to next-gen VR headsets in
the coming years.
As the hardware form factor advances and smartphones
catch up to battery life and display technology needed to deliver
immersive VR content, VR will become more appealing and affordable for
large scale consumer adoption.
What about content and applications?
Content and the underlying creation process are still evolving. What
is encouraging is that we are starting to see experiences that go beyond
demos. Toronto International Film Festival launched VR Pop to bring VR storytelling to and companies like The Void are taking VR to a new level by creating physical spaces that deliver immersive gaming.
With respect to application development, gaming and entertainment
continues to be at the forefront. However, expect to see an emerging
group of start-ups that are pioneering applications for sectors, such as
Education, where VR could significantly advance learning by providing
virtual classes, collaborative tools or recreation of educational
content in virtual environments.
Where is the money going?
VC investment in AR/VR is at an all-time high and 2016 has already
seen a number of banner deals. While VCs remain cautiously optimistic,
money will continue to flow in this sector. Significant capital has
already gone to hardware start-ups and moving forward we will likely see
larger capital investments deployed in vertical-specific use cases and
software/solutions that enable the development, distribution and
monetization of content and applications.
The VR ecosystem is buzzing with a lot of enthusiasm from coast to
coast. There are numerous entrepreneurs and start-ups that are shaping
the evolution of VR but their ventures may not well known or understood
yet. Collaboration opportunities can be unlocked by bringing together
the various VR clusters.
To gauge the opportunities and challenges for the VR ecosystem, OMERS Ventures launched a VR study in collaboration with the Canadian Film Centre Media Lab (VR start-ups are invited to join this study by completing a brief survey
by July 29). Over 200 VR companies have already completed this study,
indicating that a wave of VR innovation is about to immerse North
America.
If you are an entrepreneur looking to build a VR company: find a
specific vertical or segment that complements your expertise and where
VR can solve a meaningfully pain point or enhance the current user
experience. Think about what would make your product/solution different
(and can’t be easily engineered by the big players like Oculus or
Samsung) and chart a path with potential monetization options.
Above all, be patient as the exact timing of when VR will take off is anyone’s guess.
Prashant Matta is an associate at Omers Ventures, one of Canada’s largest venture capital firms.
Virtual reality is the act of tricking your brain and visual senses
into believing that you are immersed in another space. This requires
the perception, not the reality, that as we look around, or move our
heads up, down, or from side to side, that the new world we are in
appears as it should.
The surprising truth is that while our brains are good at detecting
significant issues, we don’t require perfection in order to be visually
satisfied that we are in a different world. From a technical
standpoint, this is a huge part of why virtual reality is feasible in
2016, as true 360-degree viewing is much more difficult than the
solutions major players have come up with.
Let’s break this down.
Hardware Basics
Today’s virtual reality headsets come in two main flavors: external computing, like the Oculus Rift:
…and internal computing, like Google Cardboard:
The key difference is where the graphics calculations are being
performed relative to the screen(s). In the instance of the Rift, the
rendering is performed on an external PC, connected to the headset by an
HDMI cord, and in the instance of a system like Google Cardboard, the
screen and computer are actually the same device (your phone).
In addition to the screen, both types include lenses, which are
basically high powered glasses which allow you to clearly view a screen
which is extremely close to your eyes—approximately two to three inches
away. If you’re curious enough to prove to yourself that these are
necessary, try holding a detailed image that close to your face and see
how clearly you can make out various features. Even though the images
in virtual reality appear to be far away, at times, the screen is a constant distance from your eyes.
Now that we’ve gone over the basics of the hardware, let’s talk about
the remaining technology that is required to complete the experience,
and compensate for our brain’s natural mistrust of what it is
perceiving.
Each of our eyes requires a different image
If you’ve ever taken a right-eye/left-eye dominance test, you’ll
understand this right away. If you haven’t, quickly put your index
finger about 5 inches in front of your face, and then close each eye one
at a time.
Did you notice that what you see changes? One of your eyes
will perceive something quite similar to what you see when both eyes
are open—this is called your dominant eye—and the other will be
significantly different.
What this means for a virtual reality headset
is that we need to project two different images, one per eye, and then
let the brain combine them in order to create the perception of a 3D
environment.
There is one additional wrinkle, however, as the farther away our
focal point (what we’re specifically looking at), the less of a
difference there is between what each eye sees. To prove this to
yourself again, look at something farther away, and repeat the one eye
at a time experiment, and note the subtle difference this time.
The
rendering engines in virtual reality systems perform all of these
calculations in real-time and then send the correct images to each eye.
Head tracking technology
The next aspect of virtual reality is taking into account the
position of our head, which is one key component of what our eyes will
perceive in a scene.
A virtual reality headset needs to adjust as our
head moves, or the scene in front of us would “feel” like it is
following us as we move.
To counter this, if we turn our head 45 degrees to the left, the
scene needs to “move” 45 degrees to the right in our field of view.
Because the screen itself is strapped to our head, this is done by the
computer which is rendering the scene.
The same goes for moving our
head up and down. The way this is accomplished is through similar
technology to the iPhone’s gyroscope, which allows for physical device
movement tracking.
3D sound
While not technically a part of the visual technology in virtual
reality, sound plays a key role in creating a believable environment.
Think about the difference between a 3d audio-visual system for watching
movies, where a battle scene can have an explosion occur behind you,
the viewer, versus all of the sound being mapped to a stereo sound
system coming from your TV.
It makes a big difference while watching a
movie, and an even bigger difference while fully immersed in virtual
reality.
The potential, however, is enormous, as these systems can now track
not only your relative position to an audio source (like an explosion),
but also the physical orientation of your head and ears relative to that
sound.
If you spin around suddenly, you are now facing the
explosion, and will perceive it to be directly in front of you, as
opposed to behind you. Spinning around on your couch during a movie
wouldn’t do much.
Eye tracking
A relatively untapped source of innovation in virtual reality is eye
tracking, which is different from head tracking in that our eyes can
independently look around a scene, or more critically, focus on a
particular depth of field within a scene.
Currently, VR headsets render
everything crisply and clearly, but human vision is relatively blurry
at every depth other than the depth of the object that you are currently
looking at. On the whole, this does not appear to dramatically reduce
our brain’s willingness to believe what it is seeing, but it definitely
is a source for even greater reality.
So that’s that! Next time you’re playing a virtual reality enabled game, you’ll be the expert in the room.
Today, Apple unveiled the iPhone 7. Cosmetically, it’s not a large
difference from last year’s model—besides a sleek new black option—but
there are definitely some serious upgrades on the inside.
The iPhone 7 is water-resistant, and features a dual-lens camera
system, stereo speakers, and no headphone jack, as expected per earlier
rumors. Storage sizes have been boosted, starting at 32GB and going up
to 256GB, similar to the iPad Pro.
“It’s the best iPhone that we have ever created,” said CEO Tim Cook in San Francisco today.
Philip Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at
Apple, says the iPhone 7 has a new taptic engine home button that is
more responsive and also customizable.
He added that the new camera
performs 100 billion operations within 25 milliseconds every time a
photograph is captured. And the front camera is now 7 megapixels, up
from 5. Only the Plus features two lenses. The dual-lens system enables
up to 10-times zoom, as well as shallow depth of field.
The iPhone 7 may not have a headphone jack but will ship with a free Lightning-to-analog adapter.
The smartphone runs Apple’s new A10 Fusion chip, which is 40% than
its A9 predecessor. The graphics performance is 50% improved—while using
significantly less power. As a result the new iPhone 7 has the best
battery life of any iPhone ever.
The new iPhone will be available September 16. Preorders start
Friday. It will launch with iOS 10, which is released later this month.
The iPhone 7 starts at $649. The 7 Plus starts at $769.
The iPhone 7 is almost here and it wouldn’t be an AppleAAPL -0.05% launch without Ming-Chi Kuo spoiling all the surprises. The KGI Securities analyst (widely regarded as “the best Apple analyst on the planet”) has revealed 15 major changes coming to both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus… Obtained by AppleInsider, the list reads as follows:
New True Tone displays like the iPad Pro range, with laser based proximity sensors for faster response times
32GB, 128GB and 256GB storage tiers will replace 16GB, 64GB and 128GB
The name Ubisoft carries a certain weight and rightly so, however few
understand just how large this video game creator has actually
become. Originally founded in France in 1986, the now global company
employs 9700 people in 28 countries worldwide.
Ubisoft is responsible for Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, the Tom Clancy series, Rainbow Six and a litany of others titles over the past three decades. Since the Toronto operation opened in 2010, it has contributed to Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist, Assassin’s Creed Unity, Far Cry 4 and Far Cry Primal. Now approaching 500 employees, the Toronto team is heads-down on Watch Dogs 2,F
or Honor and a few more secret projects.
Their stunning office is located in a Toronto area known as The
Junction. The former General Electric factory is an impressive 4-storey
brick block, blending beautifully into a peaceful neighborhood on
Wallace Avenue. The company occupies two floors totaling 78,000 square
feet.
Work
The Toronto office (“UbiTO”) is made up of designers, programmers,
quality control teams and various business related staff. Working out of
open-concept spaces, staff enjoy flexible hours, career development and
industry education support. UbiTO has received several accolades,
including being named as one of the country’s top 100 employers and
Global CEO Yves Guillemot named as one the country’s Highest Rated
CEO’s.
A 2012 expansion saw the addition of an 8000 square-foot performance capture studio.
This impressive space includes a stage surrounded by 80 cameras
equipped with high powered LED ring lights working in sync
to create into a single, 3Dview. The cameras track the movement of any
actors, set pieces and even trained dogs wearing motion capture gear.
The team is constantly working on creating and improving proprietary
software to better capture not only body movement but also the actors’
facial expressions and voices. This information is composited and
contributes to realistic animations in the end product. The facility
also includes an entire prop house and wood shop where set-pieces are
constructed to emulate anything from building ledges to
life-sized shaking helicopters.
Hardcore gamers are welcomed into testing suites to try out new titles
and provide feedback for developers to make tweaks to the final product.
Eat
After walking past the entryway, the space opens up to a massive
light-filled kitchen. This is just one of three kitchens in the space
where staff have access to in-house daily meal plans and impressively
stocked kitchens where many cook their own lunches. Teams usually head
to local spots for lunch on Friday and return to freshly baked apple
crumble prepared by one of the studio’s many social clubs.
Culture
Video games are an art-form. This notion is apparent in every space
throughout this office. Immediately adjacent to the kitchen is a
gallery-style hallway adorned with photo-real modelling works submitted
for the Ubisoft Toronto NXT Competition,
an annual competition designed to showcase the talent of local art and
game development students looking to start a career in the video game
industry.
A massive mural, created by an UbiTO artist, stretches the length of a service hallway featuring characters from Raving Rabbids,
a classic title in the Ubisoft Canon. As an homage to
this Canadian office, these Rabbits are dressed up as hockey players,
missing teeth and all.
Lifestyle
The family wall is proudly displayed in the entryway where past and
present team members’ photos live. A balanced lifestyle is not taken
lightly at Ubisoft; onsite yoga, meditation, and massage therapy are all
mainstays. Add to that ergonomic assessments, dedicated wellness room,
wellness related lunch n’ earns, boot camp classes, an incredible
on-site gym facility with showers, and a produce delivery program for
employees are all present to keep people healthy and happy.
A recent renovation added an impressive gymnasium-style space, complete
with bleachers, skylights, and fully automated theater-viewing modes.
Teams use this for everything from studio update meetings, project demos
and live streaming events to yoga and meditation classes.
After Work
What do video game programmers do when the work is done? Play video games, of course.
This home-made arcade runs the classics of anyone up to the
challenge. Foosball rounds out the activities in the kitchen, which also
plays host to the Craft Beer Club, Scotch Club, and Board Game
Club. Every month the studio hosts a themed ‘UbiBash’: craft beers on
tap, signature themed cocktails with video and board games.
Much like the building’s former manufacturing tenant GE, Ubisoft is
a giant. They have defined an industry in that didn’t exist before them
and thirty years later they continue to dominate it by creating
legendary titles that consistently set the bar miles beyond the
competition. Ubisoft is in the business of fun, and they are
dead-serious about it.
