Apple Announces the New iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

Apple just finished their keynote announcing the new iPhone 7. The new 7 and 7 Plus include some pretty awesome (sounding) camera upgrades that should be another step forward for mobile photographers and videographers.

In case you weren't following along with my live blog of the iPhone 7 announcement, here are all the things you need to know about the latest addition to the iPhone family. Check out images and tech specs below.

New Advanced Camera Systems
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus take the world’s most popular camera and make it even better with entirely new camera systems. The 12-megapixel camera includes optical image stabilization on both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and a larger ƒ/1.8 aperture and 6-element lens enable brighter, more detailed photos and videos, and a wide color capture allows for more vibrant colors with more detail. iPhone 7 Plus features the same 12-megapixel wide angle camera as iPhone 7 and adds a 12-megapixel telephoto camera that together offer optical zoom at two times and up to 10 times digital zoom for photos.

Coming later this year, the dual 12-megapixel cameras also enable a new depth-of-field effect, using both cameras on iPhone 7 Plus to capture images, while sophisticated technology including Machine Learning separates the background from the foreground to achieve amazing portraits once possible only with DSLR cameras.

Additional Camera Advancements Include:

• New Apple-designed Image Signal Processor, which processes over 100 billion operations on a single photo in as little as 25 milliseconds, resulting in incredible photos and videos;
• New 7-megapixel FaceTime® HD camera with wide color capture, advanced pixel technology and auto image stabilization for even better selfies; and
• New Quad-LED True Tone® flash that is 50 percent brighter than iPhone 6s including an innovative sensor that detects the flickering in lights and compensates for it in videos and photos.

I'm rather hesitant about the new depth-of-field effect, I'm sure it will be overused and incorrectly used, but I could handle that if it is able to accurately simulate legitimate depth of field in my mobile photos. I have my doubts that it will work outside of high contrast, clean background situations. That being said, the ability to shoot in raw (on the 7 Plus) and process those directly on the phone in Lightroom Mobile, is pretty fantastic and will be a huge deal to a lot of photographers.

Apple is also delivering on the rumor that they are eliminating the headphone jack in favor of a single Lightning connector for charging and using headphones. I don't have a huge problem with this, except that I often plug my phone in to charge at night then stick an earbud in to listen to an audiobook as I fall asleep. First world problems, right?

An Amazing Audio Experience
New stereo speakers offer amazing and immersive sound that is two times louder than iPhone 6s, offering increased dynamic range of sound and a higher quality speakerphone. The new iPhone comes with EarPods® with Lightning® connector to deliver incredible sound, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter that allows customers to use old headphones and accessories.

New AirPods™, Apple’s innovative new wireless headphones, weave simplicity and technology together to reinvent the wireless experience making headphones easy to use. Featuring the new Apple W1 chip, AirPods have extremely efficient wireless communication for a better connection, improved sound and industry-leading battery life. AirPods harness the power of Siri®, allowing you to access your favorite personal assistant with just a double tap.

And of course the brand new AppleSticks, er, AirBuds, wait no, AirPods, that's it. The AirPods are Apple's new wireless earbuds, that seem really cool, kind of ugly, and extremely easy to lose.

Pre-order for the new phones starts on Friday, with shipping beginning just a week later.

Pricing & Availability

• iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be available in silver, gold, rose gold, and the new black finish in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models starting at $649 (US), and the new jet black finish will be offered exclusively on the 128GB and 256GB models from Apple.com, Apple Stores, Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers.

So what do you think? Are you going to hop on board with the newest iPhone?