Apple releases iPhone 7 – should you upgrade?

Apple releases iPhone 7 – should you upgrade?

Now that Apple has released iPhone 7, should you ditch your old smartphone and upgrade to it?

The world of technology is fast and ever-changing making it difficult to keep up with the latest trends. As soon as you buy a top-of-the range gadget with all the latest apps and popular online games it seems something else is released with bigger and better updates, but as Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus fly off the shelves you may be asking the all-important question: should I upgrade?

Well, it’s fair to say that these phones certainly don’t come cheap, so let’s find out if it’s worth shelling out for the newest model.

More water resistant than its predecessors

Unlike its predecessors, the Apple iPhone 7 is protected from dust and can survive in water up to a depth of one meter for approximately 30 minutes. This means that if you get caught in the rain or accidently drop your phone down the loo (many of us have done it), then you won’t have to put it in the warmest part of your house in the hope it will dry out and turn on again. This is certainly a unique feature of Apple’s latest release as the iPhone 6 is wholly at the mercy of the elements, but don’t forget if it gets dropped into the deep end of swimming pool, the chance of it surviving remains slim – so don’t get too complacent near water if you do take the plunge and upgrade.

Innovative new wireless headphones

One of the ways Apple helped their latest release to become waterproof was to get rid of the headphone jack entirely. They then announced three innovative wireless headphone options, two being new Beats models with improved processors and super-long battery life and the other being the rather cool, yet slightly odd looking, Apple AirPods. The buds look and feel just like the original headphones and connect to your device with ease playing music when you put them in your ears and falling silent when you take them out. It’s all very clever, but with the sound reported to be slightly lighter than traditional headsets and tinnier, you may have to decide for yourself if they’re up to scratch.

Dual camera functionality

Many comparisons have been made between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 7 as technology fanatics try to spot the exact differences between the models – and it seems the camera of the latest release has come up trumps. While the iPhone 6 had an 8MP rear-facing camera and a 1.2MP camera at the front, the iPhone 7 tops this with a 12MP rear-facing camera and a 7MP front-facing addition which offers image stabilizing too. The Quad LED flash is also 50 per cent brighter than that seen on the iPhone 6S, so if you’re into photography and tend to use your phone to capture the moment – an upgrade could certainly be worth your time.

Remember, however, that the camera on the iPhone 6 isn’t bad at all, so while it’s tempting to read the specs of the iPhone 7 and reach for your credit card, perhaps there’s still life in your old model yet?

Upgrades are tempting. We always want the best technological advancements at our fingertips, but while Apple has made some changes, are they really significant enough to make you part with your hard-earned cash?