Apple finally unveiled the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus on 7th September, 2016 in their keynote event. Rumours had started to gain momentum around April, with tech bloggers and Apple enthusiasts speculating about what was to be expected from Apple’s flagship devices. So, how is the latest edition any different from last year’s iPhone 6s? Let’s find out what Apple has to offer.

New colour options

Last year Apple had introduced the Rose gold colour for iPhone 6s, but this year we have two new additions. The new model will be available in 5 colours with the addition of two new shades – “Black” (replacing “Space grey”) which has a matte finish and glossy “Jet black” which will be available exclusively for 125 GB and 256 GB models.

Say bye to the headphone jack

Yes, the rumours were true! Apple has made a bold decision to remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The new ear pods that come along with the iPhone 7 will  fit directly into the lightning port, which was earlier only used for charging the phone and transferring data.

Upgraded camera

The 4.7 inch iPhone 7 now has a larger lens which is the f/1.8, to capture more light. The 12 MP sensor is 60% faster and 30% power efficient. iPhone 7 plus is getting a major camera upgrade. The 5.5-inch model will now have two rear cameras and Apple is calling it a telephoto lens, which will allow you to capture detailed images with 10X zooming capability. Both models come with image stabilization and new camera flash to capture low light photos. The front camera has also been upgraded to 7 MP from 5 MP.

[Related: Easy ways to insure your expensive mobile phone – or fix it]

A faster processor under that sleek exterior

In keeping with tradition, this year too we have a new processor. Apple’s A10 Fusion which is a 64-bit architecture is going to power iPhone 7. This is going to make the phone 49% faster than its predecessors. Graphical performance has also improved by 40%.

Now its water resistant too!

The iPhone 7 models now have an IPX67 rating which means the phone is now splash and dust resistant. The new iPhone can be submerged underwater up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

iOS 10 update

The newest iOS has undergone some serious changes apart from the upgrades to Siri. The most notable change will be the widgets displayed on the home screen which will be responsive to 3D touch. The iPhone 7 will now be running iOS 10 out of the box, which will officially be released for other devices on 13th September, 2016.

Stereo speakers

Up until now, all iPhones had one speaker placed at the bottom of the phone which was good but not great. To fix this, Apple has added a speaker in place of the removed headphone jack and another one at the top. This will give users a much better multimedia experience while watching a movie or gaming.

HD retina display

The display screen is now much brighter thanks to the new Retina HD wide colour gamut display. It is now able to deliver a cinema-like experience and Apple claims it’s the best among all the phones out there. The colours are much more accurate and sharper.

Cost and release date

Pre-orders start on 9th September, 2016 and the phones will be made available on 17th September, 2016.

Storage iPhone 7 iPhone 7 Plus
32 GB AED 2,499 AED 3,099
128 GB AED 2,999 AED 3,499
256 GB AED 3,399 AED 3,899