Are iPhone 7 and 7 Plus the best iPhones ever produced?

Apple has launched its latest twins, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which the company claims, are the best iPhones ever produced. Apple has introduced two new finishes for the latest iPhones - Jet Black and Matte Black. The difference is that the former has a glossy finish and the latter has a matte finish.

The iPhone 7 Plus has an aluminium unibody design that is splash and water resistant (not waterproof) with an IP67 rating, a first in an iPhone. Being a little oversized for an average-sized hand, the phone has the tendency to slip. Both the devices feature a redesigned advanced solid-state home button that is pressure-sensitive. A new Taptic engine provides tactile feedback. The home button embeds an advanced fingerprint sensor that lets you quickly unlock the phone.

The most striking feature of the iPhone 7 Plus, is the camera. It uses a dual-camera system. But the two cameras operate in tandem, producing a 12MP image. One of the cameras sports a wide-angle f/1.8 lens and the other a telephoto f/2.8 lens. The camera interface provides you with the choice of 1x or 2x optical zoom. The end result is a zoomed-in image that retains the same quality as that of the zoomed-out version. The camera unit features optical image stabilization and a true-tone flash. The front camera is 7MP. Apple will soon release a Portrait mode with depth-of-field (bokeh) effect in the upcoming iOS update.

The iPhone 7 Plus uses a 5.5-inch Retina HD display. According to Apple, it is the brightest and most colourful iPhone display yet and 25 per cent more bright. The display has a native resolution of 401ppi. The iPhone 7 Plus is powered by A10 Fusion Chip that makes the device twice as fast as the iPhone 6 and provides longer battery life. The iPhone 7 Plus has 3GB RAM and is available in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB ROM variants. It is equipped with a stereo system with twice the audio output of the iPhone 6s. However, Apple has done away with the 3.5mm audio jack. Instead, it includes a 3.5mm headphone jack adapter.

The iPhone 7 is rated IP67, meaning it's resistant to both water and dust

The iPhone 7 Plus is powered by a 3000mAh battery. The device measures 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3mm and weighs 188g. The 32GB model retails at an MRP of R72,000 while the 128GB version carries a price tag of R82,000. The 256GB top-end variant is priced at R92,000.