Perhaps the world of cosmetics is the last place where you would expect to test a new iPhone models Apple. But since for me personally, almost the most important thing in any gadget is the camera, I took the new product to the annual TFWA exhibition in Cannes, where cosmetic brands present their main launches for the next year. Essentially, it's like fashion week for fashion editors, but it's all about jars. Every autumn, for seven days, life is in full swing inside and outside the famous Cannes Palais des Festivals: meetings, negotiations, presentations, watching videos, perfume blotters... I honestly tried to photograph all the most interesting things. Moreover, thanks to quick access to the camera, which turns on even when the screen is locked, I was able to discreetly film even what was prohibited. However, let spy games remain games. I won’t post “secret materials” that brands want to keep secret for now; but I can say that in the next “perfumery and cosmetics” year a lot of interesting things await everyone. In the meantime, my report on new products that have been given the green light.

Fragrances

I started my work as a photojournalist - correctly - with selfies. I had to “take aim”, frankly speaking, selfies are not my strong point: either my arms are too short, or my spatial orientation is impaired. As a rule, instead of a face in the photo, you get a phone case and the back of your hand. Desperate, I stopped such experiments and began to involve unwary passersby and colleagues who had lost their vigilance in the filming. But here everything worked out the first time (okay, the second time). It’s not that my dexterity has increased, but since for the first time there is a special mechanism inside the camera that “compensates” for hand tremors during photo and video shooting, the frame turned out to be quite clear and realistic.

Bvlgari perfumery had an incredibly beautiful stand this year. This “jewelry” brand knows everything about stones! And this knowledge formed the basis of the luxurious (like from the Arabian Nights) collection LE GEMME. Impeccably balanced perfume compositions, enclosed in multi-colored amphorae with the finest gold trim, literally captivated everyone. One example is Irina, Le Gemme Imperiali: a composition of magnolia, jasmine and musk. It's impossible to tear yourself away. Naturally, I took dozens of pictures of this magnificence and they all turned out just right. The brightness and color accuracy required absolutely no filters, although the new version of Instagram has some nice additions that are made even better thanks to an expanded color range and a Retina HD display. So why weren't filters required? The fact is that a larger aperture allows more light to reach the sensors and convey the slightest color nuances.

In addition, two excellent brands of niche perfumes are returning to Russia - L’Artisan Parfumeur and Penhaligon’s. I would especially like to say about the last one. Penhaligon’s is a real British olfactory saga, where each chapter (perfume) is a story about members of a large, respected family. There is style, breed, plot, quality and... mesmerizing visuals. In a word - a series no worse than Downton Abbey. I really like how the photo of the pavilion turned out. So many details! And all of them are visible in the smallest details.

Care

Among the new products on the American market, we were pleasantly surprised by GlamGlow masks. I’ve always liked them, but now the line created by the exemplary married couple Delimore, who got a good half of Hollywood hooked on GlamGlow, also includes lip products with lipotin (that is, we are guaranteed volume), as well as transformative night care. During the presentation, I had as much fun as I could and took not only photos, but also small videos (one day I’ll make a separate material). By the way, in iPhone 7, images that come to life in Live Photo format can be edited. This is, in fact, what I was doing while everyone was drinking coffee.

Many new products for care not only for the face, but also for the body were traditionally presented at the Clarins stand. The brand's reputation as one of the main experts in matters of figure modeling, fighting stretch marks, losing weight... is impeccable and has long been known throughout the world. I highly recommend paying attention to Body Fit anti-cellulite product with quince extract. It affects all types of adipocytes and significantly improves the situation. In addition, very soon there will be a moisturizing range for the face with echinacea extract, an eye cream with a tone against dark circles and a fabric mask that will “capture” the neck area, which is very, very important.

Atmosphere

And of course, the Cannes exhibition is not only work. This is the Croisette, a sandy beach, snow-white yachts, and oysters... Since all this usually “happens” almost at night, when a hectic work day ends, it can be difficult to capture beautifully and convey in the frame all the charm of a warm October evening. Luckily, this time I didn't have any problems with it. Tons of atmospheric photographs that annoyed my friends freezing in Moscow were comfortably located in the depths of my phone’s memory (which is now absolutely incredible - up to 256 GB). They are quietly waiting in the wings to pull me out of the depths of autumn-winter depression from time to time.

Another illustrative example on this topic. Traditionally, the most luxurious gala dinner during TFWA is hosted by Shiseido Corporation. It takes place in a wonderful place - at the Les Mas Candille SPA hotel in the small, but so beloved by artists, town of Mougins. Every year, my colleagues and I not only admire the stunning views of Grasse from the hotel's elegant terraces, but also try to take photos there. Always unsuccessful because “it’s dark and you can’t see anything.” This time everything turned out like in the photo below. The secret to success is a powerful flash with four LEDs, which shines 50% brighter. And the miracles don't end there. This flash adjusts to the color temperature of the environment, resulting in clear, well-lit images. Not that I myself understood this with my humanitarian mind, just before testing new iPhone, I diligently studied the “material parts”.

P.S. Well, for dessert there are several applications that I downloaded to edit photos.

• Adobe Lightroom Mobile: This mobile app with support for Adobe Photoshop technologies, which allows you to process photos at a professional level, import, edit and synchronize photos in RAW format and JPEG.
• ProCamera– An intuitive interface that lets you take great HDR photos and control your composition. A new version allows you to support shooting in RAW format in both automatic and manual modes.
• FilmMiC Pro– an application for shooting mobile video in high quality. It has a smooth zoom, the ability to shoot from the front camera and a camera with a wide-angle and telephoto lens, which can be adjusted manually. By the way, it was with the help of this application that Sean Baker’s film “Tangerine,” which was nominated for best picture at the Film Independent Awards, was shot.

The release of a new iPhone always comes with great excitement. It was just presented, and everyone has already started discussing new colors, the abandonment of the minijack and other innovations. Immediately there are experts saying that the device is not worth the money, fans declaring that they are ready to upgrade right now, and many other people.

Equipment

• Smartphone
• Lightning cable
• Charger
• EarPods with Lightning
• Lightning to minijack adapter
• SIM eject tool

Apple has changed the packaging technology in the new iPhones; now, to remove the packaging film from the box, you just need to pull a special tab. The top cover is now also a little easier to remove.

Among the innovations, it is worth highlighting EarPods with Lightning and a 3.5 mm adapter. Please note that the adapter wire is very thin, so I still recommend getting separate headphones with Lightning support or using the included headphones. I myself don’t really like EarPods, because when I wear them I can’t shake the (misleading) feeling that the headphones are about to fall out of my ears. Plus, they play “outside,” so if someone wearing these headphones listens to music at high volume, then you can find out everything about your neighbor’s musical preferences.

On the other hand, I see a lot of positive reviews about these headphones from ordinary users, it is clear that the owners like them. If we talk about the sound, it has become a little more voluminous, the difference compared to the previous generation is audible.

Last modified connected with the headphone box. The plastic case was replaced with paper packaging, it looks simpler and is harder to open. However, for me, it would be better if the box looked like this, but included an adapter, rather than a plastic case, but without an adapter.

Appearance, body materials

In the new iPhones, the plastic strips for the antennas have been changed, they are hidden at the ends, thanks to this appearance models became more accurate.

Two new colors have appeared on sale: matte black and glossy “black onyx” (Jet Black). The latter is sold only in 128 and 256 GB versions. I tested the matte version, it looks great: strict, practical, and the antenna strips are practically invisible.

An important innovation that for some reason few people remember. The new iPhones slip much less in the hand, and this is very cool, because carrying the “6s” without cases was simply scary. The tactile sensations have also changed; if the previous versions were very smooth and because of this they slipped out, the new generation has become rougher and more velvety. The material is perceived differently, and it is also more practical.

The camera eye has changed a little, now it looks neater and does not cling to your pants pockets if you carry your iPhone without a case.

The device is waterproof according to the IP67 standard. That is, you can drop it into water without any consequences. However, here I agree with Sergei Kuzmin, if the manufacturer guarantees water resistance, this does not mean that you need to swim with the phone every day, dip it in cola, splash it in a glass, etc.

Control elements

Apple decided to abandon the 3.5 mm headphone jack, and at the presentation they did not hesitate to use the phrase “we had the courage to do it.” We had a separate article from Eldar Murtazin, in which he talks in detail about the reasons for such a step.

This is not the first time that the company has rebuilt the industry to suit itself; let us recall, for example, the different SIM card standards that all manufacturers eventually came to, or a laptop with a single port - this idea was also repeated by other companies. So, I’m sure that the abandonment of 3.5 mm will be repeated by other vendors in their flagships. Someone will immediately remember that Apple were not the first in their decision, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is how widespread this approach will become after its application in the iPhone.

Another change is the transition to touch button Home with tactile feedback. The same Force Touch technology is used as in the company's new MacBooks, but some reviewers wrote that the implementation in the iPhone is still worse.

For my part, I can note that the sensations from pressing are now different, but I cannot say that it has become worse - it has become different. Now, when you “press” a button, it feels as if not only it is being pressed, but the entire bottom panel. Moreover, depending on the choice of intensity, these sensations change greatly; the average level of return seems most natural to me.

The mechanism for removing the SIM card tray has changed slightly. Now when you insert a paperclip, it feels like it won't go in any further, and the tray itself is a little harder to pull out. This is due to the appearance of moisture resistance, as I understand, a special plug is used inside to prevent water from entering. By the way, when connecting the Lightning cable, you also feel that it is harder to insert.

The device has stereo speakers, although they are implemented in a slightly unusual way. The right speaker is in its place, and the left one also doubles as a conversation speaker. In terms of volume and spaciousness, the sound has gotten better, but it's still not level portable speakers, keep in mind.

Dimensions

I've been using an iPhone 6 as my main phone for almost two years. What does it mean? This means that during the time that I am not using test devices, the main SIM card is inserted into the iPhone. I'm used to its dimensions, and it's always very inconvenient for me to switch to devices with a larger diagonal. They are large in width or thickness and are uncomfortable to hold in your hands. I've tested a lot of smartphones over two years, and in my opinion, the iPhone 6 (and, accordingly, its later versions) has the ideal dimensions. It fits well in the hand, thin and light, and, unlike the SE, it is comfortable to type with two hands.

Screen

Despite the fact that formally the characteristics have not changed, I would like to draw your attention to two important features of the screen in the iPhone 7. Firstly, it has an expanded color gamut; in photographs this is manifested in the fact that the image looks more voluminous. Secondly, if you compare the screen head-on with the iPhone 7, then the “seven” display has more warm colors.

I strongly support Apple's reluctance to increase display resolution. This doesn’t make much sense, and it would be a lot of hassle. Just remember the transition to new resolutions in the sixth iPhones; some developers needed a whole year to update their programs. It is also important to note that the fonts in iOS are selected in such a way as to minimize the disadvantages of “low” resolution.

Another plus of Apple screens is the excellent performance of automatic brightness adjustment. These are the only devices on which I use this function.

operating system

The smartphone runs iOS 10, which we have already described in detail in a separate article.

In the video introduction to the smartphone, I said that new system unlocking has become less convenient. You first need to turn on the smartphone screen, then hold your finger to unlock, and then press the Home button again. Commentators rightly noted that for more convenient unlocking, it is enough to hold your finger on the scanner literally half a second longer. But this is only required for old iPhones, since in the same “seven” the scanner works at lightning speed.

By the way, this new unlock works great in conjunction with the Raise to Wake feature - when you take your smartphone in your hand, the screen automatically turns on, and then just touch your finger to unlock it.

I didn't really like the new messages. If earlier you could lower the window with a message down and then swipe up and that was enough to mark it as read, now you need to specifically go to the notification line.

Performance

I switched to the “seven” from an old iPhone 6, and for me the increase in performance and the difference in operating speed looked noticeable. Desktops scrolled smoother, applications launched faster, the browser worked faster. However, upon closer acquaintance with the device, one could notice jerky animations when minimizing applications or switching between them. I have seen similar complaints from colleagues from other publications. I believe that all this will be corrected in more recent releases of iOS 10 and the problem here is clearly a software one, because on the hardware side of the iPhone 7 everything is great.

As for toys and benchmarks, there are no complaints here; after all, all games are App Store just optimized to work as quickly as possible on iPhones.

I would like to talk separately about memory. Recently I was asked to help sell a couple of used iPhone 6 16 GB, and in the comments to the ad people asked how people survived with such a small memory capacity. Personally, this volume was enough for me: I rarely take photographs, I don’t play heavy games, and my media library fits perfectly into 3-4 GB. In this scenario, 16 GB was more than enough. However, I can only praise Apple's decision to double the memory capacity of all models. After all, videos are now shot in 4k, and live photos weigh quite a bit.

Regarding the clicking sound that some articles constantly talk about: if you put your ear close to the back cover, you will hear a quiet ticking, like a clockwork. If you move your smartphone one or two centimeters away from your ear, you can no longer hear it. In my opinion, the problem is overblown.

Autonomous operation

I had the new product in my hands for just a few days, but even this use was enough to understand that the iPhone 7 does not work much longer than previous generations. Accordingly, you can count on about three to four hours of screen time.

Camera

To describe the camera's capabilities, I asked Roman Belykh to look at photographs of the iPhone 7 in comparison with the iPhone 6; below is his comment:

« Front-camera. Due to the higher resolution and the new module, photographs during the day differ greatly, naturally, in favor Apple iPhone 7. Under insufficient lighting conditions, the difference is minimal, basically 6 exaggerates the colors and slightly less details.

Main cameras. Surprisingly, during the day the iPhone 6 often takes better photographs: less sharpness, nicer colors (they are more accurate and more saturated). Under normal lighting again better than iPhone 6 – oddly enough, but fewer artifacts. At night, the Apple iPhone 7 is the leader due to its faster optics and optical stabilizer: it is possible to set a lower ISO value and a longer shutter speed. In addition, background blur is better on the iPhone 7, after all, f=1.8. In general, the result of the new product from Apple is somewhat disappointing when compared with the “old man” iPhone 6.”

I, unlike Roma, am not such a fan of photography, but in all iPhones I was captivated by the ease of getting a great shot: point and shoot - that’s it, a good photo is ready. Their cameras are great for untrained amateurs or just those who don't like to bother with taking pictures. It is logical that Apple worked on the weak point of the camera - shooting in the dark. Plus added optical stabilization and increased focusing speed. As for the difference in good lighting with the previous generation, I didn’t really notice it. Plus, some people like to enlarge photos by x4 and look at what’s going on with the detail, etc. It seems to me that the average consumer will not do this; it is important for him that the picture looks good on the smartphone screen and on the PC screen, and the iPhone 7 has no problems with this.

iPhone 6	iPhone 7

Wireless interfaces

The set of wireless interfaces has remained virtually unchanged: latest technologies Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, fast GPS and NFC, working with Apple Pay.

Conclusion

I had no complaints about the quality of speech transmission; you and your interlocutor can hear each other perfectly.

• iPhone 7 32 GB - 57,000 rubles
• iPhone 7 128 GB - 66,000 rubles
• iPhone 7 256 GB - 75,000 rubles

The device in black onyx color is available only in 128 and 256 GB variants.

I know that some of our visitors only read the conclusion, so once again let's briefly go over the main innovations of the iPhone 7:

• Refusal of minijack and adapter included
• New colors: matte black and black onyx
• Changing the Home button, switching to a feedback sensor
• The advent of stereo speakers
• Expanded color gamut
• Optical stabilization in camera
• Changed design of antenna inserts
• Waterproof according to IP67 standard
• Double the memory capacity in all versions

I liked that Apple is working on the weak points of their smartphones. Judge for yourself: the minimum amount of memory was doubled, optical stabilization was added, the body materials were changed to more practical ones (Jet Black is still a different story), the antennas were hidden, and stereo speakers were added. From a business point of view, the abandonment of 3.5 mm for headphones looks like an excellent move, and the modified Home button is due to the desire to make it more reliable against moisture.

You'll definitely feel the difference if you upgrade to the 7 from the iPhone 6, and the move will be worth it. I don’t recommend rushing to 6s owners; you have an excellent device that can serve you well for at least another year.

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• power unit
• USB cable
• Headphone adapter
• EarPods
• SIM card ejector
• Documentation, stickers

Design, construction

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the new iPhones is not even the numerous improvements and features, but the appearance of black colors - simple matte and smooth Jet Black. The story with the latter is especially interesting, but first, a little about how “black onyx” is created. The body of the device is machined from a single piece of aluminum, as you can see, the protruding and clinging rim of the camera has disappeared, now there is a small rounded protrusion, in real life Using the device has become more convenient. I always carry my iPhone in my pocket and have already appreciated the new design. If you used to pull out your smartphone along with your wallet, now this doesn’t happen. The antennas, as you can see, are hidden at the ends; as for reception, there seem to be no obvious changes, I will test it further. It seems to me that if you hold the smartphone in your hand, then in areas with poor reception it may be worse than the iPhone 6S. There are no problems on the street.

So, the basic set of colors is usual: gold, rose gold, silver. All of them are familiar, girls and fashionistas will like the pink version, some choose gold, but many immediately take aim at matte black or glossy black, aka Jet Black, aka “black onyx”.

It is created like this: first, the body is anodized (nine levels), then polished using a special technology. The smartphone has special packaging, an all-black box, boxes with regular iPhone white. I chose Jet Black, firstly, because the color is clearly the most interesting, and secondly, I wanted to see how the coating behaves in everyday life. Despite the crying online, I’ll note this: fingerprints appear, scratches are possible, but all this is such nonsense compared to the appearance of the device. Looks amazing! It immediately reminds us of both glass and ceramics, bringing to mind memories of Nokia Luna and black Nokia 8800 - remember, with such a deep color? Believe me, among other “sevens” it is the Jet Black that is perceived as a luxury smartphone, although in terms of functionality it is no different from its brothers. There is a terrible shortage of such devices in Russia and in the world; you won’t be able to go in and buy them off the street for many, many months; in Russia, on the gray market, the top-end iPhone 7 Plus Jet Black costs about 400,000 rubles (and even then, you’ll have to look for it). So, if you have the opportunity to buy just such a device, ignore all sorts of rumors and articles about a terribly soiled smartphone. Marky, yes. But there has never been an iPhone like this before – it’s just something.

Yes, other advice is especially depressing - wrap Jet Black in a case, in a rag, seal it with film, this is the worst thing you can do with the iPhone 7. Especially for zealous users, I will prepare material about the best cases for a smartphone (for Plus), but that’s all -I still advise you to go without cases, especially in the case of “black onyx”.

By the way, plain black and Jet Black differ not only in shade, but also in tactile sensations. The first one is velvety, traces of use are invisible on the matte body, that is, it is a kind of antipode, a neat person’s dream, it will be very popular in Russia. Whereas Jet Black is smooth, not slippery, but smooth. For a couple of days of active use, the smartphone did not fly out of my hands, although I had already gotten it wet, picked it up with greasy hands while preparing food, and abused it in other ways. The Jet Black surface is easy to clean from marks. Sometimes you confuse the sides and try to look for the Home button on the back. Apparently, this will soon be a normal situation.

As you know, Apple abandoned the mechanical Home button, as always, the company is a revolutionary in a variety of areas - while others are thinking about what to steal from Apple, Apple is coming up with something new. Why did they remove the mechanics, an inquisitive reader will ask. After all, for so many years the button has pleased us with a pleasant “clack”! The button was removed for several reasons. Any moving parts, “mechanics” are extra costs in production, plus users break buttons with strong hands and come for service, all this is a disaster. In addition, this is probably due to protection from water and dust. Apple doesn't do charity, Apple does business. Minus the button there, minus the connector here, that's savings on production! We're talking about millions of devices. How does a button behave in real life? After activating the device, you adjust the response level, three levels: weak, medium, strong, I set it to strong. It’s not even vibration that goes into your finger, but a pleasant touch on the other hand, all actions remain the same, however, during the first hours you will need to get used to quickly “tapping” twice to call running applications. And for a “soft” reboot, a different scheme is now used, you need to hold the volume down button and the power button.

In everyday life, a button with Taptic Engine has both pros and cons. Pros: No physical click required to login. Here, as before, there is a fingerprint sensor, it responds instantly, there are very few errors, I advise you to assign several fingers to unlock for greater convenience. Cons - if you are used to physical button and you can’t come to terms with innovations, then you need to stay with the iPhone 6/6S.

Next, most likely, it will be even more interesting. Apple may well remove all buttons from the case. Touch panels on the ends, automatic volume control, multiple assignments for the Home button, tapping, strong and weak touches - this is what will happen in the near future with the iPhone. You can laugh, you can judge, but before you do, look at the Home button on the iPhone 7. You know, it works great!

The 3.5 mm jack was abandoned for the same reasons. Minus one element - plus space, plus protection from water, dust, plus a push for the entire stagnant wired headphone industry, plus a push for Bluetooth. Apple is very good at cutting out unnecessary things.

Every year I choose Plus because of the display size and camera capabilities; for me, a smartphone replaces both a tablet and a phone - iPad Pro sometimes it helps, but more often I even write posts on my blog with using iPhone(mobile WordPress is very pleasing). But I wouldn’t recommend such a device to every person, it’s too healthy. Dimensions – 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm, weight – 188 grams, it seems heavier than the iPhone 6S Plus, in fact it is 4 grams lighter. You can see a comparison of all current iPhones.

Water protection

Immediately after the start of use, attention is drawn to the different design of the SIM card slot (nanoSIM) and the Lightning connector. The first one doesn’t seem to go all the way, there’s no usual click. Well, the plugs in the connector fit very tightly, some have to be pulled out with force. All this is due to the gaskets and other features of the case, protected in accordance with the IP67 standard. What does it mean? This means that the smartphone does not need to be used in water, but it will withstand splashes if you pour it from a bottle, if you accidentally drop it into the pool and immediately take it out. Essentially this is a basic level of protection. Surely the company will collect statistics, and the next device will have complete protection from water, just like apple watch Watch series 2.

But even the iPhone 7 is already undergoing unimaginable tests. They drown it in cola, in soup, in tea, in coffee, freeze it, dive it - in general, whatever tests they come up with for the amusement of the public. Despite the incomplete protection, the device is capable of withstanding a lot - my friend and I bathed the 7 Plus in a vase of water for about twenty minutes, took photos, called, nothing happened.

My advice to you is don’t repeat all this nonsense. Still, this is not a professional device, and then you should go to the service, not journalists. Heavy rain, games by the sea, girls will probably like that after falling into the toilet, the iPhone 7 will continue to work as if nothing had happened. Friends in the services call this the main reason for the breakdown (if we talk about girls). Apparently, the toilet era is leaving, and this, of course, is good.

Please note that after being in water, the device must be dried, do not charge for at least a couple of hours, and do not dry it with a hairdryer. Over time, the gaskets in the case may lose their quality, so after a year or two of use, I don’t recommend getting the 7 too wet at all.

I hope you will do everything wisely when it comes to iPhone 7 and water.

Warranty for “gray” devices

With the start of sales around the world, a trickle of iPhone 7/7 Plus from other countries poured into Russia. If you decide to buy a smartphone from the US or Europe, then I urge you not to engage in nonsense. Firstly, why support the gray market if official sales are about to begin? Secondly, the worldwide warranty for the iPhone 7/7 Plus is not valid in Russia; Apple is not at all interested in replacing your device with a new one (or changing large components) and, it turns out, paying tax for a device that was imported here unofficially. That is, if you break the screen of a beautiful Jet Black from the USA, we will not be able to fix it.

Display

The display of the “seven”, on the one hand, retained the diagonal of the iPhone 6/6S Plus - 5.5 inches, on the other hand, acquired new qualities. First, the technical specifications:

• Retina HD display with wide color gamut (P3)
• Widescreen display with a diagonal of 5.5 inches and LED backlight
• Multi-Touch with IPS technology
• Resolution 1920x1080 pixels, 401 pixels/inch
• Contrast ratio 1300:1 (standard)
• Brightness up to 625 cd/m² (standard)
• Dual-domain pixels for wider viewing angle
• Oleophobic coating, resistant to fingerprints
• Supports simultaneous display of multiple languages ​​and character sets
• Screen scaling
• Convenient access

On the iPhone 6S Plus, the oleophobic coating wore off after about six months of daily (and very active) use, I wonder what it will be like here. I even thought about changing the display completely - it’s so bad without the oleophobic coating. Now that the iPhone is still new, everything is very good. As far as I can see, the brightness has changed significantly, the viewing angles have become better, the display has feedback, and now it has reached a new level. Previously, pressing hard would bring up an additional action menu, but now in a number of programs it’s even better – the screen works in conjunction with the Taptic Engine. For example, when you set a timer and spin the wheel, it’s as if a gear is moving under your fingertip, and memories of the jog wheel immediately come to life in your memory. Sony phones. The feeling is very interesting and unexpected - in fact, it is not the screen that vibrates, but the motor below. The same effects exist in some games and other programs. In general, traditionally for Apple, while some are chasing crazy brightness and acidic colors, here they work at the level of emotions and sensations - it’s hard to give up these features. And it’s also difficult to reproduce this somewhere else - here the connection between hardware and software is at an incredible level.

If you suddenly decide to use films or glass, I recommend Just Mobile products - there are almost invisible accessories with interesting technology“self-medication” of scratches, they heal.

Audio

I’ll say the main thing right away: if you use the original Lightning adapter, then the control buttons and microphone work with any headset with MFi certification (Made for iPhone/iPad). That is, this small adapter reproduces the CTIA pinout. Moreover, a DAC was also discovered there, so a whole field for experimentation begins here - especially for hybrid headphones that support connections via Bluetooth and cable. I think more and more accessory manufacturers will show adapters for Lightning, so a new necessary thing for Apple products has quietly appeared.

As for the EarPods headset with Lightning - a convenient and good mass product, it is very good to find such headphones included. In general, good sound quality, convenient controls, a very good microphone, it is quite possible to wear these headphones every day, especially if you are not an audiophile.

I managed to try the iPhone 7 Plus with different products that were at hand, I’ll try to list them and say something about it. The company is clearly hinting: my friend, use Bluetooth more often!

• Bose QC35, I hope it’s now clear why the company made large noise-canceling headphones wireless – yes, that’s exactly why. Let me remind you that these are one of the best hybrid headphones on the market, they have many advantages, among them the most important is an excellent active noise reduction system. With the iPhone 7 Plus, headphones are great to use during long flights; you can watch movies without any problems, the display diagonal allows it.

• Creative Sound Blaster ROAR SR20A, although the horse is already old, it definitely won’t spoil the furrows! Moreover, it now costs only 11,990 rubles; some lower-class speakers cost comparable money. Well, here you have great sound, no wires, the speaker can become the only music center for your home. There is also sound recording, built-in microphones for conversation, a megaphone and the ability to connect two speakers into a stereo pair. Cool thing, it remains the same, I highly recommend it.

• Parrot Zik 2, also not the first fresh thing, but for the iPhone 7 Plus it’s generally one of best headphones. Excellent software active noise cancellation, the sound quality can be adjusted within any limits, they work offline for a long time, touch control. There are great prices in some places now, the Zik 3 is also worth considering, although they are more expensive. Parrot has launched an official store in Russia, they have some stuff there at interesting prices, check it out.

• Cambridge G5, a review of the system is on the website, in Russia little is known about the brand yet, but I personally like it - the price is quite normal, and the system simply plays great. And besides, it comes in rose gold color, which is a godsend for girls. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to get acquainted with this device - with the iPhone 7 Plus it can be used as the only music Center for a small apartment.

• Naim Mu-So Qb, in my opinion, among compact systems this is the best in functionality, sound, design, and features. The best, but also worth accordingly. Since AirPlay is included, wireless sound quality is excellent, although you can also use Bluetooth if you wish. As you can see, another big plus is that it requires little space for installation. And this is real Hi-Fi!

• Bang&Olufsen BeoPlay H5, I’m finishing the review of headphones, a very interesting thing, as if specially created for the seven. Great design, great app with an interesting equalizer preset system, convenient charging cradle, and, in general, look how compact and cute the device is. There is no disappointment in terms of sound, everything is very good with the iPhone 7 Plus, I use the H5 even more than I should - I’m already used to it. There is also a pink version for girls, and green was recently introduced. I plan to pay attention to all owners of sevens.

This, of course, is not all; I plan to prepare another material about audio for iPhone 7/7 Plus in the near future. Here I wanted to show new and old devices that are perfect for the new iPhones - at least I really like them all.

Shooting in the evening

First, the camera specifications:

• Dual 12 MP camera: wide-angle and telephoto
• Wide-angle lens: ƒ/1.8 aperture
• Telephoto: ƒ/2.8 aperture
• Double optical zoom; 10x digital zoom
• Optical image stabilization
• Six-element lens, sapphire crystal lens protection
• True Tone Quad-LED Flash
• Panoramic shooting (up to 63 megapixels)
• BSI sensor, hybrid IR cut filter
• Autofocus with Focus Pixels, Touch Focus with Focus Pixels
• Live Photos with Image Stabilization
• Expanded color range for photos and Live Photos
• Advanced tone mapping, face and figure recognition
• Exposure control
• Noise suppression
• Automatic switching on HDR for photography
• Automatic image stabilization
• Continuous shooting, timer mode, linking photos to the shooting location

I received the device yesterday afternoon, while I was transferring the data, by the time I arrived it was evening. When looking at the photo, it may seem to you that it is light outside, but in reality, of course, it is not - it was dark outside. All the photos were taken at seven or eight o’clock, and I was surprised at how the lens of the camera literally absorbed the remaining light - a kind of vampirism.

Shooting at night

Update iPhone lines This year it turned out strange. We told you in detail about the iPhone 7 Plus, where we described the situation with the disappearing headset jack, the appearance of a second rear camera, and the new color of the case... In general, the situation with the younger model is similar, but it would be wrong to ignore it completely. Usually we test both new models almost simultaneously, but this time it turned out that it was the iPhone 7 that was in short supply. And just recently we managed to get a copy for quite a long time, allowing us to carefully study all aspects of this gadget.

Let's take a look at the characteristics of the device.

Technical specifications of Apple iPhone 7

• SoC Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2 of which operate at 2.34 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)
• Apple A10 Fusion GPU
• Apple M10 motion coprocessor including barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
• RAM 2 GB
• Flash memory 32/128/256 GB
• No memory card support
• operating system iOS 10
• Touch display IPS, 4.7″, 1334×750 (326 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch, support for 3D Touch technologies and Taptic Engine response
• Cameras: front (7 MP, video 1080p 30 fps, 720p 240 fps) and rear (12 MP, video shooting 4K 30 fps and 60 fps)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
• cellular: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, LTE Advanced support
• Bluetooth 4.2 A2DP LE
• Touch ID fingerprint scanner version 3
• NFC (Apple Pay only)
• Universal Lightning Connector
• Li-polymer battery 1960 mAh, non-removable
• GPS / A-GPS, Glonass
• Dimensions 138×67×7.1 mm
• Weight 138 g (our measurement)

For clarity, let’s compare the characteristics of the new product with the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 6s.

			Apple iPhone 6s
Screen	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi	5.5″, IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi
SoC (processor)		Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2 of which operate at 2.34 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)	Apple A9 (2 cores @1.8 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)
GPU	Apple A10 Fusion	Apple A10 Fusion	Apple A9
Flash memory	32/128/256 GB	32/128/256 GB	16/64/128 GB
Connectors		universal Lightning connector	Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack
Memory card support	No	No	No
RAM	2 GB	3 GB	2 GB
Cameras	main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (7 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video)	main (12 MP; 4K video) with two lenses and front (7 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video)	main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (5 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video)
User identification sensors	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner
Housing protection	IP67 (water and dust protection)	IP67 (water and dust protection)	No
Battery capacity (mAh)	1960	2900	1715
operating system	Apple iOS 10	Apple iOS 10	Apple iOS 9 (upgrade to iOS 10 available)
Dimensions (mm)*	138×67×7.1	158×78×7.3	138×67×7.1
Weight (g)**	138	189	143
Average price (for version with minimum flash memory)	T-14206636	T-14206637	T-12858631
iPhone 7 (32GB) Retail Deals	L-14206636-10
iPhone 7 (128GB) Retail Deals	L-14206682-10
iPhone 7 (256GB) Retail Deals	L-14206684-10

*according to manufacturer information
** our measurement

As we can see, the differences in the characteristics of the iPhone 7 from the iPhone 7 Plus are minimal. In addition to the obvious (dimensions and display size/resolution), this is a smaller volume random access memory(2 GB instead of three for the iPhone 7 Plus), as well as a smaller battery capacity and the absence of a second lens for the camera. At the same time, compared to its immediate predecessor - the iPhone 6s - the new product has slightly less weight (with the same dimensions) and a larger battery capacity.

Let's get acquainted with the smartphone in person and understand how these features affect the user qualities of the model.

Packaging and accessories

The box and equipment of the iPhone 7 are similar to the older model.

Let us remind you that the main thing here is new headphones (with a Lightning connector instead of a 3.5 mm Mini-jack) and an adapter from Lightning to a mini-jack. Thanks to this adapter, you can use your iPhone with traditional headphones or speakers.

Otherwise, everything is the same as before: leaflets, Charger(5 V 1 A), Lightning cable, stickers and a key for removing the SIM card cradle.

Design

Externally new iPhone, like its older brother, is very similar to its predecessor. Dimensions and basic design elements remain unchanged. We tested the gold version, and in this version the iPhone 7 is even more difficult to distinguish from the iPhone 6/6s than in the case of the new “black” and “black onyx” colors.

By the way, the “black onyx” option, which was especially scarce in the first days of sales, can now be purchased without problems, but it has its drawbacks, which we wrote about in the article about the iPhone 7 Plus, so this is not an amateur solution. Not everyone likes golden color either, but it is more practical and familiar.

In general, the design of the iPhone 7 is identical to the iPhone 7 Plus. The location of the connectors, the shape of the case, moisture resistance, the new Home button (touch, not physical) - everything is the same. So here we'll focus on comparing the iPhone 7 with the iPhone 6, in order to notice some subtle changes.

Firstly, the plastic inserts are now placed differently. They pass only along the edges, without climbing onto the back surface. However, we note that in the case of the golden version they are still too conspicuous. And in this regard, the silver and black versions seem more successful to us.

Secondly, the rear camera is now larger and more convex. But, unlike the iPhone 7 Plus, there is only one. And finally, the third difference is the second row of holes on the bottom edge. However, don't think there's another speaker! Most likely there is a microphone there.

In general, in terms of appearance, the differences between the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 6s are minimal. However, despite this, Apple has not ensured the compatibility of protective accessories. Cases for iPhone 6s will not fit iPhone 7 due to the changed camera eye. This is, of course, a very strange and offensive decision. But for the iPhone 7, new color options for leather cases are available: almond, “stormy sky” and “blue sea”. We were able to evaluate the last of them live.

It combines rather strangely with the golden color, but you can’t deny this shade a certain charm. It doesn’t seem to be blue, but at the same time it’s not blue either, but something in between. However, here we note the traditional problem of Apple leather cases: they quickly become covered with scratches and lose their presentable appearance. Therefore, if you perceive the case as an element of style, and not just as protection for your smartphone, you should handle it with care.

Summarizing our impressions of the design, we can simply repeat what was said earlier about the iPhone 7 Plus and wish that in the next version of the iPhone the functional features of the current generation will be preserved (moisture protection, first of all), but the appearance will be updated more significantly.

Screen

Options iPhone screen 7 are no different from those of the iPhone 6s: 4.7-inch diagonal, IPS matrix with a resolution of 1134×750. By modern standards - average parameters.

The editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections will tell you about the quality of the display. Alexey Kudryavtsev.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Apple iPhone 7, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Apple iPhone 7 is slightly darker (brightness according to photographs is 110 versus 118 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Apple iPhone 7 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, much like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

At manual control brightness and when displaying a white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 560 cd/m², the minimum was 4.8 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located above the front speaker slot). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider - the user uses it to set the desired brightness level for the current conditions. If you don’t change anything, then in complete darkness the brightness drops to 2.6 cd/m² (very dark), in an artificially lit office (about 550 lux) the screen brightness is set to 120 cd/m² (acceptable), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) rises to 650 cd/m² (even higher than with manual adjustment). We were not entirely satisfied with the result, so in the dark we slightly moved the brightness slider to the right, and for the three conditions indicated above we got 16, 100-170 and 650 cd/m² (ideal). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately, and it is possible to adjust the nature of the brightness change to suit the user's requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

IN this smartphone An IPS type matrix is ​​used. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

Traditionally, for the iPhone, a lot of dust particles are found in the layer of filler adhesive between the outer glass and the matrix; we won’t even demonstrate this.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Apple iPhone 7 and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (over a white field in the entire screen), and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

Color balance varies slightly, color saturation is normal. Recall that photography can not serve as a reliable source of information about color rendering quality and are provided for illustrative purposes only. In this case, apparently due to the characteristics of the screen’s emission spectrum, the color balance and brightness of colors in photographs Apple screen iPhone 7 is somewhat different from what is visible to the eye and determined by a spectrophotometer.

Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens and the contrast remained at a high level.

And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (by at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Apple iPhone 7 the drop in brightness is less. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened to a medium degree and acquires a purple tint. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is approximately the same!):

And from another angle:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good, although not ideal:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1375:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 23 ms (12 ms on + 11 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 30 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The power function fitting exponent is 1.76, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2, so the image is slightly brightened. In this case, the real gamma curve noticeably deviates from the power-law dependence:

Color gamut is sRGB:

Let's look at the spectra:

Such spectra are found in top mobile devices Sony and other manufacturers. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows for a wide color gamut. Yes, and the red phosphor apparently uses so-called quantum dots. For a consumer device, a wide color gamut is not an advantage, but a significant disadvantage, since as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and the vast majority of them) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. But unlike many famous and not so famous companies, Apple knows what the color gamut should be, and therefore carefully adjusts it to the sRGB boundaries. As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation.

This applies to those images that have an sRGB profile or no profile at all. However, native to modern devices Apple (at least for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Pro 9.7 and MacBook Pro) is the color space Display P3 with slightly richer greens and reds. Space Display P3 based on SMPTE DCI-P3, but has a D65 white point and a gamma curve of approximately 2.2. In addition, the manufacturer states that starting with iOS 9.3, color management is supported at the system level, which makes it easier for iOS applications to correctly display images with a specified color profile. Indeed, by supplementing the test images (JPG and PNG files) with the Display P3 profile, we obtained a color gamut wider than sRGB (output in Safari):

Note that the coordinates of the primary colors coincide almost exactly with those specified for the DCI-P3 standard. This coverage is different from Adobe RGB, red in Display P3 slightly more saturated, and green can be considered less saturated:

We look at the spectra in the case of test images with a profile Display P3:

It can be seen that in this case no cross-mixing of components occurs, that is, this color space is native to the Apple iPhone 7 screen. The most important question is whether the support provides Display P3 at least some significant advantage, and doubts are associated primarily with the fact that there is practically no content with a coverage wider than sRGB, and when it appears, it is not a fact that it will be in the variant Display P3, and all current devices will be hopelessly outdated by that time. However, you have to start somewhere, and the wide screen coverage, as well as the color management built into the OS, contribute to this. In the meantime, the content can be created by the user himself, since in photographs with iPhone cameras 7/7 Plus profile is registered Display P3(however, we do not know about the real color gamut of these cameras).

The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. The nature of the change in values ​​from hue to hue indirectly shows that software color correction is used. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Like the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and iPhone SE, this Apple device there is a function Night Shift, which makes the picture warmer at night (the user specifies how much warmer). A description of why such a correction can be useful is given in the specified article about the iPad Pro 9.7. In any case, when having fun with a tablet or smartphone at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with the setting Night Shift.

Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, good black stability to deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane, high contrast, as well as support for the sRGB color gamut (with the participation of the OS) and good color balance. There are no significant shortcomings. At the moment, this is perhaps one of the best displays among all smartphones.

Performance

The iPhone 7, like the iPhone 7 Plus, runs on the new Apple A10 Fusion SoC (we talked about it in detail in iPhone review 7 Plus, so we won't repeat ourselves). However, the RAM capacity of the younger model is less. Let's see how this affects performance!

Let's start with browser tests: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark and Kraken Benchmark. We will also add to our standard set is a new browser benchmark recommended by the creators of SunSpider as a replacement. The Safari browser was used.

As we can see, the iPhone 7 not only kept up with the iPhone 7 Plus, but even slightly surpassed it. However, the difference is so small that it can be attributed to measurement error.

Now let's see how the iPhone 7 Plus performs in the comprehensive AnTuTu benchmark (we've recently been using it on iOS) and Geekbench 4, which measures CPU performance.

And here's the first surprise: the iPhone 7 lost heavily to the older iPhone 7 Plus in AnTuTu. Moreover, what’s interesting is that it’s not just about RAM, although it’s about memory scores too. But in the Geekbench 4 processor benchmark, the results were already almost identical.

The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark and GFXBench Metal.

Let us remind you that off-screen tests mean displaying a 1080p image on the screen, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests mean displaying a picture in the resolution that matches the device screen resolution. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the abstract performance of the SoC, and Onscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the comfort of the game on a specific device.

	(Apple A10)	(Apple A10)
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.3.1 (1440р)	22.7 fps	18.3 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1	59.4 fps	26.1 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 (Off Screen)	38.8 fps	26.1 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan	59.8 fps	41.1 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan (1080p Offscreen)	58.3 fps	41.0 fps

And here's the mystery: iPhone 7 beats iPhone 7 Plus not only in real-resolution tests, which is quite logical, but also in off-screen tests! At the same time, the same version of the program and identical versions of the OS were installed on both smartphones. Miracles, and that’s all!

Here the results are more plausible, although somewhat contradictory, but the difference is not so great, so it is quite possible to say that the rivals are equal.

As a result, we can admit that the iPhone 7, even despite the smaller amount of RAM, is practically not inferior to the iPhone 7 Plus in performance. In most benchmarks, including those using real 3D scenes, it performed similarly to the older model. Of course, we can assume that one day the user will feel a lack of RAM. But this will not happen soon, but for now you don’t have to worry too much about the numbers in technical specifications and choose between iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus without regard to performance parameters.

Cameras

The iPhone 7 does not have the main feature of the iPhone 7 Plus - the second rear camera. However, unlike the iPhone 6s, there is optical stabilization when shooting video (in the previous generation only the iPhone 6s Plus had it), and other camera parameters (front and rear) are identical to the iPhone 7 Plus.

Now let's evaluate the photo capabilities. Below are examples of pictures taken with the rear camera with comments from our expert. Anton Solovyov.

It looks like the camera didn't get any better with the firmware update. She still often makes mistakes with focus, and the pictures are full of artifacts, albeit small ones. However, the camera can also take good pictures, but you have to try hard to get good pictures. Based on the results of bench shooting, the camera did not improve the results too much, but now the curve on the graph is quite consistent with reality. Previously, despite the low actual resolution, the images were clean and neat. Now they are lost among the pictures of top smartphones, and are noticeably inferior to some. As it turns out, the camera is inferior even to the older model. Well, perhaps all is not lost yet. And in any case, the camera will cope with many scenes even in its current form.

Autonomous operation and heating

As with the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple retained the iPhone 7's duration battery life, similar to the previous generation. In real everyday use, this is about a day, with active use - even less.

In 3D games, the smartphone is completely discharged in seven and a half hours, which is very good and indicates the high energy efficiency of the SoC, but in reading modes and playing videos from YouTube, the result is not much better, that is, the battery is consumed not so much due to the load on the SoC, but due to the screen. And here everything depends on the small battery capacity.

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after two consecutive runs (about 10 minutes of work) of the Basemark Metal test:

It can be seen that the heating is highly localized in the upper right part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat camera, the maximum heating was 44 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is 3 degrees more than in the case of the iPhone 7 Plus.

conclusions

Let's not be afraid to play the role of Captain Obvious and simply admit: the iPhone 7 is one of the best compact smartphones on the market. Highest performance (despite only 2 GB of RAM), an excellent screen (albeit not impressive in the specifications), water resistance, a camera with optical stabilization (albeit with imperfect firmware, which is evident when taking photos) - these are the main advantages of the iPhone 7.

On the other hand, there is nothing revolutionary in this model, and due to the lack of a second rear camera, it turned out to be even more boring than its “big brother”. Therefore, upgrading to it from an iPhone 6s or even an iPhone 6 definitely does not make sense (if you are generally satisfied with how your current smartphone works). Well, maybe because of the moisture resistance. However, we hope that future iPhone models will retain water resistance, and in addition to it they will receive many other interesting innovations.

I recently bought myself a film camera - large, heavy and incredibly beautiful. Having tested it in action, I noticed a curious phenomenon: standing on the street and photographing strangers, I suddenly noticed that passers-by no longer perceived a person with a camera as a photographer. No one covers their face, no one walks around me so as not to ruin the shot, no one even pays attention to the thing in my hands. And then I took out my phone and began filming people in the same way as I had filmed before. The reaction was completely different. Some smiled, others turned away, others walked around me in a circle, trying not to spoil the shot - in general, they behaved in a completely natural way towards a street photographer.

While we were figuring out which is better - Nikon or Canon, more than one generation of people has grown up in the world who perceive photography only as a function of a smartphone. Compact cameras have long been consigned to the dustbin of history, and this does not sadden me at all, but the change in the perception of photography as a process makes me think. On the other hand, some things still remain the same. People still argue about which is better (Sony or LG? Galaxy or iPhone?), and there is still no clear answer to this question. So today we will compare six flagship smartphones to find out which one takes better pictures.

⇡ Input data

A number of smartphones today have two cameras at once, and the very logic of having a second lens and sensor is different. Other smartphones still use a single-camera module. Some of my fellow journalists rightfully believe that single modules show the best results in shooting.

Phone camera ranking:
1. U11
2. Pixel
3.GS8

Never known Apple to be this far behind, but guess this is the price of dual-camera focus.

— Vlad Savov (@vladsavov) July 28, 2017

So, for the purity of the experiment, the second cameras did not participate in the comparison at all - today we will only talk about the normal shooting mode. The fancy portrait mode of the iPhone 7 Plus was not used, nor was the wide-angle camera in the LG G6 or the simulated shallow depth of field in the Huawei P10 Plus.

⇡ Testing

We'll evaluate results based on different criteria in different tests, but the key factors will be sharpness and detail. In addition, the result is affected by the correct exposure setting and white balance. In each test, a smartphone can score 0, 1 or 2 points. The smartphone with the most points will be named the best. Go.

⇡ Shooting through glass

No one, of course, will admit it, but this is one of the most popular genres of shooting. The view from a hotel window, the landscape through the windshield of a car, the view from an airplane - we often photograph this. At first glance, nothing complicated, but since the windows are often tinted, this pretty much confuses the automatic white balance. So in the first test, in addition to the overall picture quality, we will also evaluate correct installation color temperature.

The same scene in full size from cameras , And

This is quite a difficult scene to mobile cameras. Shooting against the sun (which, however, is in the haze and does not fall into the frame) in this case could give three different results. In the first, the sky was exposed correctly, but all the objects in the lower half of the frame were too dark. In the second, the bottom half of the frame is well-developed, but the top half looks too light. Well, the third option is the average between the first two.

The most correct white balance is given Sony Xperia XZ Premium and iPhone 7 Plus, but according to subjective feelings, the photo with Samsung Galaxy S8+. The result of Huawei P10 Plus also looks good, but the white balance is incorrect. Things are much worse for HTC U11 and LG G6. The latter excessively increases the contrast during software processing of the image after shooting. Probably, the company believes that the end user likes contrasting pictures more, but the technique itself is rather stupid. Let's change the shooting point and look at the result in more “correct” lighting.

There is plenty of light, there is a shadow in the frame, by which you can evaluate the breadth of the dynamic range. The only difficulty is the presence of tinted glass, which often confuses the algorithm automatic detection color temperature.

The Samsung Galaxy S8+ produces an excellent picture with no gaps in the shadows and highlights on the aircraft fuselage and in the sky, but the white balance is far from correct. The HTC U11 performed best here, and if we talk about the overall sharpness and detail of the picture, then there will be two leaders - these are Samsung and HTC devices. The higher camera resolution in the Sony Xperia XZ Premium doesn't add any sharpness or detail, and the LG G6 again overdoes it with contrast.

• Apple iPhone 7 Plus - 1 point,
• HTC U11 - 1 point,
• Samsung Galaxy S8+ - 2 points,
• LG G6 - 0 points,
• Huawei P10 Plus - 1 point,

⇡ Macro photography

Smartphone manufacturers rarely specify a minimum focusing distance in the specifications of built-in cameras, so here I had to start close to the subject and then gradually move the smartphone back to the point where it could focus. The end result was about the same, but to be on the safe side I shot two scenes: flowers in a well-lit room and coffee beans in a home environment with daylight from a window in cloudy weather.

This seemingly simple scene caused difficulties for several smartphones at once. It seemed that there was enough light in the room, but when the “look” of the lens was directed at one small point, it turned out that the lighting for macro photography was insufficient.

Some photos (HTC U11 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium) show slight noise. Color reproduction is good for all, but the G6 again increases the contrast. In terms of sharpness, the Galaxy S8+ is again in the lead, LG has the second result, pictures from the iPhone 7 Plus and HTC U11 look a little worse, the outsiders are Huawei P10 Plus and Sony Xperia XZ Premium.

Huawei P10 Plus - 1 point,

Sony Xperia XZ Premium - 1 point.