‘Great Features’ and ‘Nasty Surprises’ are my regular columns investigating the latest software and hardware for the best features / biggest problems hidden behind the headlines.
Nasty Surprise #1: Goodbye Sapphire?
The first concern comes courtesy of popular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. The famously diligent test site ran the iPhone 7 through the durability tests and claims Apple has ditched its premium sapphire glass from both the new home button and the camera lens:
He concludes: “we know for sure that it is regular glass and not sapphire.”
And here’s where it gets interesting, because Apple still advertises that both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus as using sapphire (which is considerably more expensive than toughened glass) on the home button and camera lens. Given the new iPhones are marketed as more durable than ever this would be a major let down. I have put these claims to Apple and will update when/if the company responds.
Nasty Surprise #2: New Home Button, New Limitations
The controversies around the new home button continue as well following a discovery by Myke Hurley, eagle eyed founder of RelayFM, who spotted the button only responds to capacitive touch not pressure. This means the button will not react should you be wearing standard gloves since there is no response anymore to physical movement. As he points out, if you want to test this for yourself then put some material (such as your shirt/t-shirt) over the button and try pressing.
That’s right, you get nothing. Hardly ideal when winter and you need to wear gloves.
Designed By Apple – For Apple?
All of which leaves me in two minds about the iPhone 7’s biggest external changes and who they really help the most. For example, the new home button kills a weak spot in iPhone design for Apple as the old physical button was notorious for going wrong – it saves on warranty claims. But the taptic engine required to simulate physical movement uses all the space vacated by the headphone jack (as the photo from iFixit illustrates below).
This despite the fact iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus prices were increased compared to the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus in every country. Yes there are good surprises in the new iPhones as well (most notably in the iPhone 7 Plus) but if you didn’t buy an iPhone 7 just yet, waiting a little longer for some answers is probably a good idea…
Writer - Liam McClelland | @Liamicy