Got a new iPhone 7 or 7 Plus? Thinking about getting one? Here are ten tips and tricks, that’ll help you get the most out of your shiny new phone.
1. Charge and use headphones at the same time
The missing 3.5mm headphone jack on the new iPhones means that you’ll be using Lightning headphones instead… and if you want to charge your phone and listen to music at the same time, you’re out of luck. To solve this problem, you’ll need to switch to Bluetooth headphones or pick up an accessory that adds an additional Lightning port or 3.5mm headphone jack. This one from Belkin is a good shout, and I’m sure we’ll see more later on.
2. Protect the Jet Black model with a clear case
Are you one of the lucky few with a Jet Black iPhone? The new colour looks great, but it gets scratched more quickly than the other colour options — Apple even warn about this on their iPhone information page. To keep it safe, pick up a clear case — we’ve already got quite a few in stock.
Clear cases for iPhone 7 > Clear cases for iPhone 7 Plus >
3. Use the second lens on the iPhone 7 Plus
That second lens on the back of the iPhone 7 Plus isn’t just for show. It also provides a 2x optical zoom, which is ideal for taking shots of distant targets without the pixellation that comes with digital zoom on most smartphones. Just tap the ‘2x’ button above the shutter button in the Camera app.
Apple are also adding a new camera mode, portrait, which provides a shallow depth-of-field effect — the background gets artfully blurred, while your subject stays in clear and in focus. However, don’t be surprised if you can’t find this mode yet — it isn’t shipping on the iPhone, and instead will be added in a software update later this year.
4. Your new iPhone is water resistant, not waterproof
The iPhone 7 has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. That’s awesome, but it doesn’t mean you should immediately put your shiny new iPhone in the bath. Apple are careful to note that water ingress protection can lapse over time, and that water damage won’t be covered under warranty. If you want to add more protection against water damage, you might consider a case like the LifeProof Fre for the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus.
5. Make full use of the redesigned lock screen
The new iPhones launch with iOS 10. One of the nicest new features is the redesigned lock screen, which includes bigger notifications and access to widgets like forecasts, favourite contacts and calendar appointments by swiping right. Another useful addition is the new camera shortcut; just swipe left and you’ll get there. It’s way less fiddly than the previous camera shortcut, which had you swipe up from the bottom of the screen. That now brings up the control centre, allowing you to turn on the flashlight, control your music, adjust brightness and many more useful things. Have a poke around and see what you can do here for yourself!
6. Like multi-tasking? Choose the 7 Plus
The iPhone 7 Plus has a bigger screen and a second rear camera, but that’s not the only difference between it and the iPhone 7. It also has 3GB of RAM, in comparison to the iPhone 7’s 2GB, according to benchmarks leaked after the iPhone announcement. If you like to swap between multiple apps, the 7 Plus might be a better fit.
7. Need to reboot your phone? Use this new command
The mechanical home button is no more. Apple have replaced it with a touch-sensitive area, with tactile feedback provided by a small vibration motor underneath. That means one less thing to go wrong, but it also means that the home button doesn’t work when the phone is off or unresponsive. That’s meant that the key command for rebooting the iPhone 7 has changed; instead of holding Home + Lock, it’s now holding Volume Down + Lock.
8. Shoot in RAW like a pro
Want to post-process your photos? The iPhone 7 introduces the ability to shoot in RAW in the default camera app for the first time. If the camera is as good as Apple are promising, that could be a really nice addition. To enable RAW file recording, check out Settings > Photos & Camera.
9. Look out for Super Mario Run later this year
One of the biggest surprises of Apple’s event was the sudden appearance of Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of the Mario franchise. He introduced the first official Mario game for smartphones, called Super Mario Run. This endless runner will appear first on the iPhone 7, and looked quite fun. Look out for it to appear later this year, before Christmas.
10. Don’t expect AirPods in the box
Apple introduced a wireless version of its famous EarPods for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, called AirPods (natch). They come with a svelte box that gives them 25 hours of battery life (apart from it, they’ll manage just five hours). They are intelligent enough to turn off and pause your music when they’re removed from your ears, and can be tapped to trigger Siri.
The only issue? They don’t come in the box; you’ll have to shell out £159 for them. That’s a similar price to other wireless in-ear headphones, but it’s still a fair amount of money. However, if you do pick them up, they’ll work with a wide range of devices, and will automatically switch between them: iPhone, Watch and even MacBook. Not bad, Apple.
Wrapping up
So there we have it — ten tips for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Let us know what you think in the comments below, and feel free to share tips of your own!