My Impression of the New iPhone 7 Plus
When the iPhone 7 was released, I took advantage of a generous trade-in promotion from Verizon to pick up the brand new iPhone 7 Plus. Now that I’ve had it for a few months, I wanted to share my thoughts about it.
Size
I was really worried about going to the larger plus-sized phone from my iPhone 6. I’ve never had a big phone before, and I was skeptical about the larger size. But the camera on the new Phone really swayed me to the 7 Plus. After a few months, I’m glad I went with the larger phone. It still fits in my pocket, and I’ve adjusted great to the screen. I do a lot of reading on my iPhone using the Kindle app and the Bible app, and the new phone size really works well. In some ways, my iPhone has replaced my iPad and Kindle for most of my reading. I always have it with me and it’s convenient to just use it. Typing is also easier on the big screen, but it is a little tougher to hold it with one hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6dsRpVyyWs
Battery Life
One of the advantages of the larger phone is the longer battery life. It’s been nice making through the entire day without having to recharge. Although I’m sure that in two years the battery will lose a lot of its capacity. It seems that I always feel forced to upgrade at 2 years since my battery is almost shot.
Pictures
The biggest reason that I bought the iPhone 7 Plus was the new camera. I was very interested in having the dual camera system. The new bokeh/depth effect was a huge selling point for me. It uses the dual lens system to recreate the bokeh effect that you can get from using a DSLR with a shallow Depth of Field. I really don’t want to carry around another camera with me, so I was hoping this would work great for me and I have not been disappointed. Check out just a few of the pictures I have taken with it. I’m amazed by the quality of the camera, and I use the extra zoom length all the time.
Videos
I also want a phone that does a great job with video. We record a lot of our kid’s activities, so I want something that gives quality results. Again, the iPhone 7 Plus has really impressed me. It can record in 4k, but I typically just record in 1080p. Having the extra lens gives you the ability to zoom in without losing quality. Here’s a short recording of the band that my son plays in. I recorded this on a cheap monopod. The floor was shaking so you see a little vibration, but the lens stabilization really helps.
Other Features (or lack of)
It’s waterproof, so I don’t have to worry about getting it wet or keeping it out of the rain. The speakers are also louder than my old phone. One of the biggest complaints the phone has received is the lack of the headphone jack. It’s a little annoying, but it’s not a deal breaker for me since I have bluetooth earbuds. I’ve also put a good Spigen Hybrid Armor Case on the phone with a Spigen Glass Screen Protector. I also went with the 128 Gig model so I can take plenty of photos and videos. However, with Google Photos backing everything up, I really don’t need all the extra space.
Overall
It’s debatable if we have become too dependent upon our phones, but they have become a huge part of our daily lives. For me, having constant access to YouVersion and the Logos Bible app is a huge time saver. I also can respond to emails without pulling out my laptop. I also use todoist and Google Calendar to keep track of my busy schedule. I’m definitely wrapped up in the Apple ecosystem with my iPad, Macbook Air, Apple Watch, and now my iPhone 7 Plus, but I love how everything connects together.
