The iPhone 7 is the biggest thing in tech happening this month. Of the two new iPhones, the iPhone 7 Plus is the one that stands out thanks to its dual-lens iSight Duo camera system that packs both a wide-angle and a telephoto lens. Extra RAM, and Apple’s custom image signal processor complete the camera package of the phablet, which might be the first iPhone to offer DSLR-like effects.
Samsung confirmed it has already replaced around half a million Galaxy Note 7 units in the US, but it’s still only halfway there. The company is also taking additional steps to ensure the safety of its customers, including a software update that helps them identify safe batteries, and lowers the maximum charge of bad batteries. But that’s not the only thing Samsung is doing to make sure its unprecedented battery problem is fixed for good.
Regulators ordered Samsung that Galaxy Note 7 replacement batteries go through x-ray testing before shipping, and that Samsung conducts additional quality testing going forward.
Though Apple improving upon its camera technology with each successive iPhone model is nothing new, what Apple achieved with the iPhone 7 Plus represents the company’s biggest leap forward yet. Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus is particularly impressive and capable because it comes equipped with an advanced dual camera system, with one sensor a wide-angle lens and the other a telephoto lens.
Admittedly, dual camera systems aren’t entirely new, but Apple’s implementation is nonetheless impressive. Aside from being able to take incredible portrait photographs utilizing the bokeh effect, but even regular photos are designed to take advantage of the device’s dual-camera setup. As referenced in our iPhone 7 review earlier today, the iPhone 7 Plus camera “actually captures two images, one with the 28mm lens and one with the 56mm lens.” Following that, Apple’s software takes data from both images and then fuses them together to create one unified photograph.
We’re coming up on 10 years of iPhones now, which means there’s a lot of old models out there to play with. Sure, we’ve seen how the iPhone 7 measures up against the Galaxy S7 and LG G5, but how does it compare to the older generations?
YouTube channel EverythingApplePro put every model of iPhone from history up against the other in a series of tests, mostly to showcase the differences in hardware from year to year. It also serves as an excellent reminder that sometimes, upgrading to the latest version of iOS on an older phone is not a great idea.
Samsung’s phones aren’t normally short on power, but a new rumor is suggesting something quite special is going to be under the hood of the Galaxy S8.
According to a report from SamMobile, the Galaxy S8 may be packing a Samsung Exynos 8895 processor, with an ARM Mali-G71 GPU coming along for the ride. Samsung has traditionally used Exynos processors where possible, so the notable detail here is that GPU. Simply put, it’s a monster.
The iPhone 7 is mostly sold out, and it might be tough to find the model you want in an Apple store or anywhere else right now. But things are improving, and you should be able to play with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in all color and storage options in the coming weeks.
October 8th is the date you should circle in your virtual calendar, as it appears that an international logjam is partly to blame for Apple’s current iPhone supply problems. But by October, it should be plain sailing for Apple’s iPhones.
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They might not be exploding, at least not outside of China, but safe Galaxy Note 7 units might be turning into a new nightmare for Samsung. It appears that South Korean buyers who have already received their replacements complain about various issues with the phones, including overheating and battery problems. More →
The Galaxy Note 7 exchange program is apparently going at full steam ahead, as more conscientious buyers turn in their devices. Samsung said in a statement released to the press that it exchanged “about half of all recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones” sold in the US. That’s “about” 500,000 units. However, that still leaves at least as many phones in the wild, and they’re all potential fire hazards. More →
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 recall is going as planned — if you can really ever plan for such a mess. The company has brought in half a million replacement units to the US, and other markets are also receiving the safe Galaxy Note 7 versions as we speak. But Samsung won’t stop until all the damaged devices are replaced. If you’re still oblivious to the problem, Samsung won’t let you sit idly by with a fire hazard in your pocket.
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Wait a second, iPhone 7 prices start at $649 for the 32GB iPhone 7 version and go all the way up to $969 for the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus. So how can you save $1,700 on an iPhone 7 purchase? That’s simple, this iPhone 7 price calculator actually factors in the cash you pay to your carrier for a period of two years, and can save you plenty of money. More →
They say that all press is good press, but I’m willing to bet that Samsung would beg to differ. The whole exploding Galaxy Note 7 scandal has been nothing short of a catastrophe for the South Korean company, but there is a silver lining.
An extremely thin, almost invisible silver lining, but a silver lining nonetheless: Not all of the reports of exploding phablets has turned out to be real.
Come early October, Google will launch its 2016 flagship phones: these are HTC-made, Pixel-branded premium smartphones that will run a customized version of Android and cost you quite a bit more than you’re used to spending for a Google phone. They’ll also look very much like an iPhone 7, at least the front side — not that it’s a bad thing at this point. While many of the specs and features of the Pixel and Pixel XL are already known, a new report says the phones won’t be able to handle water spills very well at all.
If only Google had followed Apple’s lead here and made the phones water-resistant, instead of following Apple’s lead elsewhere. More →
