I don't really care a whole lot about the announcement, but I love tech, so I keep tabs on it. It's hilarious, to me, that the tech news/blog "sphere" is up-in-arms over Apple pre-empting and then live Tweeting their own event.
My favorite is the refrain that Apple should focus less on making things thinner but with more battery life, but now that they've removed the headphone jack, kept the iPhone the same size, and increased the battery life by an hour, it's all but forgotten in favor of just rage that they removed the headphone jack.
Mr_Rose83 Blue Ridge Protects the HolyRegistered Userregular
I really like the idea of wireless headphones that connect very nearly as easily as plugging in a wired set.
If they're b/c with the 6 series on iOS 10 I may just get a pair.
I like the 7 but I'm not going to order it this year as I want the 12.9 iPad Pro which I'm more upset they didn't update it to the 9.7 inch standard. Oh well screen real estate is more important right now.
I like the dual camera setup and I am looking forward to seeing what apps can be created for it.
Also the removal of the headphone jack means we will finally get more DAC devices for the audiophile so it's not that bad at all.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
I don't really care a whole lot about the announcement, but I love tech, so I keep tabs on it. It's hilarious, to me, that the tech news/blog "sphere" is up-in-arms over Apple pre-empting and then live Tweeting their own event.
It was hilarious. I was reading the Gizmodo livestream of the event and they were pretty much like "Oh you kids and your twitter!".
Mr_Rose83 Blue Ridge Protects the HolyRegistered Userregular
That's actually a good point; remember when Apple dropped the floppy diskette and everyone said it was a bad idea, then the thumbdrive became a thing?
Yeah.
webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
edited September 2016
I remember I stopped using floppy disks in high school because I lost a 15 page report to corruption. I just started emailing stuff to myself. Also yea, as soon as the 32mb thumb drives became cheap I picked one up and have never looked back.
Hell even burning a CD with a book report worked pretty well if I had to go that route.
I remember when I got the original iPod shuffle and realized it would double as a memory stick. It was great. 1GB of storage!
That's actually a good point; remember when Apple dropped the floppy diskette and everyone said it was a bad idea, then the thumbdrive became a thing?
Yeah.
Eh, this is more like when they dropped the CD drives a few years too early.
That's actually a good point; remember when Apple dropped the floppy diskette and everyone said it was a bad idea, then the thumbdrive became a thing?
Yeah.
Eh, this is more like when they dropped the CD drives a few years too early.
Then people should get over it and realize phones have reached the point PC's did ten years ago. The days of a new phone release having gobs of whiz bang gee whiz features is basically over.
Why do they have to get over it? Because it bugs you? And you'll be condescending and shitty to them? I don't think so.
This phone provides zero upgrade of anything that matters and takes away something important. It's the first time in the iPhone's history that a real case can be made that they're releasing a phone that's worse than the one that preceded it. That's worth discussing, and people should be able to do that in the damn Apple thread without you being a dick about it.
Every MM in a phone matters. Getting rid of the port and its connections is a tiny bit more space created for something else
I have the feeling, that Apple uses every feature reduction to shave another 0,1 mm from the thickness of the device - and that's something I really don't care about.
Not sure what there is to discuss since you seem to have your mind made up that the iPhone 7 "provides zero upgrade of anything that matters".
You could, for instance, tell me why you disagree and believe that this is a worthwhile, indeed, laudable product. I would be fascinated to read such a post and expand my worldview. Or I guess we can all just put our dicks on the table and gesticulate at them wildly.
Not sure what there is to discuss since you seem to have your mind made up that the iPhone 7 "provides zero upgrade of anything that matters".
You could, for instance, tell me why you disagree and believe that this is a worthwhile, indeed, laudable product. I would be fascinated to read such a post and expand my worldview. Or I guess we can all just put our dicks on the table and gesticulate at them wildly.
Hard to say if my reasoning wouldn't be hand waved away by saying it's not of consequence, but sure, I'll try.
Without the headphone jack Apple has packed in at least an additional camera in the Plus model and extra battery. It can arguably contribute to the water-resistance of the unit, as well as making room for a faster CPU and GPU, better screen, upgraded front-facing camera, and an earpiece speaker that doubles as a stereo speaker. It all fits in an enclosure that's the same size as last year's model, plus with double the hard drive storage and possibly more RAM.
Every MM in a phone matters. Getting rid of the port and its connections is a tiny bit more space created for something else
I have the feeling, that Apple uses every feature reduction to shave another 0,1 mm from the thickness of the device - and that's something I really don't care about.
Sure, you don't, but for a company that is trying to skate to where the puck is: a future of wearable computers; every which way they can push miniaturization forward is a positive step.
This phone provides zero upgrade of anything that matters and takes away something important. It's the first time in the iPhone's history that a real case can be made that they're releasing a phone that's worse than the one that preceded it. That's worth discussing, and people should be able to do that in the damn Apple thread without you being a dick about it.
I would say like most apple products these days that the real benefit of it's features won't be fully realised on the product for about 6 months after release. That is if they get realised at all.
I personally thought when I first got my 6S Plus after using the 6 Plus that the 6S Plus was the first line that was worse that its previous model. Live photos, 3D touch, and a 4K video camera felt like cheap gimmicks all for the cost of battery life compared to the older model.
I think now the majority of apps are starting to use the 3D touch feature and some in more than just quick menu shortcuts I can see why it's a benefit of having it on the 6S over the slight loss of battery life compared to the 6 as an example.
For the 7 the biggest features will be that:
The camera combined with the software coming soon should be quite a step up in photography.
We will finally be able to fully use DAC for improved audio through the port and even have ones that can be built into headphones.
Water resistant body while a bit late to the party compared to its rivals its still a significant step for Apple to take.
The real test of this is though how third party software developers and accessory makers can make use of these features and if they can make a significant profit.
I haven't upgraded my phone in quite a while (still rocking an iPhone 5, not even 5S), but I'm interested in the iPhone 7 Plus. I wanted to ask what you believe the best deal is for the 7. I know Apple has some upgrade plan, but am I better off just selling my current phone on eBay?
My carrier is also AT&T. If I recall, I have to sign up for an additional 2 years in order to get the phone at the actual price. What about the monthly install plan? Is there a particular store where I would be better off signing up for that (Best Buy, Apple, AT&T)?
Lastly, I'm a state employee, and I was wondering which store would give me a government discount?
Or, you can get some white heatshrink and some string (or similar string-like material) and connect the buds together. It still leaves -- what I assume is -- the charging connector at the bottom of each bud open for charging. The question is whether the buds would fit back in the container to charge.
Also I still find it hard to believe that a jack takes up *that much* room inside the phone. We're talking the housing, plus the wires connected to each conductor. What am I missing? Is the jack really that much of a roadblock to hardware advancement.
Also (a paraphrased comment from Reddit, but it could be from here; I can't remember) the adapter keeps the user from listening to something and charging at the same time. That is actually a big deal, because in those cases, there is a choice where there didn't used to be (yay for horrible grammar!). Yes, it's true, you can connect a BT headset while you're charging. How many iUsers do you know who use BT headsets over the wired buds?
My biggest problem with the lack of a 3.5mm jack is that it will prevent me from using my phone while driving more than short distances. I almost never use headphones with my 5c, but I very often use both GPS and Pandora while driving via my car's auxiliary input. This really drains my battery, but I can mitigate that by keeping it plugged into a charger. The lightning 3.5mm adapter will only mean that I'll have to choose between charging my phone for when I get to my destination or having music or GPS on the way there. My car doesn't have Bluetooth, and I'd go back to android before I'd buy and install a new stereo just for an iPhone while my current one is more than adequate otherwise.
The worst thing is that I'd planned on replacing my aging 5c with a 7, but now it seems I'm left with some hard choices. The best outcome for me is someone develops an adapter that will let me charge my phone and use the headphone adapter at the same time. Though I don't even know if that's possible.
My biggest problem with the lack of a 3.5mm jack is that it will prevent me from using my phone while driving more than short distances. I almost never use headphones with my 5c, but I very often use both GPS and Pandora while driving via my car's auxiliary input. This really drains my battery, but I can mitigate that by keeping it plugged into a charger. The lightning 3.5mm adapter will only mean that I'll have to choose between charging my phone for when I get to my destination or having music or GPS on the way there. My car doesn't have Bluetooth, and I'd go back to android before I'd buy and install a new stereo just for an iPhone while my current one is more than adequate otherwise.
The worst thing is that I'd planned on replacing my aging 5c with a 7, but now it seems I'm left with some hard choices. The best outcome for me is someone develops an adapter that will let me charge my phone and use the headphone adapter at the same time. Though I don't even know if that's possible.
You may find something like THIS useful. There are multiple versions; some of which seem to go on sale practically weekly. You can check sites like Slickdeals.net or deals.kinja.com for when they go on sale.
My biggest problem with the lack of a 3.5mm jack is that it will prevent me from using my phone while driving more than short distances. I almost never use headphones with my 5c, but I very often use both GPS and Pandora while driving via my car's auxiliary input. This really drains my battery, but I can mitigate that by keeping it plugged into a charger. The lightning 3.5mm adapter will only mean that I'll have to choose between charging my phone for when I get to my destination or having music or GPS on the way there. My car doesn't have Bluetooth, and I'd go back to android before I'd buy and install a new stereo just for an iPhone while my current one is more than adequate otherwise.
The worst thing is that I'd planned on replacing my aging 5c with a 7, but now it seems I'm left with some hard choices. The best outcome for me is someone develops an adapter that will let me charge my phone and use the headphone adapter at the same time. Though I don't even know if that's possible.
You may find something like THIS useful. There are multiple versions; some of which seem to go on sale practically weekly. You can check sites like Slickdeals.net or deals.kinja.com for when they go on sale.
Wow that's perfect. Thanks! I didn't even think to wonder if something like that existed.
I haven't upgraded my phone in quite a while (still rocking an iPhone 5, not even 5S), but I'm interested in the iPhone 7 Plus. I wanted to ask what you believe the best deal is for the 7. I know Apple has some upgrade plan, but am I better off just selling my current phone on eBay?
My carrier is also AT&T. If I recall, I have to sign up for an additional 2 years in order to get the phone at the actual price. What about the monthly install plan? Is there a particular store where I would be better off signing up for that (Best Buy, Apple, AT&T)?
Lastly, I'm a state employee, and I was wondering which store would give me a government discount?
The Apple upgrade plan is a reasonable deal if you can make an unlocked phone work with your carrier plan (and these days, most carriers are moving away from contract plans that subsidize the price of the phone). You pay monthly for 24 months, but the price is the same as if you bought the phone (with the AppleCare+ extended warranty) up front. It's called an "upgrade" plan because they want you to trade your phone in for next year's model after a year, but... you don't have to. After two years, you'll own the phone.
So if you can get on an AT&T plan that works with an unlocked phone, the Apple plan might be a good deal for you. AT&T and the other carriers probably have similar plans, too. Last time I checked, they were priced roughly the same as Apple's plan +/- a few dollars a month, But.. they lock you into that carrier, and instead of a warranty, they come with insurance. The insurance covers loss and theft in addition to damage, but had high-ish ($200+) deductibles. With AppleCare+, you show up at the Genius Bar with a broken iPhone and $99 and it's "Thank you, sir! Please have another".
Couple of people are telling me my best option is to order the iPhone 7 through my phone provider (ATT&T). Any opinions on that?
If you want to pre-order at midnight so you get your new phone before they sell out, then the Apple Store app on the phone is usually the best way to do it. The carriers are usually next best, and the Apple web page is the worst (by a long shot).
The Apple Store app will, I think, even let you pay with Apple Pay, so you don't have to screw around with entering payment info if you're on Apple Pay already.
So I have to buy Apple's warranty and AppleCare plan? How much and for how long?
Never bothered with extended warranty on my phone, and I don't have much desire to do it now unless I'm somehow saving more in the end.
The AppleCare+ warranty costs $129 on its own. It's for two years. On the upgrade plan, it's rolled into the price. You can't buy a phone on the upgrade plan without getting AppleCare+. The monthly payments Apple lists include it already.
It's a good deal if you're prone to accidentally damaging your phone: "AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax."
So I have to buy Apple's warranty and AppleCare plan? How much and for how long?
Never bothered with extended warranty on my phone, and I don't have much desire to do it now unless I'm somehow saving more in the end.
The AppleCare+ warranty costs $129 on its own. It's for two years. On the upgrade plan, it's rolled into the price. You can't buy a phone on the upgrade plan without getting AppleCare+. The monthly payments Apple lists include it already.
It's a good deal if you're prone to accidentally damaging your phone: "AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax."
Not to brag, but I've always kept my phones in pristine condition; I'm not the type to get a cracked screen or even a dented outer shell.
I guess I'll just call around and see who's offering what, then determine the best option.
So I have to buy Apple's warranty and AppleCare plan? How much and for how long?
Never bothered with extended warranty on my phone, and I don't have much desire to do it now unless I'm somehow saving more in the end.
The AppleCare+ warranty costs $129 on its own. It's for two years. On the upgrade plan, it's rolled into the price. You can't buy a phone on the upgrade plan without getting AppleCare+. The monthly payments Apple lists include it already.
It's a good deal if you're prone to accidentally damaging your phone: "AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax."
Not to brag, but I've always kept my phones in pristine condition; I'm not the type to get a cracked screen or even a dented outer shell.
I guess I'll just call around and see who's offering what, then determine the best option.
Yeah, if you don't need a warranty/insurance, then none of the upgrade plans make any sense. Assuming AT&T has a plan for unlocked phones, your best deal will probably be to just buy a new one outright.
So I have to buy Apple's warranty and AppleCare plan? How much and for how long?
Never bothered with extended warranty on my phone, and I don't have much desire to do it now unless I'm somehow saving more in the end.
The AppleCare+ warranty costs $129 on its own. It's for two years. On the upgrade plan, it's rolled into the price. You can't buy a phone on the upgrade plan without getting AppleCare+. The monthly payments Apple lists include it already.
It's a good deal if you're prone to accidentally damaging your phone: "AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax."
Not to brag, but I've always kept my phones in pristine condition; I'm not the type to get a cracked screen or even a dented outer shell.
I guess I'll just call around and see who's offering what, then determine the best option.
I actually wound up saving a few bucks switching over to AT&T's new upgrade plan a while back. Might be called Next? Any case, I expected it to be a horrible deal somehow, but it works out to be the price of the phone over whatever period you sign up for. Similar to the Apple plan without the AppleCare, but locked into AT&T.
Since I'm on the upgrade plan I gotta get one at a retail location and mine was out of the color I wanted in 10 minutes - now shows out of stock... is there a way that I can claim a place in line for when they become available again, or just have to wait for them to arrive and first come first served...?
Since I'm on the upgrade plan I gotta get one at a retail location and mine was out of the color I wanted in 10 minutes - now shows out of stock... is there a way that I can claim a place in line for when they become available again, or just have to wait for them to arrive and first come first served...?
I did my order with the Apple Store app on my phone and although I did a different method for mine, I saw options for your situation. So perhaps you can try ordering directly from Apple?
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PSN: Robo_Wizard1
If they're b/c with the 6 series on iOS 10 I may just get a pair.
Nintendo Network ID: AzraelRose
DropBox invite link - get 500MB extra free.
I like the dual camera setup and I am looking forward to seeing what apps can be created for it.
Also the removal of the headphone jack means we will finally get more DAC devices for the audiophile so it's not that bad at all.
It was hilarious. I was reading the Gizmodo livestream of the event and they were pretty much like "Oh you kids and your twitter!".
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Yeah.
Nintendo Network ID: AzraelRose
DropBox invite link - get 500MB extra free.
Hell even burning a CD with a book report worked pretty well if I had to go that route.
I remember when I got the original iPod shuffle and realized it would double as a memory stick. It was great. 1GB of storage!
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
I love my bluetooth headsets, but when I sit on the bus for (an) hour(s), the last thing I want from my phone is being unable to use my headphones.
Eh, this is more like when they dropped the CD drives a few years too early.
It's worse: like 9/11 times 100.
Why do they have to get over it? Because it bugs you? And you'll be condescending and shitty to them? I don't think so.
This phone provides zero upgrade of anything that matters and takes away something important. It's the first time in the iPhone's history that a real case can be made that they're releasing a phone that's worse than the one that preceded it. That's worth discussing, and people should be able to do that in the damn Apple thread without you being a dick about it.
I have the feeling, that Apple uses every feature reduction to shave another 0,1 mm from the thickness of the device - and that's something I really don't care about.
You could, for instance, tell me why you disagree and believe that this is a worthwhile, indeed, laudable product. I would be fascinated to read such a post and expand my worldview. Or I guess we can all just put our dicks on the table and gesticulate at them wildly.
Hard to say if my reasoning wouldn't be hand waved away by saying it's not of consequence, but sure, I'll try.
Without the headphone jack Apple has packed in at least an additional camera in the Plus model and extra battery. It can arguably contribute to the water-resistance of the unit, as well as making room for a faster CPU and GPU, better screen, upgraded front-facing camera, and an earpiece speaker that doubles as a stereo speaker. It all fits in an enclosure that's the same size as last year's model, plus with double the hard drive storage and possibly more RAM.
Those are pretty sizeable upgrades.
Sure, you don't, but for a company that is trying to skate to where the puck is: a future of wearable computers; every which way they can push miniaturization forward is a positive step.
I would say like most apple products these days that the real benefit of it's features won't be fully realised on the product for about 6 months after release. That is if they get realised at all.
I personally thought when I first got my 6S Plus after using the 6 Plus that the 6S Plus was the first line that was worse that its previous model. Live photos, 3D touch, and a 4K video camera felt like cheap gimmicks all for the cost of battery life compared to the older model.
I think now the majority of apps are starting to use the 3D touch feature and some in more than just quick menu shortcuts I can see why it's a benefit of having it on the 6S over the slight loss of battery life compared to the 6 as an example.
For the 7 the biggest features will be that:
The camera combined with the software coming soon should be quite a step up in photography.
We will finally be able to fully use DAC for improved audio through the port and even have ones that can be built into headphones.
Water resistant body while a bit late to the party compared to its rivals its still a significant step for Apple to take.
The real test of this is though how third party software developers and accessory makers can make use of these features and if they can make a significant profit.
My carrier is also AT&T. If I recall, I have to sign up for an additional 2 years in order to get the phone at the actual price. What about the monthly install plan? Is there a particular store where I would be better off signing up for that (Best Buy, Apple, AT&T)?
Lastly, I'm a state employee, and I was wondering which store would give me a government discount?
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I used my bluetooth JayBirds all the time and if they weren't connected by a cord I'd have lots at least one of them in like 2 days.
Luckily a third-party will likely sell wireless earbuds that do connect with a wire.
Also I still find it hard to believe that a jack takes up *that much* room inside the phone. We're talking the housing, plus the wires connected to each conductor. What am I missing? Is the jack really that much of a roadblock to hardware advancement.
Also (a paraphrased comment from Reddit, but it could be from here; I can't remember) the adapter keeps the user from listening to something and charging at the same time. That is actually a big deal, because in those cases, there is a choice where there didn't used to be (yay for horrible grammar!). Yes, it's true, you can connect a BT headset while you're charging. How many iUsers do you know who use BT headsets over the wired buds?
That's kind of like saying how many people used CDs over floppies when the iMac came out.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
The worst thing is that I'd planned on replacing my aging 5c with a 7, but now it seems I'm left with some hard choices. The best outcome for me is someone develops an adapter that will let me charge my phone and use the headphone adapter at the same time. Though I don't even know if that's possible.
You may find something like THIS useful. There are multiple versions; some of which seem to go on sale practically weekly. You can check sites like Slickdeals.net or deals.kinja.com for when they go on sale.
Wow that's perfect. Thanks! I didn't even think to wonder if something like that existed.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
The Apple upgrade plan is a reasonable deal if you can make an unlocked phone work with your carrier plan (and these days, most carriers are moving away from contract plans that subsidize the price of the phone). You pay monthly for 24 months, but the price is the same as if you bought the phone (with the AppleCare+ extended warranty) up front. It's called an "upgrade" plan because they want you to trade your phone in for next year's model after a year, but... you don't have to. After two years, you'll own the phone.
So if you can get on an AT&T plan that works with an unlocked phone, the Apple plan might be a good deal for you. AT&T and the other carriers probably have similar plans, too. Last time I checked, they were priced roughly the same as Apple's plan +/- a few dollars a month, But.. they lock you into that carrier, and instead of a warranty, they come with insurance. The insurance covers loss and theft in addition to damage, but had high-ish ($200+) deductibles. With AppleCare+, you show up at the Genius Bar with a broken iPhone and $99 and it's "Thank you, sir! Please have another".
If you want to pre-order at midnight so you get your new phone before they sell out, then the Apple Store app on the phone is usually the best way to do it. The carriers are usually next best, and the Apple web page is the worst (by a long shot).
The Apple Store app will, I think, even let you pay with Apple Pay, so you don't have to screw around with entering payment info if you're on Apple Pay already.
Never bothered with extended warranty on my phone, and I don't have much desire to do it now unless I'm somehow saving more in the end.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
The AppleCare+ warranty costs $129 on its own. It's for two years. On the upgrade plan, it's rolled into the price. You can't buy a phone on the upgrade plan without getting AppleCare+. The monthly payments Apple lists include it already.
It's a good deal if you're prone to accidentally damaging your phone: "AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax."
I think you save on sales tax.
Not to brag, but I've always kept my phones in pristine condition; I'm not the type to get a cracked screen or even a dented outer shell.
I guess I'll just call around and see who's offering what, then determine the best option.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
Yeah, if you don't need a warranty/insurance, then none of the upgrade plans make any sense. Assuming AT&T has a plan for unlocked phones, your best deal will probably be to just buy a new one outright.
I actually wound up saving a few bucks switching over to AT&T's new upgrade plan a while back. Might be called Next? Any case, I expected it to be a horrible deal somehow, but it works out to be the price of the phone over whatever period you sign up for. Similar to the Apple plan without the AppleCare, but locked into AT&T.
I did my order with the Apple Store app on my phone and although I did a different method for mine, I saw options for your situation. So perhaps you can try ordering directly from Apple?