Apple’s annual September product launch was less about big reveals and more about small adjustments in San Francisco yesterday, as Tim Cook and co unveiled the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, as well as a second iteration of the Apple Watch.

The new iPhones preserve much of the overall design and functionality of the iPhone 6 series, albeit with a variety of specific improvements. The most obvious change is the lack of a headphone jack in the iPhone 7s – users will instead tune in with ‘AirPods’, wireless headphones using Bluetooth that had been flagged for weeks prior to the official announcement.

As for the Apple Watch, Series 2 now boasts GPS and more robust fitness-tracking capabilities, as it tries to assert its identity as a more sophisticated alternative to the likes of Fitbit.

iPhone 7/7 Plus

There’s no difference in overall physical dimensions between the iPhone 7 series and the iPhone 6S, although the new iPhones are slightly lighter. Apple’s usually excellent iPhone cameras have been improved for the new model, with the 12-megapixel lens coming with image stabilisation on both iPhone 7 models.

The iPhone 7 Plus packs two rear-facing cameras that provide better zoom and focus, while both iPhone 7s also have a seven-megapixel front-facing camera.

In Association with

Apple’s new iPhones are also dust and water resistant, while the traditional home button on the iPhone series has been replaced with a touch-sensitive input that provides haptic feedback – i.e. it can vibrate in various ways. The lack of a headphone jack also allows Apple to put dual speakers into its new iPhones.

The screen sizes and resolution have not changed in the new iPhones when compared with the iPhone 6S series, although Apple claims that the iPhone 7/7 Plus screens are 25% brighter and can display a wider colour range.

Other changes in the iPhone 7 series include entry-level storage of 32Gb, which is twice what you got on previous iPhones. There is no ability to expand storage with microSD cards but users can opt to buy 128Gb or 256Gb models.

Inside, the iPhone 7 series uses quad-core processors that Apple says are 40% faster than the iPhone 6S, while the devices will provide 50% faster graphics performance than their immediate iPhone predecessor.

The iPhone 7/7 Plus batteries are also an improvement on the iPhone 6S/6S Plus, although by how much is yet to be seen. According to Apple, the iPhone 7 will provide around two hours of extra battery life compared with the 6S, while the 7 Plus will deliver an extra hour or so when compared with the 6S Plus.

The Bluetooth AirPods, says Apple, will provide five hours of listening when charged. When you’re not using them, you can put them into a carrying case that doubles as a charger – its battery should last 24 hours.

Apple Watch Series 2

Apple’s new Watch makes a big thing of its fitness-tracking abilities, which are helped by its being water resistant to a depth of 50 metres. The built-in GPS also means that users can run without having to bring an iPhone along to track their progress either.

The Apple Watch Series 2 has a brighter screen, is faster and has a few aesthetic tweaks but otherwise isn’t a huge departure from the first watch. The new operating system for the device, watchOS 3, launches on September 16, which Apple says will make it easier to access third-party apps, and receive and respond to notifications.

Oh, and the Apple Watch Series 2 is getting its own version of Pokemon Go, while the iPhone 7/7 Plus is getting its own version of Mario.

Apple will release iOS 10 on September 13, while macOS’s ‘Sierra’ update is due for launch on September 20.

Apple Watch Series 2 will be available from September 16 (pre-order from September 9). It comes in gold, rose gold, silver or space grey aluminium, or silver or space black stainless steel cases, paired with a variety of bands starting at €449. The new ceramic Apple Watch Edition starts at €1,479.

The iPhone 7 series will also be available from September 16 (pre-order from September 9). The 7 will start from €779 unlocked – the 256Gb version will cost €999.
The iPhone 7 Plus (unlocked) will start at €919, with the 256Gb version costing €1,139.