Big to the Core

The iPhone 7 plus is a giant of a smartphone in many ways, with a huge update to the camera and some very neat taptic tricks. But is it the phablet you’ve been looking for?

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It’s very easy to be critical of the iPhone – with over a billion units sold, it kind of proves the point that familiarity breeds contempt. But you can’t deny the influence that Apple’s device has had on the smartphone era – it paved the way for every multi-touch device available today. It set the standard.

Now, of course, it’s very different. There are a plethora of smartphones to choose from, most running on Google’s excellent Android – there really is something for everyone. But with a new iPhone, there always comes huge excitement. And huge is a good word for the 7 Plus – Apple’s latest and, to date, greatest phablet.

The 7 Plus is a giant of a phone, the 5.5-inch screen and its relatively thick (by today’s standards) bezel making it a two-handed device for all but those with the handspan of a WWE wrestler. Of course, you can use ‘Reachability’ in iOS 10 by double-tapping the Home button, but this reviewer has never used that feature (only by accident).

That said, the iPhone 7 Plus isn’t too big, and its streamlined curves feel very good in the hand (even adding an Apple leather case doesn’t make it too bulky). So let’s talk about design for a moment. In a case, you’d be hard-pushed from the front to differentiate this from a previous-generation Plus (unless you have a ‘Jet Black’ model – more on that in a second). Flip the Plus over, though, and you’ll notice a bit of a difference. The antenna bands are gone, giving the device a cleaner appearance. But the main point of difference is the dual camera protruding from the top-left. Let’s talk ‘Jet Black’ for a minute. This is Apple’s new finish; it’s very glossy and clings to fingerprints no end. It looks fantastic in photos, but marks and scratches easily – so be careful!