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iPhone 7 - page 13

Everything that’s new in iOS 10.1 beta 2

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iOS 10 Messages
See all that iOS 10.1 beta 2 has to offer.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 10 has only been available to the public for a few weeks, but developers are already receiving updates for iOS 10.1 beta 2. Along with bug fixes and a beta version of Portrait Mode for the iPhone 7 Plus, beta 2 offers a few new minor improvements and features.

Check them out in action in our video below.

Google Pixel first impressions: Solid build, fugly back

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Google Pixel
It's in talks to buy HTC, maker of the Pixel lineup.
Photo: Google

Google’s new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are ready to do battle with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and based on the first hands-on reviews, Apple could learn a few things from the new devices.

Apple’s shadow loomed large during today’s Google event. Exec from the search engine giant threw plenty of shade at the iPhone-maker for its lack of a headphone jack and storage limitations. Even though Google’s new devices look like total iPhone ripoffs the initial reaction has been mostly positive.

We’ll have to test Pixel in the wild before making our final judgement but here are some of the first reactions to the device from people that got to play with it:

How Google’s Pixel phones stack up against iPhone 7

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Pixel
Pixel and Pixel XL.
Photo: Google

Google’s new Pixel smartphones have landed, and they’re here to show the world that Android is stepping up its fight against the iPhone.

The Pixel lineup shares a lot in common with the Nexus family it replaces, but it’s not designed with pure Android enthusiasts in mind anymore. Google wants to reach everyone with its new Pixel and Pixel XL, and it has gone all out to make that happen.

But does the Pixel duo have what it takes to beat iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and other high-end rivals? Find out in our smartphone comparison below.

How to give your iPhone 7 a retro iPhone 4 makeover

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Don't try this at home.
Don't try this at home.
Photo: PeripateticPandas

The design of the iPhone 7 is awfully disappointing to Apple fans who were hoping for a major change this year, but there’s still a way to get all of the new device’s features into a totally different form factor.

All it takes is a giant saw and an industrial sanding belt and you’ll be on your way to getting the sleek straight edge frame of the iPhone 4. YouTuber PeripateticPandas created a new video showing the full process that will give you the most unique looking iPhone 7 in the world.

Check it out:

Scratch test suggests iPhone 7 camera lens may not be pure sapphire

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Apple digital viewfinder patent
Apple's new camera lens is cool, but it may not be pure sapphire.
Photo: Apple

We may not yet have sapphire glass on our iPhone screens, but Apple has been claiming to use the ultra-hard material for its iPhone camera lens since 2013’s iPhone 5s.

However, those claims are being called into question by a new durability test carried out by YouTuber JerryRigEverything, who compares the hardness of the iPhone 7 camera lens with the sapphire display of a Tissot sapphire watch — and finds that the iPhone camera lens scratches far more easily.

Check the video out below.

Pixel phones are Google’s chance to out-innovate Apple

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Pixel by Google
Will Google deliver?
Photo: Google

The twin phones Google will launch Tuesday will show the company is finally serious about tackling the iPhone head-on. And they couldn’t be arriving at a better time.

With iPhone demand falling and many fans disappointed with the improvements Apple has made with the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity for Google to prove it can out-innovate its biggest rival in the smartphone industry.

Apple seeds third macOS Sierra 10.12.1 beta to developers

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macOS Sierra logo
A new macOS Sierra beta is here.
Photo: Apple

The third beta builds of macOS Sierra 10.12.1 was seeded to developers today, less than a week after Apple released the second build that contained a number of bug fixes.

Developers can pick up the new beta directly form the Apple Developer Center, or install it via the Mac App Store’s software update option if the previous beta build is already installed on your Mac.

iPhone 7 battery life can’t match rivals

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iPhone
A familiar sight on your iPhone?
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 7 battery might be larger than its predecessor, but that’s still not enough for it to catch up with other leading flagship smartphones, as per a new consumer testing report.

According to the U.K.-based Which?, the iPhone 7 performs far behind the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5 and HTC 10 when it comes to call and internet time.

Should the MacBook Pro be next in line to lose its headphone jack? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Could you live without it?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’re an early iPhone 7 adopter, you’re already getting accustomed to life without a headphone jack. But what if it started to disappear from other devices you use everyday, such as your iPad or MacBook?

Friday Night Fights bugWith a MacBook Pro refresh on the horizon, fans fear it will be the next device in Apple’s lineup to see its headphone jack disappear. The move could allow Apple to make its most powerful portable even slimmer, but would it be worth it?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss whether the MacBook Pro should lose its headphone jack this year, or whether Apple should give consumers and the industry time to adapt to other standards.

How a boring 14-second video started Hissgate

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iphone 7
This is what it feels like for a story to blow up.
Photo: Apple

Remember Hissgate, the short-lived (but, for a few days, massive) story about how some iPhone 7 Plus owners were experiencing strange hissing sounds when their handsets were performing processor-intensive tasks?

Well, the guy who first reported it has written a blog post about his experience after the video blew up on YouTube, racking up more than 1 million hits. And it actually makes pretty interesting reading.

Sleek dock restores earphone jack for iPhone 7

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You can have your iPhone 7 and earphone jack, too, with the iLDOCK.
You can have your iPhone 7 and earphone jack, too, with the iLDOCK.
Photo: iLDOCK

Apple famously knows what we want before we do, yet so many fans say the iPhone maker got it wrong when it took away the earphone jack on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Jokes, outrage, even night terrors, erupted on social media in real time as the new iPhone design was revealed. Not long after, a startup went to work to bring the anxious a $10 fix.

iPhone 7 will arrive on Samsung’s home turf next month

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iPhone 7
iPhone 7 is coming to South Korea on October 21.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

South Korea’s three mobile network providers will reportedly start selling the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus from October 21, according to reports coming out of the country.

The news comes at a bad time for South Korea’s Samsung, which is still reeling from a costly recall of its exploding Galaxy Note 7 handsets, which it reportedly rushed to market to beat Apple to the next great smartphone.

iPhone 7 challenges my love for the SE

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iPhone 7 or iPhone SE? Everyone wants to know.
iPhone 7 or iPhone SE? Everyone wants to know.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With new iPhones being released each year, I’m used to being tempted by the latest and greatest Apple device. The iPhone 7 is no different, but it’s always a tough decision whether you should upgrade your existing device for the latest model.

For the last 6 months or so, my daily driver has been the iPhone SE, and I’ve loved it. In fact, I did a whole video on why I was switching to the much smaller device from my 6 Plus.

And it’s that time again! The iPhone 7 has caught my eye and after using it for the last two weeks, it is tempting me away from my SE.

Check out my reasons in the video below.

Lonely red balloon stars in Apple’s new iPhone 7 ad

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Meet the star of Apple's new ad.
Meet the star of Apple's new ad.
Photo: Apple

Apple has been quick to tout all of its amazing new hardware in its iPhone 7 ads, but the company’s latest spot is all about software. And balloons.

The new expressive messaging features of iOS 10 take the spotlight in Apple’s new ad that features a lonely red balloon drifting across the globe before meeting up with hundreds of its balloon friends to throw an iMessage party for one special person.

Check it out:

Boomgate? Let’s hope Apple didn’t copy Samsung’s hottest feature

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iPhone-7-explosion
Is any smartphone safe anymore?
Photo: Kroopthesnoop/Reddit

I often encourage Apple to steal certain features from Samsung’s smartphones, like its super-sharp Quad HD displays and wireless charging. One thing I didn’t want it to rip off is the Galaxy Note 7’s tendency to explode.

According to one unlucky Reddit user, whose brand new iPhone 7 is now a charred piece of aluminum and shattered glass, that’s exactly what just happened.

iPhone 7 won’t play nicely with Android Wear watches

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how-to-connect-a-moto-360-to-your-iphone-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201505iPhone-Moto-360-Android-Wear-jpg
Android Wear fans should avoid iPhone 7 for now.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you decided to pick up an Android Wear device instead of Apple Watch, you may have trouble using it with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Those who have upgraded to one of Apple’s latest smartphones have found they just don’t play nicely with Google’s wearable platform, despite the fact that their predecessors have no trouble connecting after being upgraded to the same iOS 10 software.

iPhone 7 camera loses to Samsung in expert tests

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iPhone 7 back
iPhone 7's new iSight camera is better, but not the best.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new iSight camera packed into iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is Apple’s best yet, according to tests carried out by the experts at DxOMark. It has been improved by a wider aperture, support for a wide color gamut, and faster autofocus.

But it’s not quite enough to beat the cameras found in Samsung’s latest Galaxy smartphones.

Apple continues to boost iPhone 7 orders

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iPhone-7
iPhone shipments are down, but not as much as you might think.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has reportedly upped its component orders for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, resulting in manufacturers receiving 20-30 percent higher orders than they were expecting.

Xiaomi beats Apple to embedded ultrasonic fingerprint scanner

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xiaomi-mi-5s-1340x754
The Mi 5s in all its iPhone 7-inspired glory.
Photo: Xiaomi

Known for ripping off Apple in the past, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has beaten Cupertino in bringing to market a futuristic ultrasonic fingerprint sensor reported to be the same one Apple plans to use for the iPhone 8.

In its new Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus handsets, Xiaomi debuts a new “ultrasonic fingerprint sensor,” which promises to be more accurate than current fingerprint sensors. Check out a video of it in action below.