The iPhone 7 is still one of the cheapest handset in Apple’s range, and is a great buy for those looking for a cheap iPhone.
The iPhone 7 (along with the iPhone 7 Plus) are no longer sold directly by Apple, but it remains one of the cheapest iPhones around, and packs all the modern features included in iOS 14. The iPhone 7 has long been an entry level option, which is great news for those in the market for a cheap iPhone. It’s even cheaper during deals seasons, like the upcoming Amazon Prime Day on October 13 and 14 along with the leadup to Black Friday in November. Expect to see the iPhone 7 sold for even less by third-party retailers through the end of the year. When the iPhone 7 arrived it wasn’t all that different to the iPhone 6S, feeling more like another incremental ‘S’ variant update rather than a whole new device. The iPhone 7 did offer up a brighter, more colorful screen, a waterproof design, dual speakers, and a boosted 12MP camera over the 6S it replaced, and Apple changed the home button from a clickable entity to one that responds to pressure, lost the headphone jack and included a 256GB storage model (though now only offers it with up to 128GB). Some of that felt pretty alien back in 2016, but the iPhone 7 paved the way for the far different iPhone X the following year and then the arrival of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. Here’s our take on the iPhone 7 in a video review: The iPhone 7 price now starts at just $449 (£449, AU$749) for the 32GB model after it received another price drop thanks to the arrival of the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR. If you want more space, the 128GB iPhone 7 price is now $549 (£549, AU$919). Apple did sell a 256GB iPhone 7 model that it now no longer produces, so you’re unlikely to find a new handset at this maximum capacity. As Apple has now discontinued the iPhone SE and iPhone 6S, it makes the iPhone 7 the cheapest iPhone available directly from the firm. The iPhone 7 is still widely available, from Apple itself and a host of retailers and carriers. With two significant price drops since launch, there are also great contract iPhone 7 deals to be had from carriers too. The two bigger design changes on the iPhone 7 are big talking points: it can now survive plunges into a swimming pool, thanks to the water-resistant chassis, and the headphone jack on the bottom of the phone is no longer there. Let’s start with the biggest of those changes: the omission of the headphone jack. It’s a bold move from Apple – although calling it ‘courageous’ during the launch event was a bit much, and has led to some warranted memes – and one that could shake up the headphone industry. The loss of this port will impact users in varying degrees: for some people it’ll be no more than a shrug before they get on with their day, because they only use the EarPods in the iPhone box – and those are still there, just with a Lightning connector. For others, though, it’ll be an inconvenience, as they’ll need to attach the short white dongle to the 3.5mm jack on the end of their headphones in order to plug them into the Lightning port. In a survey conducted over three commutes, we noticed that out of 60 people wearing headphones,34 were using the bundled EarPods that Apple offers – given than many of those people might not have been using an iPhone, that’s a higher number than expected. Losing the headphone jack also severely limits those wanting to buy a new pair of headphones for use with their iPhone, given how much we all listen to tunes or watch films on our phones these days. Sure, you can buy regular 3.5mm headphones, but then you’ll have to connect the adaptor. If you want to get something directly compatible you’ll either need to go Bluetooth or Lightning-ready – and there are fewer decent models available to buy in that latter category. A quick Public Service Announcement: you DO NOT need to buy Apple’s AirPods to get audio on the iPhone 7. Three separate people have told us that that’s what they thought was the case when Apple launched them – that’s something the brand needs to clarify soon. They’re incredibly expensive at $159 / £159 / AU$229, and all they really do is cut the wire from the EarPods you get in the box. The sound quality doesn’t feel like it’s much better, and while the ability to tap one pod to activate Siri, or remove a Pod and have the sound instantly stop, is cool, it’s not really worth the cash. Plus, there’s also the fact that they don’t look the most elegant in the ears – and if you struggle with the fit of the EarPods, these things are going to fall out all the time.
