7 Days with the iPhone 7 Plus

Prior to this, was using 6S Plus, then swapped the 6S Plus with my wife's 6 Plus, before eventually selling the 6 Plus and using a Huawei Mate 8 (3GB/32GB). Of course there's a whole history of other smartphones I've used before this but don't want to get into that.

Firstly, I can say that if you're coming from a 6S Plus, the 7 Plus doesn't feel like that big an upgrade. Some of the key differences in specs: -

1. Portrait mode is nice to have but ultimately isn't that big a deal if you're not an ardent fan of photography.

2. Dust and water proofing is nice, but I don't swim neither will I take my phone into the shower. It's reassuring in case of accidental spills and what not, but again, not that big a deal to me.

3. The wide color gamut display is nice, but I doubt many people can appreciate it. In fact, v4 into this thread now and I don't recall reading a comment from anyone about this feature

4. The key hardware feature that I've come to appreciate of the 7 Plus over the 6S Plus is the speakers. It's loud. Much better than all previous iPhones before this.

5. The 7 Plus has additional 1GB of RAM compared to the 6S Plus, but in all honesty the 6S Plus still runs smooth on iOS 10. I do feel the 7 Plus is a fraction faster but hardly noticeable in day to day use.

6. The new home button is very, very nice. I love it. Absolutely!

Key disappointments (for me, personally): -

1. Battery life is as good as 6 Plus or 6S Plus (when the phones were still new, of course) but not much better. I know everyone has a beef with Android's power management and i agree for most parts, but my phone prior to this was the Mate 8, and in terms of battery life, it is very, very good (however EMUI annoys the hell out of me). So yes, the battery life of the 7 Plus gets me through the day without having to charge in between, but again, the 6S Plus does that too.

2. The removal of the analog headphone jack with the promise of better "digital" sound quality using the lightning port is BS. The supplied earpods with the lightning connector is rubbish. Seriously if Apple was going to preach courage to make a difference, bla bla bla then the least they could do was to provide better quality earpods. I guess for now we'll have to wait for third party earphones with lightning connectors - and am sure those won't come cheap.

3. Bugs still aplenty in iOS 10.1.1. While I've not experienced more serious problems like dropped calls or signals, I've had the new home button freezing on me once before requiring to reset and I've had some delayed whatsapp notifications. Hopefully these and other problems highlighted by other users here will be ironed out in iOS 10.2.

Oh, and for the record, yes, my screen is also yellow compared to that of my previous 6S Plus, but for me it's OK as I personally prefer yellowish to blue-ish.

(iPhone 7 Plus, 32GB Black - previous owner purchased from Mac Studio, 18/10/16)

This post has been edited by attw: Nov 20 2016, 05:48 PM

My android also always lag free animation, smooth (except certain games) and not hang. Since two or three years ago android is already superb smooth and stable.

iPhone big win is games loading speed and better graphics quality in certain games and always smooth gaming experience. Also nearly all iOS apps had better find tune interface and apps quality control. It is not all but most, until now already the third year plus edition, hard to believe still got apps not optimize to such resolution, Apple shall force those developer insist them support high resolution.

In fact that is still some bugs but I hardly find any bugs anymore in android.

Bugs in current iOS in iPhone 7 Plus need to sort out, the iMessage and WhatsApp voice message is crazy low especially the iMessage voice message.

Others than that seems Shazam also will make the phone cannot received call once you use it, not only the SoundHound. I know Siri also working for searching song but sometimes I just prefer Shazam or SoundHound.

This post has been edited by Andrewtst: Nov 20 2016, 08:13 PM

the power of Apple phone & their iOS

Was about to post then I read yours. Just came back from LY Plaza. Needless to say, spent some money on cases. Anyway, apllied one back protector on my 7plus(Clear). It sticks but not evenly and therefore does not look nice at all. Could I hear from you guys, is it because it's the Matte Black material? Cause on my Rose Gold 6sPlus, no issue.

Yours is Jet Black thus it should stick nicely whereas mine is Matte Black and the material is totally not the same which is not conducive for those plastic protector to nicely adhere to.

Maybe I'm the one with bad luck, all my previous android phones seems to have laggy and hang problem.. But I have not try other Android except Samsung though..

Which website is best deal of 7plus now? 😂
My both 7p and 7 buy from G5 btw.

What colour is your phone?

Yes, there were no issue on my previous 6S+ RG too, but looking at the surface of the 7+, I feel the back sp would not stick well.

seems liked nobody answer my call from icons my store..is it they closed during sunday? its hard to get rhinosheild crash guard bumper case...not in sunway pyramid...at ioi mall only sells screen protector of rhino brand...

When are stock earbuds good? Go invest in a good earphone la...can reuse again even after change phone.

One more bug to add the lock screen sound might be stuck and cannot be heard again until after a restart of the phone.

Just ordered from their website and much cheaper than u buy here..more colour variety too..

There are always bugs is just maybe you are on older gen system..
Try Nexus or new pixels... U will see the bugs... Btw no systems without bugs...
The phone lag or not we must use after 3-6 months only can tell...
My Nexus doesn't have lag issues, 6 months with plenty of updates...
6.0 all the way now go 7.1 now... I'm on beta programme...
there are freeze once a while... But nothing big issues....
I nv use clear cache programme on my phone before haha...

My feel of iOS is more polished and simplicity...
Hope that iOS doesn't slow down my phone after 6 months...

Try Nexus or Pixels.. you will know the true android...

Hi, I not sure which Samsung phone you use.

Samsung phone only start from Note5 never lag and kind of problem free. My last Samsung phone is S7 Edge and it is extremely smooth and lag free.

Latest Nexus phone I use is Nexus 5x running Android 7.1.1 beta (it is beta) and extremely smooth, can't spot single animation lag issue and beta also problem free.

My others previous Android phone I use include Huawei P9 Plus, it is also smooth and no lag issue, the only issue on this phone is the GPU not powerful enough to run certain heavy 3D games smoothly.

My sister and father using Mi Max and Redmi Note 3, both is middle range phone and it is extremely smooth, MIUI since version 8 is unbelievable smooth even on middle range Snapdragon 652 processor.

Android still got some lag issue on 3 years ago, 2 years ago as long flagship no issue, this year even middle range processor also can handle it extremely smooth and lag free. (Except heavy 3D games).

Old gen? I am running Android 7.1.1 (beta) in Nexus 5x and didn't face any bugs. The phone never hang or freeze me, the phone also not facing big issue like people cannot call in. Remember it is beta. In my Android, I never ever do any clear cache also lo.

The clear cache program is not related to the issue I face, I didn't use it that time already face it, I mentioned before and that time I didn't use it. Go install SoundHound and run it, then you will notice nobody can call you. For me this issue is kind of big and need ASAP solved it even though it is 3rd party program make it behave like this. Yesterday I face again people cannot call me after I use Shazam for few times, so I suspect maybe all those similar apps have some problem in iOS 10.

The Siri one I just try, it is much slower and it is using Shazam actually and the respond make me laugh! haha! Siri give extra service for helping me find hotel just because I am listening to Stay with me. Haha! Good Job Siri!



Also the extreme tiny output on iMessage and WhatsApp voice message is common issue, me and my friend using iPhone 7 Plus also face same issue. This is another bugs shall be solved ASAP.

Beside above 2 issues (one I find it major, another is minor), iOS 10.1.1 is consider very stable and I didn't face any others issue so far. Just please solved that people cannot call in issue. Now I scared to open any song recognition apps.

This post has been edited by Andrewtst: Nov 21 2016, 01:01 AM

If I'm not wrong, the aluminium back of your phone should be the same material as the iPhone 5S (aluminium back) and yes it wouldn't look nice after applying the protector but do give it some time as it would settle off. I'm speaking based on my previous phone i5s though, not 100% sure whether it is the same material.

Jet Black Bro

Just a second asking. This kind of packaging of lighting cable claimed to be original with the "Foxconn" sticker. Yeah I know these kind of stickers can be faked but I never seen any of these else where before. Anyone who bought cable with packaging like this before can share the experience? Thanks...

Ya, I know stock earbuds are crap, but since it was the first ever with the lightning connector I expected Apple to do just slightly better. I do have a couple pair of bluetooth earphones around but I use them mostly for running. Will definitely invest once third party lightning earphones become readily available.

Bro as I said all Android will have lag issues after sometime of usage...
Except Nexus which is the one that lag free after several upgrade also no problem... I hope u read my statement properly... MIUI is a RAM hogging rom I used XiaoMi n and it's rom before... Same as TouchWiz which is laggy after a few months....
On the Siri issue, u know there are difference and hiccups here and there as I found on my Nexus 6P also...
I hope I clear the confusion which you think I'm saying all android lags...
I'm using both Nexus 6P and iPhone 7 as my daily driver now... So I know the difference between them...

You long ago got issue with Samsung, never though you had issue with MIUI as well.

I don't have issue with either of them. Both won't lag after long use. I use Note5 more than as you mentioned half year. MIUI never had such issue also when it reach version 8 (version 8 MIUI like total redesign and miracle extremely smooth, previous version 7 and older is not smooth), I find it on par or sometimes seems even smoother than stock. It is big customize but extremely well done.

I dunno where is your last MIUI but based on you mentioned ROM I can presume it is older time as well.

I use so many phone and I know of it as well. I never said you said all android lag but you against on Samsung where your last Samsung is old phone which is lag even after a week usage as it never smooth last time. Samsung only start perform better on Note5 and it is extremely smooth only start from S7 Edge total new TouchWiz, before that also not perform that well.

You using Nexus 6p also can have problem, probably the way you using Android not correct for example you side load third party apps. (I just give example as I dunno). I never use third part apps and never even root, purely stock as stock in android now serve me extremely well, this include not only stock Android but also latest TouchWiz and MIUI.

Please don't keep compare with your older time of TouchWiz and MIUI. Older time yes not smooth but now newer version is extremely smooth and never loose to stock smoothness at all.

Even YouTube also can proof it not my talk here only.

This post has been edited by Andrewtst: Nov 21 2016, 09:44 AM

This Matte Black is of totally different textured surface though the phone material is still the same. Hence normal protector would not adhere to it. However, I believe(not absolutely sure) stickers, wraps would do the job nicely.

Im ex user of oneplus one and oneplus two...keep on switching rom a month once I think. Lag may may be non existence haha (CM near stock rom experience). But what I hated most about android is the quality of app and the app background management issue. God the facebook app still look cheap af. Need to press the back button everytime i go into the video page and so instead of swiping back in iOS and the overall experience just, ugh. Some app also woudlnt blend themself well into the iOS and loss certain amount of batt (for no reason likle snapchat, need use greenify) For me starting from android L the overall smoothness of the android OS is acceptable now....