iPhone 7 Announced With Dual Cameras and No Headphone Jack

Apple has officially announced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus today.

The designs are similar to last year's iPhone 6S, with a rounded aluminium body. But what's completely new is the phone's water resistance which means it can get wet without worry. 

Also new is the long-rumored dual camera system, stereo speakers, and a darker black color scheme. And, as expected, the iPhone 7 does not have a headphone jack, rendering countless 3.5mm headphones useless with the device (or requiring the use of an adapter).

The new phone may look very similar to last year's models, but instead of the matte metal finish we've become used to it, it has a glossy, mirrored design. The new color is called Jet Black and is much darker and richer than the Space Black of years past. Apple is also releasing a standard black model, along with gold, silver, and rose gold.

Apple has redesigned the iconic home button for the iPhone 7, making it force sensitive, like the Force Touch trackpads used in recent MacBook laptops. 

The camera in the standard sized iPhone 7 has been upgraded too. Apple says the new 12-megapixel sensor, which has the same resolution as last year's phone, is 60 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient.

There are more camera upgrades when it comes to the iPhone 7 Plus. This has dual camera systems. The company says the new dual camera allows for true 2x optical zoom without loss of image quality.

The new phones have upgraded displays that are 25 percent brighter, with a wider color gamut for better color reproduction and improved color management.

As has been rumored all year, the iPhone 7 line does not have a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. In its place is a second speaker, giving the phone stereo sound, and Apple has developed a set of EarPods with a Lightning connector that will be included with the phone. Additionally, an adapter comes in the box so you can still use 3.5mm headphones with the device.

In addition, Apple has developed a new set of wireless headphones called AirPods, which are designed to work with the iPhone 7. The AirPods are truly wireless, without a cable connecting the left and right headphone. Apple developed a new wireless technology that handles both audio and the wireless connection to the phone or Apple Watch. They have sensors to detect when they are in your ears and "motion accelerometers" to activate Siri. Apple says the AirPods have five hours of battery life and come with a battery case that provides 25 hours of use. 

Apple says the new phone will be available for purchase on September 16th, though preorders start on September 9th. The iPhone 7 will start with 32GB of storage for $649 (a long awaited upgrade from the 16GB that used to be in the base model) and goes up to 256GB for $849. The larger iPhone 7 Plus is actually more expensive than its predecessor, starting at $769 for the 32GB version and go up to $969 for the top model.