What It's Like to Use the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2
I Tried the New Apple Gadgets — Here's What They're Like to Use
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Start saving your money now. Apple's newest iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Apple Watch Series 2, and even the AirPods will most likely be at the top of everyone's wish list this holiday season. If you're on the fence about whether or not to get any of these products for yourself or a significant other, check out our photos and GIFs ahead.
The New Apple Watch Series 2.
The new Apple Watch Series 2 may look like the old version, but this is full of packed improvements like built-in GPS and a water resistance of 50 meters. There are also so many more band options to choose from, like this pretty rose gold one.
The two new Apple Watch Hermès bands.
Joining the Apple Watch Hermès collection is a "double buckle cuff in swift and epsom calfskin leathers" and a single tour deployment buckle band.
If you're feeling fancy, try the new Apple Edition watch.
The high-end Apple Edition watch ($1249, out Sept. 16) now comes in a ceramic body, meaning it's become "extremely scratch-resistant." To me, it felt lighter and smoother than the original Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Nike+ is perfect for anyone with a very active lifestyle.
The holes in the Apple Watch Nike+ bands mean it's even more breathable and offers extra flexibility on where to clasp the watch. With this model, you get exclusive Nike watch faces like the one pictured on the far right watch above. When I wore it, the watch finally felt like something that wouldn't irritate my skin and that's made for working out.
The Nike+ Run Club app offers great details on your wrist.
When you're doing an activity, you can change the face to reflect the stat you want.
. . . Or your pace.
Easily empty the water in the watch in seconds.
The new Apple Watch includes an amazing aspect for swimmers: a turning feature on the crown to empty it of water. Go for a swim and use "lock the screen" so that no splashes make the watch complete any action. When you're done, turn the crown and water will be "ejected" from the device.
The new iPhone 7 Plus in black.
The iPhone 7 Plus in jet black.
Use your phone as a mirror with the iPhone 7 Plus in jet black. But beware — the surface scratches easily.
A new home button that will feel more natural.
Say goodbye to hard clicking on your iPhone's home button. The iPhone 7 will now have a taptic engine underneath the new home button. Just press slightly a bit harder than a tap and you can switch between apps and more. It feels weird but you get used to it after a few tries. Any Android phone owner will find the vibration familiar to the one that exists on phones like the Nexus 6P.
The iPhone 7 Plus camera is something to envy.
Most of the features of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus aren't that insane except for the dual-camera lens on the latter. The lenses, a 12-megapixel wide-angle and a telephoto lens, now let you zoom even more for clearer photos. Soon, a "depth-of-field effect" will let you take photos and then blur out the background to create a bokeh image.
Watch the optical and digital zoom in action.
Here's the "depth-of-field effect."
The AirPods connect easily to the iPhone.
Whether or not you buy the AirPods, it's worth noting that they connect so fast to the iPhone. The white box is also their charging case. When I tried it, the AirPods didn't feel that weird or like they'd fall out of my ear. However, trying to tap them to use Siri required tapping the entire bud and was so inefficient that I don't think I'll try it again.
But don't worry, you can keep your wired headphones!
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will ship with an adapter so you can still use your wired headphones. It's small and definitely looks like the type of cord that could easily fray — like the iPhone charging cable. Thankfully, a product already exists that will let you charge your phone and use this adapter at the same time.
