10 Factors That Make an iPhone 7 Upgrade Worth the Money

Although there is some concern about the iPhone 7’s price and lack of a headphone jack, there are still plenty of reasons to upgrade to the new smartphone.

The iPhone 7 doesn’t come with a major design upgrade compared with the iPhone 6s, but it is a step up. The jet black iPhone 7, for instance, has a sleek finish that sets it apart from most other smartphones. And the water-resistant design is something the iPhone, like other mobile handsets, has needed for a long time. Add that to the new tactic-feedback-equipped Touch ID, and it feels like a nice update.

According to market data, wireless headphone sales in June outpaced wired headphone sales. Meanwhile, most audio companies are increasing their investments in wireless headphones instead of tethered options. So, while many are still using tethered headphone jacks, an increasing number already have adopted the wireless alternatives. Losing the headphone jack might disappoint some, but it’s not a deal breaker.

One of the main reasons why the headphone jack loss isn’t a major issue is because Apple will be offering an adapter with every iPhone 7 it sells. So, when customers break open the device, they’ll find a small adapter that enables them to plug in their wired headphones through the Lightning port. It adds an extra step to using wired headphones, but it’s not an onerous step. And that’s important to keep in mind.

Arguably, one of the most important additions to the iPhone 7 is its A10 processor. According to Apple, the iPhone 7’s A10 Fusion Chip is twice as fast as the processor in the iPhone 6 and substantially faster than the iPhone 6s’ processor. The chip is also more capable on the graphics side, where its speed triples the iPhone 6 and easily tops last year’s model. The A10 alone could be worth upgrading to the iPhone 7.

Apple is, thankfully, offering two screen sizes—a smaller 4.7-inch version and a 5.5-inch alternative. That’s important. Few major smartphone makers offer size options in their top-of-the-line handsets, leaving customers with devices that might prove too big or too small. Apple’s 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhones strike the right balance and offer the choices customers want.

Apple’s iOS 10 doesn’t offer a major design upgrade, but it does deliver some nice new features. For instance, the operating system has several iMessage upgrades that make the built-in messaging service more interactive. Users also will find a more useful Apple Maps, updates to Apple Music and the ability for third-party developers to integrate Siri into their apps. Plus, iOS 10 has security enhancement and bug fixes users won’t find in iOS 9.

Apple and its carrier partners have made it easy to upgrade to an iPhone. Apple’s program, for instance, allows customers to pay monthly installments over a 24-month period, but have the option to get a new iPhone each year. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint offer similar programs. So, while the iPhone might be on the expensive side, there are ways to amortize the cost over two years and sidestep its lofty price tag.

No talk of iPhone 7’s appeal can be complete without talking about the camera. The iPhone 7 comes with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization and quad-LED True Tone flash. It also has a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera. Those who want something a bit nicer will find it on the iPhone 7 Plus, which has two cameras, including one that has wide-angle support and another for telephoto captures.

The iPhone 7 is designed to work on any carrier’s network and features worldwide roaming. Even better, the device supports ultra-fast LTE that maxes out its download speeds at 450M bps and can connect to up to 25 LTE bands. The smartphone also allows users to answer WhatsApp and other third-party calls.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus aren’t cheap. The former costs $649 to start and the latter will kick off at $769 for the unlocked version. That’s certainly on the pricier side, but considering that both smartphones offer digital-SLR-like image quality, console-comparable gaming and displays that are substantially nicer than those in the iPhone 6s line, it becomes more understandable. In other words, the collection of features offered in iPhone 7 might justify its price.