Here are some specifics from Consumer Reports’ initial findings:
• The 1X still cameras on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus produced “admirable” image quality, “but did not outperform the cameras on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.”
• In a low-light environment, which one might expect in a dimly lit restaurant, “the new phones seemed to perform no better than the iPhone 6s for still photos.”
• In limited testing, the front-facing camera on the 7 Plus was sharper than the one on the iPhone 7, which will be looked into because “Apple has not indicated that the selfie cameras on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are different.”
• The new Quad-LED True Tone flash highlighted by Apple “was not superior to the flash on the earlier models.”
• The 2X still camera on the 7 Plus produced sharper images than the 1X lenses on the 6s phones and both 7 Plus phones.
Regarding the new devices’ other features, Consumer Reports said in a report released Friday that initial results of the “water resistance” feature supported Apple’s claim.
Additionally:
• The new speakers were louder and provided a sense of stereo separation as claimed, but the sound was found to be more “tinny.”
• The sound quality of the new Lightning EarPods “appeared to be no better or worse than the ones that came with the iPhone 6s-series phones. And the adapter, which allows use of the previous ear buds, “didn’t degrade the audio at all.”
J.P. Morgan analyst Rod Hall said he believes the positive reaction of investors last week following the upbeat reports from wireless carriers was “premature,” as the increased volumes appear to be the result of “more aggressive than expected” promotion.
