Now that Apple has finally released the iPhone 7, people now have a good point of comparison when comparing flagship products. It is already pretty undeniable that Apple's iPhone is the most anticipated flagship phone every year, both by consumers and competitors. Even Tim Cook mentioned in Apple's event that the iPhone is every other flagships' point of comparison.
So while most of the rumors ended up being true about the 2016 iPhone, it is still important for everyone to get the official information before making an in depth-comparison with its rivals. And at this point, many people can probably agree that the best phone to compare the iPhone 7 with is Samsung's Galaxy Note 7. Not only are the two announced at almost the same season, both are also their manufacturers' pride for 2016.
To begin with, the Samsung Galaxy has already been shipped to buyers a few weeks ago while the iPhone has just been announced. According to Apple, the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be released September 16 with a pre-order date of September 9.
Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - Design
The iPhone 7 sports a 4.7-inch LED backlit IPS LCD with 750 x 1334 pixel resolution. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7, on the other hand has a bigger screen 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution. It is worth noting that both phones retained their resolution specs from their predecessors.
Needless to say, the Galaxy Note 7 indeed has a better and crisper display than the iPhone 7. But that doesn't mean that the iPhone 7's display is not any good. Apple actually boasts the new phone's Retina HD display with wide color gamut, Display Zoom and 3D Touch.
Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - Features
The iPhone 7 has a 65.5 percent screen-to-body ratio while the Galaxy Note 7 has a 78 percent screen-to-body ratio. As usual, the new iPhone 7 uses single SIM while the Note 7 unsurprisingly comes with Dual SIM, dual standby capability. What's most interesting this year is that Apple finally went waterproof on their new devices. It has been a while since the waterproof iPhone has been rumored, and now Apple finally made it official.
With an IP67 certification, the new iPhone 7 is now dust and water resistant (1 meter, 30 minutes). The Samsung Galaxy Note 7, on the other hand is also dust and water resistant with IP68 certification. However, this isn't the first time Samsung is getting a waterproof body for its phones. The company has already embraced this technology in its later Galaxy S series.
Further feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is its fully functional stylus that is easily attached to the phone. As to the new phones' identity-scanning capabilities, the new iPhone 7 comes with a second-generation fingerprint sensor. This fingerprint sensor is still built in to the device's new Home button. The Galaxy Note 7, on the other hand, boasts of its new technology including an Iris scanner. It does have a fingerprint scanner, too.
Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - Specs
Now this is where things get a little more competitive. While Android phones tend to be more ambitious, iOS devices are well known to be smooth, safe and long lasting. However, specs-wise, the Note 7 looks heftier than the iPhone 7. Basically its Galaxy Note 7's Exynos 8890 chip Octa-core processor versus the iPhone 7's Apple A10 Fusion Quad-core processor.
As usual, the new iPhone relies on its native storage. It comes in three storage variants of 32 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. Its RAM is 2 GB. The Galaxy Note 7, on the other hand, comes with 64 GB internal storage that is upgradeable through a micrSD slot with a maximum storage of 256 GB. Its RAM is 4 GB.
Looking at the specs, it looks like the Note 7 can beat the iPhone 7. However, iOS users can testify how good iPhones usually perform. In fact, there has been a speed test a few weeks ago showing how much the Note 7 can lag after multiple apps are opened. In the test, the Samsung Note 7 is being compared to the iPhone 6S which, as it turned out, is much better than the Note 7 performance-wise, with zero lag and fast performance all in all.
Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - Cameras
The iPhone 7 comes with 12 MP rear camera and a 7 MP front camera, while the Note 7 has a 12 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera. It is hard to deny how arguably unnbeatable Samsung is when it comes to its flagship phones' camera systems. Most of the time, the company beats Apple's flagships without a fight.
However, right now, it looks like Apple is being more and more competitive. Its iPhone 7 camera boasts of its six element lens technology and True Tone flash. The phone also has a digital zoom of up to 5x. With these improvements, the new iPhone 7 can be considered one of the top camera phones on the market right now.
Both the iPhone 7 and the Note 7 are 4K video recording capable.
Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - Flaws
Since the iPhone 7 has just been announced, no one can tell yet if the device has any major flaws. If any, the only complaint that can be predicted right now is its Lighting headphone jack. The company did mention that they are including a lighting earbud jack and a Lighting to 3.5 mm jack adaptor, but it's still hard to tell how fans would react to this change.
The Note 7, on the other hand, has been nothing but infamous this past few months for its alleged exploding battery. Fortunately, the company started a recall immediately and is now in the process of replacing 'bad' units.
Apple iPhone 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - Conclusion
Both phones are ambitious and both are big improvements from their predecessors. However, if you have to choose one, you should consider your smartphone needed first. If you want to binge watch your favorite series on your phone then the Note 7 is highly recommended due to its superior specs. But if you want the flawless navigation of the iOS system and experience the iPhone 7's super improved specs, then getting the new Apple device is probably the best idea.
