We compare the iPhone 7 to all of the best Android phones you can buy in 2016, including the Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10, OnePlus 3 and Sony’s Xperia XZ. So which is best for you, Apple or Android?
Apple’s iPhone 7 boasts a lot of fresh features never before seen on an Apple handset. It’s the first water resistant iPhone for one, and it comes in a sleek new Jet Black finish, if you’re feeling particularly emo. You also get Apple’s snazzy new camera tech, which boasts Optical Image Stabilisation, a new quad-LED flash and plenty more features to produce sharp and detailed low light shots.
So how does the iPhone 7 compare with the best Android mobiles you can buy in 2016? Here’s our full comparison guide, so you can see if the new iPhone will suit you better than the biggest Android handsets from Samsung, Sony, OnePlus and more.
iPhone 7 vs the world: What are the Apple iPhone 7’s specs and best features?
| iPhone 7 | |
|---|---|
| Screen size | 4.7-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1334×750 |
| Water resistant? | Yes |
| Processor | A10 Fusion |
| Storage | 32/128/256GB |
| MicroSD? | No |
| Cameras | 12MP + 7MP |
| Price | From £599 |
The iPhone 7 comes in a variety of colours, including the new glossy Black and Jet Black finishes. It’s as gorgeous as ever and now fully water resistant, to survive an unexpected dunking. However, Apple has removed the headphone jack and replaced it with a new stereo speaker setup, meaning you’ll need to use the bundled adapter to connect your old wired earphones.
You still get a gorgeous 4.7-inch screen packing a high-def resolution, and the iPhone 7’s display is now 25 percent brighter than before, with a wider colour gamut. In other words, you can expect attractive, detail-packed and realistically reproduced images. However, if you want to carry around lots of media, you’ll need to shell out for the more expensive 128 or 256GB models; or else make do with 32 gigs of storage.
You once again get Apple’s TouchID fingerprint sensor, built into the home button. However, that home button and the iPhone 7’s screen are both pressure sensitive, for an extra layer of control.
When it comes to performance, Apple reckons that the new A10 Fusion processor is one of the most powerful chipsets around. If it really is 35 percent faster than last year’s A9 chipset, then the iPhone 7 should easily compete with every Android mobile out there.
You can also expect just over a day of battery life from the iPhone 7, although we’re yet to fully test this.
Finally, one of the biggest new features of the iPhone 7 is that overhauled 12-megapixel camera. Samsung has clearly concentrated on low light photography, something previous iPhones struggled with. So now you get Optical Image Stabilisation, a higher aperture lens and a four-tone LED flash, all designed to improve photo results when the lights go down.
Check out our iPhone 7 camera review for more info.
iPhone 7 vs the world: Samsung Galaxy S7
| Phone | iPhone 7 | Galaxy S7 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 4.7-inch | 5.1-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1334×750 | 2560×1440 |
| Water resistant? | Yes | Yes |
| Fingerprint sensor? | Yes | Yes |
| Processor | Apple A10 Fusion | Snapdragon 820/Exynos |
| Memory | TBC | 4GB |
| Storage | 32/128/256GB | 32/64GB |
| microSD? | No | Yes |
| Battery | TBC | 3000mAh |
Samsung’s Galaxy S7 seems like the iPhone 7’s natural rival, not just because of the ongoing feud between Apple and Samsung. Many of the S7’s coolest features, including water resistance and a camera that’s excellent in low light, appear to be the iPhone’s key improvements. They’re also seriously close competition when it comes to sexy design, with both phones boasting a premium finish – and the iPhone 7 now coming in a glossy black model.
Likewise, both the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 pack a serious media punch. Those high-def screens and powerful built-in speakers are a great way to enjoy movies on the move, although the iPhone has ditched the audio jack.
Check out our in-depth Galaxy S7 vs iPhone 7 comparison review to see how the Samsung and Apple flagship phones stack up.
iPhone 7 vs the world: Sony Xperia XZ
| Phone | iPhone 7 | Xperia XZ |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 4.7-inch | 5.2-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1334×750 | 1920×1080 |
| Water resistant? | Yes | Yes |
| Processor | A10 Fusion | Snapdragon 820 |
| Storage | 32/128/256GB | 32/64GB |
| MicroSD? | No | Yes |
| Cameras | 12MP + 7MP | 23MP + 13MP |
| Price | From £599 | £549 (TBC) |
Sony only just launched its latest flagship phone, the Xperia XZ, a week before Tim Cook took to the stage and pulled back the curtain on the iPhone 7. And while these handsets sport a very different design, they improve on previous handsets in very similar ways.
The XZ brings water resistance back to Sony’s latest X-Series range, while also boosting camera performance in low light conditions. Likewise, Apple’s iPhone 7 makes a number of improvements to the iPhone 6s’ optics, so you can take better photos in darker environments. And full-on waterproofing means you can also dunk the iPhone 7, without worrying about it gurgling and dying.
Have a peek at our iPhone 7 vs Xperia XZ comparison review to see if Sony’s 2016 flagship can destroy Apple’s latest iPhone.
iPhone 7 vs the world: HTC 10
| Phone | iPhone 7 | HTC 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 4.7-inch | 5.2-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1334×750 | 2560×1440 |
| Water resistant? | Yes | No |
| Processor | A10 Fusion | Snapdragon 820 |
| Storage | 32/128/256GB | 32/64GB |
| MicroSD? | No | Yes |
| Cameras | 12MP + 7MP | 12MP + 5MP |
| Price | From £599 | £499 |
The HTC 10 is still one of our favourite 2016 smartphones thanks to its all-round appeal. Solid battery life, smooth performance, a gorgeous super-sharp screen and rugged design combine to make this a truly special handset, with next to no flaws.
So, can the iPhone 7 really compete? Well, Apple’s mobile is definitely slimmer and offers a better range of design choices than the HTC 10, plus full water resistance. And the iPhone 7’s camera tech is geared towards low light photography, where the HTC 10 stumbles a tad.
Check out our HTC 10 vs iPhone 7 comparison review to see how HTC’s flagship mobile stacks up to the latest Apple handset.
iPhone 7 vs the world: OnePlus 3
| Phone | iPhone 7 | OnePlus 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 4.7-inch | 5.5-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1334×750 | 1920×1080 |
| Water resistant? | Yes | No |
| Processor | A10 Fusion | Snapdragon 820 |
| Storage | 32/128/256GB | 64GB |
| MicroSD? | No | No |
| Cameras | 12MP + 7MP | 16MP + 8MP |
| Price | From £599 | £329 |
The OnePlus 3 isn’t quite perfection, but this super-smart Android handset offers some incredible performance and impressive features, for almost half the price of the iPhone 7 and other premium blowers.
OnePlus’ 2016 flagship boasts super-smooth everyday running, plus gorgeous visuals courtesy of the vibrant 5.5-inch AMOLED display. Of course, you can also expect a stunning media experience and incredible power from the iPhone 7, thanks to the 4.7-inch Retina screen and super-charged A10 Fusion processor.
And where the iPhone 7 could really beat the OnePlus 3 is its camera tech, which should be superior in low light. That said, the OnePlus 3 will certainly beat Apple’s mobile for battery life and charging speeds
Take a look at our in-depth iPhone 7 vs OnePlus 3 comparison review to see if OnePlus’ handset can stand toe-to-toe with Apple’s mobile despite costing half as much.
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