The iPhone 7 Seems Great, But Here’s Why I’m Not Buying One

New smartphones come out every year, and phone manufacturers will do everything within their power to entice you to upgrade. There’s always something bigger and better on the horizon, so oftentimes upgrading is a no-brainer; but other times the differences between the new model and last year’s model are insignificant. It’s easy to see that 2016 is one of those difficult years where upgrading to the newest iPhone might not seem like the best idea…So, is it time for an upgrade? Let’s dive in a little deeper to find out.

First, the iPhone 7 Plus has a better camera, two of them in fact. This helps users take crystal clear photos while zoomed in, much clearer than the iPhone 6s Plus. The iPhone 7 camera doesn’t seem like a major improvement, though as Gordon Kelly from Forbes puts it, “[What features to] look for here are the significantly larger f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization, and a four LED flash with cool and warm tones, all of which improve the iPhone’s biggest photographic weakness: low light photography.” If taking photos in dark environments is important to you, or you’re a photographer, upgrading might be the right choice.

Then there is the new home button. It’s no longer a traditional button, and actually borrows technology from the MacBook’s Force Touch trackpad. The home button detects subtle changes in pressure, allowing various abilities that the original button could not perform. Bryan Chaffin from The Mac Observer had a hands-on preview of the new iPhone. He writes, “Apple is using its fantastic Taptic Engine to make it feel like the button is moving, even though it isn’t.” Chaffin also mentions the button will be able to measure velocity, giving the button the ability to measure thumb pressure. Overall, Chaffin seems optimistic with the new home button design, however the inability to use this type of button while wearing gloves might deter possible iPhone upgraders in cold climates from upgrading.

The most compelling reason to upgrade for this author is the iPhone 7’s stereo speakers. The extra speaker will increase sound clarity, as well as volume, perfect for those who stream videos or play video games. However, if you’re the type of person who typically leaves their iPhone on silent, or always uses headphones, the iPhone 7’s improved stereo speaker setup won’t be a proper reason for you to upgrade.

Although the iPhone 7 doesn’t feel like a major upgrade, in many ways it is. “The iPhone 7 is a bigger upgrade than cynics will claim,” Gordon Kelly writes, “The added durability, water resistance, upgraded camera, performance gains, brighter display and bigger storage options are all welcome and – in some cases – overdue.”

Upgrading will of course come at a cost, either requiring the user to spend several hundreds of dollars to buy the iPhone 7 outright, or spend hundreds of dollars over time leasing it from Apple or a cellular service company. For folks who splurged on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, there may not be enough justification to warrant the upgrade. All in all, users who upgraded to Apple’s iPhone 6s probably won’t see satisfaction in upgrading to Apple’s iPhone 7, which is why I’m sticking with my 6s for at least another year. However, users with iPhones dating back to 2014 and before will see noticeable quality and performance improvements, making the upgrade to an iPhone 7 a worthy investment.

Will you upgrade to the iPhone 7? From which model? Let us know in the comments below!