Dozens of lawsuits alleging that Apple intentionally slowed down older iPhone batteries to get customers to upgrade to newer models will likely be consolidated into one big court case, a US judicial panel has said.

The battery performance-related complaints filed against Apple will be heard at once during a hearing scheduled for 29 March in Atlanta, Georgia, the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation said, a commonplace decision for cases spanning multiple states.

Apple was accused of intentionally slowing down the performance of older iPhone handsets back in January, with people suggesting the Cupertino firm did it so users will be more likely to upgrade to the latest model out of sheer frustration.

Apple faces 59 putative class actions across 16 district courts in the US. The total includes 30 before Judge Edward J. Davila in the Northern District of California, which, according tocourt documents obtained by MacRumors, states the lawsuits will likely be centralised given their overlapping claims.

Apple has denied the accusations, saying it did slow down the batteries but only to make them able to run newer software. It has since cut the costs of replacement batteries for affected users and created a patch to prevent battery throttling on iOS.

The accusations arrived via research conducted by benchmark firm GeekBench, who looked into the theory after a Reddit thread suggested iPhone performance reduces as battery life drains.

The conclusion of the research was that while battery life is expected to dwindle the more a device is used due to increased recharging cycles, it shouldn't really affect performance.

So Geekbench took it upon itself to benchmark the performance of iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 devices running on different versions of iOS to see how the kernel density changes as the operating system is updated.

The firm discovered that the iPhone 6's score for iOS 10.2.0 didn't change in performance - but when it studied the iPhone 6 running iOS 10.2.1, the phone's performance peaked at the average performance score and several others peaked around some of the lower scores. It reported that there was even more of a disparity when the iPhone 6 was tested on the later version of iOS 11.2.0.

01/02/2018:Apple responds to US probes into battery slowdowns

Apple has again said it would neverintentionally "degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades," in response to theJustice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission's investigations into the firm's practices.

The company said it would roll out a software update that offers users more information about how their iPhone performance is affected as their devices age.

"We know that iPhones have become an important part of the daily lives of our customers and our intention was to improve the customer experience," the company said in a statement.

It has already offered discounted battery upgrades for iPhones that were suffering from performance problems, while promising to introduce a software feature in devices that shows battery health and recommends when a user should replace the battery in their device.

"These actions were taken to further assist our customers and help extend the life of their iPhones," Apple's statement said. "In addition, users will be able to see if the power management feature is being used to prevent unexpected shutdowns, and turn it off if they so choose. These features will be included in a developer release next month and a user release this spring."

Apple then went on to apologise again to those affected by the controversy.

"Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love. Making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that," Apple said."We have received questions from some government agencies and we are responding to them."

18/01/2018:Tim Cook: Users can turn off iPhone battery throttling in next iOS patch

Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed that a future iOS update will allow users to switch off the battery throttling feature introduced to prevent system failures on older hardware, although he warned that this would increase the likelihood of unexpected crashes.

Speaking out on the battery issue, Cook added that the feature will become optional in next month's iOS developer build, with a public release scheduled shortly afterwards.

He added that Apple had the "purest" intentions when it came to limiting the power output of older batteries, although he admitted the company could have been more transparent with its customers.

"Our actions were all in service of the user, I can't stress that enough our actions were always the purest," said Cook, speaking to ABC News. "We've listened to the feedback very carefully and what we're doing now is... we're going to give people the visibility of the health of their battery, so it's very, very transparent."

He added that the company will tell users when it's reducing iPhone performance in order to reduce crashes, but that this can be toggled off.

"If you don't want it, you can turn it off," added Cook. "We don't recommend it, because we think people's iPhones are really important to them and you never can tell when something is so urgent."

In December Apple was accused of deliberately slowing down older iPhones after benchmark tests revealed a noticeable degradation in performance, with many believing the company was trying to pressure customers into buying newer models.

Apple later publicly addressed the accusations, admitting that a feature introduced in iOS 10.2.1 was indeed reducing the power output of older batteries, although this was done in order to protect devices from unexpected crashes as the hardware aged, it said.

The company later issued an apology for the debacle, but Cook remains adamant that customers were told about the feature when it first released.

"When we did put it out, we did say what it was, but I don't think a lot of people were paying attention," said Cook, speaking to ABC News. "Maybe we should have been clearer as well. We deeply apologise for anyone who thinks we had some other motivation."

Apple has faced criticisms from customers, regulators and government officials over its handling of the issue. US Senator and chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, John Thune, has probed Apple's complaint procedures and questioned whether the company will offer rebates to its customers, while eight lawsuits have also been filed in three US states.

French consumer watchdog DGCCRF has also launched an investigation into allegations the company operated a policy of planned obsolescence with its iPhones, something that if found to be true would carry a multi-billion dollar fine under French law.

On top of the battery issue, Apple has also faced criticisms over a string of software bugs recently discovered on iOS and MacOS High Sierra, and a number of botched patchesthat fixed one issue only to create another.

The latest bug has been described as a "Text Bomb", a crashing fault that can be triggered when a user sends a text message containing a specific link to a line of code, even if the user did not clink the link.

Apple has yet to comment on this latest problem.

10/01/2018:Now US Senate questions Apple over iPhone battery slowdowns

Apple is now facing questions from the US Senate over its recent admission that it deliberately throttled the power output of batteries in older iPhones, adding to legal pressures from lawsuits and an investigation by the French government.

Senator John Thune, chair of the Senate commerce committee, yesterday questioned the company's practices and its handling of the slowdown issue, in a letter sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook, seen by the Wall Street Journal.

The company has come under fire from customers, regulators and governments over the revelation that it deliberately reduced the power output of batteries in older phones, which resulted in lower CPU performance.

While some accused Apple of using planned obsolescence of older devices in order to spur customers to buy newer models, in December Apple said that the power management feature helps reduce the strain on older hardware ill-equipped to deal with the demands of modern software.

"We have never, and would never, do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades," an Apple spokesperson said at the time.

In a copy of the letter, seen by the WSJ, Thune asked how Apple has managed the complaints it has received from customers, and asked whether the company has considered offering full refunds to those customers who paid the full battery replacement cost before the reduced scheme came into effect.

"Apple's proposed solutions have prompted additional criticism from some customers, particularly its decision not to provide free replacement batteries," said Thune, imposing a deadline for answers by 23 January.

Apple announced it would offer customers an out-of-warranty subsidised battery replacement for $29, down from $79 (25, down from 79 in the UK), however, those who had already purchased a new battery earlier in the year, possibly as a result of Apple's throttling practice, do not qualify for the scheme.

Customers have also reported having to wait up to a week to schedule appointments at their local Apple Store, while others said that a supply shortage has meant the company has struggled to honour commitments to provide replacements.

French consumer watchdog DGCCRF, which is part of the government's finance ministry, yesterday said it was investigating whether the company deliberately deceived customers and operated "planned obsolescence" practices, which under French law carries a fine of up to 5% of annual sales.

With the majority of Apple iPhone customers currently using older phones from the iPhone 6, 6s and 7 ranges, even a small percentage of customers deciding to replace their batteries instead of upgrading could significantly impact sales of new models, said Barclay's analyst Mark Moskowitz earlier this week.

The company also faces eight lawsuits brought by customers, filed in courts in New York, Illinois and California.

09/01/2018:France investigates whether Apple slowed batteries to boost upgrades

A French prosecution team is reportedly investigating Apple's practices following consumer organisations' allegations of planned obsolescence of its iPhone products.

French consumer watchdog DGCCRF, which is part of the economy ministry, launched the preliminary investigation last Friday with the aim of discovering whether the US technology giant deliberately deceived its customers in order to sell more hardware, according to judicial sources speaking to Reuters.

Reports emerged in December that Apple was deliberately throttling batteries in older iPhones following the addition of a new power management feature in the iOS 10.2.1 update. Benchmark tests revealed this resulted in poorer performance from a device's processor, but Apple hadn't made it clear to users that the feature would reduce their phones' power output, nor did it explain why the feature was added.

Apple was initially suspected of doing this in an effort to push customers towards buying newer smartphones, but Apple later claimed it was to reduce the strain on older hardware that was unable to cope with demands from modern software.

The tech giant has since issued a rare apology for its handling of the battery issue, adding that it would never intentionally shorten the battery life of any Apple product.

France's investigation will seek to clarify whether Apple deliberately manipulated older products to spur demand on its newest range of smartphones, something that carries a fine of 5% of annual sales if a company is found guilty. In Apple's case, that would be a fine close to $15 billion given its most recent quarterly report.

IT Pro has contacted Apple for comment on the investigation.

Apple has been hit by multiple legal challenges following the company's acknowledgement of the battery issue, including a complaint by French consumer group HOP, which works to fight against planned obsolescence of products, and a number of lawsuits in the US that claim the company defrauded its customers.

The company has since launched a replacement scheme that allows users to apply for new batteries for devices outside of their warranties. It also reduced the price of the replacement from 79 to 25 in December, although it's strictly on a one-per-iPhone basis.

However, the fine print in the agreement says that if a user has had a replacement battery in the past year, the current hardware has to fail a diagnostic test in order to qualify for the replacement.

02/01/2018:Apple's $29 iPhone battery replacements are now available

Apple has said it will make its replacement batteries immediately available for iPhone customers, in an attempt to get in front of severe backlash over its throttling practices in older hardware.

Users with an iPhone 6 or a newer model are now able to purchase a new battery for their devices at a reduced price of $29, according to a letter to customers on 28th December. Apple's out-of-warranty battery replacement programme, which normally costs customers $79, will run worldwide at the reduced rate until December 2018.

Apple had previously said the new batteries wouldn't be available until late January, but development has proceeded far quicker than anticipated, according to a statement to TechCrunch.

"We expected to need more time to be ready, but we are happy to offer our customers the lower pricing right away," the statement read. "Initial supplies of some replacement batteries may be limited."

Apple was hit with a wave of public backlash after it was claimed the batteries on older iPhone models were being throttled in order to drive customers to upgrade to newer smartphones.

It was later discovered that iOS 10.2.1, released in February 2017, contained a feature that capped the power output of older, less capable batteries in an effort to prevent unexpected failures. The justification was that the older hardware was unable to support some of the features introduced in later iOS updates, however, the company was blasted for its lack of transparency.

While the rollout is ahead of schedule, Apple has made it clear initial supplies will be limited, so customers will need to act fast if they want to get their new batteries. Unfortunately, those customers who applied for a battery replacement before the announcement will not qualify for the $50 reduction.

Customers can begin the battery replacement process by contacting Apple directly through their customer service portals, or by visiting an Apple Store.

22/12/2017:Apple hit with legal action over iPhone performance slow-down

Apple is facing legal action following revelations that it does indeed slow down older phones to keep the devices alive for longer.

The tech giant was yesterday hit by a class action lawsuit, led by Stefan Bogdanovich and Dakota Speas, which cites "Breach of implied contract" and "Trepassto chattel" as the two complaints.

"As a result of Defendant's wrongful actions, Plaintiffs and Class Members had their phone slowed down, and thereby it interfered with Plaintiffs' and Class Members' use or possession of their iPhones, Plaintiffs and Class Members have otherwise suffered damages," the suit claims.

It is expected that other class action lawsuits are likely to follow on from this initial filing.

Earlier this week, Apple confirmed it slows down older iPhones that have lithium-ion batteries in order to prolong their life.

"Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices," the tech giant said in a statement seen byThe Verge.

"Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.

"Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We've now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future."

Replacing an old battery with a new one is assumed to return the phone to its former speed, as Reddit user krazydavid highlighted the difference in results after the battery was replaced in his iPhone 6 Plus. For his old battery, the Geekbench tests resulted in an 838 single-core and 1390 multi-core score. With the new battery, these scores shot to 1499 and 2579 respectively.

Furthermore, in a post from 2015 on Statista, Felix Richter found that worldwide Google searches for the term "iPhone slow" peaked when a new iPhone was released.

Image source: Statista

20/12/2017:iPhone battery problems? Apple accused of slowing down older iPhones

Apple has been accused of deliberately slowing down older iPhones, essentially forcing users to upgrade their handset.

So claims research, carried out by Geekbench, off the back of a Reddit thread that suggested iPhone performance reduces as battery life dwindles.

Although it's expected that battery life tends to dwindle as a device gets older, due to the increased volume of recharging cycles, associated performance shouldn't grind to a halt too.

Geekbench has benchmarked the performance of iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 devices running on different versions of iOS to see how the kernel density changes as the operating system is updated. It discovered that the iPhone 6's score for iOS 10.2.0 appears 'unimodal' (ie., doesn't change) in performance, but when it studied the iPhone 6 running iOS 10.2.1, the performance peaked around the average score and several other peaks around some of the lower scores. It reported that there was even more of a disparity when the iPhone 6 was tested on iOS 11.2.0.

For the iPhone 7, scores were pretty much identical across iOS 10.2.0, iOS 10.2.1, and iOS 11.1.2. However, when using iOS 11.2.0, the graph showed more peaks again, suggesting the performance is impacted the older the device becomes.

"First, it appears the problem is widespread, and will only get worse as phones (and their batteries) continue to age," Geekbench explained. "Second, the problem is due, in part, to a change in iOS. The difference between 10.2.0 and 10.2.1 is too abrupt to be just a function of battery condition."

Apple apparently rolled out an update to devices that limits the performance when battery life starts to dwindle, according to the Geekbench, because iPhone 6 devices, in particular, were shutting down unexpectedly even when the user had taken advantage of its battery replacement programme.

"Because degraded batteries last much less and end up with a lower voltage Apple's solution was to scale down CPU performance, it doesn't solve anything and is a bad experience but it's better than having your device shutdown at 40% when you need it the most," one Reddit user said.

Apple has admitted it implemented such an update to prevent devices shutting down unexpectedly, but didn't say whether this impacts the performance of the devices.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus arrived with much fanfare at the company's annual launch event in September 2016 and came out in the UK almost instantly.

The devices have proven to be quite a hit for the smartphone manufacturer, and helped it reclaim its position as the top smartphone manufacturer in the world.

We round up all the latest news about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus so you can keep on top of everything happening in the Apple-verse.

You can find our iPhone 7 review here.

Apple iPhone 7: at a glance

• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus UK release date was 16 September 2016
• iPhone 7 UK price starts at 549
• iPhone 7 Plus UK price starts at 669
• Get both models in 32GB or 128GB
• Available in a range of colours, including black, grey and red

iPhone 7: latest news

04/12/2017:Apple and (RED) raise over $30 million to fight AIDS

Apple has raised over $30 million this year for the Global Fund, a charity set upby U2 singer Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006to fight AIDS.

The company made the announcement last Thursday, the day before World AIDS Day, and said over the past 11 years Apple customers have provided an equivalent of 475 million days of life-saving medication.

"Connecting through our products and services helps make it easy for our customers to join us in the effort to create the first AIDS-free generation," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP of environment, policy and social initiatives. "By working with (RED) to stop the transmission of HIV from mums to their unborn babies, we're already seeing a significant impact in areas where help is needed most. We're committed to continuing the fight and empowering future generations through these vital efforts."

(RED) has raised over $500 million since the company's inception.

"Apple's commitment to the AIDS fight is unparalleled. It's not just the staggering $160 million raised for the Global Fund that has impacted many millions of lives, it's their ability to bring heat, awareness, energy and eyeballs to keep this issue front and centre," said Deb Dugan, CEO at (RED). "Their unwavering support cannot be underestimated, and we thank every Apple employee for helping (RED) reach the milestone of half a billion dollars delivered to help end this disease."

To call attention to World AIDS Day 2017, more than 400 Apple stores featured a red Apple logo for the week. For every Apple Pay transaction made at a retail location, online or in-app, the company made a $1 donation to the Global Fund.

In March, Apple released a red version of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to raise money for HIV research efforts (see below).

22/03/2017: As predicted, Apple has released a red version of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, to help raise money for HIV research efforts.

Some of the profits from the new iPhone will be donated to the charity (RED), which was founded by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver in 2006, to help fund efforts to combat HIV and deliver an "AIDS free generation". Apple has previously released red products, including a red iPod and red Apple Watch fluoroelastomer strap, also in aid of (RED).

James Moar, an analyst at Juniper Research told the BBCApple is trying desperately hard to be associated with ethical matters for the greater good and launching a (RED) iPhone, with profits going towards the foundation, goes some way to doing this.

"It is a way of them kind of beefing up that side of their business," he said.

All the money (RED) receives is donated to the Global Fund, which provides grants for HIV/AIDS programmes, including education, testing and treatment in areas most affected by the disease.

At the same time as launching the (RED) iPhone 7, the company also announced a new video app that would take cues from Snapchat's instant media sharing app.

"Fun effects including comic book filters, speech bubbles, shapes and full-screen animated posters help bring out the personality in videos made with Clips,"Apple said.

Continue reading to find out the iPhone 7's release date and price

iPhone 7 release date

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launched at Apple'sSpecial Event on 7 September, and both went on sale in the UK on 16 September. Pre-orders were available from 9 September.

iPhone 7 UK price

The iPhone 7 costs upwards of 549, and the 7 Plus upwards of 669.

The prices are higher than the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were when they launched (539 and 619 respectively), but Apple has doubled the phones' storage capacities from 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB to 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. Apple no longer sells the 256GB version so you will have to look elsewhere if you want to purchase it.

However, like-for-like prices jumped: the iPhone 6 128GB model was priced at 699 at launch, and the iPhone 7 128GB model price is the same. But while the 6s Plus launched at 789, the iPhone 7 Plus 128GB model is 30 more expensive, at 819. Apple hasn't given a reason, but it is thought Brexit may have pushed the price up, after the UK's decision to leave the EU caused sterling to plummet in value. OnePlus raised its phone price from 309 to 329 in response to Brexit.

Check out our pricing table below for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus UK prices.

iPhone 7 best deals

If you're happy to sign up to a 24-month contract for your iPhone, networks are furiously competing with each other to offer the best deals available, with inclusive minutes and texts, a variety of different data options and extra perks such as free music subscriptions or inclusive roaming abroad.

Three

Although Three's tariffs are by no way the cheapest per month, they do offer more data, minutes and unlimited texts. For example, opt for a mammoth 4GB data for the 32GB iPhone 7 and you'll pay just 38 a month, although there is a 149 upfront cost.

For the 128GB version, this increases to 43 a month, with the same 149 upfront, while the 256GB version will only cost an extra 5 a month - for all that extra storage!

As is usually the case, the best prices are for two-year contracts, so although long-term, they're the most manageable on a monthly basis.

O2

If you'd rather pay a lot less upfront, but are happy paying a bigger monthly fee, O2's tariffs could be just the biscuit. Starting at just 39.99 upfront for the 32GB iPhone 7, this network's cheapest tariff is 60 a month. But that will give you an absolutely ridiculous 30GB a month data, meaning you can probably scrap your broadband too.

For a more sensible, everyday option, you can pay the slightly higher fee of 59.99 upfront and then 46.50 a month if you think you'll only use 3GB data a month

That same tariff for the 128GB version will add an extra fiver onto the monthly cost, while upping the capacity to 256GB will set you back 56.50 a month, with the handset costing a tenner cheaper at 49.99 upfront.

EE

EE's forte is 4G network coverage and as you'd expect, all of its iPhone 7 plans come with 4G support.

Like O2, EE is focussing on cutting the upfront cost of the iPhone 7 in order to attract those who'd rather pay for the majority of their device over a two-year period.

For example, 55.99 a month will get you the 32GB iPhone 7, 7GB data, unlimited calls and texts, plus you'll only need to pay 9.99 upfront. Upgrade to the 128GB iPhone 7 and you'll pay 49.99 upfront, with monthly repayments of 55.99. OK, maybe not as attractive as the smaller capacity iPhone 7, but not a bad proposition if you're after 5GB data.

The best deal for the 256GB iPhone 7 will increase that upfront payment to 99.99 a month, but it'll give you 10GB data for 60.99 a month.

Vodafone

Vodafone offers the most interesting added extras for anyone who likes a freebie. With the company's Red bundles, you can opt to add on a NOW TV Entertainment Pass, Spotify Premium or Sky Sports Mobile TV package when you sign up, but beware - these add-ons come with a cost because the contract prices are some of the highest out there.

The 32GB version is available from 32 a month, with a hefty 250 fee upfront, while the 128GB version ups this to 37 a month with 300 upfront. If you want to get your hands on the 256GB version, that'll cost 42 a month with 320 when you sign up. These lowest tariffs will get you a tiny 500MB data, 500 minutes to UK phones and unlimited texts, which probably won't even satisfy the average device user.

GiffGaff

If you want to buy the iPhone 7 upfront from Apple whether by paying the full 599-799 or its pay monthly plan, GiffGaff offers the best rolling, SIM-only contracts to save you money over the lifetime of the device.

The no-frills network is charging 20 a month for its tariff, which, if you add that onto the cost of the handset, turns out you're paying between 1,079 and 1,179 over a 12-month period.

iPhone 7 colours

The iPhone 7 is available in five colours - Jet black, regular black, silver, gold and rose gold.

The exclusive Jet black colour, which is a brand new colour for Apple, is only available in 128GB and 256GB iterations, presumably designed to exude luxury.

It's a high-gloss finish produced using a nine-step anodisation and polishing process and although its surface is equally as hard as other anodised Apple products, the company warns its high shine might show up scratches more than the other colourways. It therefore suggests you hide the shiny surface away by slipping it into a case to protect the fragility surface - a bit pointless if you want to show off you have the brand new colour.

In terms of pricing for the different coloured editions, they all enter the market at the same price, although it's possible retailers will reduce some of the more unpopular colours as the iPhone 8's appearance approaches in order to get rid of stock.

iPhone 7 features

iPhone 7 operating system

The iPhone 7 family runsiOS 10.

The advantage of iOS 10 is it will automatically protect against a recently discovered iPhone threat, dubbed Trident. Trident is particularly dangerous for companies with iPhone deployments, because once installed, it syphons off messages - encrypted or not - to the hacker who launched the attack. That means all data on a business device is at risk of being stolen. While Apple quickly addressed the vulnerability with a patch in iOS 9.3.5, not everyone will have downloaded it, but iOS 10 will include the patch too.

iPhone 7 camera and photos

The camera has become something of a flagship feature for Apple's smartphones and the iPhone 7 is no exception.

The iPhone 7 sports a 12-megapixel camera, the same as the iPhone 6s, and offers three times longer exposure than its predecessor. It also lets 50% more light onto the sensor, which is 60% faster than the 6s's, too.

Apple's image signal processor, which is the brains of the camera, uses machine learning to identify people and objects in photos and to set white balance. The processor is also capable of recognising a greater variety of colours, as well.

While the iPhone 7's camera is a clear improvement on the last, it's the iPhone 7s camera that really catches the eye. For a start, it has two cameras - a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, allowing it to zoom up to 10x on a shot without compromising image quality.

iPhone 7 display

Compared to the iPhone 6s's screen, the iPhone 7 is 25% brighter, utilising a feature called Wide Color for the first time. Wide Color is Apple's term forDCI-P3, a range of colours that became a standard for digital movie projection in the US film industry.

While both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have Wide Color, they lack True Tone (which the 9.7in iPad Pro does have).

One of the biggest changes on the iPhone 6s was the 3D Touch screen - an advancement on the Force Touch technology seen on the Apple Watch and most recent MacBook. You'll be glad to know that 3D Touch has now made it to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

3D Touch allows sensors below the screen to detect whether the user has applied a tap, a press, or a deep press. It is this deep press recognition that is used for Live Photos, as well as 'Peeks' which let you see previews of emails, websites and photos, and 'Pops', which let you open the full email, site or photo simply by pressing down harder.

Siri

Siri has been part of iPhone since 2010, but its appearance in iOS 10 brings a whole heap of updates to the six-year-old voice assistant, so it's cleverer than ever before.

It alreadysits at the heart not just of iPhone, but also iPads, Apple TV and the company's burgeoning smart home ecosystem.

But with iOS 10, Siri becomes a bigger part of many of your go-to apps. On stage, Craig Federighi showed how wider Siri support works: You can instruct it to "Send aWeChattoNancysayingI'll be five minutes late", for instance. By opening up Siri to third-party developers, Apple has made it more useful - it'll soon be present in WhatsApp, Uber, Lyft, Slack, Map My Run, Pinterest and more.

Continue reading for iPhone 7 specs

iPhone 7 specs

iPhone 7 processor, storage and RAM

In terms of hardware, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus use a new A10 system-on-a-chip (SOC), the successor to the A9 SOC that powers the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and SE.

The A10 is 40% faster than the A9 and is twice as fast as the old A8, while it boasts 3.3 billion transistors and four cores.

While the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have 2GB of RAM, the same as the 6s and 6s Plus, Apple has overhauled its storage tiers. Starting by axing the 16GB and 64GB models, the 7 and 7 Plus double the storage capacities of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Instead of 16GB, 64GB and 128GB, the 7 family comes in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes. The Jet Black colour iPhone is only available in the last two sizes.

iPhone 7 battery life

Apple believes the 7's battery life is two hours longer than that of the 6s, and the 7 Plus offers one hour longer than the 6s Plus.

By the tech giant's count, the 7 offers up to 14 hours talk time on 3G, compared to the 7 Plus's 21 hours. The iPhone 7 offers internet use for 12 hours on 3G and 4G and 14 hours on Wi-Fi; the 7 Plus can do 13 hours on 3G and 4G, and 15 hours on Wi-Fi.

Standby time is up to 10 days on the 7 and 16 days on the 7 Plus.

iPhone 7 casing and headphone jack

We'll get to the headphones in just a moment; one important, less-talked-about improvement on the iPhone 7 is the much-hated antennae bands that covered the top back of the chassis on previous models.

These were included to allow radio waves to penetrate the new metal chassis design, but Apple has improved its technology and design to do away with them on the iPhone 7, hiding them away inside the chassis instead.

Headphone jack

Apple has killed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Yes, that's right, the 3.5mm port for headphones is no more. Instead, Apple is shipping EarPods with each iPhone 7 sold - these connect through the Lightning port instead of the jack. If you're attached (forgive the pun) to your own set of headphones, though, don't worry: Apple also includes an adaptor in the box, so you can plug your own headphones into the Lightning port instead.

But, of course, Apple hasn't stopped there. Always intent on surprising people, the tech giant also revealed the AirPods (pictured above). These wireless earpieces rely on Bluetooth to connect to your iPhone, and use infrared to detect when they're in your ears - they won't play when they're just in your pocket. In a neat touch, you can also double tap them to speak to Siri.

Continue reading for iPhone 7 colours, versions, accessories and to find out if it will be a success

iPhone 7 versions, colours and accessories

iPhone 7 versions and colours

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will keep the iPhone's current dimensions of 4.7in and 5.5in across the diagonal respectively, but they'll boast all new colours.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be available in RoseGold, Gold, Silver, Black, and Jet Black, getting rid of the Space Gray colour of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s.

Accessories

All iPhones come with ear pods included, and the iPhone 7 is no exception. However, tech-loving users may choose to upgrade and buy the AirPods (above) or even one of Apple's Beats wireless headphones, instead.

As with previous editions, the iPhone 7 will have its fair share of accessories, including a smart battery pack case that can charge the phone on the go, and a Lightning Dock to charge and sync the device.

Will the iPhone 7 be a success?

At a consumer level, it is highly unlikely that the iPhone 7 and its variants will bomb. As reported by Nikkei in January, although there was a glut of inventory in the first quarter of 2016, "Apple's products and brand have not lost their appeal, and older models have continued to sell".

Indeed, iPhones were a major driving force behind Apple's record-breaking Q4 2015 financial results.

Additionally, the iPhone 7 is a new model, rather than an 's' series update like the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

iPhone 7 in the enterprise

Apple has been working hard to boost its presence in the enterprise, primarily through partnerships with other large tech companies such as Cisco and IBM, leveraging these to create a $25 billion business selling to B2B.

While it has largely been thought these alliances have been formed to help push the use of iPads as business devices, officially they are for all products running on iOS - which includes iPhones.

However, research group Ovum tellsIT Pro that the iPhone 7 won't enhance Apple's enterprise strategy particularly.

Mike Sapien, analyst for Ovum's US Enterprise Practice, said: "I did not hear anything specific that will build on its enterprise strategy or adoption. At the same list price, it seems like the only major attraction will be any upgrade program that promotes the upgrade or switch from Android devices, which are not likely but may be offered by the mobile operators. I can't see major moves by businesses to promote the switch from what I have heard so far."';

However, the use of iOS in business grew in Q3 2015, according to a report from Good Technology, having lost some market share to Android in the first half of the year, and it has always been the most popular OS used in the enterprise.

With this in mind, it is likely, therefore, that the iPhone 7 will eventually be a success in the enterprise although uptake will almost certainly be slower and steadier than in the consumer space.

News

06/03/2017:A red iPhone 7 could be the newest addition to Apple's flagship device line up, according to rumours. Not only that,Get Readinghas suggested it could be launching later this month at an as yet unannounced Apple event that could also see the release of a new iPad Pro and a higher capacity iPhone SE.

This would be in keeping with Apple's usual March announcement, which is the only time it tends to launch new products apart from September.

A red iteration of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus would be in support of Bono and Bobby Shriver'sHIV/AIDS campaign, under the (RED) banner. Apple has taken part in the campaign for the last few years, alongside other companies such as Mophie, which makes a special edition red Juice Pack for the iPhone 7 already and Beats, another Apple-owned company, which has launched special edition headphones for the cause.

The (RED) iPhones in the past haven't cost any extra, although companies involved are required to donate a proportion of the sales to the charity.

24/02/2017:Samsung isn't the only mobile maker with battery woes: Apple is now investigating an apparent battery fire on the iPhone 7 Plus.

Video of a phone owned by a teenager in Arizona is making the rounds, showing the device smoking with a cracked body.

The iPhone owner had brought the device into an Apple Store the day before the incident, complaining that it wasn't turning on. It started to smoke while plugged in to charge next to her as she slept.

Apple has reportedly said it's in touch with the customer and looking into the incident.

While there have been reports of other iPhone 7 Plus batteries overheating, the handset has been on sale since September with few such complaints, suggesting the issue may be a few flawed or damaged batteries, rather than a widespread fault like that seen by Samsung.

09/11/2016:Apple's new iPhone 7 came with a new choice of colour, 'Jet Black', which gives the smartphone a glossy appearance, thanks to a nine-step process that includes anodisation and polish.

This new colour was extremely popular among iPhone 7 customers, despite reports that it was extremely delicate and could be damaged fairly easily.

According to a report written by the Japanese publicationMac Otakara, Apple could be considering whether to add a new 'Jet White' colour to those available for iPhone 7 smartphones.

Demand for Apple's new device is particularly high, with many customers still waiting to receive their iPhone 7, particularly in the new Jet Black colouring, and in its Plus version.

On October 25, during a conference call with analysts, Apple chief financial officer Luca Maestri said: "Worldwide demand for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus has significantly outpaced supply, particularly on iPhone 7 Plus."

Apple's new flagship smartphone was launched on 16 September and comes with new features such as dual camera and wireless headphones connected to the phone through a new system called lightening.

Other colours for the iPhone 7 include silver, normal black, gold and rose gold matte.

27/10/2016:Several websites are offering iPhone users in China the possibility to purchase 'iPhone makeover kits', false cameras and dust plugs that hide the headphone jack, to make an iPhone 6 or 6s look like the new iPhone 7.

Several iPhone users are buying these items and re-vamping their old Apple devices instead of buying the new flagship model.

Should this trend spread, it could be detrimental for Apple, which is hoping the new device will help boost its sales.

This mirrors the popular opinion among Chinese Apple users that iPhone 7 is not innovative enough to prompt them to buy it.

A Beijing-based sales workertold Tech 2he was getting a Shenzhen firm to replace his iPhone 6's case, saying: "I don't have the money to upgrade, and the (iPhone) 7 is just so-so."

On Tuesday, Apple's last quarterly statement showed a decline in iPhone sales globally, with Greater China's revenue down by 30% to $8.79 billion.

Counterpoint analyst Neil Shah said: "The iPhone 7 series should help Apple regain lost (China) market share as demand is tracking better than for the iPhone 6s series. Apple needs to offer something cutting-edge to appeal to maturing Chinese smartphone users who are warming to local brands."

10/10/2016:Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said he now thinks the new Lightning audio port on iPhone 7 was a good idea, inan interview withTechRadar.

In August, Wozniak toldThe Australian Financial Reviewthat he believed dropping the headphone jack would "tick off a lot of people".

However, he has since changed his mind, andhe said: "Not that many people used it, I never used it. For those who do use it, you can buy a little adaptor dongle."

Wozniak also had a change of heart in regards to the Apple Watch. "I've come to like my Apple Watch more... I use it enough in my life for things...I enjoy using it and having it. And when I don't use it, I don't even know it's there," he toldTechRadar.

In March, the Apple co-founder had expressed his scepticism about the wearable in a post onReddit. The post read: "I worry a little bit about- I mean I love my Apple Watch, but - it's taken us into a jewelry market where you're going to buy a watch between $500 or $1100 based on how important you think you are as a person.

"The only difference is the band in all those watches. Twenty watches from $500 to $1100. The band's the only difference? Well this isn't the company that Apple was originally, or the company that really changed the world a lot."

Wozniak engineered Apple 1, the first home computer with keyboard and TV screen as a display. While Steve Jobs took care of the creative aspect of Apple products, Wozniak was the mind behind the construction of Apple's first computers and devices.

30/09/2016:An iPhone 7 has reportedly exploded during delivery, prompting fears that Apple's flagship may be suffering similar battery problems tothe ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

One customer received their device only to discover that it appeared to have caught fire and exploded while en route, according to colleague andReddit user 'kroopthesnoop'.

They posted photos of their coworker's destroyed iPhone, noting that they're "not certain" what happened but adding, "something happened between the factory and delivery".

The pictures show that the iPhone was discoloured, partially melted and with the screen coming away from the chassis. The unit bears a strong resemblance to the Note 7 models which overheated and exploded, an incident which prompted Samsung to initiate a full recall of the device.

However, unlike the Note 7, this fault does not appear to be affecting numerous devices. Apple did not respond when asked if multiple customers had reported similar issues.

26/09/2016:Research firm GfK has revealed iPhone 7 sales were lower than expected, saying sales of both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were down 25 per cent year-on-year.

If GfK's numbers are right, that means Apple shifted less than 10m iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus handsets between September 16th and 19th.

However, unlike previous years, Apple didn't release its own sales figures for the iPhone 7 on its launch weekend, explaining in its statement it was due to distribution complications rather than negative shipment results.

"In years past, we've announced how many new iPhones had been sold as of the first weekend following launch. But as we have expanded our distribution through carriers and resellers to hundreds of thousands of locations around the world, we are now at a point where we know before taking the first customer pre-order that we will sell out of iPhone 7.

These initial sales will be governed by supply not demand, we have decided that it is no longer a representative metric for our investors and customers. Therefore we won't be releasing a first-weekend number any longer. We are reiterating the financial guidance for the September quarter that we provided on July 26."

However, Apple said it was expecting the same amount of interest from consumers in the launch weekend because it was allowing preorders a week before it was available from stores.

Last year, Apple sold 13m iPhone 6S and 6S Plus devices over the launch weekend compared to 10m iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices in 2014.

14/09/2016:The iPhone 7 has already broken pre-order records, according to US mobile networks.

Wireless carrier T-Mobile announced that once presales opened on 9 September, the iPhone 7 set a single-day sales record, more than any other smartphone ever sold by the company.

Sprint also announced that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus preorders increased by around 375% over the first three days of availability, when compared with last year's 6s and 6s Plus.

This demand was mirrored in the UIK, where the iPhone 7 launch spurred the biggest one-day spike in UK traffic to Apple's website that the site had ever seen. According to digital market intelligence firm SimilarWeb, the site received a 235% boost in visits on the iPhone 7's launch day.

07/09/2016 update:The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have both launched today at Apple's special event in San Francisco.

They have a new home button with force touch and taptic feedback, an A-10 chip, which makes them both faster and more battery efficient than their predecessors, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and have a brighter, higher-resolution screen.

The worst-kept secret in tech - that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will have no 3.5mm headphone jack - was also confirmed. As expected, the devices will use the lightning connector as an audio output and will ship with a pair of lightning EarPods. The company is also launching a set of wireless "AirPods" (EarPods with no physical connector) in October, but they will cost 159.

Another widely rumoured feature a dual lens rear camera also turned out to be true. However, it is only available on the iPhone 7 Plus, not the iPhone 7.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus are available in five colours - Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, (shiny) Jet Black and (matte) Black.

Both smartphones are available to pre-order from 9 September and ship on 16 September when they also hit shelves in retail stores. iOS 10, which the devices will run on, is available to download from 13 September.

07/09/2016:It's iPhone 7 launch day!

The iPhone 7 and its big brother, the iPhone 7 Plus, are set to be announced today at a special launch event in San Francisco, amidst much fanfare.

Rumours so far indicate the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will look identical to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with a handful of new features - some controversial, others a little more mainstream.

Last night, a leak from Apple's own store showed the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus listed as compatible devices for some accessories, including the company's new EarPods.

Recent rumours suggest Apple will scrap the 3.5mm headphone port and instead insist people use Bluetooth to connect or be forced to buy an adaptor so they fit into the device's Lightning port.

It also may introduce a pressure-sensitive home button that won't have moving parts like the iPhone, which will also help it be more waterproof too.

The camera may be upgraded too, with storage options ranging from 32GB to 256GB.

Additionally, while the iPhone doesn't normally go on sale the same day it's announced,IT Prosources have indicated it is likely to be in UK shops from 19 September.

You can find out how to watch the event, plus follow our live blog from 5.30pm UK time,at our dedicated page.

Image credits: Main image and page 3 concepts Yasser Farahi - Oval Picture. Page 1 concepts, Marek Weidlich on Behance. Page 2 concept Jan-Willem Reusnik - Flickr. All image rights remain with the original creators.

Despite the highly anticipated launch of both the iPhone X and iPhone 8, last year's flagship iPhone continues to be a highly sought after device among Apple customers.

Apple's iPhone 7 was the world's best-selling phone in the third quarter of 2017 with around 13 million shipped units, according to Canalys, almost double that of the second most popular device, the iPhone 6s. Sales of the iPhone 8 have been muted somewhat by the launch of so many new Apple products in one season, and despite its positive reception, we're unlikely to see the same numbers still achieved by its predecessor.

But what makes the iPhone 7 such a big hit with smartphone buyers? We took a look to find out.

Headphone jack

The most widely talked-about news before the iPhone 7's launch was that Apple had ditched the iPhone's 3.5mm headphone jack. This prompted a fair amount of debate, with many grieving the loss of a port to plug into. This would be the beginning of a conscious effort to move away from legacy ports in favour of the Lightning connector that we see today. While encouraging users onto Apple's own compatible products makes sense from a business perspective, the direction is ultimately a loss for consumer choice.

Apple understands that its customers may be reluctant to change however, and has even thrown in a Lightning-to-3.5mm adaptor with the smartphone, if you just can't bear to part with your old cans.

The tech giant has also released a set of 'AirPods'; wireless earphones that look like regular Apple headphones with the cables missing. Not only are they absurdly expensive (surprise, surprise) but there's no connecting wire between the left and right earbuds, so if one falls out while you're out and about, you can kiss goodbye to half of your 159 investment. They're also less secure than other earbuds with locking wings or rubber tips, meaning they are more likely to fall out in the first place.

Home button

The home button has also been redesigned. It's no longer a physical button, but instead features Apple's own take on haptic feedback known as the 'Taptic' feedback engine, present in many of its other products. The Taptic engine provides varying levels of force feedback, using vibrations to mimic the feel of pressing a physical button. The sensation is a little odd at first, but you quickly get used to it, and the removal of one of the iPhone's few moving parts means there are fewer bits that can go wrong.

Waterproofing

Safety has been improved in other areas, too. Apple has finally followed the lead of rivals like Samsung and Sony, and has given the iPhone 7 proper waterproofing. The device is IP67-rated, meaning it can survive immersion in up to 1m of water for up to half an hour. This has been one of the most heavily-requested iPhone features, and will hopefully save many an iPhone from an untimely toilet-based demise.

Design, display and casing

The iPhone 7 and its predecessor share many features. It has the same dimensions as the iPhone 6s, apart from the antenna bands being repositioned to the top and bottom edges of the chassis, although this isn't a major difference.

The screen also remains basically the same. Apple's changed the colour calibration used by the iPhone's display but the size and resolution remain the same. It measures 4.7in and 1,334 x 750 respectively. This small change impacts the device greatly as the colours are brighter and more vivid, with Apple claiming it's 25% brighter than the 6s, while it displays deeper blacks.

Black is back as a colour choice too on the iPhone 7, which many fans have been waiting for eagerly. To please them, Apple has gone the extra length and offered the device in both basic black and in a shiny, slightly darker black. Fans can choose the new "Jet Black" option, which is glossy and sleek, or the regular black option, which has a pleasant matte finish.

Our personal choice is the latter, as the Jet Black version appears a little cheap and plasticky even though it's made of the same aluminium as every other model. Fingerprints will appear almost instantly on it too, and it also feels exceedingly slippery, which will worry many users considering how expensive the device is.

If black isn't your thing, you can opt for the classic Silver - which has always looked good on Apple products - a flashy Gold finish, or Rose Gold, which appears to be livid pink in promo shots but in reality is fairly muted.

This is also the first Apple smartphone to include stereo speakers, which produce a surprisingly good amount of volume. The tone is good, offering pleasingly chunky midranges, but the bass can't compete with Android rivals such as the HTC Ten and its BoomSound speakers.

Specs and performance

Apple's handsets have long since gone past the point where they're likely to be overly taxed in day-to-day use, and the iPhone 7 is no different. Speed and responsiveness are noticeably better than in the iPhone 6s though, and the iPhone 7 copes superbly with multi-tasking, regardless of how many high-performance apps you throw at it.

This is down to the iPhone 7's A10 Fusion processor, which is predictably beefy in terms of horsepower. However, while it's great at handling demanding tasks like 3D gaming and video streaming, it's also got an extra two cores to provide increased efficiency when dealing with the numerous smaller jobs that make up everyday use, like checking emails, listening to music and browsing social media.

In theory, this means increased battery life, and the iPhone 7 did indeed perform better than its predecessor, racking up a final score of 13hrs 2mins in our battery benchmarks. However, it falls short of the Samsung Galaxy S7, which has it beat by five and a half hours.

Read on to find out about iOS 10, the camera, and our verdict on the iPhone 7

iOS 11

At launch the iPhone 7 supported iOS 10, which was streaks ahead of Android and laid the foundations for some huge leaps forward in terms of applications. With the release of iOS 11 this year, the iPhone 7 was one of the first devices to receive the update, further building on an excellent software base.

Apple's flagship OS brings a host of new features, including improvements to its Siri AI voice assistant that make communicating with your device a more natural process. Both male and female voices are now more expressive and are able to adjust intonation and pitch, as well as emphasise words.

The iPhone 7 now also supports Apple's ARKit and the various supported augmented reality apps, as well as VR through 3rd party devices such as the Prism.

The update also brings Apple Pay person-to-person payments via the Messages app, new Touch ID functionality that lets you dial emergency services without entering a password, and new security functions that allow Touch ID to be disabled with a command.

Elsewhere, there are a few notable updates to Apple's software, with key highlights being a number of improvements to the Messages app and the ability to capture photos in RAW format, as well as letting users delete preinstalled apps. As was the case with iOS 10, the you can also wake the iPhone 7 when you lift it, rather than having to press the home button.

Camera

It should come as a surprise to no-one that the iPhone 7's camera is absolutely superb. The resolution remains the same as the iPhone 6, with 12MP stills and 4K video capability, but Apple has put some work into tweaking and refining some of the camera's other elements to provide a boost in general quality.

Most notably, the basic iPhone 7 now has optical image stabilisation, a feature previously restricted to Plus models. This works marvelously, and will generally capture clean images with minimal noise, regardless of how much you or the subject are moving.

The f/1.8 aperture now means the sensor has around 50% more light to work with, while the improved ISP means faster processing for things like HDR photos. The front-facing selfie camera has also been improved, jumping from a 5MP sensor to 7MP. Photos have more detail and better contrast, while the flash seems to have been tuned up.

The camera is a marked improvement over the iPhone 6s's already-excellent snapper, and is very unlikely to disappoint. For our money, the Samsung Galaxy S7 still edges out the pair of them, but there's very little in it.

Verdict

The iPhone 7 has very few new tricks up its sleeve in terms of features, visual appearance or hardware. Instead, it's all minor iterations on the same formula Apple has been using for the previous three generations.

In many ways, Apple is a victim of its own success. The iPhone 7 is unquestionably one of the best smartphones around, but on the other hand, so was the iPhone 6s. If you already own the iPhone 7's predecessor, you'll be hard-pressed to find any new additions compelling enough to promt you to upgrade.

It's hard to get particularly excited about the iPhone 7, but not because it's a mediocre device - in fact, it's the exact opposite. Apple has been so reliably knocking iPhone design out of the park that the iPhone 7's brilliance has become dull and predictable, as is evidenced by the fact that the main features on most people's minds are a headphone jack and a button.

This is particularly apparent when contrasted against primary rival Samsung, a company that is continuing to push the envelope, creating fresh and interesting products. The Samsung Galaxy S8's edgeless 'Infinity display' immediately stands out as unlike anything we've ever seen, while the latest iPhone just feels like more of the same.

As the majority of Apple's major innovations were ultimately reserved for the iPhone X, it makes the iPhone 7 seem dull in comparison. The iPhone 7 is still a capable device - it's still incredibly fast for its spec, and there's not much we can really mark it down on - but more than any other iteration, the iPhone 7 feels like it's treading water.

Verdict

Apple's latest iPhone hits all the familiar notes you'd expect it to, and while it's still an amazing device, there's nothing here that we haven't seen before. If you're due for an upgrade, you're unlikely to be disappointed, but don't rush out to buy one.

iOS 10 was announced at WWC in June 2016, with an immediate developer beta release, followed by a public beta release in July. The first completed version was released in September 2016, with several updates having been made since then.

Here we round up all of the latest news about Apple's latest mobile OS and break down its key features.

At-a-glance

• iOS 10 was released on 13 September
• iOS 10.3 available for users to download now
• It has 10 key features revamped, with the user experience front of mind
• Much of the functionality has been opened up to developers

iOS 10 news

10/08/2017: iOS 10 users no longer allowed to upgrade or downgrade to iOS 10.3.2

Following the release of iOS 10.3.3 last month, Apple has stopped 'signing' iOS 10.3.2, meaning if anyone wants to downgrade to the previous iteration of the platform for any reason (for example if their device is playing up after installing the new update), they won't be able to.

It also means users running version 10.3.1 will have to jump straight to 10.3.3 rather than incrementally upgrading their device to iOS 10.3.2.

Although it's a rather rough tactic by Apple to encourage iPhone and iPad users to upgrade to the latest firmware, it's always a good idea to upgrade to the most current version, which will include all the latest bug and security fixes, making it less likely your phone will behave erratically.

Preventing users from running version 10.3.2 will also stop jailbreakers, by fixing the vulnerabilities often found in older versions that are commonly used for jailbreaking. This is why users who like tinkering with their device often hold back from upgrading the firmware. If they do make the jump, they'll then have to wait for the next jailbreak to be released before hacking their device again.

Aside from these reasons, it's also pretty likely Apple has stopped signing iOS 10.3.2 because it's prepping for the release of iOS 11, due to happen in September.

iOS 10 release date

iOS 10 was made available as a developer preview following the Apple WWDC keynote on 13th June, with a public beta launched in July. The final, or Golden Master, was made available from 9 September through Apple's Beta Program. The free upgrade for general users was released on 13 September 2016, following the iPhone 7's reveal on 7 September.

iOS 10 price

Available as a free upgrade, iOS 10 will work on iPhone 5 and later devices, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, in addition to fourth generation iPad and later models, iPad mini 2 and later and iPod touch sixth generation onwards. More information is available atApple's iOS 10 preview site.

iOS 10 features

Apple spent a great deal of time going through key iOS 10 features during its WWDC keynote, covering a range of use cases and pleasing developers and end users alike.

"iOS 10 is our biggest release ever, with delightful new ways to express yourself in Messages, a native app for home automation and beautifully redesigned apps for Music, Maps, andNews that are more intuitive and more powerful, making everything you love about your iPhone and iPad even better," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of SoftwareEngineering.

"iOS 10 adds Siri intelligence into QuickType and Photos, automates your home with the new Home app and opens up Siri, Maps, Phone and Messages to developers - whileincreasing security and privacy with powerful technologies like Differential Privacy."

Messaging

The most frequently used iOS app is messages, according to Apple. So it's no surprise it has gone to town in revamping this element in iOS 10. New elements here include powerful animations, features to better reflect tone and more extensive use of and support for Emojis.

Siri

By openingSiri up to developers in iOS 10, Apple is ensuring that users will benefit from an even better experience. SiriKit means developers can work across a broad range of features, harnessing the intelligence and power Siri offers and making apps even better for the people who use them the most.

Maps reimagined

Maps have been given more than a lick of paint in iOS 10. They are also much easier and more intuitive to use. OpenTable and Uber, to pick just two examples, become much more advanced apps with iOS 10 as users can book services directly from withing Maps rather than having to exit and return. Maps will then learn from that experience to proactively deliver guidance based on where you might want or need to go next.

Photos app

AI will again be utilised heavily here to ensure the memories that matter most to users are at their fingertips. Memories will scan all the pics and videos you've taken and present them in a way that makes you think back to that time fondly. It can do this thanks to advanced computer vision, which connects the dots between people, places and things inside your device's albums.

Smarter home with HomeKit

Users can more effectively control their home environments with advanced controls that add smart elements at the touch of a button or voice command. Almost 100 home automation products have already adopted HomeKit in 2016, proving the appeal of this kind of technological innovation.

Apple Music and News

Music and News have also been given a makeover in iOS 10. Both are designed to offer the user more but without the need to get to grips with something new. In particular, Apple Music's Browse, For You and Library features are designed to connect users with the tunes that matter most and will most impact them.

Other features

There is also a range of other tweaks to excite users. These include:

• Ability to set a regular sleep schedule with the Bedtime Alarm
• Apple Pay support for purchases on select websites, which can be authenticated via Apple Watch or iPhone
• Integration for third-party VoIP calls, voicemail transcription and caller ID extension to avoid spam
• Safari split-view for iPad, Notes collaboration and Live Photos editing
• QuickType features such as contextual predictions that harness power of Siri's intelligence

Previous news

12/04/2017:Apple fixes iOS 10 beta problems, but could kill support

Apple has begun rolling out the second beta of iOS 10.3.2, the operating system's forthcoming update, after spending two weeks in its first beta period.

The adjustments made by the tech giant include bug fixes to both third-party virtual private network (VPN) apps and SiriKit car commands. Both should be working properly in the second beta. iOS devices will also send Apple diagnostic and usage data automatically, although users will have the option to opt out of this feature.

There might not be much else at the moment, as the build only comes out to129MB. It's expected, however, that the new beta will feature security enhancements.

While Apple has fixed the initial iOS beta problems, it could potentially present an even bigger issue for certain iPhone users.

According to Forbes, iOS 10.3.2 could potentially be cutting support for iPhone 5 and 5C models. The idea is based off the fact that these phones were both built on 32-bit architecture, where iOS 10.3.2 has only supported 64-bit iOS devices thus far. Previous update betas from Apple haven't skipped support for 32-bit devices.

Participators in Apple's Beta Software program can currently trial the update for free afterinstalling the proper certificate on their iOS devices.

Those not affiliated with the Beta Software program will just have to wait until the update is released in the coming weeks.

28/03/2017:Apple has released the latest update to its mobile operating system, iOS 10.3. Built on iOS 10, it's not a radical overhaul (we'll have to wait until at leastWWDC in Junefor that), but does contain some notable new features.

First up is an addition to Find My iPhone Find my AirPods. Using the built-in app, owners of Apple's tiny, wireless earphones can view their current or last known location and play a sound on one or both of them to help locate the dinky devices.

Siri has a number of new features too, including support for paying and checking the status of bills with payment apps, ride app support for help with scheduling, and cricket scores for Indian Premier League and International Cricket Council games.

There's also Siri support for apps from car manufacturers to find out whether the car is locked or not, turning on the lights and checking the vehicle's fuel level.

Speaking of cars, there are also a number of updates to CarPlay in iOS 10.3. These include shortcuts in the status bar to the most recently used apps for easy access, as well as two changes to Apple Music: the Now Playing screen gives access to both Up Next and the currently playing song's album, while a daily curated playlist and new music categories are also available.

There are also a number of smaller tweaks to the Home and Calendar apps, as well as Podcasts.

As is normal with an operating system update, iOS 10.3 also introduces a number of security patches, the details of which can be foundhere.

17/02/2017:The iPhone's next operating system, iOS 11, may lead to a cull of tens of thousands of older apps, according to reports.

With WWDC 2017 taking place in early June, we could be just a few months away from a brand new operating system for Apple's flagship device.

Its release could create havoc for app developers, and users of older apps, however, if Apple drops support for 32-bit apps, as speculated by9to5mac.

The website found that the beta for iOS 10.3 warned users opening 32-bit apps that "This app will not work with future versions of iOS". It said the app's developers must upgrade it to make it more compatible.

Apple switched from 32-bit apps to 64-bit apps with the release of the 5s in 2013, andMashablereports that "the data we have suggests tens of thousands of apps could be affected" if older apps are blocked.

It also refers to an autumn 2016 report from app analytics firm Sensor Tower that found 28% of App Store apps hadn't been updated in the previous two years.

25/01/2017:Apple has released an update for iOS 10 that will prevent hackers from accessing devices.

iOS 10.2.1 will prevent criminals from unlocking a device remotely or accessing the kernel, which could allow them to "execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges," for iPhone 5 and later, iPad 4th generation and later and iPod touch 6th generation and later.

It will also fix flaws in WebKit, Wi-Fi and Contacts to stop anyone using security holes to access the device remotely.

"[The flaw] can add files, delete files, or execute any actions," Malwarebytes senior security researcher JP Taggart toldWired. "Want to record conversations and forward them to someone else? It can do that. Want to install additional malicious software? It can do that. Want to uninstall programs on the affected phone? It can do that. Want to hide these actions, programs and files from the user? It can do that too."

Reassuringly for Apple fans, the security flaw doesn't appear to have actually been used by any malicious actors, so those who haven't applied the update yet are probably not at risk. However, as its existance is now out in the open, they should update as soon as possible.

The same flaw could be used via other Apple apps including iTunes, Safari, macOS Sierra, plus the operating system used for Apple TV and Apple Watch, which have all now been updated as well, meaning it was probably quite a widespread problem.

09/01/2017:Three quarters of iPhones and iPads now run on iOS 10, according to Apple's latest official figures - a significant jump on November's figures, which showed it running on 63% of iPhones and iPads.

They also showed that 18% of devices are still running iOS 9 with the remaining 6% stuck on older versions of the operating system.

The reason behind this increase is thought to be due to the Christmas season, with people buying others a shiny new iPhone or iPad replacement, as well as existing customers having time between Christmas and New Year to sit down and upgrade their device.

Although the metrics seem to be encouraging for Apple, they're only 1% higher than iOS 9 was at this point last year, showing people aren't necessarily jumping at the chance of getting their hands on iOS 10.

Independent company Mixpanel showed iOS 10 adoption running at just over 50% back in October, although more recent figures are yet to be released.

13/12/2016:Apple has released the latest version of iPhone software; iOS 10.2, packed with new features and some welcome bug fixes.

The update brings a host of new additions to the platform, including an expanded emoji set and the Apple TV app. iOS 10.2 is a free download available to iPhone 5 or later models, iPad 4th generation or later, and iPod touch 6th generation or later.

The update can be downloaded by connecting your device to iTunes or manually updating through the 'Software Update' menu in 'Settings'. The download should begin and restart your phone automatically.

Emojis:

Over 100 new emojis have been added with iOS 10.2, according to Apple, including a facepalm, a selfie symbol, and male and female variants of professions like firefighters and judges. The new symbols can't be sent to users on Android, although they do work on web versions of Facebook and Twitter.

Apple TV:

The new Apple TV app, currently only available in the US, provides a home for all your live and on-demand TV content, bringing together a number of apps such as Netflix, into one viewing platform. The app shows recommendations for new TV shows and movies, and highlights upcoming releases available in the 'Store'.

Camera improvements:

Additions to camera software have also been made, including improved stablisation and a fix to an iPhone 7 plus bug that would cause the zoom function to stop working. Some changes have been made to the way albums are curated, providing greater accuracy of grouped photos in 'People' and 'Memories' folders.

New message effects:

Two new full screen message effects have been added to iMessage, adding to those already included in iOS 10 such as 'send with balloons'. The new effects are 'Send with Love', which creates a big heart on screen, and 'Celebrate', which causes an explosion of sparks.

New wallpapers:

Three new wallpapers have been added for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus customers, known as Droplet Blue, Droplet Red and Droplet Yellow.

There are also a host of other smaller improvements such as better Bluetooth performance across third party devices, easier to use controls in the Music app, and a range of bug fixes.

Users have reported a range of battery issues on 10.1.1, including inaccurate remaining percentages and phones suddenly dropping from 30% to 0%. IT Pro has reached out to Apple to clarify whether the new update fixes these issues, and we will update you when we hear more.

Picture courtesy of Apple

30/11/2016:iOS 10.1.1 is causing massive battery drain issues

Users of the recently released iOS 10.1.1 are reporting severe battery problems as a result of the update, in some cases displaying incorrect charge percentages or devices shutting down at random.

Applesupport forumsare awash with angry customers, who claim that iPhones running the latest iOS 10 update are suddenly dropping from 30% charge to 1% in an instant. Users are able to turn the device back on, which then functions as normal for a few hours.

"Shutting the phone down at night with a good 80% charge, it won't reboot in the morning due to no battery charge," said one forum user. "I plug it in and its back to 30% in a few seconds."

Other users have reported batteries suddenly giving out despite the device showing a 50% remaining charge. Most users are citing a recent update to iOS 10.1.1 as the culprit.

"Last year I bought an iPhone 6S, currently updated with iOS 10.1.1," said another user. "The battery fails between 20 and 40% of capability. Apple support answers that I have to wait for the next iOS version."

The issue appears to be affecting a range of iPhone models, from the iPhone 4 through to the newest iPhone 7 Plus.

Although a beta version for iOS 10.2 is now available, it seems updating to this has not resolved the issue for some users. Apple has yet to offer an explanation or a solution to the battery problem, and there is no guarantee that rolling back to iOS 10 will fix the issue.

IT Pro has reached out to Apple for comment but has yet to receive a reply.

This latest fault comes just a week after Apple offered replacement batteries to customers after reports that iPhone 6S devices were shutting down at random.

01/11/2016:Apple releases first iOS 10.2 beta to developers

Apple is now releasing the beta for iOS 10.2 to developers, just a month after the launch of iOS 10.

The update should include bug fixes, new tools and general improvements as well as new emojis, wallpapers, camera settings, video widgets and an emergency contacts feature.

The new camera settingincludes a Preserve Settings option, through which users will be able to maintain their last camera mode or photo filter, and decide whether to keep Live Photos on or off.

The new beta also allows Apple Music users sort their playlists by type, title or recently added.

The previous update, 10.1, also introduced several new features, such as a new Portrait photography mode for the iPhone 8's dual-camera system.

Registered developers can download the new beta for iOS 10.2 from the Apple Developer Center.

28/10/2016:Apple tried to embarrass Google at its 'Hello Again' event yesterday, by comparing the percentage of iOS users and Android users on the latest versions of the respective operating systems.

Apple's pie charts (included below) suggested that 60% of iPhone and iPad owners are on iOS 10, while less than 1% of Android users are on Nougat (Android 7).

Moreover, it reported that 32% of iOS users are running iOS 9 on their phone, while only 8% are using earlier iOS versions.

This was compared to 19% of Android users using Android 6, and 80% running even older versions of the operating system.

Apple meant to highlight how iOS updates are perceived as more reliable by Apple device users, while users with a phone that runs on Android are less eager to update their software.

Statistics from Netmarketshare comparing the total market share of different versions of Android, as well as other mobile OSes' shares, seem to report similar numbers.

The stats show Android 7, included in the pie chart in the 'Other' segment, runs on a small minority of users' smartphones, representing 0.12% of the total share market.

However, not all smartphone makers have brought Android 7 to their devices yet, meaning many users don't have access to it.

20/10/2016:Today, Apple released the fifth iOS 10.1 beta to developers and beta testers. This is the second beta released in one week.

In future, 10.1 for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus should include a feature called Portrait camera, which applies a DSLR-like special effect over photos. This tool should only work on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, as it requires the dual camera system.

This feature was introduced at Apple's keynote this month, but has only been released for developer betas and has not yet been made available to the public.

Apple's iOS 10.1 beta 5 weighs 1.95GB and is one of the largest iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus betas released so far. Similarly to the few previous 10.1 betas, the fifth beta does not appear to contain any fixes. However, it should include some considerable changes.

Along with the fifth iOS 10.1 beta, Apple also released the fifth macOS Sierra 12.1 beta.

20/09/2016:Since iOS 10 was launched, enterprise networked traffic has increased significantly, demonstrating the operating system has proven a popular choice for business users.

Exponential-e's analysis revealed the Apple originating traffic running over corporate networks was five times its usual levels on Wednesday 14th September, the day after the update was revealed.

The company suggested business users were rushing to install and try out the platform's new features. In total, enterprise network traffic increased by 30 per cent, which put extra demand on cloud services and data centres.

This trend continued the days after iOS 10 was released, with three times the normal Apple traffic on September 15th and double traffic coming from Apple devices on September 16th.

"As Apple seeks to defend its dominance in the smartphone market, it continues to set the rhythm of the industry,"Andrew Chant, head of networks at Exponential-esaid. "With the rise of mobile employees that are connecting their own devices to the workplace WiFi, organisations and carriers need to be prepared and expect to see a significant increase in network activity when Apple releases the latest iOS update."

Despite some people installing iOS 10 reporting the update destroyed their iPhones, this doesn't seem to have deterred business users. However, this extra traffic put pressure on many companies' networks and demonstrates the need for robust infrastructure to support spikes.

"While it's inevitable that accessing and downloading services on the same underlying infrastructure will spark an increase in data traffic, organisations need to be prepared with a scalable foundation that provides low latency and low-jitter connectivity to avoid any significant impact."

14/09/2016:It's the curse of early adopters: many people who updated to iOS 10 yesterday over Wi-Fi were hit with a series of confusing warning messages, though Apple has already addressed them.

Users reported that after they updated, their iPhone told them to connect it to a PC to update with iTunes, which simply brought another error message saying "There is a problem with the iPhone... that requires it to be updated or restored." To avoid the issue, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed.

If you are hit by the problem, you'll see a message on your iPhone telling you to plug it in to a PC so it can connect to iTunes. Your phone will then ask you to update or restore; clicking update will run the iOS 10 installation again.

Apple has already addressed the issue. "We experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability," Apple said in a statement. "The problem was quickly resolved and we apologise to those customers. Anyone who was affected should connect to iTunes to complete the update or contact AppleCare for help."

13/09/2016:iOS 10 will finally be released to iPhone and iPad users at 6pm GMT this evening, just ahead of the iPhone 7's official retail launch this Friday.

As usual, device owners will be able to download the new operating system as a free software update from the iOS settings menu.

Fans are warned that they may face a long wait, however, as day-one demand for Apple's latest OS has historically outstripped the company's server capacity. Waiting until Thursday or Friday may lead to shorter overall download times.

09/09/2016:Beta users of iOS 10 can now get their hands on the final version of the operating system.

Apple has released the golden master (GM) to users on its Beta program, less than a week before the official release ends up in the hands of consumers.

The GM build should be the same software that will download to user's Mac, barring any last minute critical flaws. That version will be available from 13 September.

To get your hands on this version you need to sign up to Apple's beta testing program to receive the OS as an over-the-air update.

07/09/2016 UPDATE:iOS 10 will be available to download from 13 September, Apple has announced. The new OS will also come pre-loaded on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which are available themselves for pre-order on 9 September and hit shelves one week later on 16 September.

07/09/2016:Today could finally be the day the world gets to experience a full, finished version of iOS 10. The operating system is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, both of which should make their debut at Apple's Special Event in San Francisco, which starts at 6.00pm UK time.

At this point, the features of the new operating system are largely established -you can read more about the 10 most important updates here- but this will be the first time people get to experience the new OS on their own devices as a stable release.

To find out iOS 10's general release date, as well as all the news about the iPhone 7, Apple Watch 2 and macOS Sierra,follow our Apple Event Live Blog from 5.30pmBST.

06/09/2016:Despite the final version not yet being released, iOS 10 has already been jailbroken.

Luca Todesco, also known as qwertyoruiop, has uploaded avideoshowing a jailbreak of iOS 10 Beta 8. The jailbreak is known as yaluX and it works on iOS devices with an A7 and higher processor.

According to a report byiClarified, this is not the first jailbreak of iOS 10, as Pangu Team and iH8Sn0w have also demoed their jailbreaks too.

It is not known if the jailbreak is publicly available but the publication speculated that this would be released shortly after the operating system becomes available.

29/08/2016:Apple has confirmed its2016 Special Eventwill take place on 7 September. The event is expected to herald the launch of theiPhone 7,Apple Watch 2and a number of other devices. It could also be when the final release date of iOS 10 is announced.

The new mobile operating system is normally released at the same time as Apple's new flagship iPhone. For 2016 and iOS 10, this could mean either 7 September at the Apple keynote or 16 September when, according to reliable leaker Evan Blass, the iPhone 7 will go on sale - typically, the new versions iOS have become available at the same time as a new flagship iPhone is released.

IT Prowill be covering the Apple Special Event live on 7 September.

22/08/2016:The rapid release cycle for iOS 10 betas continues, with Developer Beta 7 and Public Beta 6 dropping over the weekend.

The betas feature "bug fixes and improvements", according to the release notes, but no major new features. This is not entirely surprising given the OS is set for release this autumn.

Indeed, if rumours are to be believed, the final version could be with us within two-to-three weeks, whenthe iPhone 7launches. Traditionally, Apple has launched the new mobile OS to the general public alongside its new flagship phone, which comes pre-loaded with the software.

It is generally expectedthis year's Special Eventwill take place in the second week of September, potentially Tuesday 13. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus areanticipated to launch, alongside the Apple Watch 2 and a number of other devices.

iOS will work with iPhones and iPads, although the extent ofbackward compatibility is uncertain. With theiPhone 5shaving been superceded bythe iPhone SEthis spring, it's possible the stalwart 4in smartphone won't receive this latest update. Similarly, older iPad Minis and iPad Airs may also miss out.

10/08/2016:Just days after the release of the fourth Developer Beta, Apple has seeded Developer Beta 5 and Public Beta 4 within hours of each other. As with previous rounds, Beta 5 is a set of updates, rather than a single release for iOS 10 and applies tomacOS Sierra,watchOS 3andtvOS 10as well.

For iOS Developer Beta 5, Apple has introduced a number of new features for iPad and iPhone, the most notable of which are a significant overhaul of the Music app, with Control Center, Notification Center and Lock Screen all receiving a refresh as well.

According to9to5Mac, these changes include a new input icon in Apple Music and the rest of the iOS 10 interface, darker backgrounds for third-party widgets in the Notification Center (Apple's own widgets still have a translucent white background), and the locking sound for the device sounds "kind of like a door closing".

The release of iOS Developer Beta 5 is somewhat ahead of schedule, arriving just one week after the release of Developer Beta 4, whereas Apple normally leaves two weeks between releases. Public Beta 4 is even further ahead of schedule, in relative terms, arriving just a few hours after Developer Beta 5, rather than a full day.

iOS 10 is expected to launch in its final form in September, alongside theiPhone 7.

08/08/2016:With anticipation for theiPhone 7reaching fever pitch ahead of its September release date, plenty of people will be queuing to buy Apple's new flagship device as soon as it hits the shops.

But what about those of us who are stuck on older versions of the iPhone, or indeed the iPad? Will we still be able to take advantage of some of the smartphone's new features?

The answer is yes if you've got a device that will support iOS 10, the latest operating system that will run on the iPhone 7.

While plenty of the iPhone 7's expected benefits come from the hardware itself (such as the wireless headphones and improved battery life), many others come from iOS 10.

The OS includes 100 new emojis (currently available in its developer preview) and a much smarter Siri, as well as the ability to use a stylus or even your finger to handwrite messages to your friends.

There's just one catch -- you must have a compatible device. With operating systems becoming far chunkier and advanced, your phone must have the memory to run the OS and the hardware to support it.

The good news is, most iPhones and iPads do support iOS 10. Every iPhone from the iPhone 5 and upwards can run it, while iPad mini 2, 3 and 4 support it, as do the iPad Air and the iPad Air 2, as well as both iPad Pro models. Even the iPod touch 6thgeneration can run it.

Those with devices older than that, sadly you're going to have to upgrade in order to run iOS 10.

Apple's iPhone 7 is out now, but as with any Apple launch, it's difficult to say whether you should upgrade now, or hang on to your old device until the next one comes out. Thankfully, we've put the two latest iPhone generations head to head to see whether it's worth picking up the latest model, or just waiting until the next one rolls around.

Display

The display technology is not that different on the whole when comparing the 6s and the 7, in both size models. Apple has kept the 3D Touch functionality and has implemented a 25% increase in brightness as well as a wide colour gamut.

Other than that it is the same IPS LCD Retina screen we've seen before at the same sizes and resolutions. There's rumours that Apple kept this the same this year because there will be a big change over to OLED expected for 2017 with the launch of the iPhone 8.

Design

Visually, both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are not massively far removed from the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in terms of design. However, a key difference is that the antenna bands have been moved to the upper and lower edges, which makes them more discrete. In terms of dimensions, the thickness is unchanged and there's been a scant handful of grams shaved off from the weight.

The other major changes come in the form of the Home key, which is now a capacitive, touch-sensitive panel rather than a physical button. It features a Haptic feedback engine and can perform a range of software functions, including the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. On top of this, the iPhone 7 series is the first family of iPhones which are fully IP67 water and dust proof, for up to 30 minutes submerged in water.

For some people, the ability to drop your iPhone safely in a bath might be reason enough alone to upgrade, but in most other respects the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is very similar to what came before.

As well as being the first waterproof iPhone, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the first smartphones by Apple to feature stereo speakers. Apple has also ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack and audio is now handled through the Lightning port (or wirelessly via Bluetooth).

Camera

The camera is one of the biggest changes for the iPhone 7 series when compared to previous models.

The Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models both feature a 12-megapixel rear camera coupled with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, both with an aperture of f/2.2. The front facing camera features a Retina Flash and the rear camera is capable of 4K video recording.

However, the rear camera aboard the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus features a new 6-element lens with a wide f/1.8 aperture to allow in more light; it has a 12MP sensor with optical image stabilisation, and a quad-LED TrueTone flash with built-in flicker sensor, which Apple said will compensate for artificial light, and a brand new image signal processor.

The iPhone 7 Plus goes one step futher than the iPhone 7, too. Its setup boasts a pair of 12MP sensors in a dual-camera setup, one with a wide-angle lens and one with a telephoto lens; the result is a setup that has a much higher image quality overall, but can also perform 2x optical zoom and up to 10x software zoom, as well as simulate Bokeh depth-of-field effects, a function often use by photographers in portraits and fashion shots.

Performance & Battery life

Apple has upgraded the processor for the latest iPhone series, making the jump from its A9 processors to the newer A10 fusion series. These bring swignificant benefits, with double the number of cores and a noticeable uptick in performance.

As expected, the newest iPhones thoroughly trounced their predecessors in our benchmark tests. Both the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus bettered their counterparts' Geekbench 4 scores by over 1,000 point in single-core tests, and over 1,500 in multi-core tests. Battery life was similary improved, with the newer phones lasting around two hours longer on average than the previous version.

Storage, price and colour options

Apple has now killed the 16GB storage tier on all of its iPhones, meaning that both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 start at 32GB. The iPhone 7 will also be available in 128GB and 256GB sizes, while the 6s will only come with a maximum allocation of 128GB.

In the UK, the iPhone 7 starts from 599 for the cheapest 32GB option. The 128GB version is 699, and the 256GB version will set you back a whopping 799. The larger iPhone 7 Plus is even more of a wallet-buster than it's smaller sibling; the cheapest (32GB) iPhone 7 Plus costs 719, followed by a 128GB model at 819, and then a 256GB variant costing an astonishing 919.

In addition to the usual Silver, Gold, Rose Gold and Space Grey colour options, Apple is offering the iPhone 7 in a number of new colours. There's Black and Jet Black variants (which have matte and glossy finishes, respectively), as well as a special edition produced in association with (RED).

Verdict

There's a lot to like about Apple's latest iPhone. The new camera is absolutely stonking, performance is a significant step up over its predecessor and the design is as attractive as you'd expect. It's one of the most capable smartphone on the market.

On the other hand, if you've already got an iPhone 6s sitting in your pocket, there's not really much here that will tempt you to upgrade. The performance boost - while noticeable - isn't really going to be necessary for the majority of users, and the other updates are mostly minor iterations, rather than innovative leaps forward.

If you're considering making the jump to a new phone, our advice is to wait until Apple reveals whatever's coming after the iPhone 7. Chances are, it's going to be an awful lot more impressive than its latest crop.

Rumours had been flying about a sequel to the iPhone SE ever since Apple released the original device in 2016 to serve as an intermediary between the classic iPhone 5 and the iPhone 6s.

Apple put an end to the speculation last month when it released the second-generation iPhone SE, resembling the 2017 iPhone 8 rather than iPhone 5's compact chassis. Beyond seemingly impressive internals, the biggest surprise was its mid-range price tag.

With the iPhone 8 still a viable handset, however, how does Apple's latest device compare against its cut-price predecessor?

Display

The 4.7in display fitted into the iPhone SE is identical to that fitted into both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. The size of the screen, as well as the underlying technology powering the display, is unchanged between these models.

Users won't see any improvements on the display fitted into the 2017 handset, or its predecessor for that matter, but these devices certainly boasted displays that were vibrant and bright for their time, said to reach 625cd/m2.

We should note, while it doesn't stack up against the razor-sharp OLED display fitted into the iPhone 11 Pro, which peaks at a staggering 1,200cd/m2 maximum brightness, it's a perfectly competent panel and comparable to a string of mid-tier Android rivals.

Design

With the hardware fitted into the 2nd-gen iPhone SE based in the iPhone 8's chassis, the dimensions and weight are unchanged on the 2017 device.

The stylish handset features the same slimline metallic chassis of the iPhone 8 with rounded edges. This is a significant departure from the square edges of the original iPhone SE, which was housed in the iPhone 5's chassis.

As with the iPhone 8, the 2020 iPhone SE features a lightning port and no 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as a built-in microphone and stereo-speaker at the base of the device.

The Home button, fitted with a Touch ID sensor, also returns for the first time since the iPhone 8's release three years ago, while the volume buttons, ring/silent trigger and side button are unchanged.

Camera

The rear cameras fitted into both the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE are incredibly similar at face value, and both are fitted with a 12MP lens with f/1.8 aperture with 5x digital zoom as well as a host of features. The same is true for the front-facing camera fitted into both devices.

The iPhone SE, however, includes a number of additional features, essentially the tools featured in the Xs, XR and 11 series. These include a Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and depth control, as well as six lighting effects enabled by its upgraded processor. The iPhone SE also includes Smart HDR, as opposed to the iPhone 8's Auto HDR, which allows a software-based 'neural engine' to generate the best photograph by using context.

While shooting video presents a largely identical experience, with both devices allowing up to 4K shooting at 60fps and 3x digital zoom, there are a handful of additional tweaks, including QuickTake video and stereo recording.

Connectivity

While the iPhone SE, as with the iPhone 8, features just a single lightning port in terms of hardware connectivity, the biggest changes are in terms of networking.

The most significant improvement is the iPhone SE's compatibility with high-speed Wi-Fi 6 as well as gigabit-class LTE, meaning the device is ready to be swept up in the wave of the possibility that Wi-Fi 6 represents. The Fira de Barcelona, host to Mobile World Congress (MWC), for example, has fitted Wi-Fi 6 into some of its conference halls in order to turn the grounds into a 'smart venue' with Wi-Fi roaming and frictionless sign-in.

Performance and battery life

The iPhone SE is fitted with the same blistering mobile CPU fitted into the power-packed iPhone 11 and 11 Pro. This is in addition to a quad-core Apple GPU and 3GB RAM.

While one would expect this device to match up to the breakneck scores registered in our performance testing, the inclusion of 3GB RAM versus 4GB fitted into the latest edge-to-edge iPhones probably means the 2nd-gen SE won't be able to make the most of the A13 Bionic chip. Nevertheless, Apple has forged a reputation for building outstanding mobile CPUs, normally a generation ahead of the latest processors fitted into Android devices, so the iPhone SE is sure to leave you far from disappointed.

Apple claims the iPhone SE's battery can as long as the iPhone 8's battery, approximately 13 hours with video playback, although we can't be sure to stand by this claim until we're able to fully examine the device.

Retail options

The most staggering part of the iPhone SE's launch its lower-than-expected price tag, a strategic decision by Apple to capture a share of the mid-tier market. It's even priced lower than the iPhone 8 today, identical in most ways and inferior in others, although this device can no longer be purchased directly from the manufacturer.

The 128GB model of the second-generation SE, for instance, retails at £391 exc VAT, which is about the same as the Oppo Reno 2 - a fantastic mid-range Android smartphone.

With the iPhone SE, however, buyers will receive the same CPU fitted into the iPhone 11, in the shell of the gorgeous iPhone 8. The only difference is that Apple has ditched its space grey, silver and rose gold finishes in favour of traditional black and white, and the iconic red coating.

Verdict

While many may have been tempted to take advantage of the iPhone SE's release to snap up a cut-price iPhone 8, we'd recommend avoiding that at all costs. Not only is the second-gen iPhone SE fitted with latest Apple CPU, but also features a broader array of photography and video options, as well as Wi-Fi 6 compatibility.

While the iPhone 8 is certainly packed with sufficiently powerful specs and is reasonably priced three years following its launch, if you're looking for a mid-budget iPhone that doesn't necessarily include an edge-to-edge display, the 2020 iPhone SE is a no-brainer.

As spotted by MacRumours, Apple recently updated its repair and replacement costs for AirPods on its iPhone Service Pricing page.

While the firm doesn't seem to be offering AppleCare+ for AirPods, it is instead providing a standard one-year warranty that's available on all Apple products. The good news is that if the AirPods need service during that one year period, all work will be covered for free.

However, the bad news is that if you were to lose or damage one of the AirPods or the charging case, Apple will charge $69 for a replacement, regardless of whether or not the wireless earphones are still under warranty. The same fee applies for out-of-warranty service repairs. As for AirPods that lose battery capacity, repair is free during the one-year warranty period or $49 out of warranty.

14/12/16: Apple AirPods will ship next week

A 'limited number' of Apple AirPods will be sent out on Monday (19 December), Apple has revealed.

The news should bring some cheer to iPhone 7 users, who have been waiting a long time.

Despite the Store listing only displaying 'Coming Soon' up until yesterday, Apple has now updated the AirPods listing, saying they are available from 159.

However, although when they first arrived for pre-order on the Apple website delivery was specified as from Monday (19 December), they are now showing as a dispatch time of up to four weeks.

The company wouldn't say who would get first dibs on the limited quantities ready to ship, but first-come-first-served would seem like the sensible order of delivery. There's sure to be some disappointed customers who missed the order deadline for delivery next week.

"Apple today announced AirPods are available to order online now from Apple.com and will start delivering to customers and arriving at Apple Stores, Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers next week," the company's US press team said in a statement.

Although up until yesterday, AirPods were labelled as 'coming soon' on the Apple Store website, a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) claimed that the device would not launch until after Christmas because Apple had discovered a design flaw.

"Apple must ensure that both earpieces receive audio at the same time to avoid distortion," a person familiar with the matter told the WSJ, although the source did say Apple is working fast to "resolve what happens when a user loses one of the earpieces or the battery dies".

12/12/2016: Apple AirPods 'may not arrive until 2017'

Apple AirPods, the wireless headphones presented alongside the new iPhone 7 and originally meant to be released in October, could only become available next year, according to reports.

Apple ditched the traditional headphone jack on the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, instead pushing wireless headphones for Apple's flagship smartphone.

The Wall Street Journal reported that reasons for the delay could include issues with the engineering of the AirPods, which might make them harder to perfect.

A person familiar with the development of the AirPods told the publication that the delay could be caused by Apple's attempt to develop a new technology for wireless headphones.

While most wireless headphones work with the phone transmitting a Bluetooth signal to one earpiece, and that earpiece transmitting it to the other, Apple would be trying to engineer a system through which each AirPod earbud receives the signal directly from the phone.

This might result in the signal being out of sync or arriving differently on the two earpieces. The WSJ reports that Apple is trying to find a way in which to ensure the audio arrives at the same time to both headphones.

In a statement reported by the Express, Apple said: "The early response to AirPods has been incredible. We don't believe in shipping a product before it's ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers."

The exact release date of Apple's AirPods is still unclear, but once they become available they should cost 159.

Apple has launched two new MacBook Pros, a 13in and 15in, which are on sale in the UK now. The big new feature is the touchbar, which has replaced the function buttons, but battery life and graphics capabilities have also been increased, as has memory capacity.

Here we round up everything you need to know about the new MacBook Pro 2016.

MacBook Pro 2016 at a glance

• New MacBook Pro is on sale in the UK now
• Three options, 13in MacBook Pro, 13in MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and 15in MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
• Intel core i7 processor on 15in version, core i5 on 13in
• 15in MacBook Pro has up to 2TB storage, 13in MacBook Pro has up to 1TB storage
• 13in Touch Bar MacBook Pro UK price from 1,749
• 15in Touch Bar MacBook Pro UK price from 2,349

Apple MacBook Pro 2016 news

07/11/2016: Apple released its new MacBook Pro earlier this month, with some changes in its basic design and the introduction of a USB-C port.

The company faced criticisms due to this latter new feature, particularly due to the need for most users to buy adapters and carry them around, as the new port is not yet widely used.

While the previous MacBook Pro had a variety of ports, such as USB type-A, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 ports as well as an SD card slot, the new model only offers users the USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports, meaning that users will have to buy adapters to use existing peripherals.

This has led to an outcry from disgruntled users and has forced Apple to drop the price of USB-C adapters, to stem the flow of criticisms and encourage customers to purchase the new MacBook Pro.

The prices of adapters have been dropped by up to half price, while third-party peripherals such as the 4K and 5K LG screens introduced last month, have seen a 25% drop, while SanDisk's SD card reader has seen a 40% price cut.

The new ports are not the only complaint relative to the new MacBook, which some users claimed is underpowered and has too little RAM (16GB).

Apple said in a statement: "We recognise that many users, especially pros, rely on legacy connectors to get work done today and they face a transition. We want to help them move to the latest technology and peripherals, as well as accelerate the growth of this new ecosystem. Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple's USB-C adapters and cables."

The new MacBook Pro was launched at an Apple event called "Hello Again", which took place on Thursday 27 October.

31/10/2016: The classic Mac startup chime, which has been a feature of both dasktop and laptop Apple Macs for over 30 years, has been removed on the new MacBook Pros.

The chime is an indicator to the user that the computer has finished its initial hardware and software diagnostic tests successfully and is starting up. However, website Pingie first noted that it is missing from the latest MacBook Pros.

But, where one feature dies a new one is born. In this case, the MacBook Pros will start up upon opening the device's lid, whether or not it's connected to a power source. It will also start up when it's connected to a power adaptor either if the lid's open or if it's connected to an external display.

All three MacBook Pros 13in, 13in with Touch Bar and 15in with Touch Bar are available to buy immediately from 1,449.

Apple Hello Again: Live Blog

19:25: Out now!

Cook finishes up by saying that the MacBook Pro is out now!

Apple's releasing three models; a 13in Pro with no Touch Bar, and a 13in and 15in with the Touch Bar.

The non-Touch Bar model is available from Saturday, and the other two ship in three to four weeks, according to Apple's UK site.

Here's the UK pricing: 13in MacBook Pro (without Touch Bar) 1,449; 13in MacBook Pro 1,749; 15in MacBook Pro 2,349

And with that, the event is over. Thanks for following our live blog!

19:16: 10 hours battery life

Both the MacBook Pro 13in and 15in models have up to 10 hours of battery life, according to Phil Schiller. It's also 6.8 million times faster than the original Pro, he points out - it can do a year of the 25-year-old golden oldie's computing in less than five seconds.

18:52: 67% brighter MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro is 67% brighter and offers 67% higher contrast ratio than its predecessor, while offering 25% more colours.

Its SSD storage is 50% faster, and holds up to 2TB.

18:40: Apple scraps function keys for OLED Touch Bar

It adapts to the software you're using, for instance, letting you straighten photos, or offering a search bar when you land on a website.

It also comes up with typing suggestions:

18:40: New MacBook Pro

Here it is:

It comes in two models - 13in and 15in, and boasts a ForceTouch trackpad that's two times larger than previous generations.

18:30: MacBook 25th anniversary

This week amrks the 25th anniversary of Apple's first notebook - the Power Book.

Wanna have a look? Oh go on then...

18:28: Search Mac files with Siri

On MacOS Sierra, you can search for files with Siri, Cook reminds us.

18:23: Siri voice commands

Siri on Apple TV is getting better, too: it can understand questions like 'what other football games are on?' and will know what show to bring up if you say 'let's watch the Louisville game'.

18:16: Apple TV

"The future of TV is apps," says Cook, boasting Apple now has 8,000 TV apps.

But even more important is, Cook wants it to be the one place to discover TV shows and watch anything.

To do that, it's announcing a new app caled 'TV' (er, Tim, I think that one's been taken).

In TV's Watch Now, ou can browse by category - TV shows, movies, and more. It looks like Apple wants TV to be the new Netflix.

It lets you download iTunes movies or head to the Store for more content.

18:11: Apple Watch Nike Plus

Cook says the Nike version of the Watch 2 comes out tomorrow, which is great for sporty types (I wouldn't know).

18:05: Updates

Tim Cook starts out by detailing some new updates, beginning with the iPhone.

He says the "customer response has been very strong" to the iPhone 7 - important, considering Apple just experienced its first decline in 15 years.

Memories

A new feature on the iPhone 7 will pull out new photos everyday from your collection to remind you of cool memories, says Cook.

iOS 10

Cook says 60% of iPhone users are now on iOS 10, as compared to 1% of Android users on Nougat...

18:04: And here's Tim Cook! He says he spots "a few iPhones out there" in the audience.

17.57: After an accidental leak, Apple rather gave the game away yesterday when it posted images of its new MacBook Pro, all but confirming it will feature an OLED bar above the keyboard that replaces its normal function keys.

It's also very likely to feature Touch ID and will replace the USB port with a USB Type-C.

But we're about to find out a lot more... stay tuned!

Apple seems to have accidentally leaked pictures of its newest Macbook Pro, confirming that the laptop update will be announced later today.

The images were released on MacRumours and appear to have been inadvertently added to a page about Apple's latest operating system.

The pictures show the new Macbook Pro's keyboard, with an additional panel that seemingly replaces the physical function keys on a standard keyboard.

It would also include a fingerprint sensor - presumably so people can log into the computer without a username and password - and a touchpad that suggests it would use gestures or sweeps as is the case with the touchpad rather than keys to carry out actions such as lightening the screen, turning the volume up and down or controlling music with iTunes.

Although there's some speculation that Apple may have released the pictures on purpose to promote its new line on Macbook Pros, one analyst doubts this is the case with the Macbook Pro.

"The leaks are massively damaging as these companies want to have their 'wow moments' when products are unveiled, and an explosion of media coverage, rather than a more tepid response because the details are known in advance," said Ben Wood from CCS Insight told the BBC.

"But it seems to have become virtually impossible for any large company to keep new tech products under wraps."

24/10/2016: Hello Again: iMac won't launch at Apple Event

Apple' is expected to present its new series of Macbooks at an event on Thursday, 27 October.

Ming-Chi Kuo, of KGI Securities analyst, predicts that at Thursday's "Hello Again" event, Apple will introduce its new MacBook series, but not the new iMac, according to MacRumors.

Kuo's report suggested Apple will present a redesigned MacBook Pro and a 13-inch MacBook, which could be a MacBook Air.

He also believes Apple will place Intel's Skylake processor on Apple's MacBook Pro, as well as an oxide panel that ensures better display quality and energy efficiency.

The new MacBook series should also come with substantial changes in design, including an OLED touch bar, Touch ID sensor and the substitution of a traditional USB port with a USB-C port. According to the analyst, Apple could include a Type-C and MagSafe-like adapter.

Although Thursday could be the time at which Apple releases new MacBook models, iMacs might not be included in the event.

Although Apple is developing iMacs and Cinema Display, their shipping schedule is not imminent, hence Kuo is uncertain whether these products will be introduced this week.

The analyst believes interested users might have to wait until the first half of 2017 for these devices to be announced.

20/10/2016: Apple sends out invites for possible MacBook Pro launch

Apple's colourful invite to the upcoming Cupertino event on 27 October, sent out to press on Wednesday, may suggest something more significant than it first appears.

The word "Hello" has become a significant call sign for Apple since the release of the original Apple II in 1977. The 'hello' program was a feature on Apple DOS 3.1, which would automatically launch on boot and allow for program selection if the disk contained more than one title.

Fast forward to 1984, the cursive "Hello" featured in marketing materials, painted across the black and white screen of the Macintosh 128k. It was not until the release of the iMac that saw the use of 'Hello, (again)' featured once more in marketing campaigns, evoking nostalgia of the original Macintosh.

Importantly, Apple, who is particularly savvy when it comes to marketing, has used the word 'Hello' during significant shifts of company focus. With the recent press invite, users are once again expecting something big at the event in Cupertino.

Rumours are suggesting we will get to see the new MacBook Pro, but it may feature some significant changes, including a shift to USB-C and the scrapping of physical function keys above the keyboard in favour of an OLED touch bar.

Whatever Apple has planned, it is certainly creating some excitment.

19/10/16: Apple may launch a new MacBook Pro at a Cupertino event on 27 October, according to Recode, but another model pegged for release further in the future might not feature a USB port.

The new laptop to be unveiled later this month is rumoured to include an OLED touch bar above its keyboard, replacing the existing physical keys there.

It will be thinner and lighter, with Touch ID support to unlock the laptop with a fingerprint, according to 9To5Mac.

It may also swap traditional USB ports for USB Type-C ports. This is a smaller USB plug that could make the new MacBook thinner and easier to carry.

The OLED bar's functions could change according to what the user is currently using the laptop for, hence making the next MacBook Pro even more user friendly.

These drastic changes would come in the same year in which the company introduced the EarPods, headphones that work with the iPhone 7 by connecting through the Lightning port, removing the traditional headphone jack.

Apple might present a new MacBook Air and iPad Pro at the same event, and if so, it would come one day after an event at which Microsoft is expected to be introducing updated versions of its Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.

Apple's latest update fixes a bug that lets hackers take over iPhones, iPads and Macs after showing a picture to users.

The bug, called CoreGraphics, and was disclosed yesterday by security specialist Marco Grassi, of Keen Lab.

In an advisory on Apple's support forum, the tech giant warned that the flaw allows hackers to create a jpeg file that takes advantage of a memory bug, running code on the user's device when it displays a hacked picture.

All it took was for users of an Apple device to open a jpeg or PDF file that contained the malicious code, and hackers would be allowed control over their device.

Attackers could launch the attack remotely, with no form of authentication required.

Apple's iOS 10.1 software update contains a fix for this bug, and is available for iPhone 5 and later generations of iPhones, iPad 4 and later generations, and iPod touch 6 and later generations.

Other updates for Apple watchOS, macOS and tvOS also appear to solve the problem.

For those running iOS, the release includes updates that tackle 12 CVE-listed security vulnerabilities.

IT Pro approached Apple for comment, but had received none at the time of publication.

Latest iPhone 7 news

08/09/2016

After months of speculation, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have finally been unveiled.

At a launch event in San Francisco, Apple announced a range of new features for its latest flagship smartphone – and confirming several rumours in the process.

The iPhone 7 will sport a new pressure-sensitive Home button that uses haptic feedback to provide users with a vibration when pressed – the same technology that can be found on the latest MacBook laptops.

Another persistent rumour was also confirmed: the iPhone 7 does indeed lose the headphone jack.

Instead, the smartphones will come packaged with EarPods that connect via the Lightning Port. Users will still be able to connect traditional headphones, though, as an adapter is also provided in the box.

Wireless AirPods will also be available from Apple at an extra cost. These provide five hours of listening time from each charge and allow the user to interact with Siri via dual microphones.

The cameras also receive upgrades, providing more detailed images and improved colours. The 4.7-inch model sports a new 12MP sensor and an improved 7MP front-facing camera.

The rear camera’s performance is also significantly better than that of the iPhone 6S, with the wide-aperture lens allowing 50 percent more light in. It is also 60 percent faster and 30 percent more energy efficient.

The 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus boasts a 12MP dual-camera setup, consisting of one wide angle lens and one telephoto lens and providing much-improved zoom functionality.

Both handsets are capable of 4K video recording.

In terms of handset design, the iPhone 7 doesn’t stray too far from its predecessor. Apple has, however, added two new colours to the range: matte black and glossy black.

Also confirming previous rumours, the antenna bands have been moved from the back of the device – instead being positioned along the edges.

Apple also says that battery life on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be the best yet – providing an estimated two hours more charge than the iPhone 6s and one hour longer than the 6S Plus.

The smartphone will also include a new Apple A10 Fusion processor, providing increased speed of up to 40 percent and superior graphics performance.

The handsets are also water resistant in up to a metre of water for up to 30 minutes and storage begins at 32GB.

29/08/2017

Apple Special Event confirmed for 7 September

The launch of the iPhone 7 could be just ten days away.

Apple has confirmed its 2016 Special Event will take place on 7 September in San Francisco. Typically, Apple has used its special events to launch its new flagship iPhone, which this year is expected to be the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

It is also thought the Apple Watch 2 could launch on 7 September at the Special Event, as well as a new iMac, MacBook and iPad Mini.

You can find out more about what is expected at the Apple Special Event September 2016 from our sister site, IT Pro, which will also be covering the event live.

15/08/2016

iPhone 7 to include headphone adapter?

New images and video footage claiming to be of the iPhone 7 depicts what is said to be a 3.5mm adapter for the Lightning port.

Rumours claiming Apple will be ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack on the upcoming flagship have persisted for months and recent talk had turned to the possible inclusion of an adapter. This latest “leak” appears to add weight to both of those suggestions.

According to Mac Rumors, the adapter reportedly originated from a Foxconn factory in Vietnam – and the author of the original report believes the accessory “could be a genuine Apple adapter.”

The website notes that the accessory’s cord is short and resembles other adapters already offered by Apple – such as the USB-C to USB and Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet variations.

The adapter reportedly appears to work when connected to a device running an iOS10 beta – but displays an incompatibility message when used on a handset running iOS 9 or below.

It is also claimed that when headphones and the adapter are both connected to a current iPhone model, the device will prioritise the Lightning port over the standard jack.

Mac Rumors also notes that, despite the design fitting with Apple’s other products, the accessory could well be a third-party offering.

Tech Times also expresses some doubt, pointing out that the Lightning connector doesn’t appear to be “centred correctly” in the photos and looks uneven in its sheath.

All is set to be revealed in September, however, with Apple rumoured to be releasing the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus on Friday 16th September.

09/08/16

iPhone 7 to include pressure sensitive Home button

The iPhone 7 is widely expected to be release next month and the latest reports suggest that the handset will sport a pressure-sensitive Home button.

Citing sources “familiar with the matter,” Bloomberg reports that the follow-up to the 6S and 6S Plus will feature a button that responds to pressure rather than a traditional click.

It is explained that the button will make use of haptic feedback in a similar way to that of the trackpads on the latest MacBooks, allowing the button to be used for multiple purposes.

The website also confirms long-standing rumours that the larger iPhone 7 Plus will boast a dual-camera system and both variations will lose the headphone jack – instead using the additional space for a second speaker.

In terms of appearance, the sources also “confirm” that the smartphones will largely resemble the current 6S and 6S Plus design – but there will still be “noticeable tweaks.”

Screen sizes are set to stay the same as the current flagships (4.7in and 5.5in for the Plus model) and the two innermost antenna lines on the reverse of the handsets have been removed, Bloomberg reports.

According to a source that has tried out a prototype, new iPhone 7 Plus dual-camera will be capable of “brighter photos” and improved detail compared to its single-lens variant.

It is explained that the two sensors capture colour differently and simultaneously take a picture when the user presses the button. A single photo is then produced by merging the two variations.

The source adds that the camera provides sharper images in low-light environments and provides improved zoom capability.

27/07/16

September release for the iPhone 7?

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus could be released on Friday 16th September, according to the latest reports.

The information originates from previously reliable tipster Evan Blass who leaked the information via his Twitter account (@evleaks).

“iPhone 2016 release: week of September 12th,” he said, before adding: “Just to clarify, this refers to the retail release, not the launch event. To be more specific, it should happen on Friday, Sept. 16th.”

The iPhone 5, 5s, 6 and 6s have all previously been released around mid-September time - with an announcement event held approximately two weeks beforehand.

This means that, if this leak is correct, Apple could make the announcement in early September.

9 to 5 Mac notes that a release date of 16th September would mark the earliest Autumn iPhone release to date – the previous being a September 19th release for the iPhone 6.

Based on previous Apple events and pre-order dates, the website also reasons that an announcement on 6th or 7th September – with pre-orders available from 9th - could be a distinct possibility due to said events typically being held on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, German website Apfelpage is reporting that Apple could name its upcoming smartphone the iPhone 6 SE rather than the iPhone 7.

The website says it gained the information from a Chinese supply chain source that claims to have seen packaging labelled with the name.

It could be a possibility: rumours to date have suggested an overall design very similar to the iPhone 6s, with Apple reportedly shelving major design changes for next year’s iteration.

12/07/16

New iPhone 7 images leak

A new image showing the upcoming iPhone 7 case has been published on French website Nowhereelse.fr.

The photo – possibly the clearest to date - shows the back of the handset and appears to back up previous design rumours.

As noted by Mac Rumors, the image appears to confirm previous 3D renders by NWE blogger Steve Hemmerstoffer that displayed repositioned antenna bands, a larger camera and an overall design that is similar to the iPhone 6S.

One particular element of the design is not clear from this latest photo: the headphone jack. Rumours have persisted that Apple will be removing the plug in favour of a Lightning port – but the bottom of the case is not shown in this latest image.

Other elements of the design also cannot be seen – such as the long-rumoured second speaker grille or pressure-sensitive Home button.

Meanwhile, U Switch is also reporting that a staff member at Foxconn – an iPhone 7 manufacturing partner – has shared a photo of the device’s camera modules.

The image – posted on social media – is said to have been taken in the “company’s canteen” and depicts a package of components with serial numbers and codes on the label.

The worker also claimed that ‘mass production has started’ in a tweet, according to the website.

It is unclear whether the camera parts in the photo are for the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus – but U Switch reasons that they do appear to be for a single lens camera (a rumoured feature of the non-Plus version).

29/06/16

Touch sensitive Home button for the iPhone 7?

The iPhone 7 could sport a touch-sensitive Home button.

Business Insider quotes analysts Cowen and Company as stating the upcoming Apple flagship will feature a “Force Touch Home button.”

The latest development appears to corroborate several previous reports that Apple will move away from its current physical Home button.

The report says that the new handset will use “Force Touch” technology and an internal motor within the device to simulate the effect of a depressed button.

9 to 5 Mac also reports that the new Home button “would provide a haptic feedback sensation” that would indicate to the user that the button has been pressed.

The website also raises the issue that the redesigned button would require Apple to introduce a new method of resetting the iPhone.

Users are currently able to restart their device by holding Home button simultaneously with the power button. This may not be possible without the physical option.

It is also noted that a new “Force Touch” Home button would eradicate movement caused by the current iteration – in turn reducing the likelihood of malfunction or damage.

Cowen and Company also further solidify claims that the new iPhone 7 will lose the 3.5mm headphone jack present on current models – a persistent rumour that’s been doing the rounds since early 2016. Reports have long suggested Apple may introduce wireless headphones via a Lightning port or Bluetooth.

The analysts also believe that the new iPhone will boast a waterproof design.

Reports earlier this month had suggested that Apple would not be implementing any major design changes for the iPhone 7 – with a bigger overhaul set for next year’s model.

22/06/16

Major changes unlikely for iPhone 7

It is unlikely the iPhone 7 will feature major changes, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal.

The article claims that Apple is set to cut loose from its typical two-year cycle for major upgrades -- with the bigger changes set to be implemented on the iPhone 8 instead.

However, one change that is reportedly set to happen is the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Corroborating previous rumours, the lack of a headphone jack will mean the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets will be slimmer than the current 6S model - with users able to use the Lightning port to connect headphones.

The removal of the headphone port will also improve the handsets' water resistance.

In terms of appearance, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will effectively resemble the current 6S handsets -- with display sizes set to remain at 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches respectively.

It is claimed the major changes are being shelved until 2017 to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.

According to the Wall Street Journal's source, one such feature for next year's iteration is a curved OLED display with embedded TouchID - signalling the end of the Home button in 2017.

An extract from the Journal states: "At a meeting with an Apple executive last month, one of the company's China-based engineers asked why this year's model lacked a major design change in keeping with Apple's usual two-year cycle. The answer, one person at the meeting recalled, was that the new technology in the pipeline will take time to implement.

"People familiar with the matter said some features that Apple hopes to integrate into iPhones, such as curved screens, weren't ready for this year's models."

20/06/16

iPhone 7 to keep headphone jack?

The iPhone 7 could include a headphone jack after all, according to reports.

It has long been suggested that Apple had been planning to remove the feature from its upcoming flagship -- potentially replacing the 3.5mm jack with a wireless alternative.

Reports had speculated that the new iPhone incarnation would make use of Bluetooth or the Lightning port for audio as part of the redesign -- while the lack of 3.5mm port would allow for a slimmer handset.

Now, according to The Telegraph, images have surfaced from Rock Fix -- a repair shop in Guangzhou, China -- showing what is claimed to be the upcoming handset with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Engadget adds that the repair company has also recently shared images showing that -- if genuine - the latest model will be the first to include dual-SIM trays.

Rock Fix also reveals screen panels in the "two usual sizes" along with ScanDisk memory chips of up to 256GB and a dual-lens camera for the iPhone 7 Plus handset.

The shop owner also reportedly told Engadget that the antenna design will differ from the 6S model -- although the antenna bands will still be present on the back of the phone.

This latest "leak" is the latest in a line of images that have surfaced.

Online retailer Oppomart recently updated its website to include iPhone 7 cases that users can pre-order -- showing the iPhone 7 Plus model as having a Smart Connecter and the long-rumoured dual-lens camera.

However, the images on the Oppomart's website did not show a headphone socket.

03/06/16

New iPhone 7 cases surface

A new range of protective cases for the upcoming iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have surfaced online.

The images appear to confirm previous rumours of a dual-camera and Smart Connector for the larger, 5.5-inch Plus model.

Shoppers can now pre-order the iPhone 7 cases through online retailer Oppomart.

If accurate, the product images show the overall design of Apple's upcoming flagship to be similar to the current 6s -- the only key differences seemingly being the camera and Smart Connector.

The much-speculated dual camera for the 7 Plus handset can be seen from the pictures - with the smartphone sporting two camera holes aligned horizontally.

The flash and microphone are also positioned side-by-side next to the lens.

Cases for the smaller, 4.7-inch model are also revealed but do not include the Smart Connector or dual-lens camera

Additionally, the images appear to confirm the exclusion of a headphone socket, reinforcing long-running rumours that Apple may drop the feature in favour of wireless headphones.

It is currently unclear whether the case images are genuine or, as suggested by The Daily Mail, simply elaborate fakes designed to "attract customers to the firm."

9 to 5 Mac also notes previous reports that Apple was prototyping the iPhone 7 Plus with a Smart Connector before deciding against it.

As a result, the website concludes that it is a possibility Oppomart's cases may have been designed based on "outdated information."

"We can't confirm now, the factory said they got the phone's drawing from Foxconn," Oppomart states on its website.

31/05/26

iPhone 7 to come with 32GB base storage?

The iPhone 7 could feature 32GB storage for its base model, according to 9 to 5 Mac.

The website reports that IHS analyst Kevin Wang made the claim via Chinese social media -- meaning Apple could finally be moving away from 16GB devices for its flagship range.

The analyst does not elaborate on the claim, but states: "Supply chain research shows that the new iPhone's RAM is 2GB, ROM 32GB onwards."

It would make the range the first since 2008 not to include the 16GB handset.

The current iPhone 6s range does not include a 32GB option -- the only handsets available are 16GB, 64GB and 128GB.

9 to 5 Mac notes that the change could be good news for customers as many are finding that the current base model storage does not fulfil their storage needs.

16GB smartphones can store "just a few apps, photos and videos" and can be suitable for enterprise use -- but the latest iPhones include capabilities such as 4K video recording that can consume considerable storage space.

In addition, larger storage options could be introduced to support the much-alleged new dual cameras on the upcoming flagship range.

Previous reports have also suggested the inclusion of a 256GB version to the range.

Also reported by 9 to 5 Mac, leaked images on Chinese social media site Weibo allegedly displayed a 256GB memory chip -- which would make the upcoming range the first to include a chip of this kind.

However, these images reportedly also showed a 16GB and 64GB version -- with the website assuming that the 16GB is "here to stay" at the time of reporting.

27/05/16

Latest rumour: iPhone 7 to be thicker then 6s?

A new iPhone 7 leak currently doing the rounds suggests Apple's new models could actually be thicker than the 6s.

New schematics published by Czech site letemsvetemapplem.eu show the new 4.7 inch and 5.5-inch handsets as having a thickness of 7.2mm, reports 9 to 5 Mac. In comparison, the current iPhone 6 and 6s models have a thickness of 7.1mm.

The website reports that the images originated from a Chinese parts supplier -- a source that has been proven reliable in the past.

This latest leak appears to confirm persistent reports that Apple will be removing the headphone jack on its upcoming flagship devices - instead utilising the space with a second speaker grille.

The screen also appears to be redesigned with the image showing the handset to have a frameless display. However, 9 to 5 Mac add a caution here, stating that - despite arguably being the most interesting element of the leak -- this is "most likely to be a mistake."

Also missing from the drawings is the front-facing camera -- signifying either another mistake in the images or a camera that is integrated behind the screen.

The schematics for the iPhone 7 Plus model depict the Smart Connector on the bottom of the handset. It is reported that this will be used primarily for wireless charging rather than for an iPad Pro style keyboard cover.

Nothing has been confirmed so far for the flagships - but the unveiling of iOS 10 the WWDC 2016 event (June 13-17) could hint further at what Apple has in store for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

The handsets themselves are widely expected to be announced at an event in September.

23/05/16

iPhone 7: four speakers and a new layout for rear camera?

A new iPhone 7 rumour doing the rounds suggests the smartphone will feature four speakers and a refreshed layout for the rear camera.

French blog Nowehereelse.fr has posted images supposedly showing the rear case prototype for the upcoming Apple flagship - supposedly taken from a promotional video by an Italian case manufacturer.

The photos appear to show two speaker grilles on the bottom of the handset and another on the top. Horizontal antenna lines are not visible and the space for the camera lens is larger than previous models, suggesting improved camera components.

Also corroborating with previous leaks, the images do not include a hole for a 3.5mm headphone jack -- rumours have long suggested Apple will be replacing this with a Lightning connector and Bluetooth wireless headphones.

Reports up until now have, however, indicated that it would be the iPhone 7 Plus (5.5-inch screen) that will receive a new and improved dual-lens rear camera -- but these images of the case show what appears to be a 4.7 inch model with a larger aperture.

9 to 5 Mac reasons that it seems "strange" that elements of this latest leak differ so strongly from previous suggestions - but also that the blog "could have been fed information from recent sources with information other leakers did not have."

According to Mac Rumors, Steven Hemmerstoffer (author of the French blog post) notes that "it doesn't seem viable for a speaker to sit so close to the camera module" unless the camera component layout has been redesigned and will now be vertically aligned inside the handset as opposed to horizontally.

10/05/16

iPhone 7: latest rumours

The iPhone 7 may not include a Smart Connector, latest rumours suggest.

Reports originating from Mac Otakara in Japan say that Apple has decided not to include the port on the upcoming flagship device.

Previous rumours had anticipated its inclusion after images of what appeared to be the iPhone 7 surfaced on a Chinese website earlier in the year.

Now Mac Otakara has said that Apple has changed its mind about incorporating the Smart Connector into the iPhone 7 after originally considering its inclusion on the smartphone.

The connector was originally seen on the iPad Pro and enables the transfer of both power and data between the device and accessories -- such as the Smart Keyboard.

In other rumours, suggestions persist that the iPhone 7 will be water and dust-proof -- with MacRumors commenting: "At least three previous reports have claimed the iPhone 7 will be waterproof over the past seven months, and dust proofing would be inherently plausible.

"Comparatively, the iPhone 6s is surprisingly water resistant, but not entirely waterproof."

Taiwan's DigiTimes also report the device could include a pressure-sensitive home button -- following Apple being granted a patent for a "liquidmetal home button" in March.

The patented liquidmetal alloys boast several unique properties such as malleability, strength and corrosion resistance -- as well as being light weight.

Apple as renewed its exclusive rights to the use of the alloy since 2010 and its inclusion as part of a new home button would allow it to deform under pressure but revert to its usual form when the device user removes their thumb or finger.

26/04/16

New touch-sensitive home button for iPhone 7?

Reports are circulating that suggest Apple is considering introducing a touch sensitive home button to sit completely flush with the phone's face.

The International Business Times quotes 9to5Mac, which says the iPhone 7 will feature haptic feedback motors like the one present on the Force Touch trackpad of Retina MacBook. It means that even though the iPhone 7 will come with a flat capacitive surface, it will create an illusion of a real Home button. Smartphones running on Android and Windows already feature touch-sensitive Home buttons, but the iPhone 7 would be the first Apple smartphone to feature it.

It adds that previous rumours have suggested that the iPhone 7 would feature a water- and dust-resistant chassis. The axing of the physical Home button to make way for a touch-sensitive one will help Apple completely seal the chassis of the phone, thus protecting it from damage through contact with water and dust.

According to The Week, Apple was recently granted a patent for a Liquidmetal home button that changes shape when pressure is applied to it but returns to the original once the user removes their finger or thumb. The company has held rights to use the material since 2010 but has yet to incorporate it into the design of any of its iOS devices.

18/05/16

iPhone 7s to boast OLED display?

Apple is reportedly considering switching to OLED in 2017.

With the iPhone 7 still yet to be announced, rumours have already emerged suggesting its 7S follow-up could incorporate OLED display panels.

According to MacRumors, The Korea Herald has reported that Samsung could begin to supply the iPhone manufacturer with "100 million units of 5.5-inch OLED panels on an annual basis" from next year -- bringing it in line with the expected release of the 'S' model.

Samsung is said to be considering the deal -- worth an estimated $2.59bn -- following earlier rumours that it was planning to invest up to $7.47bn in manufacturing OLED equipment in order to cope with demand from Apple.

The display panels would provide richer and sharper colours than LED versions -- whilst providing Apple with an opportunity to reduce the thickness of its smartphones.

In other speculation, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo has said that Apple may be set to pair new the new type of display with a wraparound, curved-glass case next year.

Kuo said: "We expect the 2017 new iPhone model to adopt a structural design similar to that of iPhone 4/ 4s, meaning it will be equipped with glass on both the front and back sides, and a metal frame surrounding the edges.

"The difference is that the new model will likely come with a curved screen and curved glass casing, with other important features including a 5.8-inch AMOLED display, wireless charging, and more biometric recognitions (facial or iris). Given the curved design, the new model may look smaller than an existing 5.5-inch iPhone.

Apple'siPhonesand iPads running the iOS 10 operating system are exposed to a security flaw that allows credentials to be stolen from backups, according to a security firm.

Russian iPhone hacking firm Elcomsoft claimed to uncover the iOS 10 vulnerability, after the OS was released on 13 September, stating that it weakened backup security protection, thus making it simple for hackers to crack passwords used for backups of iOS devices stored on Macs and PCs.

Elcomsoft researcher Oleg Afonin, who helped find the flaw,said in a blog post that while iPhones and iPads are very secure, and any acquisition method gets increasingly difficult with every generation of the iOS operating system, there's still a way for hackers to get into users' backup data.

"Forcing an iPhone or iPad to produce an offline backup and analysing resulting data is one of the very few acquisition options available for devices running iOS 10," Afonin explained. "Local backups are easy to produce if the iPhone is unlocked. However, you may be able to produce a local backup even if the phone is locked by using a pairing record extracted from a trusted computer."

He added: "If you are able to break the password, you'll be able to decrypt the entire content of the backup including the keychain. At this time, logical acquisition remains the only acquisition option available for iPhone 5s, 6/6 Plus, 6s/6s Plus and 7/7 Plus running iOS 10 that offers access to device keychain."

According to Afonin, the flaws also mean cracking efforts against iOS 10 backups are 2,500 times faster compared to similar efforts against iOS 9, and if a cyber crook is successful, the attack will grant access to device keychains.

Apple said it is currently looking to release a patch to fix to the problem, and will address the flaws in an upcoming security update, adding that it did not affect iCloud backups.

"We're aware of an issue that affects the encryption strength for backups of devices on iOS 10 when backing up to iTunes on the Mac or PC," said Apple in a statement. "We recommend users ensure their Mac or PC are protected with strong passwords and can only be accessed by authorised users. Additional security is also available with FileVault whole disk encryption."

Apple unveiled its new flagship device in two sizes this evening, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus.

The smartphones, which Apple's Hong Kong store accidentally confirmed when it listed them on the site earlier today, replace the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus as Apple's latest smartphone offering.

Apple will hope the new devices can turn around its recent misfortunes with the iPhone after sales of the iPhone 6 drove Apple to record profits and revenue, iPhone shipments have since dipped, leading to a 27% drop in revenue for the tech giant.

Available in five colours Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Jet Black and Black the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus continue with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus dimensions of 4.7in and 5.5in across the diagonal respectively.

While we haven't got our hands on the new models yet, we have had a chance to take a first look at the devices on the night of Apple's launch, so here's what we think of Apple's latest top of the range smartphones.

What you need to know

• Pre-order the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus from 9 September
• Buy the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus from 16 September
• iPhone 7 prices from 599
• iPhone 7 Plus prices from 719
• Both models come in 32GB, 128GB, 256GB

Specs

Display

Apple has once again improved on its previous iPhone display by notching everything up a notch or two. Compared to the 6s display, the 7 is 25% brighter, and also offers 3D Touch as the 6s did to distinguish between a variety of pressures when your finger touches the screen. This means you can do perform a greater number of functions when you touch the device, as the 3D Touch technology can differentiate between various levels of pressure. The iPhone's taptic engine vibrates differently depending on your command, letting you know your command has been understood.

Storage and RAM

The iPhone 7 will feature 2GB of RAM just like the iPhone 6s. Where the devices differ here, however, is storage. Apple's now scrapped the 16GB and 64GB options, replacing them with a base 32GB, that goes up to 128GB and 256GB - if you really need it across both the 7 and 7 Plus.

Operating system

The iPhone 7 will run iOS 10 straight out of the box. While Apple didn't say much about iOS 10 on the night, the new OS is available to download from the 13 September, so we'll get to try it out pretty soon. One thing Apple did say on the night is that iOS 10 will make more use of 3D Touch than iOS 9 did, so expect apps and features that make use of the pressure-sensitive technology.

Camera

The camera, as always, was something Apple lingered on at the Special Event. Keeping the 12-megapixel camera from the 6s, the 7 does add some improvements.

Apple says the 7's camera offers three times longer exposure and claims the lens takes 50% more light onto the sensor. Its high-speed sensor is 60% faster than the 6s's, too.

The 7's camera runs on an image signal processor that uses machine learning to identify people and objects in a photo, and it can also set white balance and record a wider range of colours.

However, the camera on the 7 Plus is even better. In fact, it has two of them. One is a wide-angle 12-megapixel camera, and the other a telephoto lens. The 7 Plus can zoom up to 10x onto a picture while still being able to take a high-quality shot.

Battery

The 7 Plus has the best iPhone battery ever, according to Tim Cook, lasting a whopping 60 hours. Of course, we're excited to put that to the test, and you should take that with a whole heap of salt considering it's probably a base measurement where the iPhone is doing little else than sitting there.

Talking on 3G, the 7's battery lasts 14 hours, compared to the 7 Plus's 21 hours, and 3G/4G roaming records their lifespans as 12 hours and 13 hours respectively.

The 7 Plus's battery can last two hours more than the iPhone 6s and one hour more than the 6s Plus, Apple claims.

Processor

Upgrading on the 6s's A9 processor, the iPhone 7's A10 chip runs 40% faster and is twice as fast as the A8. It also has four cores and 3.3 billion transistors.

Headphones

The iPhone 7's real revolutionary move isn't its battery, however. It's actually its headphones. That's right, the iPhone 7 kills the headphone jack. Apple confirmed the rumour at its Special Event, saying the 7 and 7 Plus will ship with EarPods that only connect to the iPhone's Lightning port. Don't worry if you have some beloved headphones of your own, though, Apple also includes an adaptor for them with each new iPhone it ships.

That's still not the revolutionary step, though that is the AirPods. These wireless headphones connect over Bluetooth to your iPhone and register when they're in your ears by using infrared sensors. By tapping twice you can access Siri, which seems very cool.

Apple is expected to hold its next Special Event on 7 September, with the launch of the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Apple Watch 2, new MacPro, new iPod Touch, MacMini and new MacBook all possibly making an appearance.

Here we round up all the latest news and rumours about Apple's 7 September Special Event. Be sure to come back from 5.30pm UK time, when we will be running a live blog of the main announcements right here.

Please manually refresh this page for the latest on our live blog of Apple's Special Event

Apple September Event at a glance

• The Apple event starts tonight, 7 September, at 6.00pm UK time
• iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch 2 all expected to launch
• iOS 10, macOS Sierra and WatchOS3 all expected to release
• Live blog available here from 5.30pm with all the news from the event

Apple Special Event live blog

20:20: That's all, folks

So just to wrap up - we have two new iPhones, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, boasting battery, camera and memory upgrades.

We also have an Apple Watch 2 that will soon have Pokmon Go and Super Mario Run to play on it.

The devices will use iOS 10 and WatchOS 3respectively - check out our hubs in these links to get more details on each of these!

Thanks for staying with us, and enjoy the rest of your day!

20:00:iPhone 7 price and release date

Here it is, what we've all been waiting for - how much is it and when can we buy it? First of all, both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are available in three sizes - 32GB, 128GB and 256GB.

Both models are available for pre-order from 9 September, and widely available from 16 September in the below countries (UK and US included):

The 7 and 7 Plus are available in Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Black and Jet Black. The US price for the 7 is $649, and the 7 Plus will cost $769.

In the UK, the iPhone 7 will cost 599, and the 7 Plus will cost 719. So far both Vodafone and Three have confirmed they can offer the flagship iPhones.

19:53: Battery specs

The iPhone 7's new battery stats aren't bad at all, but the 7 Plus's are better. At 60 hours, it's the longest battery life ever on an iPhone, the tech giant boasts. We'll have to put those claims to the test in our review, of course, but that's two more hours than the 6s and one hour more than the 6s Plus.

19:50: iPhone 7's revolutionary A10 chip

The iPhone is running on a new A10 chip, which Apple claims is 40% faster than the 6s's A9 processor, boasting four cores and 3.3 billion transistors. It's also twice as fast as the A8.

19:31: iPhone AirPods and EarPods: Apple confirms it's killed the headphone jack

Apple finally comes clean and confesses it's done away with the beloved headphone jack. It's gone, wave goodbye.

It's replacing the jack - as expected - with the Lightning port, and will ship Lightning EarPods with every copy of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. For people who have headphones they love, don't worry - Apple will also ship an adaptor that will connect your headphones to the Lightning Port.

However, you can also use Apple's AirPods to listen to your music wirelessly. These headphones run on a new W1 chip that uses infra-red to detect when they are in your ears, and will only play when they're snug inside your lugs.

You can also access Siri with a quick double tap on the AirPods - something very reminiscent of AI movie Her.

19:25:iPhone 7 and 7 Plus display

Apple show us the iPhone 7's display - it's 25% brighter than the 6s, rendering it to a "cinema standard" of quality. It also boasts 3D Touch, which has surpassed the Force Touch technology on previous models.

With 3D Touch, the iPhone 7 can register a wider range of pressure, and Apple says iOS 10 will introduce new features (and, most likely, apps) that take advantage of this improved sensor.

19:15:The iPhone 7's camera looks fantastic - really impressive. Apple reckons it has three-times longer exposure, and the lens receives 50% more light onto the sensor. Its high speed, 12 megapixel sensor is 60% faster than the 6s's, too.

The camera's brains is an image signal processor, which identifies people and objects in a photo (relying on machine learning to do so), sets the white balance and also records wide colour - meaning the range of colours it can replicate is much vaster.

Onto the iPhone 7 Plus's camera: It actually has two. One is a wide-angle megapixel camera, and the other a telephoto megapixel camera. This means the 7 Plus can zoom up to 10x and still retain a high level of focus and image quality.

19:05: It's time for the iPhone 7! Here's what it looks like:

Importantly, designer Jony Ive confirms the antenna bands on the phone are now hidden within the casing, effectively making them disappear - this will be very popular.

Apple also introduces two new colours - Jet Black and Black - and the new model is now water and dust resistant.

Taptic engine

Apple's taptic engine is more responsive than ever, distinguishing between various notifications to vibrate differently:

18:54:It's confirmed - Apple Watch 2 is available for pre-orders from 9 September. It'll hit the shops on 16 September. Watch OS3, its operating system, is available from 13 September for download. A special Nike version of the Watch 2 will come out in October.

18:42:Now to the Apple Watch 2 - Apple's confirmed the device has built-in GPS, meaning you can go for a run without taking your iPhone. This is a big feature that should make the Watch 2 much more attractive as a sports wearable.

A new app, ViewRanger, will be the first app (for hiking) to take advantage of the GPS.

Onto ranges - the Watch 2 comes in aluminium, stainless steel, and erm, ceramic. This is what it looks like.

The others are a bit more normal:

18:39:The Watch version one was splash proof, but the new one is swim-proof - Apple's tested Watches by attaching them to a revolving arm that simulates strokes for hours every day, and says they still work just fine. Mind you, you might not want to put that to the test after you've coughed up a few hundred quid for a Watch 2.

Watch 2's display is twice as bright as any previous display, Apple also claims.

18:22: Now Apple's talking about the Apple Watch. It's the top selling smartwatch, and the second-best selling watch, after Rolex, Cook boasts.

But watchOS 3 is really impressive - your favourite apps launch instantly, you can add them to the Dock, and even just swipe to change your Watch face. You can jot custom replies with Scribble and a Breathe app reminds you daily about deep breathing exercises.

But the big news is that Pokmon Go is available on the Apple Watch! It'll be available before the end of 2016. Here's what it looks like:

Interestingly, Go developer Niantic's CEO, John Hanke, comes on stage and refers to Pokmon Go Plus, a "heads-up display" that helps you see Pokmon in front of you - rather than staring at your iPhone. That's all the detail we have on that for now, though.

18:06:Tim Cook starts the Special Event by doing carpool karaoke with James Corden. Yes, you read that right. Here's them in action:

Now Tim Cook's on stage with an update about Apple Music - it now has 17 million subscribers.

Another update on the App Store, Cook says it's changed software and our lives, but momentum now has never been greater, with 140 billion apps now downloaded. "In the last two months we've seen growth rates of over 100% year-on-year," boasts Cook. It's also garnered twice the revenue of its closest competitor, and 500,000 gaming apps (pictured).

But the biggest early news is... Mario is coming to iOS! Super Mario Run is in action below, and will come out in time for Christmas 2016.

17:50:But what else can we look forward to?

Picture courtesy of sister site Alphr

Well, quite a few things, actually. The Apple Watch 2 is heavily rumoured to get an airing tonight, and promises some major upgrades on the first model.

For one thing, it could have its own GPS system, meaning you won't need to tie it to your iPhone anymore. It should also come with a boosted battery life too, making it a much more independent device than its predecessor.

There's also iOS 10. The latest mobile operating system will run on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and one major advantage of this is it's not susceptible to the devastating hack discovered earlier this month, where cybercriminals can spy on all your messages. Apple's already patched the issue, but not everyone downloaded the fix. With iOS 10, you won't need to.

Here's what else the team at IT Pro would like to see Apple announce tonight, but stay tuned and refresh this page every 10 minutes to find out all the latest coming from the tech giant's San Francisco event.

We're now just 10 minutes away from the start...

17:30:Welcome to our Apple Special Event live blog!

It promises to be quite a show tonight. Thanks to Apple's Hong Kong store accidentally listing them on its website, we know for certain the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will make an appearance this evening.

The big question is will the new flagship iPhone be good enough to turn around Apple's fortunes?

The tech giant has come under plenty of pressure recently, battling a 13 billion tax bill in Ireland, but also combatting falling revenues and profits.

After record success thanks to the iPhone 6, Apple has been on a downward slope. Analysts call it peak iPhone', where the device has reached saturation point, and new versions don't improve enough on their predecessors to warrant an upgrade, leading to a 27% dent in profits.

However, it could all change with the iPhone 7. One survey suggests half of iPhone owners plan to upgrade to the new smartphone, and Apple will certainly look to capitalise on Samsung's disastrous Note 7 release, with reports of the device exploding forcing Apple's rival to officially recall and exchange devices.

07/09/2016:Apple has just given the game away about the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus in the most embarrassing way possible.

Reddit user Jasper Greenham spotted both the 7 and 7 Plus online in Apple's Hong Kong store today, virtually confirming their appearance at tonight's Special Event.

Greenham's screenshot, below, also confirmed that the headphone jack on both devices is definitely dead.

As has been much-rumoured ahead of the iPhone 7's launch, neither of the latest devices will feature a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Instead, the store shows a variety of headphones you can buy for the iPhone, and lists the connection types as Bluetooth, wireless, and AirPlay only.

The iPhone 7 is expected to launch this Friday after its official unveiling this evening, in storage versions of 32GB, 128GB and 256GB.

When is the Apple Special Event?

Apple has confirmed its 2016 Special Event will be taking place on 7 September. In past years, the Special Event keynote has been used to launch the lates flagship iPhone, which this year is expected to be the iPhone 7. It has also previously featured the launch of the new Apple Watch, new MacBook and new iPads.

Reliable leaker Evan Blass has stated the iPhone 7, which is widely expected to be the flagship launch of the autumn event, will be on sale in shops on 16 September, one week after the 7 September Special Event.

This would more or less fit in with the known timeline now that the date of the Special Event has been confirmed. Typically, Apple's launch event for the new iPhone has occured one week before the device becomes available for pre-order and about two weeks before it hits the shelves.

If Blass's information is correct, this would mean Apple has condensed its timetable by a week or more. Alternatively, his source is mistaken and it is preorders that will open on 16 September, rather than general retail sales.

How to watch the Apple Special Event

Apple likes people who like Apple, which is why its live streams have always been largely focused on adressing those who have already bought into the brand. Historically, only Apple device users have been able to watch the live stream, but this year Windows 10 users can watch it too. Here's all the different ways you can watch:

How to watch the Apple Event on a laptop or desktop PC

If you have an iMac or a MacBook, you can watch the event live by following this link to Apple's dedicated page, but you must be using the computer's built-in Safari browser. Other browsers will not work.

On Windows 10 laptops and PCs, you can follow the same link and watch live, but you must be using the built in Edge browser. Once again, other browsers will not work.

How to watch the Apple Event on a smartphone or tablet

If you have an iPhone, iPad or, indeed, iPod running iOS 7 or higher, you can watch the live stream on Safari by following this link.

Unfortunately, there's no way for Android devices (or any other non-iOS device for that matter) to access the live stream.

How to watch the Apple Event on TV

If you have an Apple TV, you can watch Cook and Co's presentations on the big screen. Make sure your Apple TV is on TVOS 6.2 or newer (fourth generation Apple TVs will work automatically) and navigate to the "Apple Events" icon on the home screen. Please note that the icon may not show up until later this evening, closer to the 6.00pm start time.

If you can't do any of the above, don't fret!IT Pro's deputy editor, Joe Curtis, will be on hand right here with a live blog of all the evening's key announcements, while features editor Jane McCallion will be live tweetingtoo. Be sure to tune in from 5.30pm tonight!

Apple September Special Event: iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 launch is the most likely thing to happen at the Special Event. This year, there could be up to three handsets launched, although the smart money seems to be on two for now, with more colour options available and all of them featuring a more powerful camera.

Aside from tradition, another indicator that the iPhone 7 will be coming this September is the beta release of iOS 10, with the general release promised in autumn this year. Typically the new version of the mobile operating system is released alongside - and preloaded on - the next generation iPhone.

Click here to visit our dedicated iPhone 7 page.

Apple September Special Event: Apple Watch 2

The Apple Watch 2 is also expected to launch at the special event, with up to five versions going on sale.

While the release of the original Apple Watch took place in April 2015, the latest release of a new model - the Apple Watch Herms - took place in September 2015, with only new bands having made an appearance so far this year, in March, at the same time as the iPhone SE was revealed.

Another indicator that Apple Watch 2 will launch at the Special Event is the arrival of watchOS 3 at WWDC in June, which is currently in private beta, with Apple saying it will become generally available in the autumn. This is normally the pattern for iOS and iPhone as well, with the OS becoming available as a beta at WWDC and general release coming alongside the release of the flagship phone (see above).

The final hint that the Apple Watch 2 may make an appearance is the event invitation itself, which could be interpreted as being made up of several of the Apple Watch's circular home screen icons (at least that's what some of us atIT Pro see...)

Click here to visit our dedicated Apple Watch 2 page

Apple September Special Event: iMacs and MacPro

There hasn't been a new version of the powerful Mac Pro, Apple's cylindrical stand-alone computer, since it launched in December 2013 - more than 900 days ago. This is double the average period between refreshes, according to MacRumors - 449 days - although this has been steadily lengthening over time. While this isn't bulletproof evidence of a new Mac Pro being released this year, it has almost got to a now-or-never stage.

Apple September Special Event: MacBooks

There are two devices that can be ruled out almost immediately with regard to this year's potential new Apple laptops: the MacBook and the MacBook Air.

The reason we doubt there will be a new MacBook at the September event is that the latest refresh only occurred in April this year, making the earliest date Apple is likely to release a third generation device April 2017.

As for the MacBook Air, its standout feature - the fact it weighs so little - has been surpassed by the MacBook, which weighs 0.92kg compared to the smallest Air, which weighs 1.08kg. Therefore, while nothing official has been said, we suspect the MacBook Air has, in fact, been retired.

The MacBook Pro, however, is due for an update, so, unlike the other two, may make an appearance in September.

Apple September Special Event: iPads and iPods

When it comes to iPads, there's one perennial question - will the iPad Air 3 ever make an appearance? Or has it been superseded by the iPad Pro?

While you can never say never, it does seem likely that the latter is correct. While the original 12.9in iPad Pro was significantly heavier (and generally bigger) than the iPad Air 2, the 9.7in iPad Pro has exactly the same dimensions and weight.

As for the iPad Mini, it normally receives some kind of refresh each autumn, so it is possible an iPad Mini 5 may arrive at the September Special Event, as may a new iPod Touch, which has an annual autumn refresh too.

With Apple's Special Event taking place later today, we asked ourselves exactly what the tech giant will reveal in a few hours' time.

Because it's fun to speculate, too, we also wondered what Apple might have up its sleeve to surprise people with tonight, as well.

Read on for our verdict on the major launches tonight, as well as the stuff we'd love to see.

Jane McCallion, features editor

What I expect Apple to launch:

A new flagship iPhone is a no brainer for Wednesday's Special Event and, given the past two years' launches, I think we can expect to see an iPhone 7 Plus as well as an iPhone 7.

Another Apple Watch is also more-or-less a given. I do believe there could be up to five variants - Apple has to do something new to make the launch worthwhile.

Could there be anything unexpected? Maybe, but there have been no leaks about anything else, so we may have to be content with the iPhone 7 being the "one more thing".

What I want Apple to launch:

I would like to see Apple launch something really innovative that will break new ground. I don't really know what this could be, but that's kind of the point of seeing something unexpected!

For purely selfish reasons, I'd like to see a new Apple Watch launch as well. My current fitness tracker has seen better days and I quite fancy a smartwatch, so a price drop in the original Apple Watch would suit me down to the ground.

For the record, I don't think we're going to see an Apple Car this year. Maybe one day, but not yet.

iPhone 7 image courtesy of Marek Weidlich

Rene Millman, freelance journalist

What I expect Apple to launch:

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are pretty much a given for today'sevent. Someone at Apple has let slip on this one with an update on itswebsite showing iPhone 7 compatible earphones. It is all but confirmedthat the headphone jack is going and this is no bad thing; wirelessearphones are getting better and the Lightning port can do doubleduty without any problems. However, Apple needs to announce more than justa new flagship device to keep interest in the company alive.

What I want Apple to launch:

I hope that Apple Watch will get a refresh, with better batterylife and 3D Touch to replace Force Touch. I'd like to see better Siriintegration on the Watch so I wouldn't have to pull out my phone sofrequently. It would be great if it had a bigger screen too, but Ithink I'm in a very small minority on that issue.

Adam Shepherd, staff writer

What I expect Apple to launch:

The fact that Apple is ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack is now one of the worst-kept secrets in tech. However, the fact that it's axing the regular port almost certainly means that the iPhone 7 will come with a brand-new set of Bluetooth earphones in the box.

This is actually a fairly interesting prospect, as it will be the first major shake-up to Apple's ubiquitous accessory in years. The new AirPods' are also likely to be quite impressive, given that Apple now owns one of the most well-known audio peripheral companies in the world.

What I want Apple to launch:

The concept of a truly connected smart home is now coming tantalisingly close to being a reality, but what would really seal the deal is for Apple to release a standalone smart home hub, similar to the Amazon Echo.

The infrastructure is already in place most available smart home products have some form of Siri and/or HomeKit integration. All Apple would need to do is centralise that control into a single appliance, with always-on voice control and access to all Siri's regular functionality.

Apple Car concept courtesy ofJean-Patrick Lee-Pat-Yuen

Paul Franklin, IT Pro, Cloud Pro, and Channel Pro publisher

What I expect Apple to launch:

Beyond the highly anticipated iPhone 7 and subsequent iterations, there are almost certainly updates for the Apple Watch and the iOS software upgrades powering the devices.

Given the comparative novelty of the Watch there are undoubtedly improvements in functionality to come. It also feels like there's plenty more to say about iOS 10. How can it help Apple's drive into the enterprise, for example?

Similarly, perhaps Apple will touch on their vision to drive artificial intelligence given their recent acquisitions this summer.

What I want Apple to launch:

In terms of what I'd like to see from Apple well continuing on the theme of artificial intelligence, and a fairly large competitor of theirs making big strides in this field, I'd like them to announce an Apple Car I can buy for Christmas! Beyond that, and only because I'm in the market for one right now, is a decent TV. Not just a viewing platform, but a fresh TV kit itself.

Joe Curtis, deputy editor

What I expect Apple to launch:

Apple has already accidentally confirmed that it's releasing the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus tonight. Beyond that, it's highly likely that the Apple Watch 2 will make an appearance. With its own GPS and a longer battery life, this is the device they should have waited to release, instead of rushing to produce the first Watch. It will be much better than its predecessor, chiefly because it won't be tied to the iPhone.

What I want Apple to launch:

I'd be most excited to see some real breakthroughs with Siri, Apple's voice assistant. Currently it lags behind the likes of Microsoft's Cortana in terms of functionality and usefulness, and with the growing importance of bots, voice assistants will soon rule how we communicate with our devices and by extension the wider world.

Apple's rumoured push into building an Apple Car won't come off for years, but its focus on providing software for smart cars might lead to some interesting innovations in Siri that I'd hope might become available sooner rather than later.

Last night the story broke that a piece of commercially-produced malware had been discovered which would allow someone to remotely take over an iPhone. The malware, dubbed Trident, used three previously undiscovered vulnerabilities in iOS to gain access to the phone and install sophisticated spyware.

What does the iPhone Trident exploit do?

It allows malicious users to remotely jailbreak a phone and install software on it that's hidden from the phone's owner. The malware is triggered by someone visiting a web page - the phone's user doesn't need to agree to download anything. The spyware package allowed its masters to use the phone's camera and microphone to record anything at any time, as well as monitoring chat software such as WhatsApp.

How was the Trident malware discovered?

The malware appears to have been specifically targeted at Ahmed Mansour, a human rights activist in the UAE. Mansour received text messages on his phone which claimed to link to details of human rights abuses. However, he became suspicious of the messages, and passed details on to Citizen Lab, who dissected the malware and linked it to an Israeli company which makes spyware for use by governments.

Who made the Trident malware?

Can the Trident malware affect me?

In theory, yes. In practice, this kind of targeted malware attack is almost always designed to focus on specific users by the government responsible. They also tend to want to keep the malware they use close to their chests because it's a costly piece of software which (ironically) they don't want to get into "the wrong" hands.

It's already been patched

If you're on iOS 9, hit software update and download iOS 9.3.5. This patches the exploits used by the NSO malware, as well as throwing in a few other security fixes into the mix.

Isn't this all pretty shady?

Yes it is. Add together shadowy companies making malware and governments targeting human rights activists for surveillance by hacking and you have something that sounds like it's out of a pacy cyberwar novel. Sadly, it looks like it's not fiction.

iPhone sales have experienced their slowest ever growth this quarter, Apple is expected to report today.

During its latest earnings call, Apple will reportedly announce a sales increase of just over one per cent for its iPhone range, according to Reuters.

If true, this is the slowest growth rate the iPhone has experienced since its launch, leading to speculation that the bubble may have finally burst.

Many factors are behind the slowdown, according to industry observers, who cite the economic downturn in China as a major cause, the country being one of the iPhone's major markets.

The iPhone may also be approaching a point of diminishing returns, thanks to plateaus in technological advancements.

Sales of previous iPhone generations continue to be strong, indicating that consumers do not feel that Apple's yearly device refreshes provide enough improvements to justify an upgrade.

Many are sticking with older models, or staying one model behind the current cycle.

Some are going with biennial upgrades, and are planning to move straight from the iPhone 6 to the forthcoming iPhone 7, skipping the 6s altogether.

The company also faces stiff competition from Asian rivals like Samsung, which has now become a serious competitor in the premium handset bracket.

Profit forecasts could be further dented by the news that the main iPhone manufacturing centre, a Foxconn plant in China, fell victim to fire this week.

There were no casualties, however, and a spokesperson insisted that production would not be adversely affected.

The predicted downturn comes just a year after Apple recorded record profit and revenue thanks to demand for the iPhone 6.