Apple unveils iPhone 7 with better camera, no headphone jack

Apple’s latest iPhone might be more notable for what’s missing from previous models than what’s being added. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus unveiled Wednesday won’t have an analog headphone jack – a longtime staple in just about every consumer electronics device that can play audio.

In doing so, Apple is betting that its legions of loyal fans will embrace the shift to wireless headphones – or, if they insist on sticking with their old ways, that they won’t mind using earbuds that plug into the iPhone’s power port, or older headsets in conjunction with a new adapter.

The wireless future looms

But Apple is trying to push consumers to cut the cord with their headphones and make the leap into what it envisions as a “wireless future.”

“The reason to move on is courage,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing. “The courage to move on and do something new that will benefit all of us.”

As part of the transition, Apple also is introducing wireless “AirPods” that will sell for $160.

Getting rid of the 3.5 millimeter headphone jack helped Apple make its new iPhone slimmer, boost its battery lifetime and add other improvements, including stereo speakers and a sharper camera. The iPhone 7 is also water resistant, a popular feature that rivals such as Samsung Electronics already have been offering.

Apple is trying to reverse its first decline in iPhone sales since the company’s late founder, Steve Jobs, unveiled the trendsetting device in 2007.

Apple sold nearly 92 million iPhones during the first six months of this year, or about 15 percent fewer than the same period last year. Industry analysts blame the downturn on last fall’s uninspiring rollout of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, neither of which included enough compelling features to persuade consumers to replace the phones they already owned.

Better camera, faster processor

The most significant upgrades to this year’s models include a faster processor and a better camera, upgrades that Apple typically makes every year. The more expensive and larger iPhone 7 Plus boasts the biggest change, with two digital camera lenses. One will be for wide-angle views and the other will have telephoto capabilities, which Apple says will zoom in by up to 10 times while still providing the same clarity as a shot on the standard distance setting.

The new iPhones will debut Sept. 16 in the U.S., China and more than two dozen other countries. Orders will start this Friday.

The phones will offer more storage than earlier models. As people store more photos and video on their phones, Apple is taking a cue from rival phone makers and offering its starter model with 32 gigabytes of storage. It’s still priced at $650 for the iPhone 7 and $770 for the larger Plus model.

New mobile operating system

Those who aren’t getting a new iPhone will still see improvements with a new mobile operating system called iOS 10. It will be available as free download beginning Sept. 13. Among other things, the software will add more intelligence to Apple services such as Maps, Photos, the iPhone keyboard and Siri, the voice-activated digital assistant.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 7:44 PM with the headline "Apple unveils iPhone 7 with better camera, no headphone jack."