By Inji Kim
Ever since their grand announcement on Sept. 7, the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have been receiving countless responses. During its annual press event, Apple CEO Tim Cooke officially announced that the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will no longer have a headphone jacks port, be water and dust resistant, have a better camera along with faster processor, two new colors (both various shades of black), eliminating the 16gb minimum option in favor of an expanded 32gb option, and an expanded memory. The public has regarded the new changes with various responses, and Drew students have been no exception to join the discussion about the unveiling of the new smartphone.
The most controversial change that has been brought is the disappearance of the headphone jacks. Bella Kudas (’20) and Anna Gombert (’20) both agreed that they find this change rather uncomfortable are that they not ready for the absence of the analogue headphone jacks mainly for two reasons.
“I think it would be extremely inconvenient to constantly charge my earphones,” Kudas said who currently uses the iPhone 6. Gombert, who is another iPhone 6 user, added onto to the discussion by mentioning the price of the headphones.
“I am a part of the ‘put the jack back’ group,” Gombert said. The official price of the new headphones that will be on sale by October is $159. “I do acknowledge Apple’s effort to enhance the battery life, but I feel like it is ridiculous to pay that much money for the earphones- what happens if I lose it or they stop working? I’ll have no cheaper alternatives and will have to buy new ones that cost too much” Gombert said.
Both students agreed that they lean towards more Apple products than Android products because of the compatibility among their laptops and tablets. However, they have also noted that they are not extremely happy with the news they have been hearing about the new iPhone 7 and Plus.
Despite the fiery debate that is going about the headphone jacks, the newest addition to the series of iconic smartphones features many more new additions. Brooke Winters (’19) indicated that she has already preordered the new iPhone 7.
“I am aware of the whole headphone debate, but I feel like people really need to look more into the newer additions Apple has made,” Winters said. “Personally, I am most impressed by its improved cameras,” she said, noting that the dual camera setup on the phone is one of the most sophisticated cameras on smartphones.
Winters added she prefers Apple products for their nice and simple design and that she is excited to experience the newer colors that Apple has presented that are two all-black furnishes in addition to the rose gold and gold that have been recently added.
Apple products are not only known for its simple design, but are also known for their simple and smooth interfaces. Muhammad Chaudhry (’18) who works at the University Technology help desk explained that he prefers Apple to Android as well.
“I switched from using an Android based Galaxy to Apple’s iPhone,” Chaudhry said. “Android seemed to have more glitches and lagging interfaced compared to Apple’s iOS on iPhones.” His specific opinions about the iPhone 7 were optimistic. “I feel like all of the changes are nicer changes. Though people don’t really like change, Apple simplifies things and offers customers what they really need in a better and more enhanced way.”
Despite the general inclination towards Apple products within Drew, a student who wished to remain anonymous pointed out that “Apple is telling the customers what to do rather than letting customers decide what they want,” along with the fact that most customers are “so used to ridiculous pricing because Apple is basically this brand with loyal followers.”
However, most Drew students feel positive about Apple and its products, including Sharif Khan (’19). “The sleek design, 128GB storage, simple earphones, and the IOS interface suffices for all of my needs,” Khan said. “ Of course it is a little pricey but you pay for what you get.” Khan was one of the many who gave similar answers to these questions. Based on the responses encountered during this article, Drew seems to lean towards Apple products and seem to be interested in the changes in the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The new iPhones are available to order today.
Sept. 16, 2016
