Apple has come out with yet another iPhone, and you’re probably wondering how it compares to your Samsung Galaxy S7.
Not that you’d ever seriously consider switching from an Android to join the cult of the iPhone. Android users are, in fact, more loyal than their flighty iPhone counterparts, one study found. But it’s good to know how the competition stacks up.
Apple introduced the iPhone 7 on Wednesday with its usual claim that its newest model was the best iPhone yet. Both the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus outperform their predecessors as far as battery life, speed, display, and durability. The seventh generation of iPhone is also the first to be water resistant and dust-proof, a feature that many Android phones have included for years. The iPhone 7 is also the first to lack a 3.5 mm headphone jack, easily the most contentious change yet Apple has made to its flagship product yet. The iPhone 7 Plus includes Apple’s first dual-lens camera, which the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to include.
Here’s how the best of Apple and Android stack up against each other.
Battery life
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus both contain a new A10 battery that pushes them to the front of the class in the iPhone world as far as battery life, speed, and power.
Voice calls
iPhone 7: 14 hours of talk time on 3G
iPhone 7 Plus: 21 hours of talk time on 3G
Samsung Galaxy S7: 28 hours of talk time on 2G
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 36 hours of talk time on 3G
Internet browsing
iPhone 7: 12 hours of browsing on 3G and LTE, 14 hours on Wi-Fi
iPhone 7 Plus: 13 hours of browsing on 3G and LTE, 15 hours on Wi-Fi
Samsung Galaxy S7: 11 hours of browsing on on 3G, 13 hours of browsing on LTE, 14 hours on Wi-Fi
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 13 hours of browsing on 3G, 15 hours on Wi-Fi and LTE
Verdict: Both Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 7 Plus are in a battery life tie when it comes to internet browsing, though iPhone 7 has a slight edge over Samsung Galaxy S7. When it comes to voice calls, Samsung’s battery outlasts iPhone’s by several hours.
Display
The 7th generation of iPhone includes a display with wide color gamut and Retina HD. The displays are said to be 25 percent brighter than the older model.
iPhone 7: 1334-by-750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi, wide color gamut, Retina HD, 4.7 inches
iPhone 7 Plus: 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution at 401 ppi, wide color gamut, Retina HD, 5.5 inches
Samsung Galaxy S7: 2560×1440-pixel resolution at 577pp, 5.1 inches
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 2560 x 1440 at 577 pp, 5.5 inches
Verdict: As far as display goes, Samsung’s Quad HD quality screen wins overall.
Camera
The iPhone 7 Plus includes the first dual-lens camera in an Apple product; the camera features both a wide-angle with ƒ/1.8 aperture and a telephoto lens with ƒ/2.8 aperture. The iPhone 7 features an all new 12-megapixel camera with a ƒ/1.8 aperture. The iPhone 7’s aperture (which is a description of a camera’s shutter speed) is much faster than the ƒ/2.2 aperture we’ve been seeing in our iPhone cameras since the iPhone 5 was released.
Lens
iPhone 7: 12-megapixel camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture; 7-megapixel “selfie camera”
iPhone 7 Plus: Dual-lens with wide-angle: ƒ/1.8 aperture and telephoto: ƒ/2.8 aperture; 7-megapixel “selfie camera”
Samsung Galaxy 7: 12-megapixel camera with ƒ/1.7 aperture; 5-megapixel “selfie camera”
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 12-megapixel camera with ƒ/1.7 aperture; 5-megapixel “selfie camera”
Video
iPhone 7: 4K video recording, 1080p HD video recording, slo-mo, hyperlapse
iPhone 7 Plus: 4K video recording, 1080p HD video recording, slo-mo, hyperlapse
Samsung Galaxy 7: 4K video recording, 1080p HD video recording, Quad HD video recording, slo-mo, hyperlapse
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 4K video recording, 1080p HD video recording, Quad HD video recording, slo-mo, hyperlapse
Verdict: With its dual-lens camera, the iPhone 7 Plus may beat out the competition when it comes to photography overall. But the main cameras in both the Samsung phones have a slightly faster shutter speed than both iPhone models. With its ability to record in 4K, 1080p HD, and Quad HD, Samsung wins for video recording overall. Meanwhile, the 7-megapixel selfie camera in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with wide color capture is superior to the Samsung Galaxy models.
Price
iPhone 7: $649 at 32 GB, $749 at 128 GB, $849 at 256 GB
iPhone 7 Plus: $769 at 32 GB, $869 at 128 GB, $968 at 256 GB
Samsung Galaxy 7: $670 at 32 GB, with expandable memory up to 256 GB sold separately (prices vary)
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: $780 at 32 GB, with expandable memory up to 256 GB sold separately (prices vary)
Verdict: Depending on how much storage you buy, your carrier, and any special deals or rates you receive through said carrier, it could go either way. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are both cheaper at 32 GB than the Samsung models. However, added storage is less costly for Samsung depending on how much you decide to add.
Water Resistance
iPhone 7: IP67
iPhone 7 Plus: IP67
Samsung Galaxy 7: IP68
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: IP68
Verdict: The Samsung phones are more water resistant than the iPhones. The iPhone 7’s IP67 rating means that the phones are protected from being immersed in one meter (3.3) of water for up to 30 minutes, while the Samsung Galaxy models can last in up to 30 minutes in five feet of water. So, if you don’t want to take chances on which side of the pool you drop your smartphone in, go with Samsung.
