Comment: There isn’t much of a difference (yet) between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

The iPhone 7 was pretty much everything we expected it to be. It has no headphone jack, it has a much-improved camera, and it features a solid state home button.

It also comes in two new colors, a matte Black color and a glossy Jet Black color, along with a 32 GB base SKU. So which iPhone am I considering? The decision isn’t as straightforward as I initially thought it might be. more…

Filed under: Apple

Apple’s answer to charging iPhone 7 while listening to wired headphones: the Lightning Dock

Apple deprecated what it called “ancient” technology yesterday, with the iPhone 7 lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack. The company is encouraging Bluetooth wireless headphones for audio playback (heralding its new AirPods) or using wired headphones via Lightning. However, with just one port, people who want to listen to music and charge their iPhone 7 at the same time are left with a conundrum.

Apple’s answer to this problem appears to be the $39-49 Lightning Dock which adds a 3.5mm headphone jack when docked.

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Filed under: Apple

9to5Toys Lunch Break: 13″ MacBook Air $790, 27″ Retina 5K iMac $1,500, 2TB Canvio Portable Drive $68, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

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The 13-inch MacBook Air is Apple’s most popular laptop, pick it up today for $790 shipped (Reg. $999)

Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air is a great laptop for everyday tasks, now just $690 (Reg. $899)

Save nearly $600 on Apple’s powerhouse 15-inch 512GB Retina MacBook Pro: $1,900 shipped (Reg. $2,499)

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Apple’s 27-inch Retina 5K iMac rarely goes on sale, save nearly $300 on the entry-level model: $1,500 (Reg. $1,799)

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Always have storage on-hand w/ a 2TB Toshiba Canvio USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive for $68 shipped

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Caseology iPhone 7/Plus cases in multiple styles & colors starting at just $4 shipped (Reg. up to $17)

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tvOS 10 is slated to change the game, grab a 4th Gen. Apple TV for up to 20% off: 32GB $129 or 64GB $159

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Apple Music gains discounted $99/year membership through new gift cards, effectively $8.25/month

Score a full-year subscription to Apple Music for $99 with email delivery from PayPal (Reg. $120) – Or get an additional $5 off for a limited time

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The stellar Blek puzzler goes free for the very first time on iOS (Reg. $3)

You can grab the Hitman Essentials iOS bundle (GO & Sniper) for just $1 right now ($8 value)

The stellar Blek puzzler goes free for the very first time on iOS (Reg. $3)

App Store Free App of the Week: Noodles! puzzler goes free for the first time (Reg. $2)

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The best LED Desk Lamps with Apple-friendly designs, USB charging stations and more.

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

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VIZIO’s popular 60-inch 4K 240Hz Smart Ultra HDTV is on sale for $829 shipped (Orig. $1,499)

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T-Mobile offers free iPhone 7 w/ trade-ins, deal starts tomorrow alongside pre-orders

MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:

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Get a Bluetooth speaker that’ll earn its keep, Amazon’s Alexa-enabled Tap is down to $100 shipped (Reg. $130)

Marshall’s Stanmore Bluetooth Speaker (refurb) blends classic styling w/ top-end sound: $160 shipped (Orig. $400)

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Get some free money w/ up to 20% off gift cards: Lowe’s, Domino’s, Apple Music, Nintendo, many more

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Filed under: Apple

Opinion: Apple delivered solid updates with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2, but only AirPods seemed ‘magical’

Even with the deluge of leaks that defines modern Apple reporting, Apple usually shows things at their event that I don’t anticipate or expect. This time, that didn’t really happen. Apple’s 2016 September event was straightforward because Apple’s announcements were straightforward and almost obvious.

The new iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 are good updates, adding features people wanted and improving things that already exist, don’t get me wrong. They are iterative, though. It is disappointing that both of Apple’s flagship hardware announcements look almost identical to their predecessors.

The updates Apple gave us this year are solid but nothing extraordinary. Nothing that compels me to preorder. I normally leave an Apple event unsatisfied with what I have, wanting the new thing and I really don’t feel that this time..

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Filed under: Apple

T-Mobile offers free iPhone 7 to anyone who trades in an iPhone 6/s, deal starts tomorrow alongside pre-orders

It’s not even iPhone 7 pre-order day yet and T-Mobile has already dropped an amazing deal for the updated smartphone.

New and existing customers can get an iPhone 7 for free with the trade in of an iPhone 6/6s. T-Mobile will hand you up to $650 in monthly bill credits over a 2-year time span, which covers the cost of a 32GB iPhone 7. If you’re looking at a more expensive model like one with more storage or iPhone 7 Plus, you’ll be required to “pay a little more upfront.” The effective value of this offer is well above what you can expect from traditional trade in services.

T-Mobile’s free iPhone 7 promo is slated to go live at the same time pre-orders officially open on September 9 at 12:01am PT. You can pre-register now to receive a notification as soon as the offer goes live. Once you lock in your new iPhone, all you need to do is buy a case (especially for Jet Black!) and you’ll be ready for launch day. Amazon already has a ton of options available. But if you can’t find anything you like there, then be sure check out our roundup from yesterday for more options.

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Filed under: Apple

AAPL won’t reveal opening weekend iPhone sales, claims logistical reasons

With a big question mark over whether the iPhone 7 will be perceived as a genuine new model or a second S-year, all eyes were going to be on the opening weekend sales numbers. It seems we’re not going to get the chance, however: Apple has just told CNBC that it will not be revealing this information.

The company claims that the decision was made for logistical reasons …

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Filed under: Apple

Opinion: Does the iPhone 7 justify the hype, or is it just an iPhone 6s(s)?

So, the iPhone 7 is official. Apple is the master of the art of presentation, so the new iPhones were introduced with all the breathless wonder and gorgeous photography we’ve come to expect. But now that the event is over, and we’re examining what we’ve seen in the cold light of day, does the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus justify the hype?

Let’s start with the obvious: there weren’t many surprises. Most of the rumors were true, so what we saw yesterday was – in the main – what we expected.

The design was pretty much identical to the mockups. And the mockups were pretty much identical to the iPhone 6s. The modified antenna lines are much neater, and the camera bump a little less obtrusive, but really the only significantly new thing design-wise were those two black colors …

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Filed under: Apple