There is no doubt which version of the iPhone 7 has received the most attention since it was unveiled. The new jet black colour is hugely striking, and has already established itself as the most exciting iPhone 7 model. And the prominence of the jet black iPhone 7 has already resulted in a lot of media gossip about this exciting new smartphone.
Memory choice
Firstly, it is important to note that this is considered something of a premium version of the iPhone 7, and as such the jet black iPhone 7 is only available in the 128GB and the 256GB quotients.
Scratching issue of Jet Black iPhone 7
But the biggest news about the jet black iPhone 7 is the potential for the gleaming unit to scratch up rather easily. There are always a few scare stories in the media about problems with technology items, with many Galaxy Note 7 units having recently been recalled due to battery difficulties. And who could possibly forget ‘bendgate’?!
However, in this case it seems that Apple itself has confirmed that scratching could be an issue for owners of the jet black iPhone 7. Apple’s tech specs page for the iPhone 7 notes that the unique production method for the jet black iPhone 7 does result in it being somewhat invulnerable to scratching.
“The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process. Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use. If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone.”
This doesn’t mean that the smartphone is any less durable than other versions of the iPhone 7, but it does mean that it could lose its gloss rather rapidly.
Selling like hot cakes
Considering the striking visage of the jet black iPhone 7, it is perhaps not surprising that it has already established itself as something of a favourite with Apple fans. The jet black model of the iPhone 7 sold out almost immediately when Apple opened up pre-orders on Friday.
This means that attempting to preorder the jet black iPhone 7 via the United States Apple Store results in a delivery date of around 3-4 weeks into the future. And this is even more pronounced with the jet black iPhone 7 Plus, which will not ship until November at the earliest according to the Apple website.
Low component yields
According to rumors from close to the Apple supply chain, low component yields may have an impact on the iPhone 7, with sales numbers set to fall significantly in the early weeks of the device’s release.
This is due to the fact that the California corporation has been unable to manufacture as many iPhone 7 units as consumers are ready to purchase. And this is particularly true of the new dual-camera iPhone 7 Plus. With Apple having also redesigned the flash included in the camera, the Home button and the Taptic Engine, it is clear that the company faces manufacturing challenges. Imagine how great these will be if Apple ever gets round to producing the revolutionary iPhone 8 which is widely rumored…
How to buy
So how can you get your hands on the jet black iPhone 7 as quickly as possible? Well, there are already murmurings on the Internet that a few units could be available by various means on the release date of September 16. Possibly heading down to one’s local Apple Store could bear fruition, but there are other possibilities open to keen Apple consumers as well.
In particular, one Reddit user has claimed that AT&T will allow pre-orders of the jet black iPhone 7 to be fulfilled, but not as a part of an upgrade of an existing iPhone. Clearly this statement can be considered dubious in origin, but it certianly seems worthwhile to investigate some of the carrier options open to consumers in an attempt to acquire a jet black iPhone 7 as quickly as possible.
Space Grey ditched
One of the sad aspects of the new jet black iPhone 7 for some Apple consumers is the discontinuation of the space grey model. Conversely, for previous iPhone units this had been the biggest seller for Apple, but undeterred the company has decided to scrap it completely. Clearly Apple has decided to go in a different direction with the iPhone series, and was indeed making a big deal out of the anodization processes involved in the manufacturing of the jet black iPhone 7 when the phone was unveiled.
Brownlee video
YouTube star Marques Brownlee, one of the most prominent technology reviewers anywhere, has recently released a video which focuses on the matte black and jet black iPhone 7 models. The intention of this is to cut through the marketing hype, and give you an authentic impression of how the devices appear in the real world.
It is suggested by Brownlee that the polished appearance of the jet black iPhone 7 is a particularly attractive, featuring a glossy mirror-like quality which creates a big impression. However, this aspect of the smartphone is a double-edged sword, with the mirror-like properties of the jet black iPhone 7 also meaning that it can very much smudge like a mirror, and also probably attract fingerprints with ease.
Brownlee also noticed that one of the jet black iPhone 7 models presented in the demonstration room within which he was filming already featured small scratches on its exterior. Brownlee was, in fact, quite scathing about the Jet Black iPhone 7, favoring the matte black alternative.
“I don’t think I can seriously recommend Jet Black model to anyone. It looks good when you keep it clean, which is what they were doing in Apple’s demo room, but not only is it going to be the slipperiest iPhone of all time, but it’s also going to be super-prone to fingerprints, like Samsung phones, and scratches”.
Sales await
So it will be interesting to see how the jet black iPhone 7 performs against the other models offered by Apple, but it is certainly a color option which has got tongues wagging.
