Regardless of how people feel about the missing headphone jack, there is one feature of the new iPhone 7 we can all agree upon: the new "high gloss" jet-black case sure is attractive.
"The high-gloss jet black finish was achieved through a new feat of design engineering — a remarkably precise, nine-step process of anodization and polishing," reads the description on Apple. "The end result is so purely and continuously black, you can’t tell where the aluminum ends and the glass begins. The dark side, indeed."
But a writer at The Verge read the footnote to that high-tech description and points out an interesting caveat.
"The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process," says the fine print. "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."
Oops! Apple made a really pretty phone, but you have to cover it up to keep it that way. Truth be told, many of us are so paranoid about breaking our phones that we're hard-pressed to remember what color they are under our cases. The iPhone 7 is supposed to be water-resistant — and it did just get cheaper to replace broken screens — but who really wants to take the risk with a device this expensive and indispensable? At least there are some reasonable transparent cases on the market.