What You Need To Know About The iPhone 7

Apple's annual product launch announcement is always one of the most exciting days of the technological year, and this year's was no exception. Apple CEO Tim Cook walked the audience through a number of new products, including series 2 of the Apple Watch, the upcoming release of iOS 10 (complete with new emojis), and a new Super Mario game for iPhone and iPad, among others. The most anticipated release, though, was information about the new iPhone 7, which Cook unveiled Wednesday, calling it "the best iPhone we have ever created."

The iPhone 7 will be available in a new, glossy jet black, as well as gray, matte black, gold, and rose gold, though the changes to the iPhone are far more than screen deep. The phone will feature a faster processor, retina display, and a number of new features, including the removal of the headphone jack and the addition of Apple's new wireless earbuds. The new iPhone starts at $649 and will be available for pre-order on Sept. 9 and released in the United States on Sept. 16, when it will almost certainly replicate the success of previous new iPhone models. If you're thinking of upgrading your iPhone 6 or iPhone 5 for the new model, here's what you need to know.

Water-Resistance Means No More Headphone Jack

That's right! Apple has eliminated the headphone jack on the new iPhone model, with the intention of making the phone water resistant. The good news is that this means it'll be much harder to break your phone by spilling water on it or even by accidentally submerging it.

But You Can Get An Adapter For That

If you use your headphones to avoid conversation at work or in public, you're out of luck if the AirPods are covered by your hair. Old earbuds won't work with the new iPhone, but if you want those wires hanging down to signal to others that you don't want to talk, there are adapters that use the lightning cable, the device that connects an iPhone to a USB port.

New Wireless Headphones

Owners of the new iPhone will be able to purchase AirPods, a wireless variation on Apple's well-known earbuds, which will connect via Bluetooth. The AirPods will need to be charged separately from the phone, and they cost $159.

Headphones company Beats by Dr. Dre, which currently sells its products in Apple stores, announced the release of a revamped line of Beats wireless headphones in tandem with the iPhone 7 announcement.

A Longer Battery Life

The iPhone 7 will come with a new A10 fusion processor and a new graphics processing chip intended to make the iPhone faster; the phones also supposedly have the longest battery life of any iPhone yet.

Your Selfies Have Never Looked Better

CNBC reported that the camera on the new iPhone might be "one of the most impressive phone cameras to hit the market yet." The camera is particularly equipped to locate objects and detect exposure and comes with an optical image stabilizer. The iPhone 7 Plus will also have two separate rear cameras, one with a wide angle lens and one with a telephoto lens.

More Storage Than Ever Before

The iPhone 7 base model will contain 32 GB of storage, twice as much as the base model iPhone 6, and the highest storage option will go all the way up to 256 GB. This will be a huge relief to Apple users who have been frustrated with not being able to store all their photos, videos, and apps.