Apple's iPhone 7 has one major drawback if you live in a cold climate
9:01:00 AM
Apple's new "solid-state" home button has one crucial difference to its clickable predecessor
Apple's long-awaited iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus finally hit the shelves on Friday, boasting upgraded processors, cameras and battery life.
But there is one major drawback to the new devices if you live in a cold climate.
The new iPhones feature a redesigned Home button, which is actually not a button at all but a pressure-sensitive touchpad that provides haptic feedback when pressed.
Apple made the change in order to make the iPhones water-resistant - removing the tiny gap between the button and the glass front panel that would have allowed water to get in.
However, while the new Home button effectively recreates the sensation of pushing a button thanks to Apple's taptic engine, it does not work in exactly the same way.
The new Home button is capacitive, meaning it can only be used when a conductive object - like a finger - is used to press it.
That means if you're wearing thick winter gloves, the new Home button won't respond to your touch.
The issue was first brought to light by British Twitter user Myke Hurley:
Some were quick to point out that the iPhone 7 was, after all, designed in California, where gloves are rarely worn, due to the warm climate.
However, it's unlikely to be too much of an issue, as Apple's new iOS 10 software has a feature called "Raise to Wake", which automatically turns on the screen so you can see your notifications every time you pick up your phone.
Doing much more than this would require you to remove your gloves anyway, as the iPhone screen itself has always been capacitive.
Gloves with conductive fingertips are also becoming more common, allowing you to use your phone without removing your gloves.
There are mixed reports about whether these work with the iPhone 7's home button, but if you're desperate, they're certainly worth a shot.
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