It seems to me that Apple should understand that the iPhone is first and foremost a cellular phone. It seems tho that the forces behind Apple's marketing the new iPhone are more interested in photography, email, text messaging, games, music, video and all the glitz apps than basic phone communications.
I have used cell phones since the mid 1980's and currently have 3 iPhones in the family, a 4, a 4s and a 5. I live in a rural area of northwestern Michigan (Traverse City)... and when we are at home we get marginal signal from the local Verizon cell tower. When I am at home, my iPhone-4 has no issues making or receiving phone calls, the 4s looses connection sometimes, and the 5 looses connections even more often. My neighbor also has a number of iPhones and have the same experience (the newer phones don't work as well as the older ones do), but they are with AT&T.
One would think that with all the technological advances Apple has put into their products, theywould only improve the iPhones' ability to make and maintain a telephone call. Now I read the reports on MacRumors that iPhone 7's are even worse.
I don't know about you, but maybe I would be better off sticking with the phones what I have. Why would anyone to spend $650 to $1,000 on a new device that does not work as well as it's predecessor? Sure, the iPhone 7 have the latest and greatest CPU, lots of fast memory, a great camera, text messaging (if you have signal), and apps, music and you can even watch Captain Kangaroo if you want, but as a phone, it works worse than my old analog bag phone.
I think I would rather spend the 2 to 3 grand (to purchase 3 new iPhone 7's) and get a nice new digital camera and a new computer and keep my old, outdated iPhones - that work.
Either rename the iPhone the iApp (with marginal phone capabilities), or make the iPhone work better, faster, clearer, and a more reliable telephone device a top priority.
As Verizon once advertised: "Can you hear me now?"