Say, did you hear? Did you somehow miss the stories, the sheer hype, the unwashed masses yearning to be the first to get one? There’s a new iPhone out! It’s the iPhone 6, and it’s either taking the smart phone world by storm, or causing mass anguish, depending on who you talk to.
But since the release of a new iPhone ranks right up there with the birth of a new royal baby (in other words, to some it means everything, and to the rest of us we could care less), it’s only fair that we should take a look at this new innovation.
Although the iPhone 6 is a nifty device, fans of one-thumb operation may be in for a rude surprise
Bigger Screen
The iPhone6 has a screen that measures 4.7″ diagonally (and the larger relative, the iPhone6 Plus, has a 5.5″ diagonal screen). It’s bigger, brighter, and has a higher resolution than all of its predecessors. The bigger display means more can be displayed and displayed clearer, which means you can use the phone to do more. But a bigger screen also means …
A Bit of a Stretch
If you are buying an iPhone 6, get ready to become a two-fisted smart phone user if you aren’t already. On one hand (pun intended), the phone is extremely thin, as in 6.9 millimeters thick, and it has nice rounded corners, so yes, it’s more ergonomic. But if you’re used to employing one hand to activate your smart phone’s functions, typically employing a single thumb to move across the screen and do things, you’re going to be disappointed. Either that, or have one extremely tired (yet possibly majorly buff) thumb.
However, Apple has taken this into consideration, and the operating system has been tweaked so that when you press lightly twice on the Touch ID button, it will render your current app to half-size, so you can touch the icons at the top of the screen.
We Need More Power!
And don’t look for it in the iPhone 6. Or specifically, don’t look for any noteworthy gains in battery life. That bigger screen needs more juice. Reports trickling in put battery life at between 10 and 11 hours, depending of course on what you’re doing. In other words, your actual mileage may vary. This is on par with other smart phones out there, and doesn’t represent any kind of significant improvement.
Selfie Takers Rejoice
You wanted a better iPhone camera? You got it, sparky. Although the iPhone 6’s camera is 8MP, it has an improved camera sensor, better noise reduction, and more accurate autofocus. In other words, the little extras add up to make a better photo and video taking experience.
A Handful of Other Goodies
The A8 processor makes for faster response times, but it’s a difference that appears noticeable only if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 4 or 5, but not a 5S. There’s also faster LTE access, a new M8 motion sensor and processor, and NFC for the Apple Pay mobile payment/digital wallet system.
And with that better processing power, you can run more apps. For instance, if you use your iPhone for work, then check out “Top 5 iOS Contact Management Apps” to keep in touch with your work connections.
About That Bending Thing …
You’ve no doubt heard the stories about the iPhone 6 bending when placed in some people’s pockets, resulting in damage to the phone. These stories were exacerbated when someone posted a YouTube video showing him bending his phone, essentially wrecking it.
However, as it turns out, the amount of force used to bend the phone in said video is way more than the average iPhone is subjected to in the course of normal use. In other words, it’s like the old saw about researchers force-feeding lab rats way too much artificial sweetener, then reporting that the rats came down with nasty ailments!
Consumer Reports put the final nail in the coffin of this rumor by testing the phones out and finding that they aren’t as bendable as the media made them out to be. But all in all, it’s a good idea to get a case for your phone; advice that’s actually good for the users of any smart phone in general.
So Is It Worth It?
The iPhone6 is bigger, has a better camera, runs a little faster, and has about the same battery life as its predecessors. If you have a 5S, you can probably pass without any decrease in the quality of your life. If you have an older model iPhone, you should give it some serious thought.