What’s new in iPhone 6?
Big and bigger
Again, the biggest change is to the size of the iPhone 6. The iPhone 5S is 4 inches, but the iPhone 6 is being offered in two sizes, 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. The larger phone is being referred to as the iPhone 6 Plus. Despite the large size, the phone has gotten thinner. The iPhone 6 is running 6.9mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus is 7.1mm. Gone on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the distinct edges. There are no gaps. The cover glass curves around to meet the sides. Apple refers to it as a “smooth, seamless bond.” In a way, it’s reminiscent of the original iPhone with that old rounded design, except it’s so much thinner, it’s hard to make that comparison.
Higher resolution and better display
The displays have marked improvements. Apple is calling the displays “the thinnest, most advanced Multi-Touch displays we’ve ever made.” The iPhone 6 has a 1334 x 750 display for a resolution of 326 PPI, while the iPhone 6 Plus has a 1920 x 1080 display for a resolution of 401 PPI. They are promising a higher contrast and improved polarizer, along with wider-angle viewing. The home screen now works in landscape view and the built-in apps do as well.
To make it easier to use the larger phones, Apple has redesigned the buttons. The volume buttons have been elongated to make them easier to find simply by touch. The Sleep/Wake button has moved to the side to keep it within reach. The new iOS 8 software has made changes to aid the larger design as well, such as double clicking the Home button will shift the entire screen down, closer within your view.
Better battery life
And what good is a mobile phone without power? Apple promises that the A8 chip is the fastest yet and designed to be power efficient for a higher performance that won’t drain your battery. Two billion transistors provide fifty percent more energy efficiency than the A7 chip. The battery life is also improved, providing up to eleven hours of HD video time on the iPhone 6 while the iPhone 6 Plus provides up to fourteen hours. That’s up to fifty hours of audio on the iPhone 6 and up to eighty hours on the iPhone 6 Plus. The standby time for the iPhone 6 is ten days while the iPhone 6 Plus is up to sixteen days.
The 8 MP iSight camera has new features added to it. It now has a new sensor with Focus Pixels that give you a better autofocus you can see in preview, improved face detection, and exposure control. A new burst model takes ten photos per second. It takes 1080p HD video at 60 fps and will also now allow you to create time-lapse videos. Cinematic video stabilization keeps everything steady.
Connectivity
What’s the fun of having an iPhone if you’re not using it to connect? The iPhone 6 promises to have more LTE bands than any other smartphone. It has twenty, while the iPhone 5S has just thirteen, which is still more than other smartphones. The Wifi is super-fast, too, in fact up to three times faster.
ApplePay
Touch ID was introduced in the iPhone 5S. It continues to be a great feature of the iPhone 6, but now developers will also be able to integrate it into third-party apps. And coming in October will be Apple Pay. You’ll be able to make payments with your iPhone by just placing your finger on the Touch ID sensor. Does all of this get you excited to get your own hands on the iPhone 6 or its big brother the iPhone 6 Plus, or does it just make you think it’s more of the same from Apple? Are you going to get an iPhone 6?
