What is iPhone 6s. Comparison of iPhone models
What are differences between iPhone 6S and iPhone 6? What should I choose? In today's review of the iPhone 6S, we'll look into all the nuances. Let's compare smartphones by speed, cameras, nuances of use and much more. Go!
Display
Right off the bat, let's talk about displays. In the iPhone 6S, the screen is covered with protective glass called Retina HD. Two fashionable, recognizable names. What else is needed for happiness? Everything is correct! Higher resolution.
The resolution and dimensions of the display have not changed compared to last year: 1334 x 750 pixels with a 4.7-inch diagonal. One square inch contains only 326 pixels, which is typical for budget Android models.
Unfortunately (for Apple), everything flows and everything develops, so most Chinese smartphones costing from 11 to 12 thousand rubles have already begun to receive Full HD screens.
In our case, you don’t need to strain or bring the display close to your eyes to see the pixelation. This is especially noticeable when reading text on the Internet, because on a mobile screen it looks small, so it is noticeably grainy.
No, an HD display is not bad, it's enough. For a smartphone for 7-8 thousand rubles, such as Meizu M2 mini. You can't ask for more from this device. However, keep in mind the price that is being asked for this Chinese. Now remember the price list of the iPhone 6S (56,990 rubles in official deliveries).
In general, this is becoming more and more like simply pumping money out of the cheapest and most obsolete iron components. Moreover, the manufacturer did not even bother to involve marketers and at least somehow explain the inappropriateness of installing a panel with a higher resolution. And so it goes - they still eat it.
Well, let's do this work for him. There is also a reverse, positive side.
Low resolution = less power consumption and better performance. The hardware has to process far fewer pixels, which means you can use the system's graphics capabilities more efficiently.
The display, as before, occupies 65.71% of the front area of the smartphone. Let me remind you that in the camp of Android smartphones the norm is 73-75%, as, for example, in the Nubia Z9, where there are practically no side frames, which looks really fresh and interesting.
The 1400:1 contrast ratio remains unchanged. There is no point in talking about other parameters without examples. Below are photos taken from different angles. 6 is on the left and 6S is on the right.
The brightness was set to maximum. According to official statements, both devices shine the same: 500 cd/m2. According to my tests, the more recent model is still 20 percent brighter. As a result, the picture looks more attractive, although the displays are identical to each other solely in terms of color rendering, contrast and other parameters.
Now let's let's comparescreeniPhone 6+ with some competitor. At hand was the flagship killer OnePlus Two, which we reviewed quite recently. Judging by the size of the display, it is clear that the Chinese device is located on top or to the right.
And one more, small remark. The glass is covered with an oleophobic coating, which perfectly protects the panel from the accumulation of fingerprints and small dust particles. Compared with a regular six we have all the same sensations - the finger glides over the surface easily and naturally.
Design
I don't know how to evaluate the design of Apple's new smartphone. Everything here is the same as what we saw last year: 2.5D glass and Touch ID on the front side, a protruding camera, large, tacky antenna strips on the back surface. New pink color? Come on!
In general, there are literally several differences:
The new product additionally has the letter “S” printed on it so that you can at least somehow visually distinguish the updated device from the supposedly obsolete six. Accessory manufacturers should cut out an additional window on the back of their cases so that everyone around them knows that you don’t just have an “Apple”, but also an “esque” one that sets you apart from the rabble with a regular, only the sixth iPhone.
In addition, the unique IMEI identifier on the back has disappeared. Now it can only be found in the “About device” section of the phone menu or looked at on the box. You probably already remember about the command *#06#.
The last change is the gold ring around the Lightning connector on the device's body. In general, the color of the border depends on the main color of your device.
There are also completely insignificant differences: the weight has increased by about 20 grams, and the thickness has increased by 0.2 mm. Completely uncritical changes that are difficult to detect even if you hold both smartphones. For the rest, look at the comparison table.
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Apple iPhone 6S (4.7’’) | 138,3 | 67,1 | ||
| Apple iPhone 6 (4.7’’) | 138,1 | |||
| Sony Xperia Z5 (5.2’’) | 72,1 | 7,45 | ||
| LG Nexus 5X (5.2’’) | 72,6 |
There is no need to worry about the cases for the regular six that have already accumulated in your arsenal. In most cases, they will easily fit on a new item.
In our review There was no room for the older modification of the iPhone 6S Plus, but I will still give a plate with its weight and dimensions. In short, the phablet from Apple has also grown on all fronts. In real life it is practically unnoticeable. There was a shovel - there is a shovel.
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Apple iPhone 6S Plus | 158,2 | 77,9 | ||
| Apple iPhone 6 Plus | 158,1 | 77,8 | ||
| Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (5.7’’) | 153,2 | 76,1 | ||
| Meizu Pro 5 (5.7’’) | 156,7 | 7,55 | ||
| Huawei Nexus 6P (5.7’’) | 159,3 | 77,8 |
Holding the iPhone 6S, like its predecessor, is scary.
This is because the body of the device is very slippery, it’s all aerodynamic. He tries to jump out of his palm onto the asphalt or tiled floor.
In general, when buying an iPhone, immediately set aside 20 thousand rubles to replace the broken screen, since replacing it will cost approximately that much. Perhaps even more, since there are not so many donor devices yet. And using the device in some kind of case is simply killing the entire positive user experience that the manufacturer is so proud of.
This time the case is bend-resistant and made of 7000 series aluminum, which provides the device with unprecedented strength. At least more significant than in the standard six. In other words, the scandal surrounding the bending body of the iPhone 6, the so-called “bendgate”, inflated to cosmic proportions, is no longer scary for a modern smartphone. Let's move on to more significant differences.
Specifications of iPhone 6S and iPhone 6
It is clear that compared to its predecessor, the technical power of the new product has increased. In a nutshell, overall productivity has increased by about a third. However, it’s worth talking in more detail and starting, of course, with a comparison of specifications. Everything you need to know is below the cut.
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I'll tell you a little in detail about the new Apple A9 processor. Firstly, the “stone” is created using two technical processes at once: 14 and 16 nm. The first chips are produced by Samsung (index APL0989), the second by TSMC (APL1022).
Secondly, the new processor, or rather, both of them at once, have already managed to appear in yet another scandal, inflated to the size of three universal whales. In the mass media, the problem was branded under the name “Chipgate” by analogy with “antenna gate” in the iPhone 4 and “band gate” in the iPhone 6. The main problem is that the configuration with the Samsung processor supposedly drains the battery much faster than its analogue from TSMC. The “affected” entities claim that their devices operate 20% less than similar devices based on chips from TSMC.
Apple did not make the public wait long for a response (why?!) and stated that according to their own tests difference The autonomy of both configurations can (!) be no more than 2-3 percent. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.
Buyers of versions officially supplied to Russia have a “stone” from the South Korean giant on board. By the way, we tested a version for Hong Kong (MQKL2ZP/A) and also with a processor from Samsung. Traditionally, it is Hong Kong models that make up the lion's share of gray supplies in Russia. So the problem with the fast discharge of the 6S passed us in any case.
If anything, here's a little instruction on how to find out the model of the iPhone 6S and its processor. To calm our own nerves, let’s say so.
Download the Lirum Device Info application from the App Store. Once you launch the utility, look at the marking next to “Mode1:”.
The Samsung processor is installed on devices under the following indexes:
- N71AP - for iPhone 6S
- N66AP - for iPhone 6S+
The system on a chip from TSMC is designated as follows:
- N71MAP - for 6S
- N66MAP - for 6S+
The new product has an updated M9 motion coprocessor. As before, it collects data from all sensors and components of the device, but now using a smartphone you can measure the speed of your movement, as well as the level of elevation. Obviously, we are talking about altitude above sea level.
We'll talk about graphics performance in the next section, but for now let's focus on RAM, fortunately in the new product its volume has finally been increased to 2 GB. You can’t go wild, of course, especially given the fact that many competitors on Google’s little-known OS are already slowly acquiring 3 or even 4 gigabytes of RAM.
In any case, let's see if the increase in RAM has affected the real performance of the gadget. In the Safari browser, pages begin to reload after opening 12-13 tabs. About 15-17 standard applications were open in the background. We're talking about standard 6.
The 6S's safety margin is slightly higher: with the same number of programs open in the background, web pages begin reloading after opening 27 tabs. Strongly!
Everything is clear about the built-in memory. 16-gigabyte models are suitable only for those buyers for whom it is important to simply buy an iPhone and own it. But connecting it to some kind of iTunes, uploading documents to iCloud, sharing files via AirDrop - there’s no time to waste on all these horrors, which means there’s nothing special to occupy the built-in storage.
On the other hand, all captured photo and video materials can be periodically uploaded to the cloud via Wi-Fi or simply stored on a computer, and there is no need to store music in the smartphone’s memory. For example, I feel great listening to Apple Music online, and at one of the cheapest rates from MTS. If you find 50 (plus/minus) thousand for a phone, there will probably be a couple hundred more for additional traffic from the operator and 189 rubles per month to pay for the music service. Thus, 16 GB is quite enough for the average urban user. Outside the city, without fast Internet and a computer at hand, 16 gigs may one day not be enough.
I almost forgot to tell you that due to the release of the updated line of smartphones, the 128 GB and gold versions of the iPhone 6 are slowly starting to disappear from sale. This happened with the 6 Plus and 5S at one time. Hurry up to have time to buy a brand new (not used) device of the previous generation with the maximum amount of memory.
Performance tests
The iPhone 6S has a new PowerVR GT7600 video accelerator - the most powerful video chip on the market at the moment. None of its competitors, such as the PowerVR GXA6850 (A8x processor in the iPad Air 2), Tegra K1 (Nvidia Shield tablet) and Adreno 430, can keep up with the graphics of the iPhone 6S. Even the ARM Mali-T760 MP8 chip (part of the Exynos 7420 system in the Samsung Galaxy S6) partially loses ground to our hero. When it comes to gaming performance, you can expect something better from the latest games thanks to Metal's proprietary technology. There are no such games yet, but I think that over the next year they will begin to appear and fully reveal the capabilities of the device.
All this is easily confirmed by the tests I conducted in AnTuTu, GFX OpenGL, Geekbench 3 and so on. Below are the test results in comparison with its predecessor.
Judging by the graph from the manufacturer, the new device is about 20 percent faster than its predecessor. According to the graph, the newcomer is ahead of the “old man” by almost a third. There is a good foundation for the future, which, however, is confirmed by both real and virtual tests.
In general, speaking about graphical efficiency, it is also worth mentioning the heating of devices. In this regard, our man was lucky. Why? It's simple. The cold weather is coming and if you run the AnTuTu or GFX test on your smartphone once, the case will heat up quite noticeably and you will be able to warm your hands on it. This is most noticeable near the rear camera. Both generations are pretty hot. Of course, your palms don't burn, but the 6S is still a hotter thing. In every way, baby!
The new product is faster than its predecessor in terms of operating speed. Browser pages load faster, as does switching between applications. Year after year we see this in every new generation of iPhone, and at such moments it seems that the performance of the previous generation is artificially lowered in order to show the advantages of the new flagship. I don’t know how and at what exact moment, but I remember the test of the 6 last year - everything was flying at jet speed. Now the 6S flies the same way. But wait! Has my reaction rate increased by 30 percent in just one year? Most likely, on the new firmware (iOS 9), the speed of last year’s smartphone dropped by a third, but the new product works the same.
Wireless capabilities
The updated device receives a Wi-Fi signal worse than the usual six. In general, it is not critical, but at a relatively large distance from the transmitter, Wi-Fi on the 6S may fall off.
AirDrop still doesn't work properly.
Of the three “Apple” devices (iMac 27’’, MacBook Air 11’’ and iPad mini), the iPhone 6S recognized only the “miniphone”. The rest apparently work on Windows, so they are ignored by the smartphone.
There are improvements regarding cellular network support. Firstly, the new product supports much more LTE frequencies, thus, you can buy the gadget in any country in the world, it will work without problems in the 4G networks of our operators. You can read more about this.
Secondly, this year’s smartphone supports LTE Advanced (Cat. 6), that is, the data transfer speed in fourth-generation networks can (but in 99% of cases does not have to) reach 300 Mbit/s. In other words, the movie will download in DVDRip quality in about 35 seconds. And your already departed iPhone 6 will do the same in just a minute and fifteen seconds. All this is done in sterile laboratory conditions, but, of course, not in the city, let alone a real jungle.
Camera capabilities
This parameter is where the differences are perhaps greatest. So how? There are changes in theory, but in practice everything is not so obvious. However, I'm getting ahead of myself. Which camera takes better pictures: iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S? You'll find out soon.
Front-camera
The front sensor received 5 megapixels, instead of the outdated 1.2 megapixels in the iPhone 6 three years ago. Previously, the resolution of pictures did not exceed 1280 x 960, but now it has grown to 2576 x 1932 pixels. It is clear that the quality of selfies has approximately doubled. The rest of the photo parameters have not changed: color rendering, white balance determination - everything is more or less at the same level. On the left are shots taken with the iPhone 6, and photos from the iPhone 6S are on the right.
The f/2.2 aperture value again did not change. There is supposedly some kind of focus, which in fact is not there. At least traces of her actual work.
But which night self-portraits look better is still a big question. The front of the iPhone 6 is noisier, but photos look better on the phone's screen. In the 6S, noise is hidden by strong software blurring, which only worsens the quality. It always looks bad.
Of the new goodies, only the so-called Retina flash. This is all the same as what we saw in the LG G3 a year and a half ago, when the screen itself takes on the role of a flash and increases its brightness to the limit while the shutter is released, thereby highlighting objects near the smartphone. This is a budget-friendly way to avoid the costs and headaches of installing an LED flash on the front side. Although, for example, Sony has long been practicing installing two flashes in its smartphones. The Japanese are not lazy.
No flash
Such a hacky flash helps combat dark areas of frames, and accordingly, detail improves.
Main camera
I've said many times before that the best camera I've ever tested on a mobile device is currently in the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. The modules in Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus have been improved a little more. And so far only two smartphones have come very close to Samsung quality: LG G4 and OnePlus Two. The latter was at hand, so we will compare it with our two iPhones.
All examples can be downloaded in one archive from here.
More megapixels means more detail. This rule works when shooting macro objects. True, apples cannot catch up with the Chinese competitor in this test.
100% crops:
When photographing, for example, nature, the same leaves in pictures from the 6S look as if the image was simply stretched to 13 megapixels, and accordingly, the quality of the image has dropped. In this regard, pictures with 1+2 without soap, that is, sharper.
100% crops:
It seemed to me that the updated smartphone better determines the level of lighting and, accordingly, sets a more correct exposure. Here there is under-exposure, there, on the contrary, over-exposure - all this is about the iPhone 6. In the “six-esque” such problems are less common, about half. Improved processing algorithms have an effect.
iPhone 6 (again on the left) and 6S only:
In low light conditions the situation is absolutely the same. The 6 is soapy, the 6S is practically non-existent, and the OnePlus 2 frames simply ring with sharpness.
During night shooting, the built-in camera of the regular six did not perform well. All noise is blurred out by software; as a result, when you zoom in, you can see that this is no longer a photograph, but something similar to a watercolor painting. Plus, autofocus constantly misses - you need to take 5-6 frames to get one normal one. The situation improved with the 6S. There are now more successful shots. At night, I would recommend taking 3-4 photos in order to be sure to get a good, unblurred shot.
At night the result was quite predictable. Detailing and more correct software processing are again on the side of the new product, but the same OnePlus Two software “ate” all the noise, as a result, the pictures on it turn out to be somewhat artificial.
It’s impossible to say unequivocally who shoots better. Some people prefer sharp, slightly noisy pictures, while others, on the contrary, prefer a slightly blurred but perfectly smooth picture.
However, the Chinese flagship has a faster lens (f/2.0 versus f/2.2) and, as is clear from the examples below, a more sensitive matrix. And the size of each individual pixel is 1+2 larger: 1.3 versus 1.22 microns. As a result, the photos turn out lighter.
The matrix has not increased and is still 1/3’’. But for some reason the size of each individual pixel decreased from 1.5 to 1.22 microns. In theory, this should have a negative impact on the quality of the images.
The H.265 codec, which is just beginning to become widespread, is not supported by the 6S, much less its predecessor. Even budget Chinese devices can already boast of all this, but not the “most innovative” flagship from Apple.
Panoramas
In this regard, all smartphones are doing well. 1+2 more correctly determines the white balance, accordingly, the colors turn out a little more natural, and on the side of both iPhones the exposure is correctly set, as a result, there are much fewer dark or overexposed areas.
All smartphones stitch together panoramic images perfectly. There are no distortions.
By the way, I didn’t like the quality of all the standard pictures from the new iOS 9 at all.
It's as if the screen resolution is higher than the pictures themselves. Previously, it was impossible to find fault with this - the quality of branded wallpaper was excellent. Now somehow, something... well, I don’t know. Even standard live photographs with betta fish suffer from slight pixelation. To the disappointment of perfectionists, live wallpapers are also slightly slow on the locked screen. Jobs is not on them!
Video shooting
Here is the very new functionality that the iPhone 6S received when recording video:
- 4K video recording (3840x2160 pixels) at 30 fps
- support for shooting slow-motion video with a resolution of 1080p and a frequency of 120 fps (previously there was only 720p with 120 or 240 fps)
- Time-lapse mode now with image stabilization
- improved noise reduction technology (I’ll say right away: I didn’t notice)
- Capable of taking 8-megapixel photos while recording 4K video
- zoom during playback.
These are the official statements, and now let's see what happened in practice. Let's start, of course, with 4K video. Functionality that could have been implemented in last year's six, but was revealed to us only now. The new flagship shoots 4K very well. Definitely one of the best qualities of the picture, both in terms of stabilization (albeit software) and in terms of detail and smoothness of flow. The only frustrating thing is that the sound is still mono. Well, how is that possible?!
This is how the device films in Ultra resolution at night. Quite good too.
And this is an example of a 4K video filmed while walking. I stomped and spun as best I could, so don’t blame me.
Both apples record Full HD video well, but the new product handles the exposure more correctly, thereby setting the brightness a little better. To see all the features of these videos, go to Youtube.
According to Time-lapses there is parity between generations. There are no special differences.
The same goes for Slow Motion. Plus or minus everything is the same. By the way, you can take these examples from here and watch them on your computer. In my case, only Quick Time plays videos correctly. Native format after all.
Optical stabilization is still the domain of only the Plus modification. The regular 6 and 6S did not receive it, which once again confirms the minor update of the smartphone with the letter S.
Most likely, optical stabilization in the basic modification of the iPhone 7 will be presented as manna from heaven. From the master's shoulder, so to speak. Although the need for it arose last year.
However, software stabilization works great and can compete with the way optical stabilization is implemented in many Android flagships.
Moreover, it seemed to me that the “six-esque” stabilizes the image better during video shooting than last year’s device. Watch the composite video below.
Chips
It's time to talk about those cool goodies that Apple uses to justify the purchase of a new smartphone. In this section, we will practically not mention last year’s smartphone, because it is not equipped with all the technologies that will be discussed further.
Improved Touch ID
It is in this vein that the company mentions the fingerprint scanner in the 6S. It is stated that the new sensor recognizes fingerprints even faster. In practice this is true. The unlocking speed is about a third higher. However, before there were no particular problems with the finger reading speed. However, this improvement can only be noticed by comparing the two devices head-to-head. Everything works quickly and, as a rule, without errors: 9 out of 10 attempts are successful.
But the fact that the scanner is inactive in the sleep mode of the screen does not interfere with anything.
Most Android devices with a fingerprint sensor are always ready to read a fingerprint, even if the smartphone is lying motionless on the table. Just put your finger and you're on the main screen. There is no need to exert force or press physical buttons.
It’s better that the same OnePlus Two lags behind in speed, but pressing a button to first wake up the display, and then the smartphone reads the fingerprint, is no good.
3D or still Force Touch?
After Craig Federighi, at a presentation held on September 9 of this year, accidentally called the new technology not 3D, but Force Touch, I no longer know how to speak correctly. Ok, let’s skip this oversight on the part of the vice president of software development (the 94th minute of the presentation, if that) and let’s call the bun in the proper manner.
Let's start with something simple - from the main screen. Using 3D Touch, you can open the context menu of applications. A small list appears with the main functions of the program. For the camera, this means shooting video, self-portrait, and so on. In principle, it’s convenient. There is no need to open the photo application and then poke at the small icons for switching shooting modes.
If you used the context menu and selected some special action, then when you normally launch the camera, it will be opened from the same place. In my opinion, it would be better if the camera always opened in simple photo mode. I'll figure it out myself. 
For the handset icon, for example, only two quick actions are currently available. The first is to add a new contact, the second is to dial a subscriber who is included in the favorites list. It would be possible to add here the three most recently dialed numbers or three frequently called subscribers. For the messaging application, just such functionality is available.
As for other applications, not all even system programs have support for pressure recognition. However, some third-party software developers have already come to the rescue. For example, Instagram or our domestic Mail.ru News.
Apple is singled out Peek and Pop function. Place your finger on the picture (on a message, date on a calendar, etc.) and lightly press it down. The selected object opens in preview mode. If you press even harder, the object opens completely, filling the entire working screen. Very cool user experience.
It’s worth trying literally a few times for the trick to become ingrained in muscle memory. From this moment on, the function becomes familiar and convenient. It is intuitive and, when switching to other devices, I personally caught myself sadly thinking that it is not equipped with the same technology. Crap!
The work of Force Touch (yes, yes!) in built-in mail is a separate matter. This is where the trick is really useful. A new letter has arrived, it is marked as unread and using 3D Touch you can conveniently peek at it without changing it to read status. Of course, no read receipt will be sent until you properly open the letter.
In preview mode, you can also move the letter to the left or right - mark it as read or send it to the archive, respectively. If you drag the selected object up (the corresponding arrow should appear), a small menu will open with actions that can be performed with the captured object.
In general, a very useful and convenient functionality.
Another place where deep-press previewing is quite useful. Of course, we're talking about Safari. Nothing works in other browsers. You see a link on some website. Why cross it? A new window will open, some nonsense will appear there, you will have to close the new tab, return to the old one - in general, the complete end of lunch.
With 3D Touch, all this mess is reduced to one simple action. It sounds, of course, like an advertisement, but it works really great. I pressed down the link - a small window opened, where you can see what is happening on the other side of the link. Comfortable. The only pity is that the preview via the link depends on your Internet and you will have to maintain the necessary pressure on the screen for some time so that the page has time to load and show you its contents.
Preview, by the way, is there, on the back side of the Internet, where all your actions are tracked, and is also counted as a click on a link. In general, I warned you, and you should be careful there.
Everything works the same in the Apple Music application, and in maps (previews of some location), and other system utilities. In the future, of course, real freedom awaits us when third-party software developers begin to delight us with interesting features in their programs or alternative controls in some toy.
The camera interface also makes use of 3D Touch. It’s convenient to scroll through the last ten pictures without interrupting the shooting process by simply holding down the small preview window. Unfortunately, all this only works in vertical orientation. In a horizontal position, you can quickly look at only one last photo. Where is the logic?
However, that's not all! If you press on the virtual keyboard in typing mode, the keyboard block will turn into a trackpad, and the cursor into something similar to a mouse pointer. Thus, you can quickly, and most importantly, accurately drag the cursor to the desired place in the text. The operation requires some getting used to, since at first, instead of moving the cursor, pieces of text involuntarily stand out. Then you release your finger, the normal keyboard block returns, and you start all over again. This requires training.
Multitasking mode opens by lightly pressing the left edge of the desktop and pulling it towards the center. I got used to it literally right away, and then I complained to myself (and now to you) that an ordinary six can’t do that.
And the last place where the manufacturer decided to use 3D Touch is notes. Now you can draw in them. A small set of tools is available and they all respond to pressure, although somewhat weakly. Frankly speaking, there is practically no drawing in notes, so we are waiting for cool applications from third-party developers with support for 3D Touch.
By the way, to adjust the sensitivity of touch recognition, you need to go to Settings, then to Universal Access and select 3D Touch. Here you can play with technology to your heart's content. The main thing is not to pay attention to the terrible pixelation of the test image. Perfectionists, this is not the place for you again.
Vibration and Taptic Engine operation
All of the above operations are accompanied by a brief response from the built-in Taptic Engine. We first learned about it using the Apple Watch, and now the technology has moved to the iPhone. The vibration is really very pleasant and differs from what exists in similar solutions from competitors. Even in the sixth iPhone it is different. The response is very fast and clear. A light touch is accompanied by vibration for 10 milliseconds, a full touch is already 15 ms. You'll start to feel the difference once you get the hang of using all the goodies of 3D Touch. And yes, this really adds intuitiveness and responsiveness to the device, which is important for a pleasant user experience.
The iPhone 6 lacks all this and this is its significant disadvantage. Of course, there is no real need for all these features. We somehow lived without this Force Touch before. However, it's still more fun with him.
I really liked the technology and I can say that this is the coolest feature that distinguishes the smartphone from all competitors and last year’s flagship too.
Battery life
According to the manufacturer, in terms of autonomy, the new product is absolutely no different from last year’s device. And all this despite more powerful hardware and a decreased battery capacity from 1810 to 1715 mAh.
In fact, the updated device should not disappoint its owners. It works the same or about the same as last year's smartphone. One day of light with very active use, one and a half days with fairly moderate use.
I tested both gadgets at the same time and therefore ran all performance tests (Geekbench 3 and so on) at the same time. So, last year’s phone consumed the entire battery charge very quickly and stopped at 25 percent, while the newcomer stoically withstood all the tests, remaining at 49%. In real life, of course, there will be no such difference.
Equipment
Remember those strange noname boxes from the iPhone 6 without any identification marks? A buyer who is far from the market will not even understand that there is an “Apple” smartphone inside. It seemed that the Chinese brothers, once again counterfeiting the fruit company’s products, simply forgot to put an illustration on the packaging. In general, they were already going crazy there. But no! It's all Apple.
It is gratifying that a year later the situation has changed. iPhone 6S boxes look very stylish! On the front side, the device itself is depicted from the front, and the tail of a Siamese fighting fish hangs on its screen. It looks very impressive.
Inside there are accessories that have long been familiar to everyone: a charger for the power sockets of the country for which the gadget is supplied, a Lightning cable and branded EarPods headphones. The latter are inconvenient and, as has long been the custom, with a rather average sound. If you want high-quality sound, look at alternative headphones.
Conclusion
It's time to summarize and it would be nice to go over all the key points. After all, this is precisely why I prepared this material, to find out which smartphone to take: 6 or 6S?
Let's start with the non-obvious - with design. The appearance of the iPhone 6 could not be assessed unambiguously. From the front it is gorgeous, from the back it at least looks controversial. So, nothing has changed in the new product. I don't take pink into account, although it gives +65 to glamor. However, this is not an argument for buying an updated smartphone. The letter S on the back is even more so.
Productivity - in the new device it is maximum. The graphical power is still the coolest of everything on the market at the moment. In addition, due to the new graphics and the Metal platform, there is a very good foundation for the future.
There's just one problem. This is irrelevant for users like me. I don't need games or graphics performance. I do not play. And the same 4K video can be played back by any top Android smartphone even from 2014, not to mention modern flagships. Many modern devices work quickly. And the milliseconds saved when opening applications on the 6S will not make a difference. This also applies to the improved Touch ID.
The updated camera is, of course, a step forward compared to what was in the previous smartphone, but overall it is rather weak. For a flagship costing more than 50,000 rubles. Prepare to be faced with a camera that is far from the best on the market. Apart from shooting 4K, it is qualitatively no different from 6K. In general, if you want to take high-quality photos with your smartphone, then iOS is not for you.
But I really liked 3D Touch. I want to use it every day and without it all my other devices look a little dull. Of course, all this is my laziness in a certain, apparently perverted form. I would like to press once instead of three. I want everything on the screen to jump and jump, so that the device responds not only to touch, but also to the force of pressing - to communicate with me more closely. And the iPhone 6S does it all.
Are all the innovations worth overpaying ten thousand rubles for a new smartphone? Definitely yes! If you don't have a six, and when you see a green robot, you get a gag reflex. Just remember that now, using the iPhone 6S, you will not feel all its charm 100 percent. But in six months, as toys with 3D Touch support are released, which will properly overclock the hardware built into the 6S, you will understand that everything was not in vain.
iPhone 6S release date: September 26, 2015 Price: 56,990 rublesIn 2018, Apple officially got rid of the iPhone 6s, iPhone SE and iPhone X (but if desired, they can still be found in official reseller stores) and presented new flagships - iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. In addition, Apple continued production of the iPhone 8/8 Plus and iPhone 7/7 Plus. You can find out the current Russian prices for all iPhones below.
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Prices in rubles for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max in Russia
Apple's flagship smartphones iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are offered in three storage versions: 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. The price of the iPhone XS 64 GB in Russia is 80,990 rubles, while the most expensive Apple smartphone in history, the iPhone XS Max with 512 GB of internal memory, will cost the buyer 116,990 rubles.
Prices in rubles for iPhone XR in Russia
Prices in rubles for iPhone X in Russia
Apple has officially stopped production and sales of the main smartphone of the 2017 season, but in the coming months it will not be difficult to find it from official resellers. The smartphone is sold at a price of 63,990 rubles for the version with a 64 GB drive and 72,990 rubles for a modification with 256 GB of internal memory.
2015 was a difficult year for Apple. After a big breakthrough with two completely new devices in 2014, this year only updated models with the letter S are presented. Apple fans will have to give up expectations of something phenomenally new, but the introduction of 3D Touch technology is very interesting.
Apple offers the iPhone 6s in three configurations depending on the amount of memory: 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB. We cannot recommend the lower configuration to anyone, since without a microSD slot this amount of memory simply cannot be enough. After installing the operating system and several applications, the user has less than 10 GB of free space. This may be enough for very ascetic use of the phone or for those who store all their data on iCloud.
We tested the 128 GB version (therefore, all criticism of the 16 GB version will not count), but there is reason to believe that the 64 GB version will be the most popular among buyers. The additions in the form of Bluetooth v4.2 and LTE Cat6 modules can be considered very useful. The NFC module is needed only for the Apple Pay system, which has not yet been implemented in Russia.
iPhone 6s: prices and availability
Apple is offering its new iPhone from September 25 in its own stores, through mobile operators and in free trade. You can become the proud owner of the 16 GB version for RUB 51,000. You will get additional storage space (64 GB version) for only RUB 60,000. At the top of the price list is the 128 GB version costing 67,500 rubles.
Apple learns: aluminum 7000 in the new iPhone 6s
The iPhone 6s is significantly heavier and slightly thicker than the previous model. In principle, this seemed like a good solution to us, but the weight of the phone turned out to be not very well balanced - there is a clear trim on the top part. The case material itself and its processing are at the highest level. The new 7000 aluminum alloy should make the iPhone stronger. The use of new case material made some adjustments to the color palette - gold and gray received new shades. The “rose gold” shade also looks very decent, which will most likely be very popular among the female audience.
Apple has forgotten how: the battery has an even smaller capacity in the iPhone 6s
Battery capacity on the iPhone 6 was an issue. Not critical, but a problem. Now Apple is reducing the battery capacity from 1810 mAh to 1715 mAh. I'm sorry, what? Yes, you read it correctly - Apple is reducing battery capacity. There are only three phones in our smartphone rating that come with an even smaller battery.
Why did the thickness of the phone increase when the battery was reduced? We suspect that this is due to the thicker aluminum body and the additional equipment of the 3D-Touch screen, for which a place also had to be found. During the test in light surfing mode, we managed to count a measly 5 hours and 40 minutes of operation. The “power saving mode” built into the operating system does practically nothing.
The talk time with the maximum signal level turns out to be even worse - only 4 hours 7 minutes. In our rating, the iPhone thus becomes one of the worst in this indicator. Repeating the experiment many times did not change anything. And not only did the iPhone 6s turn out to be bad for those who make non-stop calls, but the large iPhone 6s Plus also became worse than its predecessor in this respect.
Apple iPhone 6s: good display, but weak battery A weak battery caused the iPhone 6s to slide down our smartphone rankings. By the way, here's what's interesting: out of pure curiosity, we gave the battery the highest rating (100 points). If the operating time of the 6s were the best among all the phones tested, it would still rise to a maximum of 4th place.
Continuing to manipulate the numbers, we received several more interesting facts. If the iPhone 6s had the battery from the first-place phone (Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge), it would only come in eighth place. Thus, the reason for the low position of the iPhone in our ranking is not only the battery.
The phone's acoustics are fine, but we are a little annoyed by the constant background noise. The hands-free mode is still useful and good. Earpods included. Everyone can decide for themselves how they fit in the ear, but we note that they sound very good.
Apple saves: display and performance
With a 4.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1334x750 pixels, the iPhone remains easy to use. In the test, the screen showed super results: it is bright, incredibly contrasty and produces perfect white color. The performance of the Apple smartphone has been improved once again: the new A9 processor and 2 GB of RAM allow you to freely navigate through the menus and ensures extremely fast loading of applications, for example for working with the camera.
Apple aims: bigger camera, not better
The iPhone 6s camera is now 12-megapixel and shoots in 4K format. This is, of course, great, but it doesn’t affect the actual quality of the images very much. Yes, the picture can now be scaled even better, but you still can’t see any special details on the screen during normal viewing.
However, Apple's camera is still a very good camera with a lot of features. In particular, it can conduct high-speed shooting and take animated, so-called “live” photographs. It works very well and is a bit like a GIF animation.
The Retina-Flash function can be considered very practical: the lighting from the screen during selfies simulates a flash and can be very useful for photographing everything that surrounds you. A good thing, since shooting in the dark without flash is not the iPhone's strong point. In addition, the presence of an optical stabilizer continues to be a big plus.
Innovation: iOS 9 and 3D-Touch
iOS 9 is a great operating system if you're comfortable in the world of Apple devices. The system interface is quite convenient, and it itself has excellent performance. The Siri voice assistant provides even faster and more complete answers, collects information and makes recommendations.
The real innovation is the new 3D-Touch function. It appeared thanks not only to iOS 9, but also to the new, especially pressure-sensitive screen of the new iPhone. Depending on the degree of pressure on the screen, the phone performs certain actions. For example, by lightly pressing the “Camera” application icon, you will open the context menu, and by pressing harder you will select the desired functions - activate the front or rear camera.
In the “gallery” you can select it with a light click on the picture, and delete it with a stronger one. The same goes for emails. However, this is a fun toy, nothing more, since messages can be opened differently, but a little longer. We liked the way Safari allows you to pinch links a little to immediately open an additional browser window to preview the new page. If the content interests you, just press your finger on the screen and the link will open in a new window.
We wouldn't call 3D-Touch intuitive. The thing is that in different applications, light and full pressing are programmed for different functions, and for some time it will not be entirely clear which applications support 3D-Touch and which do not. Because of this, we think some of the intuitiveness of iOS 9 is lost.
You will find more detailed information about innovations and their tests in our review of Apple's operating system.
iPhone 6S: alternatives
Anyone who wants an iPhone will buy an iPhone. We understand this very well. Still, I would like to recommend an Android smartphone, which is better and more convenient. If you're interested in the iPhone primarily in terms of quality and design, here's our number one: the Samsung Galaxy Edge. It has an incomparably better battery, a cool curved screen, an excellent camera and rich equipment. For example, there is an NFC module and a USB input. For a package with 32 GB of memory you have to pay 44,000 rubles.
If the 5.5-inch size is too big for you, or the 32 GB memory capacity is too small, wait for the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, which should cost 38,000 rubles at launch. The Z5 has not yet been tested in our laboratory. However, having already been in our hands at IFA 2015, we have every reason to suspect that it will beat the iPhone, if it doesn’t make a mistake during the tests. And we hope that not in terms of the battery.
When the New Year comes, you immediately want to change something in your life. Smartphones have taken a very important part and therefore, we often want to update the device that we use every day.
The topic of iPhones has always been interesting and remains so in 2018. The price tags for these devices are not falling, so there is a desire to take an older model. Today we will discuss the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.
They can still be found in the official Apple Store and this is a very good sign, because they usually try to sell the most current ones.
In this article we’ll go over the main qualities of the gadget, whether it’s worth buying and how much you can buy it for this year. It will be very interesting.
Pros and cons of iPhone 6s in 2018
To understand how relevant the iPhone 6S is in 2018, I think it would be ideal to just go through the characteristics in general and then we’ll understand what’s what.
What about the appearance?
Let's tell it like it is, the iPhone 6S is not Apple's most beautiful device and it's really not for everyone. The case saves the situation, but if you don't use them, you'll have to put up with a bulging camera and terrible antenna strips.
I myself used the iPhone 6 (it’s exactly the same as the 6S) and in life, when you hold the device in your hands, it’s not all that bad. It looks much worse in the photographs.
So the conclusion we can draw is that the design is outdated for 2018, but there will always be people who like it. The situation with colors is also not bad, because there are: rose gold, space gray, silver and gold.
I can also remind you that there are two versions: with 4.7 and 5.5 inch displays. The first is thin, small and neat, but the Plus is a bit heavy to fit in your pocket and its weight is noticeable.
I think this point can be left neutral. The device isn't ugly, but it's not memorable either.
How about the speed of work?
If you look at the hardware in general, the picture as a whole is very good: Apple A9 and 2 GB in both devices. This was quite enough for iOS until a few unpleasant moments appeared.
I think everyone has heard about slowdown and when your battery is old, performance will decrease. But a little later there will be an update and you will be able to choose whether to enable this feature or not.
The second point is much more serious, because due to the Specter vulnerability, it was necessary to slightly slow down the operation of the devices, reducing the performance of the processors.
Judging by the reviews, for some it works well, for others it works poorly. I think a lot still depends on the slowdown that is associated with the battery. But as practice shows with iOS 11, everything works quite well and with new updates the situation will only improve.
There is no doubt that iOS 12 will work on these devices. In terms of performance, you won’t have to worry about it for the next year or two, and then we’ll see.
How good is the camera?
Absolutely all iPhones have always had good cameras, and Apple makes sure to have them in abundance. Therefore, both the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus are equipped with excellent cameras.
12 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The photos come out quite wonderful and this is more than enough to not take a camera with you on your next trip.
The difference between the Plus and the regular version is that the first has optical stabilization. If you like to make videos, then we definitely get the larger version.
This is of course not a dual camera like the iPhone X, but it is possible and even necessary to take normal pictures. Your Instagram feed will definitely not suffer from a lack of beautiful photos.
How long will the battery last?
If we buy an iPhone 6S, we get 1715 mAh and, to be honest, this is not enough for a modern user. With the iPhone 6S Plus the situation is more cheerful and there is 2750 mAh.
If you buy new devices, then for a year or two you can not pay attention to the battery at all. Everything will work like a clock and you will only have to charge it in the evening.
Only then do problems begin with shutdowns in the cold, and, as you already know, a slowdown problem emerges, which can be solved by replacing the battery with a new one.
We get a normal standard volume, which will be enough for you for a full working day.
What about the features and price?
There is already a 3D touch, and it is also nice to have a second generation of Touch ID. In all other respects, it is not very different from the previous model.
iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S – features and price
We get a regular phone, because back then Apple added everything very gradually and then, as we remember, they received a big update in this area in the iPhone 7.
If we talk about cost, then this is probably the most pleasant part to discuss. An iPhone 6S with 32 GB in the official store can be purchased for 35,990.00 rubles, and an iPhone 6S Plus - 43,990.00 rubles.
If you buy gray ones or just in other stores, the price will be even better. Here it’s up to you to decide where exactly to purchase products from Apple.
Not a lot of features, but the price is reasonable and for experience with iOS, it will be a pretty good offer.
Should you buy an iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus in 2018?
We went through the most basic points of the iPhone 6S and it’s time to draw conclusions: is it worth the money and is it even worth buying in 2018?
The smartphone is still quite fast and will remain so for the next two years for sure. The cameras will only fail in case of insufficient lighting.
If you are not chasing technology, then this is definitely your choice. For a good price, you can get an iPhone that will fully fulfill all your needs.
But I can immediately warn you that you should forget about such things as:
- stereo speakers;
- moisture protection;
- True Tone;
- dual camera;
- and much more.
On the other hand, you can also carry out 90 percent of the tasks that a user of the same iPhone X does without any problems. The iPhone 6S is definitely worth the money, you just need to understand what kind of device you are buying and for what period of time, because the longer you want to have an up-to-date device, the more recent you need to buy.
How much will the iPhone 6S cost in 2018?
Prices definitely won't fall for the iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus. This will happen only at the usual time for us - after the next Apple presentation.
In the paragraph about prices, I told you the starting prices for both gadgets. Also use price catalogs, there will be a more complete picture. In the meantime, the full picture of prices in the Apple Store:
There have always been good prices for refurbished options, but here you also need to be careful, because you can end up with something assembled from Chinese spare parts.
There are two pieces of advice here: don’t buy from dubious places and don’t be fooled by too low a price. It’s better to pay normal money and use a normal device than to regret making a mistake.
- Smartphone
- EarPods
- USB cable
- SIM card ejector
- Stickers
- Documentation
Let's begin to understand the new iPhone 6S: pink color, context menus for icons and files, updated cameras - the text contains a long video about the smartphone and video recordings in 4K, come read and discuss...
Design
To begin with, here is a first look video, 42 minutes about the main functions of the new iPhone. I think this is not the last video, we’ll shoot something else as we use it, and later we’ll add examples of videos in 4K. In the video I pronounce the word engine incorrectly, this is a mistake from school, sorry. And there are also a few small things that are wrong, but, in general, the main points are told and shown.
The letter S is now emblazoned on the back; previously this was only on the iPhone 3Gs; the rest of the “esques” were unmarked. Beautiful packaging with a photo, and each color has its own live wallpaper - this item has appeared in the menu; when locked, you can click on this wallpaper, and it will start moving. We got a pink device especially for the test, it looks beautiful, I think the girls will be happy. The body is made of a different material, 7000 series aluminum alloy, 60 percent harder, the body has become a little heavier and a little more massive. Dimensions are 138.3 x 7.1 x 67.1 mm, weight - 143 grams. I tried on different models of cases for the iPhone 6, almost all of them fit, but some are tight, some are better not to use at all. For example, Element Case. When purchasing, it is better to try it yourself and not believe what is written about compatibility on the network. For example, some covers seem to fit normally, but on one side they may move slightly away and do not completely cover the end.
Alas, they didn’t get rid of the protruding camera, apparently this will happen in the iPhone 7 - this will probably be a revolutionary device. Well, the iPhone 6S feels in the hands and in use exactly the same as a simple “six” - it fits in any pocket, fits well in the hand, and is more convenient than “shovels” with a larger display diagonal. I love the iPhone 6 Plus, but how much more convenient is the iPhone 6 in everyday life. But there is a compromise, either a large screen, or a comfortable case. I select the screen.
The location of the controls and the SIM card tray has not changed; nanoSIM is used.
Let's see how the case shows itself in life.
Display
Retina display diagonal - 4.7 inches, resolution - 1334 x 750 pixels, 326 pixels/inch. Many people say: “This is horror, this is HD in 2015.” Hmmm, why more? After all, photos, videos, applications, and a browser look great on this display too? That is, you can organize marketing from scratch, but you can find a balance between productivity, operating time and screen quality. It’s like walking on a tightrope, you always need to maintain a balance - Apple maintains it, and that is why millions of people have been voting with their money for the iPhone, and not for other smartphones, for many, many years (and the situation has not changed at all, sales are only growing). Just keep this in mind when your friends tell you something about the “bad” HD in the iPhone 6S.
Second generation Touch ID
It works much faster than the sensor in the iPhone 6, this is clearly visible in the video, you just need to touch the pad, and immediately you get to the desktop. You can read more about setting up and using Touch ID.
The bottom line is simple: if you abandoned this feature due to unsatisfactory speed, try Touch ID on the iPhone 6S. It's a completely different matter.
3D Touch
In short, when you press hard on some icons, an additional menu appears, which makes life much easier, the habit of 3D Touch has developed even during the hours that I have been using the 6S. For example, take Shazam, usually you need to launch it, click to recognize the track, but here you immediately go to identification. The level of pressure can be adjusted in the menu; compared to the Apple Watch, everything is simpler and clearer, since the screen is larger. When you press, you get a sort of touch on your finger from the iPhone, a soft vibration - on the watch this can really be called a touch, here too. The Peek and Pop functions work like this. The first opens a preview, like in OS X, only here you can “preview” a photo or letter, the second (press harder) opens the file. They sent you a link in a message, there is also a preview, if you wanted it, you opened it in Safari. Everything happens with different pressure pressure, and it's all very natural.
The work of 3D Touch can be divided into two large parts, these are context menus for icons and work with specific files, previews and actions. Essentially, an additional menu for files. Like Touch ID, it saves you from additional actions, taps and saves time.
Not all third-party apps have support yet, but I believe the update will happen quickly, within a month or two the main players will make everything possible for iPhone 6S users.
Working 3D Touch with glued glass
It seemed important to me to try this option, many are accustomed to protecting the display with films or glass - people from Apple said that there would be no problems with the work about films, but there was no information about glass. After gluing the glass, I had to press a little harder to call up the context menu; a weak pressure level was selected in the 3D Touch settings. After playing with the settings, I realized that this is the best option if you plan to use glass to protect the screen.
The bottom line is simple: films and glass can and should be used with the new iPhone 6S. Many journalists frown when this comes up, but I won’t frown - consumers sometimes use iPhones for several years in a row, there are good films on the market, so why not protect the screen? Then it will be easier to sell, and the oleophobic coating will be like new.
Performance
The new A9 processor with 64-bit architecture is used and is paired with an M9 coprocessor. We carried out measurements using a benchmark, the results are in the screenshots. Observations from life are simple, the 6S works much faster than its predecessor - at first this is not particularly noticeable, but then it is visible very clearly. Websites open faster, maps are drawn faster, applications launch faster.
Front camera and flash
I would like to say that LG has already used the screen as a flash, Apple calls the technology Retina Flash, we tried taking a picture in the dark, it turned out well, the colors were not knocked out, the eyes were not red. In short, the screen just lights up at maximum brightness for a split second, that's all. This will be in great demand in clubs, restaurants, bars, and just on the streets at night. If you don’t take pictures in nightclubs, restaurants and bars, then it’s too early for you to think, discuss the iPhone 6S, go do your homework, and then go to bed.
Main camera
One of the main changes affected the camera: now there is a 12 MP sensor, True Tone Flash, support for HDR and automatic HDR mode, focusing while shooting video by tapping on the display, panoramas - in general, everything is familiar. For now, I can suggest you compare photos taken on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 Plus. A little dishonest, different smartphones, the “plus” has optical stabilization, but that’s what makes it more interesting. We will add more example pictures to the review, more comparative shots with modern devices.
Sample photos
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Shooting 4K video (3840 x 2160 pixels, 30 frames per second) must be enabled in the settings; you can take photos while shooting video; the option appeared in the iPhone 5S, and many people forget about it. Do not forget. You can evaluate the 4K quality in this video; we will add more examples to our channel in the near future.
It’s very interesting to see how the iPhone 6S Plus takes pictures, but, in general, I’m satisfied with the quality on the simple 6 Plus. I am not a professional photographer, no settings are needed, you need to get a normal result the first time, the device allows you to do this. Apparently, the 6S Plus will do it even better, and that’s great.
Live Photo
Apple says it's a miracle that when this mode is turned on, you can click on a photo and it will come to life for three seconds. As far as I know, this has already been in smartphones from other companies, and now it has appeared in Apple. It looks very cool, but there is one caveat. When I was transferring photos from the iPhone 6S, I saw that with Live Photo turned on, the smartphone took a photo and immediately shot a video in MOV format lasting 3 seconds. Each video weighs about 3.2 MB, photos from the new camera range in size from 1.7 to 6.9 MB (!). About the same size is obtained on my NEX-6, only this is a camera, not a smartphone. Now imagine, every time you take a photo, a video also appears in your memory. In the gallery you see only a photo, you can click on it and see the Live Photo, put it on the screensaver - but I immediately had a desire to disable the function to save space. Fortunately, you can do this right on the shooting screen. And it’s a pity that you can’t quickly switch the video recording quality on the shooting screen; to do this you have to go into the settings, which is not the easiest task.
Memory
Three versions, 16, 64 and 128 GB. The 16 GB version can only be bought as a gift to an enemy, I don’t know why Apple left this stupid version. The size of one minute of video in 4K is more than 300 MB, pictures from the new camera also “weigh” more, so if you decide to buy the 6S, look at least at the 64 GB version.
On the other hand, there are a lot of people who use the iPhone as a “dialer”, so 16 GB is enough for them - I constantly use the camera, another person will take something once a week, and that’s it. And still, even if this is a “dialer” for you, it’s better to take a model with 64 GB. What if you decide to play games, but the size of modern applications for iOS is quite large; there have long been programs larger than 1 GB in size.
Well, don’t forget that you need to turn off Live Photo if you are using the 16 GB version. Or enable the function from time to time.
Working hours
The stated operating time is 14 hours of talk time on a 3G network, 11 hours of video playback, 50 hours of music playback. It is clear that all this is approximately, compared to the iPhone 6, the operating time has not changed. Depending on the load, you will have to charge the device either at night or in the evening - at the beginning of the month I was forced to go with the “six” and after the iPhone 6 Plus I was surprised at how quickly the battery drains here with active use. Previously, we could talk about the superiority of iOS over Android in this parameter, but now I will suggest you stock up on an external battery or have a charger on hand.
LTE
Using the Speed Test program, we compared the speed on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 Plus, one place (near the Novodevichy Convent), the Beeline operator, the maximum for the 6 Plus was 52 Mbit/s, for the 6S we managed to get 61 Mbit/s. There is a difference in reception, it cannot be demonstrated, the device simply clings to the network better. The official website talks about the ability to use the Internet during a conversation; this, of course, is also available on some other modern devices.
conclusions
Now the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus modification are selling millions of copies, the main markets for the device are the USA and now China (the pink version and the ability to take advanced selfies will certainly appeal to the Chinese). In Russia, both smartphones will go on official sale in early October, the gap from other countries is minimal, which greatly interferes with the gray market - for those who brought devices in suitcases for resale, conditions are also not the best, a lot of devices are sold out for pre-orders online. Some say that the old charm has disappeared somewhere, kilometer-long queues remain, but there is no emphasis on this as before. It seems to me that the excitement is not subsiding, it’s just becoming a familiar autumn entertainment for people. The main thing is that sales are growing. Apple is unlikely to move away from the traditional scheme in the coming years, when the main device comes out, then the S version - why change what works well? Sales are not growing out of nowhere; it’s very difficult to deceive the current audience, and if you buy an iPhone 6S after the iPhone 6, you definitely won’t be disappointed. In a nutshell, here's what's new in the iPhone 6S. The Plus version is distinguished by the presence of optical stabilization and a different display; I will devote a separate article to it.
- A display with 3D Touch support is clearly something that all leading companies will use in their flagships this and next year. It's not about display resolution, not about processor frequency, it's about a completely new way of communicating with a mobile device - 3D Touch saves you time, and that's the main thing. As software develops, we will see other context menus, maybe even widgets and who knows what else. This is just the first step, but a step in the right direction.
- New alloy (and, in fact, new body) - less damage when dropped. It’s frankly a pity for devices that undergo all sorts of idiotic crash tests, but I think the 6S will be even more reliable than the “six”. After a year of use there are a lot of marks on my 6 Plus and it will be interesting to compare how the 6S fares.
- Pink body color. For girls, this is definitely not a trifle and a reason to replace the old device with a new one. Consumer loans, loans from friends, and so on will be used - replacement non-original cases in this color will probably appear.
- Advanced front camera with original flash for selfies. Tested, even in dark conditions you get decent photos. And here again we are not talking about the quality of the photo, not about the number of MP, but about life - how often have you tried to take a selfie in a club or restaurant and it turned out to be nonsense? Due to the flash display, the 6S can take normal pictures in terms of quality, this is worth a lot. Especially for young people.
- Shooting video in 4K. As has already happened, it is Apple that will introduce users to this opportunity - remember FaceTime, Touch ID, and at least LTE. After all, they remembered about LTE in smartphones when the question arose whether LTE works in the iPhone 5 in Russia, in which versions, with which operators, they started talking about it on TV, until that moment no one was particularly interested in LTE. This is where a strange trick can happen: many will remember 4K as a feature of the new iPhone, as if it didn’t exist in Sony, Samsung, and so on. It's all about the mass production of the product. Well, also in the brand itself - everything best in the world was invented at Apple, and go prove the opposite to the ordinary consumer.
- Accelerated Touch ID. Faster than the first version means many people who haven't used Touch ID will start using it. It works very quickly, you just need to touch it.
- Improved main camera.
- The “live photo” function is interesting, but Live Photo mercilessly eats up the device’s memory.
- Improved performance is the least of consumers' concerns, judging by reviews, but it is this feature that makes the S versions better than the rest; the new processor and coprocessor allow the device to do all new tricks. Almost twice as fast, more RAM, that's good.
You need to understand that iPhone owners usually do not consider buying devices from other brands; it’s not a matter of narrow-mindedness or rabid fandom; many are attracted by the ecosystem as a whole; others like certain functions. I use PS4 and Xbox, iOS and Android devices, trying to get the best of all worlds for use in everyday activities. Accordingly, iPhone owners will sooner or later switch to 6S, but when should it be done? You can imagine the prices in Russia yourself; an iPhone 6S Plus with 128 GB memory will cost around 80,000 rubles. Maybe Apple will make some concessions, maybe not. By the way, there are rumors that in order to compensate for high prices, the company decided to increase the warranty period; if the device suddenly breaks down through no fault of yours in the second year of use, they will fix it for you free of charge. I'm checking this information and will post back. So - when to buy an iPhone 6S? At any income level, if you are satisfied with your iPhone, you can safely hold out for the iPhone 7. 3D Touch will be used to the maximum, iOS 9 will just be completed, and it will probably be a very interesting tile of glass and metal. If you have an iPhone 5S - a reason to upgrade to the 6S, many people do this too, and from a consumer point of view this is true.
But there is one more nuance here; a regular iPhone user cannot help but say this to other iPhone users. Are you bored? Do you want a new toy? Didn't like 3D Touch and other options? The world is big, the world is huge, and there are amazing things in it - like the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+. It’s a very beautiful thing, and if you’re completely disappointed with iPhones, you can and even should try it.
As for me. As a true fan, I appreciated all the features in the iPhone 6S and will be upgrading to the 6S Plus. I really like 3D Touch, I constantly drop my phone, and the new alloy can help here, I shoot a lot - I want to try the camera, I will shoot 4K video, I am pleased with the speed of operation. For me, the update is very successful, well done Apple. The updated iOS 9 works well for me on the 6 Plus (updated in 4 hours without problems or glitches on the first day the update appeared), but here everything is smoother and faster. If you can afford to buy a 6S now, don’t hesitate to buy it, you won’t regret it. And answer the question “Which one do you have, S or simple?” Now it’s very easy, just turn your smartphone with the letter S towards the interlocutor.
It’s a pity that the letter is small and not visible to everyone around you from a couple of tens of meters away.