Introduction
The big question for the big one. Even more iPhone goodness in a single package or a phone for the fence-sitters? To loosely quote Apple itself, bigger isn't necessarily better. So, a niche product or the real deal?
The iPhone 6s Plus is a second generation phablet - a breed, which Apple long refused to be associated with. It's an S-model too meaning last season's design and changes mostly under the hood.
The push for ease of use has brought about 3D touch - literally adding a sense of depth to your interaction with the smartphone. And the device's response comes from an all new Taptic engine for unrivaled feedback precision.
It is the former that accounts for the most dramatic changes the 6s Plus brings physically. The hair's breadth increase in dimensions you won't notice, but the added weight is immediately felt. And while the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s is still manageable despite the extra heft, the Plus is pushing the boundaries of portability.
Part of the growing up process is the new camera. Apple is finally catching up with the times and now offers 12MP stills, complete with 4K video recording - the iPhone is no longer the favorite target of mockery from supercharged Android flagships. Double the RAM and a new, more powerful A9 chip round up the list of changes that Apple delivered.
Key features
- Metal unibody, 7.3mm slim, 192g of weight
- LTE connectivity (Cat. 6, 300Mbps downlink)
- 5.5" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS LCD of 1,080 x 1,920px resolution, 401ppi
- 3D Touch technology recognizes force, brand new Taptic engine for better feedback
- Ion-strengthened glass, oleophobic fingerprint-resistant coating
- Dual-core 1.8 GHz Cyclone 64-bit CPU, 2GB of RAM, Apple A9 SoC
- Apple iOS 9
- 12MP F/2.2 camera with optical image stabilization, True tone LED flash, phase detection auto focus, 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps, @60fps and @120fps video recording, 720p video recording @120fps and 240fps
- 5MP F/2.2 front-facing camera with BSI sensor and HDR mode, 1080p@30fps video
- Comes with 16, 64, and 128GB of built-in storage
- Second-gen Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the Home button
- Barometer sensor for tracking elevation
- 2,750mAh battery
Main disadvantages
- Heavy
- No microSD slot
- Pricey memory upgrades, 32GB version should be standard for such an expensive phone
- No user-replaceable battery
- Protruding camera lens makes the phone wobble if you don't have a case on
- NFC functionality limited to Apple Pay
- No wireless charging, an infrared port, or FM radio
- • Mediocre screen-to-body ratio
So not only did Apple make a phablet, but followed up on it, confirming itчs committed to the big-screen experience. But who could blame them when the Plus model of the last generation accounted for some 30% of the total iPhone 6 sales in the first 6 months of availability.
iPhone 6s Plus press images
And no, this new one isn't radically different. It's not meant to single-handedly herd compact phone users into the phablet camp. However, with public opinion now even in the iOS world gradually warming up to the idea, don't be surprised if the sales numbers of the two iPhone sizes keep converging.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves and leave these figures to the accountants. We'll stick to the review at hand, starting off with the unboxing and hardware overview.
Apple-standard retail package
The iPhone 6s Plus arrives in a plain white retail box with the phone printed on the lid, its color reflecting the contents. The compartments beneath the phone itself accommodate the AC adapter, rated at a lowly 1 amp, and a meter-long USB-to-Lightning cable. There also a headset bundled, separately packaged.
Apple iPhone 6s Plus retail package
Apple iPhone 6s Plus 360-degree spin
The iPhone 6s Plus is huge for its display diagonal, and that's hardly a surprise considering it's pretty much the same chassis as last year. At 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3mm this year's Plus model didn't have to grow as much as the compact version to accommodate the network of sensors that enables 3D touch.
At 192g it's heavy, too heavy, perhaps. A full 20g more than the predecessor, all thanks to the 3D touch tech apparently, the weight is verging on becoming a burden. A solid slab of aluminum of the same dimensions would've weighed 245g so it's almost there.
In comparison, the Galaxy S6 edge+ with its 5.7-inch display is smaller in every direction and it's some good 39g lighter. The 5.5-inch LG G4 is a centimeter shorter and 37g lighter. With the same display diagonal, the Xperia Z5 Premium is 2mm narrower and 4mm shorter, but comes close in terms of weight with 180g worth of glass and metal.
Design and handling
A lot has been said about the color of the year, and we deliberately picked it for our Plus review unit. We would go ahead and call it pink, but if Apple insists on Rose Gold, so be it.
One could argue that for its sheer size and weight, the iPhone 6s Plus is a man's phone. But then again, it's a better fit for a purse than a pocket for the exact same reasons.
As for the paint job, it must be the same thing that makes people want a rose gold Rolex or a pink Cadillac.
Other than the color, it's a case of "spot the differences" between the 6s Plus and the 6 Plus.
iPhone 6s Plus (left) next to the iPhone 6 Plus
Sure, it's a different grade of aluminum alloy, but show us the guy who can tell the difference just by looking. Also, just dropping the 7000-series catch phrase on every half occasion tells little of the actual mechanical properties of the specific alloy used on both of the S models, versus last season's.
Good thing then that the bending, and dropping, and flamethrowing, and whatever-crossed-your-mind tests that flooded YouTube in the past few days actually proved that the new chassis is miles ahead of the bend-prone predecessor. We appreciate the steps Apple has taken, yet can't help but wonder who failed to do their homework on the first try.
Being an S year, we know not to expect changes in design. So we'll just quietly state that a year later we haven't grown fond of the antenna strips on the back. Different color options make them more or less prominent, but they're still there - and somehow more intrusive at this size. But you might not even notice them if you keep your phone packed in a case at all times.
iPhone 6s Plus design
Another eye sore are the large bezels - the iPhone 6s Plus was a champ in terms of wasteful use of footprint and nothing's changed. It's the Space Grey model that will suffer the least in this respect, with its black façade successfully blending with the display. On the other three color options, our Rose Gold included, the wide white frame around the screen is a lot more obtrusive.
The craftsmanship is up to the typical Apple standards - that is to say, unlike any other. It's hard to find another smartphone on the market that just exudes luxury quite the same way that the iPhone 6s does, and with the Plus there's just more of it.
The 2.5D ion-exchange glass is a joy to swipe, with a nearly seamless joint where the glass meets the aluminum. The buttons fit snuggly in their cutouts and have very positive clicking action. It's only the SIM card tray, or rather the frame cutout, that catches the tips of your fingers spoiling the overall sense of perfection. Of course, if you deliberately examine it, and there's now viable reason why you should.
One of the greatest changes this generation is weight. Where the iPhone 6 Plus was on the heavy side of average for a 5.5-inch device, this new 6s Plus is simply massive and there's no two ways about it. At least it hasn't grown in dimensions, so it'll fit in the same pockets, just your belt will suffer. Some cases you'll be able to reuse, some not, and the softer the case material is, the higher chance you have that it will fit.
iPhone 6s Plus in the hand
You obviously can't reach the extremes with your thumb without readjusting your grip, like Apple tradition calls for. And while fumbling with the phone, you better be careful as the finely textured aluminum back is the epitome of slippery. Grab a silicone back and forget about it.
0 comments:
Post a Comment