Better…Faster…Stronger…
Those are just a few of the descriptions being used to tout Apple’s new iPhone 6s, and while those descriptions are accurate, they can also be a little misleading.
You see, many consumers equate better with necessity, and in the case of the iPhone 6s, that is not exactly true.
Don’t get me wrong, the 6s is an incredible phone- it’s like having a computer in the palm of your hand.
But before you run out and get one, you need to consider a few things, the most important being the state of your current phone.
Because unless you have an old iPhone 4 or 5, or an older Samsung, most of the upgrades are barely noticeable, making the 6s not worth the switch.
Let’s look at the main upgrades and see what I mean:
Processor: The 6s is definitely the fastest phone to date, with an A9X chip that puts it on par with a MacBook.
This is good because it means the phone will not be outdated any time soon.
Yet when you use the phone, the increases speed makes little to no difference in terms of everyday use.
For instance, the fingerprint reader on the 6s is fast, but it isn’t instant.
Just like with the iPhone 6, there is a pause between the finger-touch and the log-in with the 6s, it’s just a slightly shorter pause.
Display/Screen: Both the 6 and 6s have identical displays: 4.7 inch LED-backlit IPS LCD, 750 x 1334 pixels, 326 ppi.
The 6s is brighter, but not so much that picture quality suffers if you have the 6.
And for Samsung S6 and SG Edge users, their displays rivals Apple, giving them no reason to switch.
The Samsung Galaxy S6, with its 577-pixel-per-inch HD super-AMOLED display, is identical to the 6s- it is impossible to tell the difference.
In fact, it might be slightly sharper.
Also, the touchscreen glass on the 6s, which is quite durable, isn’t any better than the 6.
Consumer Reports did an abrasion test and discovered that the 6s scratches just as easily as the 6.
Finally, yes, the 6s has 3D Touch, which is a big plus, but its use is limited.
Until it can be used across the board in apps and games it is impressive, but not a must-have.
Camera: There has been a lot of hoopla surrounding the new camera on the 6s and most of it is warranted.
The 12-megapixel rear-camera sensor, with the ability to take 4K video does produce clear pictures and videos, but when you compare the 6 and 6s side by side, it is hard to see a real difference.
As for Samsung users, comparisons show the Galaxy S6 actually looks brighter.
You can see some examples below from YouTube and also by clicking of here.
The real advantage with the 6s lies in the 4K video, which unfortunately, most people cannot truly enjoy.
That’s because most people do not have 4K TV’s or monitors to view the videos properly to see a real difference.
Not to mention that one minute of 4K video will take up 375MB of space.
There is also the Live Photo feature to consider, which also gobbles up space on your device.
With Live Photo, every time you press the shutter release button to take a pic, the iPhone will take a full 12 megapixel still image, as well as record 1.5 seconds of video both before and after your still image.
This is a cool feature, but a costly one, as it will take up nearly double the storage space of a typical still photo.
You can disable the feature, but then what’s the point of having it?
Like I said, the iPhone 6s is a great phone and a good investment, but only for those with older phones.
iPhone 6 owners and Samsung users will find little to no benefit to switching over.
Better to save your upgrade for Apple’s new offering next year.
What do you think of the iPhone 6s?
Tell us if you think it’s worth it and be sure to follow all my latest consumer news reports on Twitter!
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