The iPhone 6S is the latest update to Apple’s popular handset. This is an all-around upgrade that improves on many of the features found in the original model.
It has a better screen and camera, a faster processor, and better battery life. It also sports a new 3D Touch feature that’s a genuine improvement over the touchscreen on last year’s phone.
Design
Apple iPhone 6s Reviews
While the iPhone 6S has a few minor visual differences from the 6 – like a rose gold finish and a custom type of aluminum – otherwise virtually identical to the iPhone 6. The only significant difference is a new pressure-sensitive technology called “3D Touch” that lets users tap, press or hold the screen to perform context-sensitive commands.
This is an excellent addition to the iPhone line and makes it a lot easier to interact with the phone. You can do things like to activate a flashlight with a light touch or open little pop-out menus by pressing more complex or more profound.
It also uses 7000 Series aluminum, much stronger than the 6000 series used in previous iPhones. This likely helped prevent the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus from bending in pockets and hands, a problem that Apple calls the “bend gate.” The iPhone 6s also features a new cover glass made using a dual ion exchange process, which is said to be the strongest in the smartphone industry.
Camera
The iPhone 6s and 6S Plus feature a 12-megapixel (4032×3024 pixels) rear-facing camera, an upgrade from the 8-megapixel (3264×2448) unit on previous models.
Apple says the 12MP sensor and five-element lens on the 6s offer sharper images at larger sizes, enhanced low-light performance, and better stills and video footage. The 6s’ optical image stabilization also helps reduce shaky photos and videos.
In addition, Apple is introducing a new camera software feature called Live Photos. It captures 1.5 seconds of video on either side of the time you tap the shutter button and merges it into a photo. Like HTC’s Zoe feature on the One M7, this is a neat way of getting a video clip to accompany a still shot.
A Retina Flash uses a new chip to illuminate the screen so that it is three times brighter than usual for better lighting. This is a real time saver for those trying to take selfies in a dimly lit environment, and it works well on all backgrounds.
Battery
The battery in Apple’s iPhone 6s is a 1715 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery. It offers up to 14 hours of talk time on 3G and ten days of standby.
It’s a relatively small battery, but it does its job, according to Apple’s testing. But it’s hard to be sure whether or not that’s a coincidence.
It appears that Apple has a problem with its battery packs, which are shutting down iPhones abruptly in some cases. The company’s support page notes that the issue may extend beyond phones manufactured in September or October 2015.
If your battery suddenly stops charging, you might need a new one immediately. You can have an Apple battery replacement delivered to your door for about $60 at uBreakiFix, though prices will vary depending on the level of damage done.
Performance
The iPhone 6s is a nippy, capable smartphone. It boasts a new Apple A9 chip, which is nearly twice as powerful as the iPhone 6, plus 2GB of RAM.
Its camera is better, too, with a higher-end 12MP sensor, improved low-light performance, and a better wide-angle lens for more bokeh effects. The iPhone 6s also sports a faster LTE network and improved Wi-Fi antennas for faster wireless browsing.
A new feature on the 6s is 3D Touch, which lets you press harder on the screen for different shortcuts and options. It works like the pressure-sensitive Force Touch technology on the Apple Watch and 12in Retina Macbook.
The iPhone 6s uses a smaller, lower-resolution screen than the iPhone SE, but it’s still a very sharp and clear display with rich colors and excellent blacks. The screen has dual-domain pixels, which provide a wider viewing angle than the single-domain pixels used in the iPhone SE.