Apple iPhone 7 : What we want to see in Apple iPhone 7
Phones can always be improved, and we've had a few smart ideas for Apple's next generation iPhone.
From a wider selection of screens and a resolution boost, to expandable storage and a speaker shift, here's what Apple should do for the iPhone 7.
1. Three screen sizes
Don't get us wrong, we're thrilled Apple now has handsets which offer more real estate for your apps and games - but there's still a pocket of fans who find 5.5 and 4.7 inches simply too big.
We're calling on Apple to launch a third handset in the iPhone 7 range. A smaller, more budget focused option to appease those with dainty palms.
The iPhone 6C was heavily rumored to arrive alongside the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, but alas it never materialized. Our focus then, switches to a potential iPhone 7C - which we're sure will gain a lot of traction in the rumor mill over the coming months.
iPhone 5C
We see it as a 4-inch handset with similar stylings to the iPhone 5C, with up to date power under the hood, a 3D Touch display and Touch ID.
2. A resolution your movies and games deserve
You can now record 4K video on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, but play them back on the handsets and you won't get the full experience.
With the iPhone 7 it's time Apple boosted the resolution of its handsets. We'd take a full HD resolution on the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, but if the iPhone 7 Plus turns up with anything less than a QHD screen then us and Apple will be having words.
iPhone 6S
QHD is now widespread throughout the top tier of Android devices, and we're even seeing 4K screens sneak onto our smartphones. Don't get left behind again Apple, please.
3. Wireless charging
Wireless charging remains one of the most frustrating technologies around, because while it's here, it works and it feels like living in the future, it isn't as widely supported as we'd like.
An iPhone 7 with wireless charging would be great, especially if the same charger worked for the Apple Watch too. And if it could support both wireless standards as well, like the Galaxy S6, then that would be just swell.
4. Curved displays
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge wowed us with its delightfully curving dual screens earlier this year, and it's fair to say we're rather smitten with this futuristic look.
S6 Edge
No image such sultry curves on an Apple designed smartphone. We're going weak at the knees already. Go on Apple, wrap that screen round the edges of the iPhone 7 and we'll more than likely be in love.
5. No more 16GB models
iOS 8 adoption stalled last year, and we reckon it because people with 16GB iPhones didn't have enough free space for the 5.7GB over-the-air update and don't want to use iTunes because, well, iTunes.
The fear is users will experience the same issue when iOS 9 rolls out on September 16, and with no expandable storage option it's rather limiting.
When your software updates are too big for your entry level products, your entry level products clearly don't come with enough storage.
How about starting at 32GB for the iPhone 7? We can't store everything in iCloud, even when it's working properly.
This is what the iPhone 7 should look like
6. Expandable storage
While we're on the topic of storage - how about actually giving us some expandable option Apple? It's something we've been asking for for years now, yet our request has continuously fallen on deaf ears over at Cupertino.
Expandable storage would allows us to buy the cheapest iPhone and then supplement the poxy 16GB of space with a microSD card up to 2TB in size. Oh course, than means Apple wouldn't rake in as much cash for the 64GB and 128GB models - and thus it's never going to happen.
7. Even better cameras
Apple gave us our first iPhone megapixel camera boost in four years with the 12MP sensor inside the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. But why stop there?
People love using their iPhones to take pictures, Apple can't tell us that enough, so keep on innovating. 12MP is a good start, but spend some time with the 16MP snapper on the Galaxy S6 and you'll be seriously impressed.
iPhone 6S camera
Of course it's not all about the number of megapixels, and Apple continues to do great things behind the scenes to improve your snaps.
The Live Photo feature also seems like a little bit of a gimmick at the moment - and similar to the sort of things Samsung was doing on the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5. If Apple can harness these new found abilities into something more productive on the iPhone 7 that would be impressive.
8. Look ID
Touch ID is great, and it's got even better on the iPhone 6S with the second generation scanner tech making it more responsive than ever, but we want more.
The iPhone 7 has the chance to take biometrics to the next level, with iris recognition. It won't be the first to the eye scanning tech (check out the ZTE Axon Elite), but you just know if Apple jumps on board it'll be slickly implemented and a joy to use.
Want to unlock your new iPhone? Just give it a knowing glance. Need to purchase a new must-have application? Give the iPhone 7 your best Blue Steel and boom, it's downloading.
Need a name for it? Look ID. You're welcome, Jony.
9. Speaker shift
With the HTC One M9, Sony Xperia Z5 and Moto X Force all rocking front facing speakers, we're becoming increasingly frustrated with manufacturers that still insist on putting a single speaker on the base of their handsets. The sound is poor, it's not projected in the right direction and it's often covered by a hand when the phone is held in landscape.
For the iPhone 7, Apple needs to shift its speaker location to the front so users can enjoy the audio from their games, movies, TV shows and favorite YouTube videos.
10. An unbreakable screen
Motorola has done it with the Moto X Force, and going by the number of smashed iPhone screens we see on a daily basis this is a must for the iPhone 7.
Stick in a four year guarantee and Apple will win the hearts of many who are disgusted at the firm's charges for replacing cracked displays.
From a wider selection of screens and a resolution boost, to expandable storage and a speaker shift, here's what Apple should do for the iPhone 7.
1. Three screen sizes
Don't get us wrong, we're thrilled Apple now has handsets which offer more real estate for your apps and games - but there's still a pocket of fans who find 5.5 and 4.7 inches simply too big.
We're calling on Apple to launch a third handset in the iPhone 7 range. A smaller, more budget focused option to appease those with dainty palms.
The iPhone 6C was heavily rumored to arrive alongside the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, but alas it never materialized. Our focus then, switches to a potential iPhone 7C - which we're sure will gain a lot of traction in the rumor mill over the coming months.
iPhone 5C
We see it as a 4-inch handset with similar stylings to the iPhone 5C, with up to date power under the hood, a 3D Touch display and Touch ID.
2. A resolution your movies and games deserve
You can now record 4K video on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, but play them back on the handsets and you won't get the full experience.
With the iPhone 7 it's time Apple boosted the resolution of its handsets. We'd take a full HD resolution on the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, but if the iPhone 7 Plus turns up with anything less than a QHD screen then us and Apple will be having words.
iPhone 6S
QHD is now widespread throughout the top tier of Android devices, and we're even seeing 4K screens sneak onto our smartphones. Don't get left behind again Apple, please.
3. Wireless charging
Wireless charging remains one of the most frustrating technologies around, because while it's here, it works and it feels like living in the future, it isn't as widely supported as we'd like.
An iPhone 7 with wireless charging would be great, especially if the same charger worked for the Apple Watch too. And if it could support both wireless standards as well, like the Galaxy S6, then that would be just swell.
4. Curved displays
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge wowed us with its delightfully curving dual screens earlier this year, and it's fair to say we're rather smitten with this futuristic look.
S6 Edge
No image such sultry curves on an Apple designed smartphone. We're going weak at the knees already. Go on Apple, wrap that screen round the edges of the iPhone 7 and we'll more than likely be in love.
5. No more 16GB models
iOS 8 adoption stalled last year, and we reckon it because people with 16GB iPhones didn't have enough free space for the 5.7GB over-the-air update and don't want to use iTunes because, well, iTunes.
The fear is users will experience the same issue when iOS 9 rolls out on September 16, and with no expandable storage option it's rather limiting.
When your software updates are too big for your entry level products, your entry level products clearly don't come with enough storage.
How about starting at 32GB for the iPhone 7? We can't store everything in iCloud, even when it's working properly.
This is what the iPhone 7 should look like
6. Expandable storage
While we're on the topic of storage - how about actually giving us some expandable option Apple? It's something we've been asking for for years now, yet our request has continuously fallen on deaf ears over at Cupertino.
Expandable storage would allows us to buy the cheapest iPhone and then supplement the poxy 16GB of space with a microSD card up to 2TB in size. Oh course, than means Apple wouldn't rake in as much cash for the 64GB and 128GB models - and thus it's never going to happen.
7. Even better cameras
Apple gave us our first iPhone megapixel camera boost in four years with the 12MP sensor inside the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. But why stop there?
People love using their iPhones to take pictures, Apple can't tell us that enough, so keep on innovating. 12MP is a good start, but spend some time with the 16MP snapper on the Galaxy S6 and you'll be seriously impressed.
iPhone 6S camera
Of course it's not all about the number of megapixels, and Apple continues to do great things behind the scenes to improve your snaps.
The Live Photo feature also seems like a little bit of a gimmick at the moment - and similar to the sort of things Samsung was doing on the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5. If Apple can harness these new found abilities into something more productive on the iPhone 7 that would be impressive.
8. Look ID
Touch ID is great, and it's got even better on the iPhone 6S with the second generation scanner tech making it more responsive than ever, but we want more.
The iPhone 7 has the chance to take biometrics to the next level, with iris recognition. It won't be the first to the eye scanning tech (check out the ZTE Axon Elite), but you just know if Apple jumps on board it'll be slickly implemented and a joy to use.
Want to unlock your new iPhone? Just give it a knowing glance. Need to purchase a new must-have application? Give the iPhone 7 your best Blue Steel and boom, it's downloading.
Need a name for it? Look ID. You're welcome, Jony.
9. Speaker shift
With the HTC One M9, Sony Xperia Z5 and Moto X Force all rocking front facing speakers, we're becoming increasingly frustrated with manufacturers that still insist on putting a single speaker on the base of their handsets. The sound is poor, it's not projected in the right direction and it's often covered by a hand when the phone is held in landscape.
For the iPhone 7, Apple needs to shift its speaker location to the front so users can enjoy the audio from their games, movies, TV shows and favorite YouTube videos.
10. An unbreakable screen
Motorola has done it with the Moto X Force, and going by the number of smashed iPhone screens we see on a daily basis this is a must for the iPhone 7.
Stick in a four year guarantee and Apple will win the hearts of many who are disgusted at the firm's charges for replacing cracked displays.
iPhone 7 release date, news and rumors
Update: It may be time to wave goodbye to the camera bump and antenna lines, with the iPhone 7 sporting a sleek new look.
With the iPhone 6S Apple delivered its best handset yet, but aside from sporting some fancy new 3D Touch technology, it was also very similar to the iPhone 6.
That was to be expected – after all, Apple typically only overhauls its handsets once every two years, but that overhaul is due with the iPhone 7, so we're expecting and hoping for big changes: think a whole new design, piles of power and a bunch of new features.
The leaks, rumors and reports are already ramping up, although the iPhone 7 probably won't arrive until late 2016. We've collected all the latest from around the web and beyond for you below, to give you the clearest picture possible of what you can expect from the new iPhone.
Fancy Android? Here's everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S7
Cut to the chase
What is it? Apple's next all-new iPhone
When is it out? Likely September 2016
What will it cost? Probably the same as the iPhone 6S
iPhone 7 release date
If we were betting people we'd say the iPhone 7 will probably arrive in September 2016. Apple tends to stick to a schedule, and the last few iPhones were launched in September.
But according to a 'reliable source' Apple might actually bring it to market earlier. Sadly, how much earlier is unclear, but it will take a while to even finish development and manufacture of the phone, so we wouldn't expect to see it before the summer.
There are numerous reports pointing towards an Apple event in March, although the iPhone 7 is highly unlikey to make an appearance then. We'll probably see the iPad Air 3, iPhone 5SE and Apple Watch 2 instead.
iPhone 7 design
The iPhone 6S looked a lot like the iPhone 6, but it's likely to be all-change with the iPhone 7. Exactly what form that change will take remains to be seen, but there are some rumors.
iPhone 6S
For one thing, it could be even slimmer than the 7.1mm-thick iPhone 6S; Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities reckons it'll be dropping to between 6mm and 6.5mm thick. That sounds unnecessarily slim to us, especially as it could cause the battery life to take a hit, but the Samsung Galaxy S6 is only marginally thicker at 6.8mm, so it's possible.
If TSMC makes the chips, as has been rumored, then some space could be saved, which might help Apple slim it down without making sacrifices in other areas.
Another rumor suggests the iPhone 7 will have an all-metal design with a bezeless display. It would be a big change for the iPhone design, but bringing in a new kind of screen technology would be a sensible move for Apple.
iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 could be built to last too, as according to Mac Otakara there are a number of iPhone prototypes with "ruggedized" features, which could mean a water- and dust-resistant phone is on the way.
Another suggestion of a waterproof iPhone 7 comes from the Apple supplier Japan Display. The supplier has come up with a new technology called "Pixel Eyes", that is now in its second generation, but it makes it easier to use the screen while you have wet fingers.
That's always an issue with waterproof phones such as the Sony Xperia Z line, so the fact Apple's main supplier is looking to stop the problem may be a big hint at what the iPhone 7 will do.
We could also be in store for the thinnest iPhone ever, as rumors suggesting Apple will ditch the bulky 3.5mm headphone jack begin to gather pace. That would see a great dependence on Bluetooth headphones - could we also see a wireless set of buds included in the box?
A new design tweak rumor which will likely please many suggests Apple will ditch the camera bump which has been present since the iPhone 6/6Plus - with the firm going for a sleeker finish on the iPhone 7. As well as a totally flat rear, it could also be uninterrupted as the same report points towards the removal of the antenna bands.
iPhone 7 screen
The iPhone 7 could be in for a big resolution jump if a DigiTimes source is to be believed, as Apple is apparently likely to move to glass-on-glass screens, which in turn opens up the possibility of a QHD or even a 4K display.
A lot of Android phones already have QHD screens, and the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is 4K, so it's possible that Apple will pump up the resolution of its next flagship, but given that the iPhone 6S isn't even 1080p we're sceptical that it'll get anywhere near 4K.
If the iPhone 7 does get higher resolution it might get bigger too, especially as rival phones are growing in size all the time. We're not convinced though – we'd still bet on seeing 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.
iPhone 6S
Then there's the first image of the LCD backlight on the iPhone 7. It comes from trusted French blog NoWhereElse and shows the panel from the iPhone 7 up against the iPhone 6S.
All the connectors are in different locations around the phone suggesting there will be a few design changes on the next iPhone.
A jump in resolution might not be the only way the iPhone 7 imitates Android though, as there's also talk that it could switch from an LCD display to an OLED one, much like Samsung uses on most of its phones.
One new rumor suggests the iPhone 7S will be the first Apple phone to feature an OLED display. The rumour comes from Apple telling supply chain sources that it will be switching from LCD panels to OLED panels in the next couple of years.
Sadly it doesn't seem like the technology will be here in time for next year's iPhone 7 and we'll have to wait for the iPhone 7S. That said, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has dismissed the rumor, arguing that Apple won't likely switch to AMOLED before 2019.
The iPhone 7 screen could be hard to smash, as an Apple patent has been unearthed showing bumpers which burst out from the edges of the screen to ensure it doesn't touch the floor when dropped. Patents often don't turn into products, but you never know – and it would certainly be nice to see a stronger screen.
3D Touch is bound to make a return, though it's likely to be improved in some way, perhaps by enabling you to scroll through the previews of content you 'peek' into, rather than just having static previews.
iPhone 7 rivals
The iPhone 7 is likely a way off yet, so it's main rivals won't have launched yet either. But as usual Samsung is sure to be a big competitor, with the Samsung Galaxy S7 in particular likely to give it pause.
Rumors point to a big screen, a spectacularly powerful processor and all the style and features found in the Samsung Galaxy S6.
The HTC One M10 is likely to be a worthy alternative to Apple's handset too. Coming from HTC it's sure to look good, but little is known about it so far.
There's also talk of a 4.0-inch iPhone 7C in the works. We haven't seen a C edition of the iPhone since the iPhone 5C so we expected one to launch alongside the iPhone 6S, but sadly there was no news.
The latest rumours suggest we'll see one alongside the iPhone 7, but it's not quite clear whether it'll be called the iPhone 6C or iPhone 7C. Some sources have been whispering about the phone coming with a metal back, unlike the cheap feeling plastic iPhone 5C.
Check out our iPhone 6C release date, news and rumors
iPhone 7 camera and battery
Apple overhauled its camera tech for the iPhone 6S, replacing its old 8MP snapper with a shiny new 12MP one and boosting the front-facing camera up to 5MP.
iPhone 6S
Given that Apple tends to stick with camera components for a long time we wouldn't expect to see a change in megapixels for the iPhone 7, but there's a good chance it will have performance tweaks and additional features to help set it apart. Optical image stabilization perhaps?
As for the iPhone 7 Plus, trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo at KGI Securities in Korea believes the larger phone may go for a dual-camera set up. It would allow for optical zoom and give a wider field of view in shots - but it's not exactly certain why this feature would only be on the phablet version of the iPhone 7.
The analyst also said he believes there may be two versions of the iPhone 7 Plus, one with this camera set up and another without. It's all just speculation right now, but there may be something in.
As for the battery, there's no news yet. It was one of the greatest failings of the iPhone 6S, so we're really hoping for some improvements here. Sadly, though, if the phone does slim down further as is being rumored there's not much hope of a big juice pack.
iPhone 7 OS and power
The iPhone 7 could be in for a huge performance boost, with whispers on Weibo that the phone will pack a hexa-core A10 chip, up from just a dual-core processor in the iPhone 6S. We're sceptical that Apple would go for that much of a jump, but it's an exciting thought.
We're not likely to see any more RAM in the iPhone 7, as Apple only just pushed the iPhone 6S up to 2GB, so it will likely stick with that for a while yet.
As for the OS, we'd expect to see the iPhone 7 land with iOS 10, since we're up to iOS 9 on the iPhone 6S. But rumors of what we'll see in iOS 10 are thin on the ground.
iPhone 7 other features
A whole slew of possible features are apparently in testing for the iPhone 7, with five different prototypes being used to test multi-Force Touch tech, a dual camera, wireless charging, a fingerprint scanner in the screen and a USB Type-C connector that's compatible with headsets.
That all comes from a post on Weibo, but even if it's true given that there are apparently five different prototypes much of this may not make it into the final phone.
In other rumors the iPhone 7 could have a smaller headphone jack than the iPhone 6S. We're hesitant to call this a feature, as it's more a likely annoyance which could be necessary in order to further slim the phone down.
There's an Apple patent which points to a 2mm connector, down from the standard 3.5mm headphone jack found on most phones. That would certainly help Apple slim the device down, but would also mean you'd either need special headphones or an adapter.
iPhone 7 cost
There aren't any price rumors yet but in all likelihood the iPhone 7 will cost roughly what the iPhone 6S currently retails for, specifically £539/$649/AU$1,079 upwards. Though if Apple finally ditches the 16GB model the starting price might be even higher.
With the iPhone 6S Apple delivered its best handset yet, but aside from sporting some fancy new 3D Touch technology, it was also very similar to the iPhone 6.
That was to be expected – after all, Apple typically only overhauls its handsets once every two years, but that overhaul is due with the iPhone 7, so we're expecting and hoping for big changes: think a whole new design, piles of power and a bunch of new features.
The leaks, rumors and reports are already ramping up, although the iPhone 7 probably won't arrive until late 2016. We've collected all the latest from around the web and beyond for you below, to give you the clearest picture possible of what you can expect from the new iPhone.
Fancy Android? Here's everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S7
Cut to the chase
What is it? Apple's next all-new iPhone
When is it out? Likely September 2016
What will it cost? Probably the same as the iPhone 6S
iPhone 7 release date
If we were betting people we'd say the iPhone 7 will probably arrive in September 2016. Apple tends to stick to a schedule, and the last few iPhones were launched in September.
But according to a 'reliable source' Apple might actually bring it to market earlier. Sadly, how much earlier is unclear, but it will take a while to even finish development and manufacture of the phone, so we wouldn't expect to see it before the summer.
There are numerous reports pointing towards an Apple event in March, although the iPhone 7 is highly unlikey to make an appearance then. We'll probably see the iPad Air 3, iPhone 5SE and Apple Watch 2 instead.
iPhone 7 design
The iPhone 6S looked a lot like the iPhone 6, but it's likely to be all-change with the iPhone 7. Exactly what form that change will take remains to be seen, but there are some rumors.
iPhone 6S
For one thing, it could be even slimmer than the 7.1mm-thick iPhone 6S; Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities reckons it'll be dropping to between 6mm and 6.5mm thick. That sounds unnecessarily slim to us, especially as it could cause the battery life to take a hit, but the Samsung Galaxy S6 is only marginally thicker at 6.8mm, so it's possible.
If TSMC makes the chips, as has been rumored, then some space could be saved, which might help Apple slim it down without making sacrifices in other areas.
Another rumor suggests the iPhone 7 will have an all-metal design with a bezeless display. It would be a big change for the iPhone design, but bringing in a new kind of screen technology would be a sensible move for Apple.
iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 could be built to last too, as according to Mac Otakara there are a number of iPhone prototypes with "ruggedized" features, which could mean a water- and dust-resistant phone is on the way.
Another suggestion of a waterproof iPhone 7 comes from the Apple supplier Japan Display. The supplier has come up with a new technology called "Pixel Eyes", that is now in its second generation, but it makes it easier to use the screen while you have wet fingers.
That's always an issue with waterproof phones such as the Sony Xperia Z line, so the fact Apple's main supplier is looking to stop the problem may be a big hint at what the iPhone 7 will do.
We could also be in store for the thinnest iPhone ever, as rumors suggesting Apple will ditch the bulky 3.5mm headphone jack begin to gather pace. That would see a great dependence on Bluetooth headphones - could we also see a wireless set of buds included in the box?
A new design tweak rumor which will likely please many suggests Apple will ditch the camera bump which has been present since the iPhone 6/6Plus - with the firm going for a sleeker finish on the iPhone 7. As well as a totally flat rear, it could also be uninterrupted as the same report points towards the removal of the antenna bands.
iPhone 7 screen
The iPhone 7 could be in for a big resolution jump if a DigiTimes source is to be believed, as Apple is apparently likely to move to glass-on-glass screens, which in turn opens up the possibility of a QHD or even a 4K display.
A lot of Android phones already have QHD screens, and the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is 4K, so it's possible that Apple will pump up the resolution of its next flagship, but given that the iPhone 6S isn't even 1080p we're sceptical that it'll get anywhere near 4K.
If the iPhone 7 does get higher resolution it might get bigger too, especially as rival phones are growing in size all the time. We're not convinced though – we'd still bet on seeing 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.
iPhone 6S
Then there's the first image of the LCD backlight on the iPhone 7. It comes from trusted French blog NoWhereElse and shows the panel from the iPhone 7 up against the iPhone 6S.
All the connectors are in different locations around the phone suggesting there will be a few design changes on the next iPhone.
A jump in resolution might not be the only way the iPhone 7 imitates Android though, as there's also talk that it could switch from an LCD display to an OLED one, much like Samsung uses on most of its phones.
One new rumor suggests the iPhone 7S will be the first Apple phone to feature an OLED display. The rumour comes from Apple telling supply chain sources that it will be switching from LCD panels to OLED panels in the next couple of years.
Sadly it doesn't seem like the technology will be here in time for next year's iPhone 7 and we'll have to wait for the iPhone 7S. That said, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has dismissed the rumor, arguing that Apple won't likely switch to AMOLED before 2019.
The iPhone 7 screen could be hard to smash, as an Apple patent has been unearthed showing bumpers which burst out from the edges of the screen to ensure it doesn't touch the floor when dropped. Patents often don't turn into products, but you never know – and it would certainly be nice to see a stronger screen.
3D Touch is bound to make a return, though it's likely to be improved in some way, perhaps by enabling you to scroll through the previews of content you 'peek' into, rather than just having static previews.
iPhone 7 rivals
The iPhone 7 is likely a way off yet, so it's main rivals won't have launched yet either. But as usual Samsung is sure to be a big competitor, with the Samsung Galaxy S7 in particular likely to give it pause.
Rumors point to a big screen, a spectacularly powerful processor and all the style and features found in the Samsung Galaxy S6.
The HTC One M10 is likely to be a worthy alternative to Apple's handset too. Coming from HTC it's sure to look good, but little is known about it so far.
There's also talk of a 4.0-inch iPhone 7C in the works. We haven't seen a C edition of the iPhone since the iPhone 5C so we expected one to launch alongside the iPhone 6S, but sadly there was no news.
The latest rumours suggest we'll see one alongside the iPhone 7, but it's not quite clear whether it'll be called the iPhone 6C or iPhone 7C. Some sources have been whispering about the phone coming with a metal back, unlike the cheap feeling plastic iPhone 5C.
Check out our iPhone 6C release date, news and rumors
iPhone 7 camera and battery
Apple overhauled its camera tech for the iPhone 6S, replacing its old 8MP snapper with a shiny new 12MP one and boosting the front-facing camera up to 5MP.
iPhone 6S
Given that Apple tends to stick with camera components for a long time we wouldn't expect to see a change in megapixels for the iPhone 7, but there's a good chance it will have performance tweaks and additional features to help set it apart. Optical image stabilization perhaps?
As for the iPhone 7 Plus, trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo at KGI Securities in Korea believes the larger phone may go for a dual-camera set up. It would allow for optical zoom and give a wider field of view in shots - but it's not exactly certain why this feature would only be on the phablet version of the iPhone 7.
The analyst also said he believes there may be two versions of the iPhone 7 Plus, one with this camera set up and another without. It's all just speculation right now, but there may be something in.
As for the battery, there's no news yet. It was one of the greatest failings of the iPhone 6S, so we're really hoping for some improvements here. Sadly, though, if the phone does slim down further as is being rumored there's not much hope of a big juice pack.
iPhone 7 OS and power
The iPhone 7 could be in for a huge performance boost, with whispers on Weibo that the phone will pack a hexa-core A10 chip, up from just a dual-core processor in the iPhone 6S. We're sceptical that Apple would go for that much of a jump, but it's an exciting thought.
We're not likely to see any more RAM in the iPhone 7, as Apple only just pushed the iPhone 6S up to 2GB, so it will likely stick with that for a while yet.
As for the OS, we'd expect to see the iPhone 7 land with iOS 10, since we're up to iOS 9 on the iPhone 6S. But rumors of what we'll see in iOS 10 are thin on the ground.
iPhone 7 other features
A whole slew of possible features are apparently in testing for the iPhone 7, with five different prototypes being used to test multi-Force Touch tech, a dual camera, wireless charging, a fingerprint scanner in the screen and a USB Type-C connector that's compatible with headsets.
That all comes from a post on Weibo, but even if it's true given that there are apparently five different prototypes much of this may not make it into the final phone.
In other rumors the iPhone 7 could have a smaller headphone jack than the iPhone 6S. We're hesitant to call this a feature, as it's more a likely annoyance which could be necessary in order to further slim the phone down.
There's an Apple patent which points to a 2mm connector, down from the standard 3.5mm headphone jack found on most phones. That would certainly help Apple slim the device down, but would also mean you'd either need special headphones or an adapter.
iPhone 7 cost
There aren't any price rumors yet but in all likelihood the iPhone 7 will cost roughly what the iPhone 6S currently retails for, specifically £539/$649/AU$1,079 upwards. Though if Apple finally ditches the 16GB model the starting price might be even higher.
Apple iPhone 6s is perfect than orther smartphone
Final words
Apple promised three major updates with the iPhone 6s: 3D touch, camera and performance. Let's go through the checklist.
Apple iPhone 6s
The A9 chip easily delivers. Already outstanding responsiveness and fluid handling are taken to the next level. No issues there. The 12MP stills and 4K videos may be late but they're executed in the typical Apple fashion. A long-awaited camera upgrade finally delivered. Not quite picture-perfect, without OIS and considering owners of 16GB iPhones may be running out of storage pretty soon. 3D Touch? Well, the new touchscreen is the beginning of the journey to a richer user experience but not quite the destination yet. We'll have to wait and to see the really clever implementations that developers are going to come up with.
We'd call that 2 and a half out of three - not a bad score card. The big stuff still missing: some sort of water resistance, wireless charging, higher screen resolution. Now, none of these could've been delivered in a phone that's re-using last season's design. The iPhone 7 perhaps? If ever.
Here's the deal. The regular iPhone models update the design, and once in a while, screen size. The S models focus on the insides. The iPhone 4S introduced Siri and the first big camera upgrade. The iPhone 5S brought about 64-bit processing and a fingerprint sensor. Alongside another camera upgrade, the big thing to look at in the iPhone 6S - and look forward to in Apple in general - is the pressure-aware screen that does add an extra dimension to how you interact with a device.
This is yet to reveal its full potential but looks like something developers will be keen to play with. It can be the new pinch zoom (something we do take for granted but which was a huge breakthrough back in its time). That said, Android makers are experimenting as well. ZTE and Huawei in particular - not the names you'd expect in the same review as an iPhone but it goes to show how the market has evolved.
We cannot help the thought either that someone at Apple was looking at the Samsung Note, the hovering S-pen and Air Command thinking, "We need to be able to do the same. With a tip of a finger. "
Anyway, we'll have a good look at the potential rivals in due time.
Apple iPhone 6s key test findings:
The iPhone 6s is of excellent build, made out of a much sturdier aluminum alloy. The extra weight can be felt, but it's certainly not a deal breaker.
The display on the iPhone 6s is pretty much the same affair we got in the original 6th model. It offers slightly lower brightness, but deeper blacks and the same great contrast. The sunlight legibility is great as well.
Battery life is above average at 62 hours and matches that of the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6S posted well balanced scores across all tests, including standby. Good software optimization allows the dual-core A9 chip to beat competing multi-core chips in benchmarks.
The connectivity is improved with Cat.6 LTE support, but the NFC is still limited to Apple Pay. Wireless charging could have been useful, but is still not an option and would likely never be.
The 3D Touch technology is potentially the new big thing on the market, but it's far from complete experience. It has a long way before it becomes a mainstream thing. Still, it's a feature we quickly got used to.
Performance-wise, the A9-powered iPhone 6s is a real beast. Its single-core CPU and GPU performance, as well as the overall experience currently have no match on the market.
The speaker is quiet with only a Below Average mark in out tests.
The audio quality is good, but not quite the best in the class.
The 12MP camera produces good photos, but it's not the major update we hoped it would be.
The panoramic samples are nothing short of amazing.
The 4K videos offer enough detail and came out with very good dynamic range.
The front 5MP selfie camera does the job right producing nice pictures, even in low-light conditions.
The iOS 9 is an incremental upgrade and brings just few novelties, but improves the overall experience by smart suggestions and more intelligent behavior of the most used apps and Siri.
Looking at the big picture, the iPhone 6S might be the most exciting product to come out of Cupertino in a few years. 3D Touch may become a big deal but it is not there yet. Regardless, it's the first time since the iPhone 4 that Apple tried to do what it does best - change the smartphone game for good. The company has been reduced to following market trends for the past few years and it was about time it rediscovered its passion for innovation. It may flop or win big time, but credit is certainly due for trying.
Meanwhile, the last-gen iPhone 6 got a price cut. If you aren't too keen on beta-testing 3D Touch or wouldn't want to go for a pricey 64GB model to have enough storage for 4K videos and Live photos, there is a good chance you may prefer that one instead.
Apple iPhone 6
Apple iPhone 6
The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge is the most likely toughest competition. While it can't give you force touch, it sure impresses with a 5.1" QHD Super AMOLED screen, a fast chipset and one of the best camera departments in the market. Samsung also wins the design battle in this round, although it had to give up on its expandable storage and removable battery advantages to achieve it.
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
The latest Nexus also brings an alternative. The LG Nexus 5X runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow on capable hardware and matches the iPhone 6s' camera resolution, while also packing a larger sensor. It is guaranteed to receive the latest Android updates as soon as they come for at least two-years ahead - just like the iPhone 6s is.
LG Nexus 5X
The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact has water protection and an amazing camera on paper, which we've yet to properly test. It's powered by a Snapdragon 810 chip that can't quite match the A9, but still delivers heaps of performance on a 720p screen. The Sony compact flagship can't quite match the aesthetics of the iPhone 6s, but it does offer a significantly larger battery.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
The major manufacturers are in frantic pursuit of higher screen resolution and size, and monstrous chipsets. This is in big part driven by Apple - the iPhone's is still the user experience to best, most Android flagships needing 3 or 4GB of RAM to match what Apple is doing with 2GB. And note that the iPhone 6s is only the second Apple device to have 2 gigs of RAM after the iPad Air 2.
Maybe it's the 4K videos or the live photos, or Apple may have finally tried to sort the reloading of the background tabs in Safari. Either way, with everyone sprinting around them, Apple thinks it can afford to take it slow. So far, it's been working out just fine.
With 3D touch, Cupertino hopes it puts the pressure back on the competition and doesn't have to rush with higher screen resolution, stereo speakers, 32GB of storage as the starter option, water protection or wireless charging. Useful stuff, at least some of it. Apple just hasn't re-invented it yet.
Apple promised three major updates with the iPhone 6s: 3D touch, camera and performance. Let's go through the checklist.
Apple iPhone 6s
The A9 chip easily delivers. Already outstanding responsiveness and fluid handling are taken to the next level. No issues there. The 12MP stills and 4K videos may be late but they're executed in the typical Apple fashion. A long-awaited camera upgrade finally delivered. Not quite picture-perfect, without OIS and considering owners of 16GB iPhones may be running out of storage pretty soon. 3D Touch? Well, the new touchscreen is the beginning of the journey to a richer user experience but not quite the destination yet. We'll have to wait and to see the really clever implementations that developers are going to come up with.
We'd call that 2 and a half out of three - not a bad score card. The big stuff still missing: some sort of water resistance, wireless charging, higher screen resolution. Now, none of these could've been delivered in a phone that's re-using last season's design. The iPhone 7 perhaps? If ever.
Here's the deal. The regular iPhone models update the design, and once in a while, screen size. The S models focus on the insides. The iPhone 4S introduced Siri and the first big camera upgrade. The iPhone 5S brought about 64-bit processing and a fingerprint sensor. Alongside another camera upgrade, the big thing to look at in the iPhone 6S - and look forward to in Apple in general - is the pressure-aware screen that does add an extra dimension to how you interact with a device.
This is yet to reveal its full potential but looks like something developers will be keen to play with. It can be the new pinch zoom (something we do take for granted but which was a huge breakthrough back in its time). That said, Android makers are experimenting as well. ZTE and Huawei in particular - not the names you'd expect in the same review as an iPhone but it goes to show how the market has evolved.
We cannot help the thought either that someone at Apple was looking at the Samsung Note, the hovering S-pen and Air Command thinking, "We need to be able to do the same. With a tip of a finger. "
Anyway, we'll have a good look at the potential rivals in due time.
Apple iPhone 6s key test findings:
The iPhone 6s is of excellent build, made out of a much sturdier aluminum alloy. The extra weight can be felt, but it's certainly not a deal breaker.
The display on the iPhone 6s is pretty much the same affair we got in the original 6th model. It offers slightly lower brightness, but deeper blacks and the same great contrast. The sunlight legibility is great as well.
Battery life is above average at 62 hours and matches that of the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6S posted well balanced scores across all tests, including standby. Good software optimization allows the dual-core A9 chip to beat competing multi-core chips in benchmarks.
The connectivity is improved with Cat.6 LTE support, but the NFC is still limited to Apple Pay. Wireless charging could have been useful, but is still not an option and would likely never be.
The 3D Touch technology is potentially the new big thing on the market, but it's far from complete experience. It has a long way before it becomes a mainstream thing. Still, it's a feature we quickly got used to.
Performance-wise, the A9-powered iPhone 6s is a real beast. Its single-core CPU and GPU performance, as well as the overall experience currently have no match on the market.
The speaker is quiet with only a Below Average mark in out tests.
The audio quality is good, but not quite the best in the class.
The 12MP camera produces good photos, but it's not the major update we hoped it would be.
The panoramic samples are nothing short of amazing.
The 4K videos offer enough detail and came out with very good dynamic range.
The front 5MP selfie camera does the job right producing nice pictures, even in low-light conditions.
The iOS 9 is an incremental upgrade and brings just few novelties, but improves the overall experience by smart suggestions and more intelligent behavior of the most used apps and Siri.
Looking at the big picture, the iPhone 6S might be the most exciting product to come out of Cupertino in a few years. 3D Touch may become a big deal but it is not there yet. Regardless, it's the first time since the iPhone 4 that Apple tried to do what it does best - change the smartphone game for good. The company has been reduced to following market trends for the past few years and it was about time it rediscovered its passion for innovation. It may flop or win big time, but credit is certainly due for trying.
Meanwhile, the last-gen iPhone 6 got a price cut. If you aren't too keen on beta-testing 3D Touch or wouldn't want to go for a pricey 64GB model to have enough storage for 4K videos and Live photos, there is a good chance you may prefer that one instead.
Apple iPhone 6
Apple iPhone 6
The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge is the most likely toughest competition. While it can't give you force touch, it sure impresses with a 5.1" QHD Super AMOLED screen, a fast chipset and one of the best camera departments in the market. Samsung also wins the design battle in this round, although it had to give up on its expandable storage and removable battery advantages to achieve it.
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
The latest Nexus also brings an alternative. The LG Nexus 5X runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow on capable hardware and matches the iPhone 6s' camera resolution, while also packing a larger sensor. It is guaranteed to receive the latest Android updates as soon as they come for at least two-years ahead - just like the iPhone 6s is.
LG Nexus 5X
The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact has water protection and an amazing camera on paper, which we've yet to properly test. It's powered by a Snapdragon 810 chip that can't quite match the A9, but still delivers heaps of performance on a 720p screen. The Sony compact flagship can't quite match the aesthetics of the iPhone 6s, but it does offer a significantly larger battery.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
The major manufacturers are in frantic pursuit of higher screen resolution and size, and monstrous chipsets. This is in big part driven by Apple - the iPhone's is still the user experience to best, most Android flagships needing 3 or 4GB of RAM to match what Apple is doing with 2GB. And note that the iPhone 6s is only the second Apple device to have 2 gigs of RAM after the iPad Air 2.
Maybe it's the 4K videos or the live photos, or Apple may have finally tried to sort the reloading of the background tabs in Safari. Either way, with everyone sprinting around them, Apple thinks it can afford to take it slow. So far, it's been working out just fine.
With 3D touch, Cupertino hopes it puts the pressure back on the competition and doesn't have to rush with higher screen resolution, stereo speakers, 32GB of storage as the starter option, water protection or wireless charging. Useful stuff, at least some of it. Apple just hasn't re-invented it yet.
Apple iPhone 6s review: The camera gets an overdue upgrade to 12MP
The camera gets an overdue upgrade to 12MP
The iPhone 6s brings the long overdue camera resolution upgrade. After sticking to an 8MP sensor for four generations, Apple finally upgraded the iPhone's main camera to a 12MP imager. The front camera has received an upgrade to to 5MP as well. Both sensors retain the same F/2.2 aperture.
The more powerful chipset and the new 12MP sensor also allows the iPhone 6s to capture 4K video recording among other new modes, plus it enables the so-called Live Photos. This is a familiar feature from the first HTC One - the camera captures 1.5s video either side of the moment you hit the shutter and saves it as an animated photos.
Apple iPhone 6s
There is no magic here, this is actually a 3s 1440x1080px video with sound, captured at 14fps. We are clarifying this in case you've expected gifs or similar formats. Those small files are usually 3 to 4MB of size and if you own a 16GB iPhone 6s, this may turn a problem for you rather quickly. The good news is this new format is compatible with the Mac OS X El Capitan and all Force-enabled Apple devices will support the Live Photos (for now those are the MacBook Pro 2015 models, the new MacBook 12" and the iPhone 6s duo).
The front camera, as we said, is now 5MP, supports Auto HDR, and 1080p video capture. It can also use the screen as 'Retina' flash - the screen goes all white the moment you hit the Camera shutter, with brightness 300% higher than the usual maximum. This helps if you are shooting indoors and up close.
The front camera is fixed-focus, but you can control and lock the exposure setting with tap and hold.
The camera interface is the same as before. If you tap to focus the phone will give you control over exposure through a slider. This way you can conviniently adjust exposure compensation depending on the scene. You can lock the focus and exposure as well.
Along the left side of the camera viewfinder you'll find controls for switching to the front-facing camera, setting up a timer (either 3s or 10s), choosing the HDR mode (Auto, off and on), turning Live Photo on/off and a settings for the flash (Auto, on or off).
On the right side on each side of the virtual shutter button you get swipe controls that will take you into the photo, square and pano mode on one side and video, slow-mo and time-lapse. To activate the Burst mode you just need to press the camera shutter longer.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The camera UI
Despite taking four years to add a 12MP sensor, the shots snapped with the iPhone 6s aren't quite as impressive as we hoped. The resolved detail is good, but it's not dramatically better than what the iPhone 6 offered and post-processing is rather heavy-handed - as noticeable in the sharpening halos and the prominent noise. Automatic exposure is a bit too overeager, which at times results in overexposed shots.
Now the good news - the colors and contrast are great, while the dynamic range is simply great. We've turned the Auto HDR off and yet the images came out great, which is really something given the tough weather conditions.
If it were 2014 we might have considered the samples among the best in the market, but today with great Galaxy S6 generation cameras and the impressive Xperia Z5 sensors, we just can't rate the iPhone 6s camera so high. It's good, but not quite the best.
We shot with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and the Galaxy S6 edge+ side by side, so you can compare the samples. Despite having a narrower field of view, the two iPhones can't quite match the Galaxy S6 edge+ resolved detail. And we are not even shooting in conditions where the Galaxy's bright F/1.9 aperture would make a difference.
And some more comparison between the Apple iPhone 6s and Galaxy S6 edge+.
Apple iPhone 6s • Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
We tried a few HDR samples as well and they turned fine - they bring more detail in the shadows, without overexposing the highlights or sacrificing fine detail.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
HDR off • HDR on • HDR off • HDR on
Finally, the iPhone 6s, thanks to the bigger sensor, offers even bigger panoramic images. Those still cover about 180-degrees, but now they can go up to 15,000 x 4,000 pixels or 60MP. The stitching is great, there are no artefacts, the dynamic range is amazing, and the color rendering is good, too. Those didn't turn out over exposed as the still images and generally are among the best panoramas we've seen.
The iPhone 6s brings the long overdue camera resolution upgrade. After sticking to an 8MP sensor for four generations, Apple finally upgraded the iPhone's main camera to a 12MP imager. The front camera has received an upgrade to to 5MP as well. Both sensors retain the same F/2.2 aperture.
The more powerful chipset and the new 12MP sensor also allows the iPhone 6s to capture 4K video recording among other new modes, plus it enables the so-called Live Photos. This is a familiar feature from the first HTC One - the camera captures 1.5s video either side of the moment you hit the shutter and saves it as an animated photos.
Apple iPhone 6s
There is no magic here, this is actually a 3s 1440x1080px video with sound, captured at 14fps. We are clarifying this in case you've expected gifs or similar formats. Those small files are usually 3 to 4MB of size and if you own a 16GB iPhone 6s, this may turn a problem for you rather quickly. The good news is this new format is compatible with the Mac OS X El Capitan and all Force-enabled Apple devices will support the Live Photos (for now those are the MacBook Pro 2015 models, the new MacBook 12" and the iPhone 6s duo).
The front camera, as we said, is now 5MP, supports Auto HDR, and 1080p video capture. It can also use the screen as 'Retina' flash - the screen goes all white the moment you hit the Camera shutter, with brightness 300% higher than the usual maximum. This helps if you are shooting indoors and up close.
The front camera is fixed-focus, but you can control and lock the exposure setting with tap and hold.
The camera interface is the same as before. If you tap to focus the phone will give you control over exposure through a slider. This way you can conviniently adjust exposure compensation depending on the scene. You can lock the focus and exposure as well.
Along the left side of the camera viewfinder you'll find controls for switching to the front-facing camera, setting up a timer (either 3s or 10s), choosing the HDR mode (Auto, off and on), turning Live Photo on/off and a settings for the flash (Auto, on or off).
On the right side on each side of the virtual shutter button you get swipe controls that will take you into the photo, square and pano mode on one side and video, slow-mo and time-lapse. To activate the Burst mode you just need to press the camera shutter longer.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The camera UI
Despite taking four years to add a 12MP sensor, the shots snapped with the iPhone 6s aren't quite as impressive as we hoped. The resolved detail is good, but it's not dramatically better than what the iPhone 6 offered and post-processing is rather heavy-handed - as noticeable in the sharpening halos and the prominent noise. Automatic exposure is a bit too overeager, which at times results in overexposed shots.
Now the good news - the colors and contrast are great, while the dynamic range is simply great. We've turned the Auto HDR off and yet the images came out great, which is really something given the tough weather conditions.
If it were 2014 we might have considered the samples among the best in the market, but today with great Galaxy S6 generation cameras and the impressive Xperia Z5 sensors, we just can't rate the iPhone 6s camera so high. It's good, but not quite the best.
We shot with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and the Galaxy S6 edge+ side by side, so you can compare the samples. Despite having a narrower field of view, the two iPhones can't quite match the Galaxy S6 edge+ resolved detail. And we are not even shooting in conditions where the Galaxy's bright F/1.9 aperture would make a difference.
And some more comparison between the Apple iPhone 6s and Galaxy S6 edge+.
Apple iPhone 6s • Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
We tried a few HDR samples as well and they turned fine - they bring more detail in the shadows, without overexposing the highlights or sacrificing fine detail.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
HDR off • HDR on • HDR off • HDR on
Finally, the iPhone 6s, thanks to the bigger sensor, offers even bigger panoramic images. Those still cover about 180-degrees, but now they can go up to 15,000 x 4,000 pixels or 60MP. The stitching is great, there are no artefacts, the dynamic range is amazing, and the color rendering is good, too. Those didn't turn out over exposed as the still images and generally are among the best panoramas we've seen.
Apple iPhone 6s review: Telephony and messages, multimedia
Telephony and messaging
The iOS 9 Phone app hasn't changed a bit, but it supports 3D Touch, as we already discussed. A force touch over a contact does the same as Quick Contacts on Android - pops up a small balloon with quick shortcuts for call, message and email.
The phonebook does not support smart dial, but offers social integration. Blacklist is available for those needing this feature.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The phonebook
FaceTime is naturally available for all compatible iOS and Mac devices and allows you to make free voice and video calls to any other FaceTime-enabled device.
The same goes for iMessage - once enabled you can send free text and multimedia content, including voice-recorded messages, to any other iMessage-enabled Apple gadget.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
FaceTime • iMessages
Apple is also offering a new feature called Wi-Fi calling. If both parties support this service and it is on, the call won't be placed through the cellular network but the internet. This improves the audio quality and won't use your allotted monthly minutes.
As usual we've tested the loudspeaker performance of the new iPhone 6s. It is worse than the speaker of its iPhone 6 predecessor and scored a Below Average mark. The sound quality is very good though.
This means you should keep a close eye on your phone in noisy environments, or missing calls is a real possibility.
Speakerphone test Voice, dB Pink noise/ Music, dB Ringing phone, dB Overall score
Apple iPhone 6s 66.5 64.6 65.8 Below Average
Sony Xperia Z3+ 66.7 66.6 67.7 Average
LG G Flex2 66.5 65.8 70.5 Average
Apple iPhone 5s 68.7 66.3 69.2 Average
Apple iPhone 6 66.6 65.7 72.8 Average
HTC One M9 65.2 64.6 76.1 Average
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 69.7 66.5 73.5 Good
LG G4 66.9 71.8 74.7 Good
Motorola Moto G 3rd Gen 75.7 69.6 75.9 Very Good
OnePlus 2 75.7 73.5 80.7 Excellent
The messaging interface is kept the same since the iOS 8. It's 3D Touch-enhanced and you can get quick preview of your threads upon a firm press. The Mail app hasn't changed much, too, aside from the added force touch support and the new contextual menu with quick shortcuts for reply, forward, delete.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The Messaging app
Finally, the iOS 9 keyboard looks the same though its QuickType predictive input has got a refined algorithm. Over time, the iOS will learn from your typing patterns, vocabulary, people you write often to and topics. It will eventually understand the subject of each thread and base suggestions on whether the communication is formal or casual.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Apple iOS keyboard
Photos offers better search, 3D Touch support, Live Photos
The Photos app offers the same layout and interface we met for the first time in the iOS 8. Your pictures are organized by date and location, if available. The views you can switch between are Moments, Collections and Year - just like before.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Photos app
Recently Deleted album is available in case you change your mind in the next 30 days.
The Search options in the Photos app has been improved with the option to search by location and date. And this applies not only for the Photos app itself, but Siri as well. That's really useful for those with lots and lots of photos on their devices.
What's a Live Photo? This is an option enabled by default in the camera app and shoots a small video clip (3 seconds) a 1.5s before and a 1.5s after you hit the shutter. We've already seen this on the HTC One and the Zoe feature and they are pretty neat, allowing you keep more lively memories.
We already mentioned the 3D Touch support. It allows you to preview both standard photos and Live Photos in the gallery. It's a pop-up with the picture and you can swipe it up for additional settings (Copy, Share, Delete).
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
3D Touch • Image editing
The integrated image editor is really powerful and could improve your photos a lot. You should try and play a bit with it, it's among the best we've seen on a mobile device and while it may offer lots of manual tweaks, its automatic enhancement options are rather good, too.
Limited video player
Unfortunately iOS9 still hasn't done anything about the video player. You can upload only supported formats via iTunes or purchase videos from the iTunes store. This is an extremely disappointing showing by a platform that is supposed to excel at multimedia consumption.
The lack of extra functionality is bad enough, but having to use just an extremely limited number of media format or resorting to converting files, which is both slow and inconvenient, is a real deal-breaker.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The video player
Luckily there are many powerful video apps in the App Store, so you shouldn't worry that your iPhone can't be a powerful video player. With the right app, it does everything you'd expect a normal device would do - play any kind of videos, with subtitles, and you can even cast it on an external display.
Music with Apple Music support
The iOS 9 music player looks a lot like the one from iOS 8 - it supports (ad-supported or ad-free) iTunes Radio and iTunes Match, as well as iCloud Music library. It syncs with your computer's iTunes library, streams from your Match and/or iCloud songs, as well.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The Music app with Apple Music
But in case that is not enough, there's also Apple Music now. The service can replace everything music-related feature Apple has launched to date and offer you pretty much the entire music world at the tip of your fingers.
Basically Apple Music does what Google Music or any other similar service does - allows you to stream songs, add them to playlists, and build an entire music library in the cloud. You can also download those songs for offline usage and unlike Google Music, Apple Music allows you to download single songs from albums.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Beats 1 Radio • Connect with artists • My library
The search option is useful and there is a good chance you can find all of your favorite songs on Apple Music.
Apple knew it can't compete with Google Music, Spotify or Microsoft's Groove by just adding the same features, so it tries to bring you closer to your favorite artists. In addition to smart suggestions, you can follow your favorite musician and make sure you don't miss any important updates from them. Apple made it easier for both the stars and the users to share social content and that's probably the biggest advantage over the competition.
Finally, the Beats 1 radio is available 24/7 and the tracks there are chosen by real DJs, not machine algorithms. Lots of people have been hooked on this idea already.
Apple Music is priced differently in different regions and is accessible from more than 100 countries across the globe. It offers a three month long free trial, after which you have to pay between $2.99 (some Asian markets) and £9.99 (UK) depending on where you live. A $14.99/€14.99/€7.99 per month family plan is also available, and this works for up to 6 persons.
Very good audio quality, not quite the best
The Apple iPhone 6s audio output is identical to that of its predecessor. Sadly that's not very good news as last year Apple took a step back in that regard, and unfortunately it failed to patch things up now.
When plugged into an active external amplifier, the Apple iPhone 6s posted excellent scores with the rather mediocre stereo crosstalk reading being the solitary exception.
Rather impressively, there's virtually no degradation when you plug in a pair of headphones. The spike in stereo crosstalk is so limited that in comparison, the iPhone 6s fares way better here than in the first test. Granted, there are phones out there that do even better, but that will only matter to the most extreme audiophiles.
In both cases, volume levels were above average although Apple used to be class leading here too and now it's just matching most competitors and falling behind the elite. Still, the overall output is very good and would please the majority of users.
Anyway, here go the results so you can do your comparisons.
The iOS 9 Phone app hasn't changed a bit, but it supports 3D Touch, as we already discussed. A force touch over a contact does the same as Quick Contacts on Android - pops up a small balloon with quick shortcuts for call, message and email.
The phonebook does not support smart dial, but offers social integration. Blacklist is available for those needing this feature.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The phonebook
FaceTime is naturally available for all compatible iOS and Mac devices and allows you to make free voice and video calls to any other FaceTime-enabled device.
The same goes for iMessage - once enabled you can send free text and multimedia content, including voice-recorded messages, to any other iMessage-enabled Apple gadget.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
FaceTime • iMessages
Apple is also offering a new feature called Wi-Fi calling. If both parties support this service and it is on, the call won't be placed through the cellular network but the internet. This improves the audio quality and won't use your allotted monthly minutes.
As usual we've tested the loudspeaker performance of the new iPhone 6s. It is worse than the speaker of its iPhone 6 predecessor and scored a Below Average mark. The sound quality is very good though.
This means you should keep a close eye on your phone in noisy environments, or missing calls is a real possibility.
Speakerphone test Voice, dB Pink noise/ Music, dB Ringing phone, dB Overall score
Apple iPhone 6s 66.5 64.6 65.8 Below Average
Sony Xperia Z3+ 66.7 66.6 67.7 Average
LG G Flex2 66.5 65.8 70.5 Average
Apple iPhone 5s 68.7 66.3 69.2 Average
Apple iPhone 6 66.6 65.7 72.8 Average
HTC One M9 65.2 64.6 76.1 Average
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 69.7 66.5 73.5 Good
LG G4 66.9 71.8 74.7 Good
Motorola Moto G 3rd Gen 75.7 69.6 75.9 Very Good
OnePlus 2 75.7 73.5 80.7 Excellent
The messaging interface is kept the same since the iOS 8. It's 3D Touch-enhanced and you can get quick preview of your threads upon a firm press. The Mail app hasn't changed much, too, aside from the added force touch support and the new contextual menu with quick shortcuts for reply, forward, delete.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The Messaging app
Finally, the iOS 9 keyboard looks the same though its QuickType predictive input has got a refined algorithm. Over time, the iOS will learn from your typing patterns, vocabulary, people you write often to and topics. It will eventually understand the subject of each thread and base suggestions on whether the communication is formal or casual.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Apple iOS keyboard
Photos offers better search, 3D Touch support, Live Photos
The Photos app offers the same layout and interface we met for the first time in the iOS 8. Your pictures are organized by date and location, if available. The views you can switch between are Moments, Collections and Year - just like before.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Photos app
Recently Deleted album is available in case you change your mind in the next 30 days.
The Search options in the Photos app has been improved with the option to search by location and date. And this applies not only for the Photos app itself, but Siri as well. That's really useful for those with lots and lots of photos on their devices.
What's a Live Photo? This is an option enabled by default in the camera app and shoots a small video clip (3 seconds) a 1.5s before and a 1.5s after you hit the shutter. We've already seen this on the HTC One and the Zoe feature and they are pretty neat, allowing you keep more lively memories.
We already mentioned the 3D Touch support. It allows you to preview both standard photos and Live Photos in the gallery. It's a pop-up with the picture and you can swipe it up for additional settings (Copy, Share, Delete).
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
3D Touch • Image editing
The integrated image editor is really powerful and could improve your photos a lot. You should try and play a bit with it, it's among the best we've seen on a mobile device and while it may offer lots of manual tweaks, its automatic enhancement options are rather good, too.
Limited video player
Unfortunately iOS9 still hasn't done anything about the video player. You can upload only supported formats via iTunes or purchase videos from the iTunes store. This is an extremely disappointing showing by a platform that is supposed to excel at multimedia consumption.
The lack of extra functionality is bad enough, but having to use just an extremely limited number of media format or resorting to converting files, which is both slow and inconvenient, is a real deal-breaker.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The video player
Luckily there are many powerful video apps in the App Store, so you shouldn't worry that your iPhone can't be a powerful video player. With the right app, it does everything you'd expect a normal device would do - play any kind of videos, with subtitles, and you can even cast it on an external display.
Music with Apple Music support
The iOS 9 music player looks a lot like the one from iOS 8 - it supports (ad-supported or ad-free) iTunes Radio and iTunes Match, as well as iCloud Music library. It syncs with your computer's iTunes library, streams from your Match and/or iCloud songs, as well.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
The Music app with Apple Music
But in case that is not enough, there's also Apple Music now. The service can replace everything music-related feature Apple has launched to date and offer you pretty much the entire music world at the tip of your fingers.
Basically Apple Music does what Google Music or any other similar service does - allows you to stream songs, add them to playlists, and build an entire music library in the cloud. You can also download those songs for offline usage and unlike Google Music, Apple Music allows you to download single songs from albums.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Beats 1 Radio • Connect with artists • My library
The search option is useful and there is a good chance you can find all of your favorite songs on Apple Music.
Apple knew it can't compete with Google Music, Spotify or Microsoft's Groove by just adding the same features, so it tries to bring you closer to your favorite artists. In addition to smart suggestions, you can follow your favorite musician and make sure you don't miss any important updates from them. Apple made it easier for both the stars and the users to share social content and that's probably the biggest advantage over the competition.
Finally, the Beats 1 radio is available 24/7 and the tracks there are chosen by real DJs, not machine algorithms. Lots of people have been hooked on this idea already.
Apple Music is priced differently in different regions and is accessible from more than 100 countries across the globe. It offers a three month long free trial, after which you have to pay between $2.99 (some Asian markets) and £9.99 (UK) depending on where you live. A $14.99/€14.99/€7.99 per month family plan is also available, and this works for up to 6 persons.
Very good audio quality, not quite the best
The Apple iPhone 6s audio output is identical to that of its predecessor. Sadly that's not very good news as last year Apple took a step back in that regard, and unfortunately it failed to patch things up now.
When plugged into an active external amplifier, the Apple iPhone 6s posted excellent scores with the rather mediocre stereo crosstalk reading being the solitary exception.
Rather impressively, there's virtually no degradation when you plug in a pair of headphones. The spike in stereo crosstalk is so limited that in comparison, the iPhone 6s fares way better here than in the first test. Granted, there are phones out there that do even better, but that will only matter to the most extreme audiophiles.
In both cases, volume levels were above average although Apple used to be class leading here too and now it's just matching most competitors and falling behind the elite. Still, the overall output is very good and would please the majority of users.
Anyway, here go the results so you can do your comparisons.
Apple iPhone 6s review: 3D (Force) Touch
3D Touch aims to be the next big thing
Currently 3D Touch gestures are available only on selected system app. You can use it on the lockscreen, the homescreen and within apps. We already talked about the lockscreen gimmick, let's see what it does on the homescreen.
Apple iPhone 6s
Force pressing on the Message icon pops up a balloon with a New Message shortcut and a short list of your most recent messaging contacts. Force clicking on the Phone app gives you a - Create New Contact key and a short list of recently contacted people.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Force Touch on Messages and Phone apps
Applying force on the Calendar pops up New Event option; on the Clock - New Alarm/Start Timer/Stopwatch; on Maps - Directions to Home, Share location, drop pin and search nearby; on the Stores - Redeem and Search; on the Camera - Take Photo, Take Selfie, Record Video and Record Slow-mo.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Force Touch on Calendar, Clock, Maps, App Store and Camera apps
Continuing on Safari - you get Show Reading List, Bookmark list, New Private tab and New tab; Mail offers shortcuts to Inbox, VIP, New message and Search; Music has Play Beats; and Notes - New Note, New Sketch and New Photo note.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Force Touch on Safari and Mail
As you can see those force taps on the homescreen are indeed useful sometimes, but are hardly something you can't live without. What really matters is what you can do within the apps with 3D Touch.
3D Touch is meant to allow you to get more content than you normally get on a screen, so that you can give it a quick glance and let it go - all of this with just one firm long press.
If you press hard on an email within the Mail app, first it will be selected by blurring all the others. Applying slightly more force will pop its contents into a balloon for you to see it. Here you can either apply more force to open the whole email, or release your finger thus you'll be back on the email list.
Finally, one of the most meaningful uses of the Force Touch is selecting text. If you do a standard tap and hold on text you'll begin scrolling through the words. And when you apply force to activate the Force Touch, you begin text selection from this very moment. This eases the entire text selection process tremendously - just scroll to your desired place and force touch from there and continue scrolling until you're done.
That's basically all of it at the moment - it's not much and certainly most of the functionality feels, if you pardon the pun, forced rather than intuitive and helpful. However, we get the feeling that Apple is simply trying to give hints to developers with those. Those are just ideas with the hope that developers will actually put the feature to great use in their apps.
Given the chance, 3D Touch may turn to be a breakthrough that will shape smartphone usage for years to come. Similar to what Apple did with multi-touch or the fingerprint sensor.
What does add more fuel to the 3D Touch fire is that other manufacturers began announcing phones with similar tech shortly before Apple's event, so there will be more companies that want to see it succeed and in turn more developers willing to give it a proper consideration.
Currently 3D Touch gestures are available only on selected system app. You can use it on the lockscreen, the homescreen and within apps. We already talked about the lockscreen gimmick, let's see what it does on the homescreen.
Apple iPhone 6s
Force pressing on the Message icon pops up a balloon with a New Message shortcut and a short list of your most recent messaging contacts. Force clicking on the Phone app gives you a - Create New Contact key and a short list of recently contacted people.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Force Touch on Messages and Phone apps
Applying force on the Calendar pops up New Event option; on the Clock - New Alarm/Start Timer/Stopwatch; on Maps - Directions to Home, Share location, drop pin and search nearby; on the Stores - Redeem and Search; on the Camera - Take Photo, Take Selfie, Record Video and Record Slow-mo.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Force Touch on Calendar, Clock, Maps, App Store and Camera apps
Continuing on Safari - you get Show Reading List, Bookmark list, New Private tab and New tab; Mail offers shortcuts to Inbox, VIP, New message and Search; Music has Play Beats; and Notes - New Note, New Sketch and New Photo note.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Force Touch on Safari and Mail
As you can see those force taps on the homescreen are indeed useful sometimes, but are hardly something you can't live without. What really matters is what you can do within the apps with 3D Touch.
3D Touch is meant to allow you to get more content than you normally get on a screen, so that you can give it a quick glance and let it go - all of this with just one firm long press.
If you press hard on an email within the Mail app, first it will be selected by blurring all the others. Applying slightly more force will pop its contents into a balloon for you to see it. Here you can either apply more force to open the whole email, or release your finger thus you'll be back on the email list.
Finally, one of the most meaningful uses of the Force Touch is selecting text. If you do a standard tap and hold on text you'll begin scrolling through the words. And when you apply force to activate the Force Touch, you begin text selection from this very moment. This eases the entire text selection process tremendously - just scroll to your desired place and force touch from there and continue scrolling until you're done.
That's basically all of it at the moment - it's not much and certainly most of the functionality feels, if you pardon the pun, forced rather than intuitive and helpful. However, we get the feeling that Apple is simply trying to give hints to developers with those. Those are just ideas with the hope that developers will actually put the feature to great use in their apps.
Given the chance, 3D Touch may turn to be a breakthrough that will shape smartphone usage for years to come. Similar to what Apple did with multi-touch or the fingerprint sensor.
What does add more fuel to the 3D Touch fire is that other manufacturers began announcing phones with similar tech shortly before Apple's event, so there will be more companies that want to see it succeed and in turn more developers willing to give it a proper consideration.
Apple iPhone 6s review: Software overview
Apple iOS 9 - some new features, lots of potential
Sticking to its usual practices, Apple unveiled the new iOS 9 in June, but at that point it didn't cause too much excitement. Looking much like iOS 8 and bringing only a handful of new features, it didn't stay in the spotlight for long.
Now, a few months later things are different - the iOS 9 biggest update wasn't mentioned at the announcement for understandable reasons - it's the support of the new 3D Touch display and the API that will be available to game and app developers. Depending on how it goes with the early adopters, this feature alone has the potential to alter the way we interact with our phones the same way the first capacitive display and the multi-touch gestures did.
Apple iPhone 6s
The support for 3D Touch allows for another level of interaction, press the screen for a bit longer (and harder). This gets you access to extra actions and contextual options and we can't wait to see how say, game developers put that to use in the months to come. We'll get back to examining Touch ID and its impact on iOS 9 in a short while, but first let's cover the basics of the new Apple platform.
iOS 9 brings a couple of new apps - News and Notes, while also enhancing Maps with public transit support. Mail and Messages got refreshed and there's a new system font. Meanwhile Siri got smarter, while Spotlight Search expanded its reach.
Visually iOS 9 looks the same as its predecessor. All of your apps are on the homescreen, you can group them in folders and there is the familiar dock that can take up to four shortcuts. System icons, color themes and transparency - everything is like we left it in iOS 8.
The lockscreen hasn't changed much either, but it now supports Live Photo wallpapers - they are either short animations or you can use one of thoseLive Photos that the iPhone 6s duo is capable of capturing. For the animation to activate, you need to press firmly on the screen, which is somewhat counterintuitive and we doubt it will be an oft used feature as nobody would really want to hard press the screen for 3 seconds just to see their lockscreen wallpaper move a bit.
The lockscreen • The homescreen • Control Center • Notification Center
The Control Center that's pulled up from the bottom of the screen keeps the same layout of toggles, shortcuts and media controls. The Notification Center drops from the top and features the same Today and Notification tabs. There are no new widgets or notification options.
The task-switcher interface loses its webOS flat cards look and opts for a cooler 3D carousel. Unfortunately, you are still able to only see just three apps, and it takes even more scrolling so we're not quite happy with this change.
The new task manager
The iPhone 6s supports quick app switching between opened apps via a Force Touch gestures. Just swipe from the far left side of the screen with a firm touch and you'll get to the app switcher. Upon choosing the app you want to go to, this gesture starts alternating your current app and the one you've selected. Say you are browsing and Facebook chatting simultaneously, you can switch between the two apps with just a firm swipe from the left. It sounds a bit complicated but it's actually quite intuitive once you try it.
The Spotlight search has been improved. You can invoke it by a downwards swipe from anywhere on the homescreen, or go to the leftmost pane. It has been updated and can now do simple calculations and conversions. It also supports finding sport scores and weather forecast information. And finally, you get shortcuts for making a call or sending a message to any of the contact results in the Spotlight searches.
The new Spotlight Search
Siri got smarter, too. In addition to all the cool stuff the intelligent assistant could do before, it can now search through your photos and videos based on dates, locations and the album names. It supports custom reminders from things you've been searching for in Safari, Mail, Notes and Messages and it got support for public transit navigation too.
Siri can be summoned anytime by saying 'Hey, Siri'
Next, there is the new pro-active assistance available system-wide, which is more or less Apple's take on Google Now - it provides relevant information to you in advance - before you start typing something or before you leave for some place (work, home).
Finally, iOS 9 extends the overall language support for Siri, Spotlight, the predictive input, dictation support, dictionaries and spell check. Siri is now available in Austrian German, Belgian French and Norwegian, while Mexico gets its proper Spotlight support.
Predictive input is now available in Belgian French, Austrian German, Gujarati, Hindi, Hinglish, Punjabi, Mexican Spanish and Telugu. Finland and Korea get spell check. Last, but not least, dictation is now available for Belgium (Dutch and French), English for Ireland, Philippines, and South Africa, Austria (German) and Spanish for Chile and Colombia.
When it comes to predictive input, iOS 9 would gradually learn the way you type and search and would eventually become a passive yet very useful assistant. This will take off some pressure of Siri and yet make your interactions with the iPhone much easier and pleasant.
Sticking to its usual practices, Apple unveiled the new iOS 9 in June, but at that point it didn't cause too much excitement. Looking much like iOS 8 and bringing only a handful of new features, it didn't stay in the spotlight for long.
Now, a few months later things are different - the iOS 9 biggest update wasn't mentioned at the announcement for understandable reasons - it's the support of the new 3D Touch display and the API that will be available to game and app developers. Depending on how it goes with the early adopters, this feature alone has the potential to alter the way we interact with our phones the same way the first capacitive display and the multi-touch gestures did.
Apple iPhone 6s
The support for 3D Touch allows for another level of interaction, press the screen for a bit longer (and harder). This gets you access to extra actions and contextual options and we can't wait to see how say, game developers put that to use in the months to come. We'll get back to examining Touch ID and its impact on iOS 9 in a short while, but first let's cover the basics of the new Apple platform.
iOS 9 brings a couple of new apps - News and Notes, while also enhancing Maps with public transit support. Mail and Messages got refreshed and there's a new system font. Meanwhile Siri got smarter, while Spotlight Search expanded its reach.
Visually iOS 9 looks the same as its predecessor. All of your apps are on the homescreen, you can group them in folders and there is the familiar dock that can take up to four shortcuts. System icons, color themes and transparency - everything is like we left it in iOS 8.
The lockscreen hasn't changed much either, but it now supports Live Photo wallpapers - they are either short animations or you can use one of thoseLive Photos that the iPhone 6s duo is capable of capturing. For the animation to activate, you need to press firmly on the screen, which is somewhat counterintuitive and we doubt it will be an oft used feature as nobody would really want to hard press the screen for 3 seconds just to see their lockscreen wallpaper move a bit.
The lockscreen • The homescreen • Control Center • Notification Center
The Control Center that's pulled up from the bottom of the screen keeps the same layout of toggles, shortcuts and media controls. The Notification Center drops from the top and features the same Today and Notification tabs. There are no new widgets or notification options.
The task-switcher interface loses its webOS flat cards look and opts for a cooler 3D carousel. Unfortunately, you are still able to only see just three apps, and it takes even more scrolling so we're not quite happy with this change.
The new task manager
The iPhone 6s supports quick app switching between opened apps via a Force Touch gestures. Just swipe from the far left side of the screen with a firm touch and you'll get to the app switcher. Upon choosing the app you want to go to, this gesture starts alternating your current app and the one you've selected. Say you are browsing and Facebook chatting simultaneously, you can switch between the two apps with just a firm swipe from the left. It sounds a bit complicated but it's actually quite intuitive once you try it.
The Spotlight search has been improved. You can invoke it by a downwards swipe from anywhere on the homescreen, or go to the leftmost pane. It has been updated and can now do simple calculations and conversions. It also supports finding sport scores and weather forecast information. And finally, you get shortcuts for making a call or sending a message to any of the contact results in the Spotlight searches.
The new Spotlight Search
Siri got smarter, too. In addition to all the cool stuff the intelligent assistant could do before, it can now search through your photos and videos based on dates, locations and the album names. It supports custom reminders from things you've been searching for in Safari, Mail, Notes and Messages and it got support for public transit navigation too.
Siri can be summoned anytime by saying 'Hey, Siri'
Next, there is the new pro-active assistance available system-wide, which is more or less Apple's take on Google Now - it provides relevant information to you in advance - before you start typing something or before you leave for some place (work, home).
Finally, iOS 9 extends the overall language support for Siri, Spotlight, the predictive input, dictation support, dictionaries and spell check. Siri is now available in Austrian German, Belgian French and Norwegian, while Mexico gets its proper Spotlight support.
Predictive input is now available in Belgian French, Austrian German, Gujarati, Hindi, Hinglish, Punjabi, Mexican Spanish and Telugu. Finland and Korea get spell check. Last, but not least, dictation is now available for Belgium (Dutch and French), English for Ireland, Philippines, and South Africa, Austria (German) and Spanish for Chile and Colombia.
When it comes to predictive input, iOS 9 would gradually learn the way you type and search and would eventually become a passive yet very useful assistant. This will take off some pressure of Siri and yet make your interactions with the iPhone much easier and pleasant.
Apple iPhone 6s review: . Display, battery life, connectivity
Display
While the display may hide an entirely new touch technology, it's still the same display in terms of size and resolution: a 4.7" unit with a resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels (that's 326ppi). It's a LED-backlit IPS LCD screen with RGB matrix.
Apple iPhone 6s
The Apple iPhone 6s display offers deeper blacks than the iPhone 6 but unfortunately, it's not as bright at its maximum setting. Nevertheless, the new generation of iPhone managed to output an overall better contrast ratio of 1481:1.
The color rendition of the screen is generally accurate with a pretty low average deltaE of 3.6 (for the primary colors plus black and white), and it's the white and reds that show a somewhat higher deviation. The white is slightly on the cooler bluish side, but nothing major and certainly not noticeable without a reference.
As usual, display colors are a matter of personal taste and perception so if you don't need calibrated color output, you will probably be quite happy with the Apple iPhone 6s screen as it is out-of-the-box.
Display test 50% brightness 100% brightness
Black, cd/m2 White, cd/m2 Contrast ratio Black, cd/m2 White, cd/m2 Contrast ratio
Apple iPhone 6 0.17 207 1230 0.61 740 1213
Apple iPhone 6s 0.10 148 1542 0.36 536 1481
Apple iPhone 5s 0.14 163 1145 0.49 596 1219
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 0.00 208 ∞ 0.00 473 ∞
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ 0.00 172 ∞ - 410 ∞
HTC One M9 0.15 175 1180 0.44 534 1221
LG G Flex2 0.00 152 ∞ 0.00 398 ∞
LG G4 0.09 108 1240 0.43 532 1238
Huawei Honor 7 0.07 89 1372 0.32 450 1398
As far as sunlight legibility is concerned, the slightly lower brightness of the iPhone 6s outs a whisker lesser score than its predecessor, the 6, but it's still among the top 20 devices in our all-time chart. This means the contrast in direct sunlight remains excellent in all cases.
Sunlight contrast ratio
Sort by LabelSort by ValueExpand
Nokia 808 PureView4.698
Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor3.879
Samsung Galaxy A83.859
Apple iPhone 63.838
Motorola Moto X (2014)3.816
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge3.799
Apple iPhone 6s3.783
Vivo X5Pro3.706
Samsung Galaxy A73.679
Oppo R53.678
Samsung Galaxy K zoom3.675
Nokia Lumia 9303.567
Samsung Galaxy mini 21.114
Battery life
The iPhone 6S is equipped with a non-removable Li-Po 1715 mAh battery, which is about 5% smaller than the one of the iPhone 6. iOS 9 introduced a Low-Power mode, which you can enable manually and should save your phone from dying faster once the charge drops below 20%.
We were eager to see how the new features will affect the battery life, especially when the battery unit got even smaller. The iPhone 6s posted very balanced score across all of our tests - it can do about 10 hours of 3G calls or video playback on a single charge, while you can browse on Wi-Fi for half a day.
Apple iPhone 6s
So, the total ratting of the iPhone 6s is 62 hours - an hour better than the iPhone 6. This means 62 hours is how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the iPhone 6s for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. Such usage pattern is of course entirely artificial, but we've established it so our battery results are comparable across devices.
Our proprietary score also includes a standby battery draw test, which is not featured in our battery test scorecard but is calculated in the total endurance rating. Our battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you want to learn more about it.
Connectivity
The Apple iPhone 6S comes with a bunch of wireless connectivity features. It supports faster LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300Mpbs down, 50Mbps up) and has even wider LTE coverage. Regular 2G and 3G connectivity is all safely covered as well with a multitude of supported network bands.
The iPhone 6S also supports the latest Voice over LTE (VoLTE), HD Voice and Wi-Fi calling protocols, but those are carrier dependent features so not everyone will enjoy them.
Compared to the iPhone 6, the 6S now upgraded Wi-Fi functionality too - it supports all the current Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac standards but doubles the theoretical speeds thanks to the use of a 2x2 MIMO antenna. AirPlay is the only way to wirelessly cast your screen's contents to an HDTV, but you'd need to have an Apple TV for that.
Additional local connectivity includes Bluetooth 4.0 LE. There is also support for NFC, but its functionality is only limited to Apple's region-restricted Apple Pay.
The iPhone 6s uses a proprietary Lightning connector for wired data transfers and charging.
There is no support for USB On-the-go or USB host but you can pair a Bluetooth keyboard to the phone should you need this sort of peripheral.
While the display may hide an entirely new touch technology, it's still the same display in terms of size and resolution: a 4.7" unit with a resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels (that's 326ppi). It's a LED-backlit IPS LCD screen with RGB matrix.
Apple iPhone 6s
The Apple iPhone 6s display offers deeper blacks than the iPhone 6 but unfortunately, it's not as bright at its maximum setting. Nevertheless, the new generation of iPhone managed to output an overall better contrast ratio of 1481:1.
The color rendition of the screen is generally accurate with a pretty low average deltaE of 3.6 (for the primary colors plus black and white), and it's the white and reds that show a somewhat higher deviation. The white is slightly on the cooler bluish side, but nothing major and certainly not noticeable without a reference.
As usual, display colors are a matter of personal taste and perception so if you don't need calibrated color output, you will probably be quite happy with the Apple iPhone 6s screen as it is out-of-the-box.
Display test 50% brightness 100% brightness
Black, cd/m2 White, cd/m2 Contrast ratio Black, cd/m2 White, cd/m2 Contrast ratio
Apple iPhone 6 0.17 207 1230 0.61 740 1213
Apple iPhone 6s 0.10 148 1542 0.36 536 1481
Apple iPhone 5s 0.14 163 1145 0.49 596 1219
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 0.00 208 ∞ 0.00 473 ∞
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ 0.00 172 ∞ - 410 ∞
HTC One M9 0.15 175 1180 0.44 534 1221
LG G Flex2 0.00 152 ∞ 0.00 398 ∞
LG G4 0.09 108 1240 0.43 532 1238
Huawei Honor 7 0.07 89 1372 0.32 450 1398
As far as sunlight legibility is concerned, the slightly lower brightness of the iPhone 6s outs a whisker lesser score than its predecessor, the 6, but it's still among the top 20 devices in our all-time chart. This means the contrast in direct sunlight remains excellent in all cases.
Sunlight contrast ratio
Sort by LabelSort by ValueExpand
Nokia 808 PureView4.698
Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor3.879
Samsung Galaxy A83.859
Apple iPhone 63.838
Motorola Moto X (2014)3.816
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge3.799
Apple iPhone 6s3.783
Vivo X5Pro3.706
Samsung Galaxy A73.679
Oppo R53.678
Samsung Galaxy K zoom3.675
Nokia Lumia 9303.567
Samsung Galaxy mini 21.114
Battery life
The iPhone 6S is equipped with a non-removable Li-Po 1715 mAh battery, which is about 5% smaller than the one of the iPhone 6. iOS 9 introduced a Low-Power mode, which you can enable manually and should save your phone from dying faster once the charge drops below 20%.
We were eager to see how the new features will affect the battery life, especially when the battery unit got even smaller. The iPhone 6s posted very balanced score across all of our tests - it can do about 10 hours of 3G calls or video playback on a single charge, while you can browse on Wi-Fi for half a day.
Apple iPhone 6s
So, the total ratting of the iPhone 6s is 62 hours - an hour better than the iPhone 6. This means 62 hours is how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the iPhone 6s for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. Such usage pattern is of course entirely artificial, but we've established it so our battery results are comparable across devices.
Our proprietary score also includes a standby battery draw test, which is not featured in our battery test scorecard but is calculated in the total endurance rating. Our battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you want to learn more about it.
Connectivity
The Apple iPhone 6S comes with a bunch of wireless connectivity features. It supports faster LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300Mpbs down, 50Mbps up) and has even wider LTE coverage. Regular 2G and 3G connectivity is all safely covered as well with a multitude of supported network bands.
The iPhone 6S also supports the latest Voice over LTE (VoLTE), HD Voice and Wi-Fi calling protocols, but those are carrier dependent features so not everyone will enjoy them.
Compared to the iPhone 6, the 6S now upgraded Wi-Fi functionality too - it supports all the current Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac standards but doubles the theoretical speeds thanks to the use of a 2x2 MIMO antenna. AirPlay is the only way to wirelessly cast your screen's contents to an HDTV, but you'd need to have an Apple TV for that.
Additional local connectivity includes Bluetooth 4.0 LE. There is also support for NFC, but its functionality is only limited to Apple's region-restricted Apple Pay.
The iPhone 6s uses a proprietary Lightning connector for wired data transfers and charging.
There is no support for USB On-the-go or USB host but you can pair a Bluetooth keyboard to the phone should you need this sort of peripheral.
Apple iPhone 6s review: Hardware overview
Unboxing the iPhone 6s
The retail package of the iPhone 6s will hardly surprise anyone. The compact cardboard box contains the device itself, a well-packed pair of EarPods, an A/C adapter and a Lightning cable.
Apple iPhone 6s retail package
The 1A charger is very compact, but it's not going to win any speed competitions - in the day and age of Quick Charge, VOOC and other quick battery topping solutions, what Apple offers is rather disappointing. And if you live in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Hong Kong, or any other country that uses the British standard then you also lose the small size perk as the adapter there is huge.
Apple iPhone 6s 360-degree spin
The new iPhone 6S, as the 's' suggests, pretty much reuses the original design and only upgrades the internals. The additions of the 3D Touch technology and the bigger camera required some minor changes though.
For one, the iPhone 6s is a tad thicker and yet had to sacrifice some battery capacity to accommodate the layer of pressure sensors in the screen. Its dimensions are 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm, compared to the original 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm. The difference is negligible but it's bad news if you had some tight-fitting cases for your iPhone 6 - they won't fit on the 6s.
What's more readily noticeable is that the iPhone 6s has gained some extra 14g of weight, again down to the pressure-sensitive layer. That's the kind of difference you can feel in your pocket and makes the phone heavier than the Galaxy S6 with its 5.1" screen.
Design and build quality
It may be an entirely different device within, but the exterior of the iPhone 6s is absolutely identical to last year's iPhone 6. Packing just 4.7 inches of screen estate it is still one of the most compact flagships on the market, but its screen-to-body ratio is rather unimpressive (read too much bezel). Apple has been reluctant to do something about that for years now and things are now getting embarrassing - there are phones with 5+" screens that have the same footprint, while phones with equally sized displays usually come in notably smaller packages.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Apple iPhone 6s
There are some good news though. The iPhone 6s unibody is cast out of 7000 series aluminum instead of last year's 6000 series and it's stronger. Latest tests revealed the iPhone 6S bends at much higher levels of pressure than the previous generation - almost triple actually. So, Apple has put bendgate firmly behind it and skinny jeans are no longer an iPhone's mortal enemy.
The front is covered by an ion-strengthened glass with oleophobic coating - those are pretty much the same specs as in the previous iPhone models and mean the glass is scratch and smudge resistant. The Ion-X glass creates the so-called 2.5D effect thanks to its rounded edge. By the way, Apple claims the new special ion-exchange process makes it the most durable screen glass among smartphones today, but early drop test didn't provide conclusive evidence for that.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Apple iPhone 6s
So, higher-grade durable glass and aluminum alloy should improve the overall resilience of the phone. It still lacks water and dust resistance, but seeing how Sony is changing its policy on those and Samsung gave up on it for the Galaxy S6 this is less of a disadvantage now than it was last year.
The back of the iPhone 6s is familiar - mostly aluminum, with two plastic bands covering the antennas and a slightly protruding camera ring. The new 12MP sensor is still protected by a small piece of sapphire glass, so you should worry more about scratching your wooden desk rather than damaging the camera piece.
Extra heft might have made carrying it a bit harder, but handling the iPhone 6s is pretty much the same pleasing experience. The phone feels great in hand thanks to the premium materials and finish but you still need to be extra careful as the thin and rounded edges don't have the best grip.
Handling the iPhone 6s
Controls
The iPhone 6S has the same control set as its predecessor. Above the display is where the earpiece, a couple of sensors and the new 5MP selfie camera are.
While the front facer doesn't come with a LED flash, Apple make up for it by letting you use the screen as one. If you turn on the so-called Retina flash the entire screen will light up in white and provide some extra light as long as you keep close to it. It's something we've seen other manufactufrers do for a few years now, but Apple went a step further and gave the backlighting a brightness boost of up to 300% compared to the usual maximum.
A peek above and below the display
Below the display is the Home button, which also hosts the refined Touch ID sensor. It's noticeably faster than before. About time too! Although Apple brought the technology back from the dead, it's among the last to improve the performance of the sensor. In an ideal world we would have also got an always on mode so you don't have to press the button and wake the phone, but even so the iPhone 6s still has one of the better working solutions on the market.
The volume keys and the silencer are on the left, while the power/lock key and the nano-SIM tray are on the right as usual.
The retail package of the iPhone 6s will hardly surprise anyone. The compact cardboard box contains the device itself, a well-packed pair of EarPods, an A/C adapter and a Lightning cable.
Apple iPhone 6s retail package
The 1A charger is very compact, but it's not going to win any speed competitions - in the day and age of Quick Charge, VOOC and other quick battery topping solutions, what Apple offers is rather disappointing. And if you live in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Hong Kong, or any other country that uses the British standard then you also lose the small size perk as the adapter there is huge.
Apple iPhone 6s 360-degree spin
The new iPhone 6S, as the 's' suggests, pretty much reuses the original design and only upgrades the internals. The additions of the 3D Touch technology and the bigger camera required some minor changes though.
For one, the iPhone 6s is a tad thicker and yet had to sacrifice some battery capacity to accommodate the layer of pressure sensors in the screen. Its dimensions are 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm, compared to the original 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm. The difference is negligible but it's bad news if you had some tight-fitting cases for your iPhone 6 - they won't fit on the 6s.
What's more readily noticeable is that the iPhone 6s has gained some extra 14g of weight, again down to the pressure-sensitive layer. That's the kind of difference you can feel in your pocket and makes the phone heavier than the Galaxy S6 with its 5.1" screen.
Design and build quality
It may be an entirely different device within, but the exterior of the iPhone 6s is absolutely identical to last year's iPhone 6. Packing just 4.7 inches of screen estate it is still one of the most compact flagships on the market, but its screen-to-body ratio is rather unimpressive (read too much bezel). Apple has been reluctant to do something about that for years now and things are now getting embarrassing - there are phones with 5+" screens that have the same footprint, while phones with equally sized displays usually come in notably smaller packages.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Apple iPhone 6s
There are some good news though. The iPhone 6s unibody is cast out of 7000 series aluminum instead of last year's 6000 series and it's stronger. Latest tests revealed the iPhone 6S bends at much higher levels of pressure than the previous generation - almost triple actually. So, Apple has put bendgate firmly behind it and skinny jeans are no longer an iPhone's mortal enemy.
The front is covered by an ion-strengthened glass with oleophobic coating - those are pretty much the same specs as in the previous iPhone models and mean the glass is scratch and smudge resistant. The Ion-X glass creates the so-called 2.5D effect thanks to its rounded edge. By the way, Apple claims the new special ion-exchange process makes it the most durable screen glass among smartphones today, but early drop test didn't provide conclusive evidence for that.
Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s Apple iPhone 6s
Apple iPhone 6s
So, higher-grade durable glass and aluminum alloy should improve the overall resilience of the phone. It still lacks water and dust resistance, but seeing how Sony is changing its policy on those and Samsung gave up on it for the Galaxy S6 this is less of a disadvantage now than it was last year.
The back of the iPhone 6s is familiar - mostly aluminum, with two plastic bands covering the antennas and a slightly protruding camera ring. The new 12MP sensor is still protected by a small piece of sapphire glass, so you should worry more about scratching your wooden desk rather than damaging the camera piece.
Extra heft might have made carrying it a bit harder, but handling the iPhone 6s is pretty much the same pleasing experience. The phone feels great in hand thanks to the premium materials and finish but you still need to be extra careful as the thin and rounded edges don't have the best grip.
Handling the iPhone 6s
Controls
The iPhone 6S has the same control set as its predecessor. Above the display is where the earpiece, a couple of sensors and the new 5MP selfie camera are.
While the front facer doesn't come with a LED flash, Apple make up for it by letting you use the screen as one. If you turn on the so-called Retina flash the entire screen will light up in white and provide some extra light as long as you keep close to it. It's something we've seen other manufactufrers do for a few years now, but Apple went a step further and gave the backlighting a brightness boost of up to 300% compared to the usual maximum.
A peek above and below the display
Below the display is the Home button, which also hosts the refined Touch ID sensor. It's noticeably faster than before. About time too! Although Apple brought the technology back from the dead, it's among the last to improve the performance of the sensor. In an ideal world we would have also got an always on mode so you don't have to press the button and wake the phone, but even so the iPhone 6s still has one of the better working solutions on the market.
The volume keys and the silencer are on the left, while the power/lock key and the nano-SIM tray are on the right as usual.
Apple iPhone 6s Review
Introduction
The more it changes, the harder it becomes to see the difference. And you know, it's not about Apple and the iPhone at all. It's where the industry has been heading for a while now. In the race for screen size and processing power, the major makers' flagships are like pro athletes finishing within milliseconds of each other. To get an extra edge, manufacturers will go in lots of directions - such as water proofing, bigger and sharper selfies, wireless charging, curved or borderless screens, whatnot.
A certain type of players would rather lose than be in a crowd of winners. Others don't even play games they can't win. We guess we all know where Apple stands on this.
With a single iPhone a year - two as of late - Apple is the kid that skips classes but aces the tests. The wild card player that goes on to win the tournament. The team that doesn't play qualifiers but goes to the world cup.
Wouldn't we all do less and make more? There goes the iPhone 6S, off to a familiar start. The same on the outside but trying to pose as the most important iPhone since the first one ever released.
Apple iPhone 6s
The new iPhone, being an S model, naturally comes with more power under the hood, but also brings the long awaited camera upgrade. The main camera now uses a 12MP sensor capable of 4K video recording as well as 1080p at 120fps, there is a brand new 5MP selfie camera too. And, it's the same screen size and resolution but we think it's exactly what Apple meant with "the only thing that's changed is everything".
Key features
4.7" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS LCD of 750 x 1334px resolution, 326ppi
3D Touch technology recognizes levels of pressure, brand new Taptic engine for better feedback
Apple iOS 9
Dual-core 1.8 GHz Twister 64-bit CPU,PowerVR GT7600 GPU, 2GB of RAM, Apple A9 SoC
12MP F/2.2 camera with 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 in 16, 64, and 128GB of built-in storage
Second-gen Touch ID fingerprint sensor
4G LTE Cat.6 (300Mbps); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.2; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS; NFC (Apple Pay only)
1,715 mAh battery, new Power saving mode
Main disadvantages
No microSD slot
Pricey memory upgrades, 32GB version should be standard for such an expensive phone
Protruding camera lens makes the phone wobble
Lacks the optical image stabilization of the iPhone 6s Plus
NFC functionality limited to Apple Pay
No wireless charging, an infrared port, or FM radio
No enhanced resistance to liquids or dust
No user-replaceable battery
The first iPhone heralded the arrival of capacitive displays and multi-touch technology. The iPhone 6S is the first to have 3D touch - a screen technology that recognizes different levels of pressure for an extra dimension of interaction with a device.
A late tribute perhaps to resistive screens, which Apple itself sent to their doom. Not a particularly scientific statement although resistive technology did rely on actual pressure to work. Good enough for anyone with a penchant for the dramatic.
But if we are to stick to the facts, the iPhone 6s isn't the company's first device with a pressure-aware display, the Apple Watch is. Plus, phones like the Huawei Mate S and the ZTE Axon mini do deserve at least a mention as well. Anyway, this only highlights the difference between Apple and the rest. Cupertino has the habit - and in all fairness, the capability - to pick a niche technology and make it mainstream.
Apple iPhone 6s
So, the pressure aware display and improved imaging are the big news about the iPhone 6S. We've pretty much come to take the next OS and chipset version for granted.
Sure, we all know better than to expect a memory card slot and access to the battery, but we just can't agree with Apple's decision to stick with the 16GB option as base instead of 32GB, which is actually not offered at all. 4K videos and the live photos (with sound) will clearly need more space than before. Not only that but Apple is actually charging slightly more in Europe for the base version of its latest iPhone.
Apple iPhone 6s
And we can put it down as a typical Apple quirk that they snubbed things like water resistance and wireless charging but somehow couldn't resist the selfie thing. Oh well, there'll be more of those as we go. Our 64GB iPhone 6s is popping out of the box right after the jump.
The more it changes, the harder it becomes to see the difference. And you know, it's not about Apple and the iPhone at all. It's where the industry has been heading for a while now. In the race for screen size and processing power, the major makers' flagships are like pro athletes finishing within milliseconds of each other. To get an extra edge, manufacturers will go in lots of directions - such as water proofing, bigger and sharper selfies, wireless charging, curved or borderless screens, whatnot.
A certain type of players would rather lose than be in a crowd of winners. Others don't even play games they can't win. We guess we all know where Apple stands on this.
With a single iPhone a year - two as of late - Apple is the kid that skips classes but aces the tests. The wild card player that goes on to win the tournament. The team that doesn't play qualifiers but goes to the world cup.
Wouldn't we all do less and make more? There goes the iPhone 6S, off to a familiar start. The same on the outside but trying to pose as the most important iPhone since the first one ever released.
Apple iPhone 6s
The new iPhone, being an S model, naturally comes with more power under the hood, but also brings the long awaited camera upgrade. The main camera now uses a 12MP sensor capable of 4K video recording as well as 1080p at 120fps, there is a brand new 5MP selfie camera too. And, it's the same screen size and resolution but we think it's exactly what Apple meant with "the only thing that's changed is everything".
Key features
4.7" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS LCD of 750 x 1334px resolution, 326ppi
3D Touch technology recognizes levels of pressure, brand new Taptic engine for better feedback
Apple iOS 9
Dual-core 1.8 GHz Twister 64-bit CPU,PowerVR GT7600 GPU, 2GB of RAM, Apple A9 SoC
12MP F/2.2 camera with 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 in 16, 64, and 128GB of built-in storage
Second-gen Touch ID fingerprint sensor
4G LTE Cat.6 (300Mbps); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.2; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS; NFC (Apple Pay only)
1,715 mAh battery, new Power saving mode
Main disadvantages
No microSD slot
Pricey memory upgrades, 32GB version should be standard for such an expensive phone
Protruding camera lens makes the phone wobble
Lacks the optical image stabilization of the iPhone 6s Plus
NFC functionality limited to Apple Pay
No wireless charging, an infrared port, or FM radio
No enhanced resistance to liquids or dust
No user-replaceable battery
The first iPhone heralded the arrival of capacitive displays and multi-touch technology. The iPhone 6S is the first to have 3D touch - a screen technology that recognizes different levels of pressure for an extra dimension of interaction with a device.
A late tribute perhaps to resistive screens, which Apple itself sent to their doom. Not a particularly scientific statement although resistive technology did rely on actual pressure to work. Good enough for anyone with a penchant for the dramatic.
But if we are to stick to the facts, the iPhone 6s isn't the company's first device with a pressure-aware display, the Apple Watch is. Plus, phones like the Huawei Mate S and the ZTE Axon mini do deserve at least a mention as well. Anyway, this only highlights the difference between Apple and the rest. Cupertino has the habit - and in all fairness, the capability - to pick a niche technology and make it mainstream.
Apple iPhone 6s
So, the pressure aware display and improved imaging are the big news about the iPhone 6S. We've pretty much come to take the next OS and chipset version for granted.
Sure, we all know better than to expect a memory card slot and access to the battery, but we just can't agree with Apple's decision to stick with the 16GB option as base instead of 32GB, which is actually not offered at all. 4K videos and the live photos (with sound) will clearly need more space than before. Not only that but Apple is actually charging slightly more in Europe for the base version of its latest iPhone.
Apple iPhone 6s
And we can put it down as a typical Apple quirk that they snubbed things like water resistance and wireless charging but somehow couldn't resist the selfie thing. Oh well, there'll be more of those as we go. Our 64GB iPhone 6s is popping out of the box right after the jump.
iPhone 6S review: Verdict
I saw in a recent BuzzFeed interview that Tim Cook bristled at the idea that the iPhone followed a 'tick-tock' release schedule for its phones, and that we're firmly in the 'tock' phase.
He preferred to say that the iPhone 6S is a 'significant change', and the tagline of 'The only thing that's changed is everything' shows that Apple really wants the world to think of the iPhone 6S as powerful phone in its own right.
And it is. This is Apple we're talking about, and it has so many fans that no matter what phone is released from the factory, it'll be considered as many people's next upgrade.
Because, for all the power and style of Android handsets, they've still not matched the subtle, refined feeling you get from using the iPhone, the confidence that the apps will work better than anywhere else, that you'll experience fewer crashes, that everything will function as you expect it to.
iPhone 6S review
That doesn't mean everyone has to like the iPhone, but it's easy to see why the fans need a really big push to leave the ecosystem and jump to Android.
We liked
Tim Cook called the iPhone 6S' 3D Touch a game-changer, and I'm inclined to agree. It's already becoming second nature to use it, and that's with only a couple of weeks' use.
The native apps are already using the system well, and it's quickly becoming a fun game to work out where things allow you get little previews or offer shortcuts without needing to leave the app itself. But when developers get their hands on the power, I can see some really clever apps and games emerging - and that will give a real lead over the Android versions.
The rest of the things I liked are baked into the iPhone itself, and always have been. I appreciate the strong and usable camera, giving great snaps no matter what kind of pics you're trying to take - and the sharpness has been upped this year too.
The overall design of the phone is strong, as it was in the iPhone 6, and I still like the feeling of holding the ceramic back of the 6 or 6S - it just feels great in the palm.
We disliked
The battery life of the iPhone 6S leaves a lot to be desired - and while I'm a big fan of 3D Touch, I'm not sure that I'm happy with the fact I have to accept lower battery longevity to have the privilege.
If Apple ever launches a smaller phone with the kind of battery life the iPhone 6S Plus offers, then it's going to have a smash hit on its hands, which makes it all the more confusing that the brand hasn't decided to bring something like that out already.
iPhone 6S review
While it's stupid to be disappointed by something so obvious, the fact the iPhone 6S is identical (in design terms) to last year's model still irks.
If only the screen had ben upgraded, or the battery life lengthened through a larger power pack in there, it would be something to cling onto.
But instead we're left with a phone that's hard to explain to users who want to know what's good about the new phone when it looks so similar - there are only so many ways you can talk up 3D Touch.
Verdict
Apple's idea that 'The only thing that's changed is everything' seems instantly to be a bit of misnomer. Yes, on paper you can point to a lot of things: improved structure, new interface method, Live Photos, a sharper camera, a more powerful engine, but in reality only 3D Touch offers a significant upgrade.
The iPhone 6S is a long way from a bad phone because, simply, it's an iPhone. That's not me saying that anything Apple does it going to be great, but the reason so many people fall over themselves to get the new iPhone is because they know it will be a solid experience with very intelligent interface touches and a great app store, coupled with a great camera. To many, that's all they need.
But being part of the Apple experience comes at a high price - literally. It's still one of, if not the, most expensive flagship phones on the market, and as such needs to impress in every way, which the iPhone 6S doesn't quite do. The iPhone 6 remains on sale at a lower price, and the difference between it and Apple's latest phone is negligible.
If you're desperate to get a new iPhone, and can afford it, I'd recommend the new iPhone 6S wholeheartedly, especially if you're jumping from a 5S. It's got a great interface that's only going to get better, and the overall package is still excellent.
However, if you're a little more thrifty (and still in the Apple camp) then perhaps the iPhone 6 will suit your needs a little more adequately - you're not losing a lot and still getting a great phone.
It's only because last year's model was so impressive that the iPhone 6S gets four stars - it needed a massive leap forward to eclipse that model, but it's still a great phone in its own right.
He preferred to say that the iPhone 6S is a 'significant change', and the tagline of 'The only thing that's changed is everything' shows that Apple really wants the world to think of the iPhone 6S as powerful phone in its own right.
And it is. This is Apple we're talking about, and it has so many fans that no matter what phone is released from the factory, it'll be considered as many people's next upgrade.
Because, for all the power and style of Android handsets, they've still not matched the subtle, refined feeling you get from using the iPhone, the confidence that the apps will work better than anywhere else, that you'll experience fewer crashes, that everything will function as you expect it to.
iPhone 6S review
That doesn't mean everyone has to like the iPhone, but it's easy to see why the fans need a really big push to leave the ecosystem and jump to Android.
We liked
Tim Cook called the iPhone 6S' 3D Touch a game-changer, and I'm inclined to agree. It's already becoming second nature to use it, and that's with only a couple of weeks' use.
The native apps are already using the system well, and it's quickly becoming a fun game to work out where things allow you get little previews or offer shortcuts without needing to leave the app itself. But when developers get their hands on the power, I can see some really clever apps and games emerging - and that will give a real lead over the Android versions.
The rest of the things I liked are baked into the iPhone itself, and always have been. I appreciate the strong and usable camera, giving great snaps no matter what kind of pics you're trying to take - and the sharpness has been upped this year too.
The overall design of the phone is strong, as it was in the iPhone 6, and I still like the feeling of holding the ceramic back of the 6 or 6S - it just feels great in the palm.
We disliked
The battery life of the iPhone 6S leaves a lot to be desired - and while I'm a big fan of 3D Touch, I'm not sure that I'm happy with the fact I have to accept lower battery longevity to have the privilege.
If Apple ever launches a smaller phone with the kind of battery life the iPhone 6S Plus offers, then it's going to have a smash hit on its hands, which makes it all the more confusing that the brand hasn't decided to bring something like that out already.
iPhone 6S review
While it's stupid to be disappointed by something so obvious, the fact the iPhone 6S is identical (in design terms) to last year's model still irks.
If only the screen had ben upgraded, or the battery life lengthened through a larger power pack in there, it would be something to cling onto.
But instead we're left with a phone that's hard to explain to users who want to know what's good about the new phone when it looks so similar - there are only so many ways you can talk up 3D Touch.
Verdict
Apple's idea that 'The only thing that's changed is everything' seems instantly to be a bit of misnomer. Yes, on paper you can point to a lot of things: improved structure, new interface method, Live Photos, a sharper camera, a more powerful engine, but in reality only 3D Touch offers a significant upgrade.
The iPhone 6S is a long way from a bad phone because, simply, it's an iPhone. That's not me saying that anything Apple does it going to be great, but the reason so many people fall over themselves to get the new iPhone is because they know it will be a solid experience with very intelligent interface touches and a great app store, coupled with a great camera. To many, that's all they need.
But being part of the Apple experience comes at a high price - literally. It's still one of, if not the, most expensive flagship phones on the market, and as such needs to impress in every way, which the iPhone 6S doesn't quite do. The iPhone 6 remains on sale at a lower price, and the difference between it and Apple's latest phone is negligible.
If you're desperate to get a new iPhone, and can afford it, I'd recommend the new iPhone 6S wholeheartedly, especially if you're jumping from a 5S. It's got a great interface that's only going to get better, and the overall package is still excellent.
However, if you're a little more thrifty (and still in the Apple camp) then perhaps the iPhone 6 will suit your needs a little more adequately - you're not losing a lot and still getting a great phone.
It's only because last year's model was so impressive that the iPhone 6S gets four stars - it needed a massive leap forward to eclipse that model, but it's still a great phone in its own right.
The more it changes… Apple iPhone 6s review
As per usual, the iPhone has launched into a saturated market when it comes to top end smartphones. This year it's the return to form of Samsung, the same low-cost offering from LG and an impressive option from Sony, all costing the same or less as this new iPhone 6S. So is it worth more than the competition?
Samsung Galaxy S6
Galaxy S6
The obvious competitor here is the Samsung Galaxy S6, the phone that's sweeping the awards (well, the more attractive Galaxy S6 Edge is) thanks to its potent combination of improved design, great camera and stunning screen.
The latter two are the biggest challengers to Apple's crown of best phone in the world, as the iPhone definitely needed a more impressive screen this time around if it had hopes of being seen as a decent phone in its own right, and not just the 'S' incarnation of last year's model.
Those looking at the Galaxy S6 will probably be drawn to the high-res screen and the sheer power of the camera - with the latter feature offering not only a stunning automatic mode, but reams of options for those looking to get a little more creative, letting you do things like change the focal length and mess with the colour saturation settings.
It's very much a question of taste though: do you prefer powerful simplicity or refined ability? The phone that's been evolving quietly for years, or Samsung's reboot after the boredom of the Galaxy S5?
Both of these are great phones, and while the Samsung is a few months older, it's about to get the latest version of Android and the price has come down rather nicely of late.
LG G4
LG's been quietly getting on with its business for the last few years, clawing its way out of the smartphone doldrums it found itself in when it realised that nobody cared about sweet-sounding feature phones any more.
The LG G2 was the first phone that put it back on the map, with a great screen and excellent battery life. It's traded in the amazing power performance for a much higher-res screen since then, but the G4 is still an iconic phone - not least because it's offered with a leather back. Yes, leather.
It's about as far from the iPhone as you can get: a handset with either plastic or leather back, a pin sharp screen and a removable battery with microSD card slot. However, it's also really rather cheap, coming in at two thirds the price of the iPhone 6S and yet still offering a premium experience (especially from the camera).
Sony Xperia Z5
The Sony Xperia Z5 is another evolutionary device from the Japanese firm, and it shows with this handset. What's impressive is the camera though: with a 0.03 second autofocus it will give pin sharp photos nearly every time, no matter how much you whirl the phone around.
The chassis has been upgraded once more, and while it's a little bit on the bland side (as is the interface) it's certainly refined and offers a snappy performance from a phone fill with all kinds of Sony smarts, from PlayStation Remote Play to Bravia technology powering the screen.
It's not the cheapest phone out, nor is it the most expensive. This is a middle of the road phone with an amazing camera and decent speed. Oh, and it's waterproof too, for all those worried about throwing their pride and joy in the toilet.
Read our Sony Xperia Z5 review
HTC One M9
HTC One M9
It's a sign of how far HTC has fallen this year that this phone nearly wasn't considered competition to the iPhone 6S. However, the design of this Android-powered smartphone can't be overlooked, as it really is jewellery grade in its construction.
It still has all the same elements that made the One M8 the best phone of 2014, including BoomSound and the strong Sense UI, which is probably the most entertaining Android overlay on the market. However, the camera upgrade failed to impress and the similarity to last year's phone made it a tough sell, despite some good upgrades to the innards.
It's not unfair to say that this, too, is an 'S' variant of a popular 2014 phone - but it's cheaper than the iPhone 6S and to some, a bit better constructed.
Read our HTC One M9 review
iPhone 6
iPhone 6
If you're not into Android and drawn to the Galaxy S6, then the iPhone 6 should be the biggest challenger to the iPhone for you. The new model adds some things to the mix, but not enough to make it really distinct. The iPhone 6 still has a mega camera, possibly even better battery life and the same screen and chassis design... and it's lighter.
The only real things it lacks are the 3D Touch interface (which is really missed when you return to using this phone) and the Live Photos - and you can certainly live without the latter.
The price is a lot lower nowadays for this phone, and it will almost certainly be performing just fine when iOS 11 flutters into view
Samsung Galaxy S6
Galaxy S6
The obvious competitor here is the Samsung Galaxy S6, the phone that's sweeping the awards (well, the more attractive Galaxy S6 Edge is) thanks to its potent combination of improved design, great camera and stunning screen.
The latter two are the biggest challengers to Apple's crown of best phone in the world, as the iPhone definitely needed a more impressive screen this time around if it had hopes of being seen as a decent phone in its own right, and not just the 'S' incarnation of last year's model.
Those looking at the Galaxy S6 will probably be drawn to the high-res screen and the sheer power of the camera - with the latter feature offering not only a stunning automatic mode, but reams of options for those looking to get a little more creative, letting you do things like change the focal length and mess with the colour saturation settings.
It's very much a question of taste though: do you prefer powerful simplicity or refined ability? The phone that's been evolving quietly for years, or Samsung's reboot after the boredom of the Galaxy S5?
Both of these are great phones, and while the Samsung is a few months older, it's about to get the latest version of Android and the price has come down rather nicely of late.
LG G4
LG's been quietly getting on with its business for the last few years, clawing its way out of the smartphone doldrums it found itself in when it realised that nobody cared about sweet-sounding feature phones any more.
The LG G2 was the first phone that put it back on the map, with a great screen and excellent battery life. It's traded in the amazing power performance for a much higher-res screen since then, but the G4 is still an iconic phone - not least because it's offered with a leather back. Yes, leather.
It's about as far from the iPhone as you can get: a handset with either plastic or leather back, a pin sharp screen and a removable battery with microSD card slot. However, it's also really rather cheap, coming in at two thirds the price of the iPhone 6S and yet still offering a premium experience (especially from the camera).
Sony Xperia Z5
The Sony Xperia Z5 is another evolutionary device from the Japanese firm, and it shows with this handset. What's impressive is the camera though: with a 0.03 second autofocus it will give pin sharp photos nearly every time, no matter how much you whirl the phone around.
The chassis has been upgraded once more, and while it's a little bit on the bland side (as is the interface) it's certainly refined and offers a snappy performance from a phone fill with all kinds of Sony smarts, from PlayStation Remote Play to Bravia technology powering the screen.
It's not the cheapest phone out, nor is it the most expensive. This is a middle of the road phone with an amazing camera and decent speed. Oh, and it's waterproof too, for all those worried about throwing their pride and joy in the toilet.
Read our Sony Xperia Z5 review
HTC One M9
HTC One M9
It's a sign of how far HTC has fallen this year that this phone nearly wasn't considered competition to the iPhone 6S. However, the design of this Android-powered smartphone can't be overlooked, as it really is jewellery grade in its construction.
It still has all the same elements that made the One M8 the best phone of 2014, including BoomSound and the strong Sense UI, which is probably the most entertaining Android overlay on the market. However, the camera upgrade failed to impress and the similarity to last year's phone made it a tough sell, despite some good upgrades to the innards.
It's not unfair to say that this, too, is an 'S' variant of a popular 2014 phone - but it's cheaper than the iPhone 6S and to some, a bit better constructed.
Read our HTC One M9 review
iPhone 6
iPhone 6
If you're not into Android and drawn to the Galaxy S6, then the iPhone 6 should be the biggest challenger to the iPhone for you. The new model adds some things to the mix, but not enough to make it really distinct. The iPhone 6 still has a mega camera, possibly even better battery life and the same screen and chassis design... and it's lighter.
The only real things it lacks are the 3D Touch interface (which is really missed when you return to using this phone) and the Live Photos - and you can certainly live without the latter.
The price is a lot lower nowadays for this phone, and it will almost certainly be performing just fine when iOS 11 flutters into view
iPhone 6S review: movie and music
The iPhone is still one of the better devices out there for watching films on, but mostly because the integration with the iTunes store is so strong.
While Google Play is getting to a similar level, there's something about the ease with which one can download a whole array of films or fill in missing TV series that makes me drawn to Apple's option when it comes to getting the latest movies.
And watching them on the iPhone 6S is pretty darn good too, thanks to the aforementioned laminated glass. The resolution might not be top notch on the screen, but the overall quality when watching downloaded or streamed content (either from the iTunes Store, Netflix or even YouTube) is really something to behold.
iPhone 6S review
Thanks to the lightweight chassis that Apple's hell-bent on adding into every device it makes, the experience of holding the iPhone 6S for an extended period isn't a horrid one. The screen feels a touch small, but that's just all about perception.
There was a time not that long ago where a 4.7-inch display would have been the perfect size for watching movies on, but now we've been spoilt by both tablets and the larger-screened phablets, and the 750p resolution on something of this size just feels a little too dinky for slurping down too many series in a row.
However, it's a great trade off when it comes to getting a phone that you can toss in a pocket and not think about sticking out the end, so unless you're desperate to improve your commute with the entire James Bond series (which I would doff my cap to you for) then this phone will probably suit you just fine.
It's interesting that the 3D Touch system hasn't been integrated into the movie watching experience - on the MacBook you can use Force Touch (which is pretty much the same thing, but likely with fewer sensors) to decide the level of scrubbing speed depending on the pressure you apply.
It's not a big deal, but it's something that would have been nice to see on the new iPhone.
Music - well, Apple Music
The audio capabilities of the iPhone 6S are, once again, really rather brilliant - and as loathe as I am to admit it, really augmented by Apple Music. I only say loathe because I'm getting tired with the amount of streaming services available at the moment, not because it's a poor service.
I'm yet to be convinced by Beats 1 as a radio station (I've got loads I'm already into based on specific genres, rather than the pick 'n' mix attitude of Zane Lowe and chums) but the range and catalogue on offer is strong from Apple. The curated playlists perhaps aren't in the same league as Spotify, but it's when you use Siri to get you some tunes that things really start to pick up.
Saying 'Siri, I want to hear the latest EDM tunes ' will result in the voice-powered asisstant popping off to the Apple Music app for you and starting something playing instantly (although in this case, it gave me the Spiderman 2 theme).
iPhone 6S review
It's great for when you're out running and want to change the genre, or fancy a certain song suddenly, and takes away the horrible choice of having to stop and look at your phone or carry on and try to do it on the fly.
In terms of the actual music player itself, well, Apple Music has made it a little confusing. Yes, your own MP3s are stored there just fine, but they're tucked away in the corner, with things like Artists you can follow being shoved down your throat beforehand.
I feel almost guilty for disliking that - there's part of me that can't help but buy into any service that plays on how cool liking music is, and as someone who's really, really into Girls Aloud and Basshunter, I've never really felt like part of the crew. I wonder if following artst will make things feel a little bit cooler, that I might start getting into Motown or Jazz from 1950s... but there's something about terrible dance pop that keeps drawing me back in.
At least Apple still caters for me.
I can't see myself stepping too far from my Spotify subscription though when the Apple Music trial ends - with so many playlists and the excellent Discover Weekly on the go, I prefer to get my music from there, and the quality through a decent pair of headphones on the iPhone is superb.
Speaking of headphones, there's a new feature of iOS that I'm really into: when you connect a pair of wired or wireless headphones, the lock screen will show you your favourite music app so you can get the most out of your music.
What's impressive is how intelligent this service is - working out that Bluetooth headphones mean running and thus I want Spotify, while wired options will generally see me listening to my favourite podcasts.
That's the kind of smarts I want to see from my phones, and it's good to see Apple matching Google Now in terms of helping you save a few taps on your phone's screen.
While Google Play is getting to a similar level, there's something about the ease with which one can download a whole array of films or fill in missing TV series that makes me drawn to Apple's option when it comes to getting the latest movies.
And watching them on the iPhone 6S is pretty darn good too, thanks to the aforementioned laminated glass. The resolution might not be top notch on the screen, but the overall quality when watching downloaded or streamed content (either from the iTunes Store, Netflix or even YouTube) is really something to behold.
iPhone 6S review
Thanks to the lightweight chassis that Apple's hell-bent on adding into every device it makes, the experience of holding the iPhone 6S for an extended period isn't a horrid one. The screen feels a touch small, but that's just all about perception.
There was a time not that long ago where a 4.7-inch display would have been the perfect size for watching movies on, but now we've been spoilt by both tablets and the larger-screened phablets, and the 750p resolution on something of this size just feels a little too dinky for slurping down too many series in a row.
However, it's a great trade off when it comes to getting a phone that you can toss in a pocket and not think about sticking out the end, so unless you're desperate to improve your commute with the entire James Bond series (which I would doff my cap to you for) then this phone will probably suit you just fine.
It's interesting that the 3D Touch system hasn't been integrated into the movie watching experience - on the MacBook you can use Force Touch (which is pretty much the same thing, but likely with fewer sensors) to decide the level of scrubbing speed depending on the pressure you apply.
It's not a big deal, but it's something that would have been nice to see on the new iPhone.
Music - well, Apple Music
The audio capabilities of the iPhone 6S are, once again, really rather brilliant - and as loathe as I am to admit it, really augmented by Apple Music. I only say loathe because I'm getting tired with the amount of streaming services available at the moment, not because it's a poor service.
I'm yet to be convinced by Beats 1 as a radio station (I've got loads I'm already into based on specific genres, rather than the pick 'n' mix attitude of Zane Lowe and chums) but the range and catalogue on offer is strong from Apple. The curated playlists perhaps aren't in the same league as Spotify, but it's when you use Siri to get you some tunes that things really start to pick up.
Saying 'Siri, I want to hear the latest EDM tunes ' will result in the voice-powered asisstant popping off to the Apple Music app for you and starting something playing instantly (although in this case, it gave me the Spiderman 2 theme).
iPhone 6S review
It's great for when you're out running and want to change the genre, or fancy a certain song suddenly, and takes away the horrible choice of having to stop and look at your phone or carry on and try to do it on the fly.
In terms of the actual music player itself, well, Apple Music has made it a little confusing. Yes, your own MP3s are stored there just fine, but they're tucked away in the corner, with things like Artists you can follow being shoved down your throat beforehand.
I feel almost guilty for disliking that - there's part of me that can't help but buy into any service that plays on how cool liking music is, and as someone who's really, really into Girls Aloud and Basshunter, I've never really felt like part of the crew. I wonder if following artst will make things feel a little bit cooler, that I might start getting into Motown or Jazz from 1950s... but there's something about terrible dance pop that keeps drawing me back in.
At least Apple still caters for me.
I can't see myself stepping too far from my Spotify subscription though when the Apple Music trial ends - with so many playlists and the excellent Discover Weekly on the go, I prefer to get my music from there, and the quality through a decent pair of headphones on the iPhone is superb.
Speaking of headphones, there's a new feature of iOS that I'm really into: when you connect a pair of wired or wireless headphones, the lock screen will show you your favourite music app so you can get the most out of your music.
What's impressive is how intelligent this service is - working out that Bluetooth headphones mean running and thus I want Spotify, while wired options will generally see me listening to my favourite podcasts.
That's the kind of smarts I want to see from my phones, and it's good to see Apple matching Google Now in terms of helping you save a few taps on your phone's screen.
iPhone 6S review: The battery life in the iPhone 6
The battery life in the iPhone 6 was finally not terrible and while the iPhone 6S hasn't really pushed that ability on any further, it's still in the mix with the top smartphones on the market.
That doesn't mean it has stellar battery life by any stretch though, as it will still struggle to last the day. It's only saved by the fact that most of the other top phones - the Samsung Galaxy S6, the HTC One M9 and the LG G4 - all can't manage the same thing either, the handsets all desperately trying to fire more pixels in the screen or update more apps to provide a richer experience.
What is cool is that Apple now provides more info as to what's going on behind the scenes with the battery. Not only does it tell you what's been nabbing all your power in the last 24 hours / week, but it will also tell you how much of that was background and foreground effort.
iPhone 6S review
That means if you see Facebook is taking most of your battery and constantly updating when you're not looking, you can disable it to get back that life (and not really lose much functionality).
Or perhaps it's an app that's acting up - if so, delete it and reinstall and you'll probably find it behaves itself much better the next time around. You understand that apps you're looking at all day long drain the battery - anything on the screen is a power hog - but when you can finally get a handle on what's doing it tin the background you can really begin to manage your battery better.
That doesn't mean I was able to really get a lot of battery life out of the iPhone though. Even when I'd managed to get rid of the apps that were taking the most power, things like Apple Music would pop up and take their space, despite not being in the foreground.
The battery life issue doesn't seem to be based on anything in particular - if you're listening to a lot of music on Spotify or keeping things updating in the background then it'll eat the power without you really noticing, leading to around 30% when it's time to go home.
Keeping the screen brightness down will help a little here - but if Apple could make an OLED screen work on the iPhone then it would take back even more battery life.
The reason could have been shown off at the Apple launch itself: the iPhone 6S was seen in a video sporting 1715mAh battery, which is much lower than the 1810mAh offering placed in the iPhone 6 - that additional 3D Touch circuitry certainly seems to have come at a price.
In terms of out and out testing, we ran a Full HD at full brightness for 90 minutes from full power. The iPhone 6S dropped down to 70% power left, which isn't a great score. It's even worse when you consider that the iPhone 6 managed to get to only 74% in the same test - like for like, the older model is capable of running longer.
Low Power Mode
Finally, iOS 9 offers the chance for you to extend your iPhone battery life further by simply tagging an option in the settings.
The move will disable certain aspects like the phone constantly listening out for you saying 'Hey Siri', or keeping your mail updated in the background.
That doesn't mean it has stellar battery life by any stretch though, as it will still struggle to last the day. It's only saved by the fact that most of the other top phones - the Samsung Galaxy S6, the HTC One M9 and the LG G4 - all can't manage the same thing either, the handsets all desperately trying to fire more pixels in the screen or update more apps to provide a richer experience.
What is cool is that Apple now provides more info as to what's going on behind the scenes with the battery. Not only does it tell you what's been nabbing all your power in the last 24 hours / week, but it will also tell you how much of that was background and foreground effort.
iPhone 6S review
That means if you see Facebook is taking most of your battery and constantly updating when you're not looking, you can disable it to get back that life (and not really lose much functionality).
Or perhaps it's an app that's acting up - if so, delete it and reinstall and you'll probably find it behaves itself much better the next time around. You understand that apps you're looking at all day long drain the battery - anything on the screen is a power hog - but when you can finally get a handle on what's doing it tin the background you can really begin to manage your battery better.
That doesn't mean I was able to really get a lot of battery life out of the iPhone though. Even when I'd managed to get rid of the apps that were taking the most power, things like Apple Music would pop up and take their space, despite not being in the foreground.
The battery life issue doesn't seem to be based on anything in particular - if you're listening to a lot of music on Spotify or keeping things updating in the background then it'll eat the power without you really noticing, leading to around 30% when it's time to go home.
Keeping the screen brightness down will help a little here - but if Apple could make an OLED screen work on the iPhone then it would take back even more battery life.
The reason could have been shown off at the Apple launch itself: the iPhone 6S was seen in a video sporting 1715mAh battery, which is much lower than the 1810mAh offering placed in the iPhone 6 - that additional 3D Touch circuitry certainly seems to have come at a price.
In terms of out and out testing, we ran a Full HD at full brightness for 90 minutes from full power. The iPhone 6S dropped down to 70% power left, which isn't a great score. It's even worse when you consider that the iPhone 6 managed to get to only 74% in the same test - like for like, the older model is capable of running longer.
Low Power Mode
Finally, iOS 9 offers the chance for you to extend your iPhone battery life further by simply tagging an option in the settings.
The move will disable certain aspects like the phone constantly listening out for you saying 'Hey Siri', or keeping your mail updated in the background.
iPhone 6S review: The camera app on the iPhone 6S
The camera app on the iPhone 6S is very similar to previous years, with a few small tweaks to add in new features.
The first is Live Photos, which takes a 1.5 second picture before and after the snap and turns it into a small video you can play to capture the memory. Apple's clearly realised that you can only do so much to enhance the camera in terms of image quality and started to work out how to capture more of the moment you're after.
iPhone 6S review
It's hardly a new idea though - although the integration here is impressive and is less onerous than trying to use the Zoe mode on the HTC One series, for instance. The speed with which you can take a photo hasn't diminished either, so you can take multiple pictures in quick succession and the iPhone's A9 processor can work out what needs to be saved to create the Live Photo.
Viewing them is simple too - when in the gallery just prod the screen harder to activate 3D Touch and the memory will come to life. Apple's demo showed beautiful images of waterfalls and children smiling, and it seemed the option seemed to really capture the warmth of the situation.
In reality, the results are a mixed bag. If you're not bracing the camera perfectly against something, or using a tripod, then the video will often start off rather choppy and seem a bit low quality.
The same is true in low light - the frame rate seems to drop a lot in these situations as the phone perhaps is processing the images harder.
Live Photos is meant to be there as an enhancement to your photos, rather than a dedicated moment that you're capturing, which is why it's excellent that it runs so silently in the background. In fact, only a slight movement in the picture in the gallery hinting that there's anything to check out.
But in reality too many of them will seem a bit too erratic and choppy to be something you'd want to show off - this is a nice idea, but like Nokia and HTC before it, Apple's not really nailed this feature. Having the audio is great though - it really adds to the image.
And I'll be fair - I've been using this phone for a month and I've enjoyed Live Photos far more than I thought I would. 90% of what I took is boring when viewed as a Live Photo - it's just vague movement of people posing, and the software update to get rid of the bit where you put the phone down can't come soon enough - but there were a few genuinely great moments.
The first was at a surprise foam party. It's hard to convey the beauty of being covered with foam by a grumpy-looking man in the corner, but a picture doesn't do it justice. Showing our exploits to other was a series of wet-looking people as pictures, but poking the screen showed foam flying everywhere and the music we were all dancing to.
Again, there was the weird speeding up of the footage and a really choppy look to things, but the magic of the night was brilliantly captured.
iPhone 6S review
The option to toggle Live Photos on and off is good though - it's only a tap in the bottom corner of the phone, and the feature can still work with HDR mode activated too.
The camera itself is fine - with a bump to 12MP, the sensor can capture more than ever before, letting you zoom in a little more and get more refinement in your snaps.
Apple doesn't seem to have upgraded the camera much here beyond bumping the megapixel number though - the launch focused on the fact that the pixels are more adept than ever at focusing quickly and eliminating cross talk, and that's fine.
iPhone 6S review
It's just the 8MP iSight sensor on the iPhone 6 took really great photos too, and focused quickly, and didn't have a huge amount of crosstalk.
A cynic might suggest that Apple's only bumped the number up to compete with Samsung and Sony, who are getting great snaps from 16MP and 23MP sensors - but that would take away from the great quality of pictures on offer here.
In practice I really couldn't see a great deal of difference between the iPhone 6 and the 6S in terms of picture quality. There were some differences, obviously, and that was mostly seen when zooming in on the pictures - but the brightness levels or colour reproduction seemed pretty similar.
In extreme testing, there are improvements to be found, as with almost minimal light, the new iPhone is more adept. That's all the more impressive given the higher amount of pixels, which usually leads to poorer lower light performance.
Better selfies
The iPhone 6S comes with a 5MP camera to help improve those pictures that can only be taken from the front of the phone and the rear 12MP iSight camera simply won't do.
The front facing camera is imbued with all the same features as the rear sensor, and that means it even includes a flash.
iPhone 6S review
Before you spit out your smoothie / tea / soy latte in amazement at the thought of an iPhone having a front flash though, don't get too excited. It's not an LED light taking up precious space from the front of the phone, but Apple's way of using the screen more effectively.
The LG G3 had a special mode to illuminate selfies, but that just shoved the viewfinder into a smaller image on the screen and lit up the edges, which provided an erratic glow.
The iPhone 6S has a smarter mode: it'll take a quick look at the surroundings by brightening the screen then amp up the brightness by three times to provide said flash. What's impressive is that the phone works out the colour balance of your surrounding and then provides the right level of white to get the best picture.
It's awesome to have all the same options - HDR mode, filters, timer and flash - all available in the front-facing and rear-facing camera - and the quality of the photos is improved as a result, with the 5MP sensor providing a real enhancement over the paltry 1.2MP sensor used in previous models.
The first is Live Photos, which takes a 1.5 second picture before and after the snap and turns it into a small video you can play to capture the memory. Apple's clearly realised that you can only do so much to enhance the camera in terms of image quality and started to work out how to capture more of the moment you're after.
iPhone 6S review
It's hardly a new idea though - although the integration here is impressive and is less onerous than trying to use the Zoe mode on the HTC One series, for instance. The speed with which you can take a photo hasn't diminished either, so you can take multiple pictures in quick succession and the iPhone's A9 processor can work out what needs to be saved to create the Live Photo.
Viewing them is simple too - when in the gallery just prod the screen harder to activate 3D Touch and the memory will come to life. Apple's demo showed beautiful images of waterfalls and children smiling, and it seemed the option seemed to really capture the warmth of the situation.
In reality, the results are a mixed bag. If you're not bracing the camera perfectly against something, or using a tripod, then the video will often start off rather choppy and seem a bit low quality.
The same is true in low light - the frame rate seems to drop a lot in these situations as the phone perhaps is processing the images harder.
Live Photos is meant to be there as an enhancement to your photos, rather than a dedicated moment that you're capturing, which is why it's excellent that it runs so silently in the background. In fact, only a slight movement in the picture in the gallery hinting that there's anything to check out.
But in reality too many of them will seem a bit too erratic and choppy to be something you'd want to show off - this is a nice idea, but like Nokia and HTC before it, Apple's not really nailed this feature. Having the audio is great though - it really adds to the image.
And I'll be fair - I've been using this phone for a month and I've enjoyed Live Photos far more than I thought I would. 90% of what I took is boring when viewed as a Live Photo - it's just vague movement of people posing, and the software update to get rid of the bit where you put the phone down can't come soon enough - but there were a few genuinely great moments.
The first was at a surprise foam party. It's hard to convey the beauty of being covered with foam by a grumpy-looking man in the corner, but a picture doesn't do it justice. Showing our exploits to other was a series of wet-looking people as pictures, but poking the screen showed foam flying everywhere and the music we were all dancing to.
Again, there was the weird speeding up of the footage and a really choppy look to things, but the magic of the night was brilliantly captured.
iPhone 6S review
The option to toggle Live Photos on and off is good though - it's only a tap in the bottom corner of the phone, and the feature can still work with HDR mode activated too.
The camera itself is fine - with a bump to 12MP, the sensor can capture more than ever before, letting you zoom in a little more and get more refinement in your snaps.
Apple doesn't seem to have upgraded the camera much here beyond bumping the megapixel number though - the launch focused on the fact that the pixels are more adept than ever at focusing quickly and eliminating cross talk, and that's fine.
iPhone 6S review
It's just the 8MP iSight sensor on the iPhone 6 took really great photos too, and focused quickly, and didn't have a huge amount of crosstalk.
A cynic might suggest that Apple's only bumped the number up to compete with Samsung and Sony, who are getting great snaps from 16MP and 23MP sensors - but that would take away from the great quality of pictures on offer here.
In practice I really couldn't see a great deal of difference between the iPhone 6 and the 6S in terms of picture quality. There were some differences, obviously, and that was mostly seen when zooming in on the pictures - but the brightness levels or colour reproduction seemed pretty similar.
In extreme testing, there are improvements to be found, as with almost minimal light, the new iPhone is more adept. That's all the more impressive given the higher amount of pixels, which usually leads to poorer lower light performance.
Better selfies
The iPhone 6S comes with a 5MP camera to help improve those pictures that can only be taken from the front of the phone and the rear 12MP iSight camera simply won't do.
The front facing camera is imbued with all the same features as the rear sensor, and that means it even includes a flash.
iPhone 6S review
Before you spit out your smoothie / tea / soy latte in amazement at the thought of an iPhone having a front flash though, don't get too excited. It's not an LED light taking up precious space from the front of the phone, but Apple's way of using the screen more effectively.
The LG G3 had a special mode to illuminate selfies, but that just shoved the viewfinder into a smaller image on the screen and lit up the edges, which provided an erratic glow.
The iPhone 6S has a smarter mode: it'll take a quick look at the surroundings by brightening the screen then amp up the brightness by three times to provide said flash. What's impressive is that the phone works out the colour balance of your surrounding and then provides the right level of white to get the best picture.
It's awesome to have all the same options - HDR mode, filters, timer and flash - all available in the front-facing and rear-facing camera - and the quality of the photos is improved as a result, with the 5MP sensor providing a real enhancement over the paltry 1.2MP sensor used in previous models.
iPhone 6S review: Our favorite iOS 9 tips and tricks
Like in recent years, the new iPhone is the poster child for the new version of Apple's operating system - and iOS 9 works really nicely on the iPhone 6S (admittedly, it does so on other models too).
It sounds stupid, but one of my favorite things about the new platform is in the notifications bar - a simple drop down will display the 'Today' section, which contains info about what's going on in the next 24 hours. Here you'll now see the information on anything connected wirelessly - your iPhone's battery life, that of an Apple Watch and even Bluetooth headphones.
Given I'd often see the battery life shown by a tiny little icon in the corner when I connected up a pair of wireless earbuds, this is a big jump forward. It's tiny, but hey, sometimes those are the best bits.
iPhone 6S review
I'm a bit less bothered by the new information screen accessed by swiping all the way to the left of the home screen - which is your favourite people and some internet news.
Here you've got the ability to start a search within the phone or on the web, tap into apps that are most relevant to you at that point, or talk to the people that your iPhone thinks you'll want to talk to.
iPhone 6s Review
News
The news section is what irks me the most. If you're not in the US you won't have Apple's News app yet - so clicking these links will open up Safari. I'm not into politics, but that's all the app wants to serve me.
Download the News app (by changing your region to the US) and clicking these links will take you into the app itself. However, they still don't populate with the topics you're interested in, and all that happens is you're reading it in a slightly nicer manner in the app.
Apple's News app is massively underwhelming. I've used Blinkfeed, Flipboard and Pocket aggregators before, all of which try and suggest news you'd like, and most of them do a better job than this. Football gets confused between the American variant and soccer, the mix of news can default to just one 'channel' (which you can choose to subscribe to) and at startup the app will force you to choose a news site you like, even if you don't like anything on offer.
It's early days for the app, but it's currently getting very close to joining Stocks in the 'meh' folder.
For the rest of the platform, it's hard to decide how to review the current iteration of iOS 9 on the iPhone 6S as it's both radically different and very much the same - which sounds ridiculous but is the only way to describe it.
The familiarity comes from the way it's all set out - Apple's not changed anything in the way you use the phone, meaning you've still got the same rows of apps on the home screens and the Settings menu is still the place to get all your information for what apps are up to.
And that latter point is something that's hugely annoying - Apple's been slowly integrating elements from Android over the last few years, but the ability to change apps inside the actual program is something that's evaded it so far.
This means that if you're having a problem with Facebook and it's sucking down too much battery, you can't do anything about it in the app, rather having to jump out to another app to make the tweak.
iPhone 6S review
Perhaps that's not the best example though - after all, Facebook's app is a complete mess when it comes to trying to alter anything within the app itself - but if you're in the camera and decide you want to film in the new 4K resolution, or alter the quality of the slo-mo video, then you can't do it in the camera app.
It's a trip down to Settings and through the Camera and Photos section (for some reason clumped together) before you can make this tweak.
OK, you can argue that Apple's being consistent in this approach, but it doesn't encourage the user to play with certain new features, and that's a failing in my eyes.
But that aside, I still really like the simplicity and subtle tweaks that Apple's added into iOS over the years, and iOS 9 is by far the best version of it yet. The new font is nice, Siri's abilities are excellent and being able to say 'Hey Siri' from anywhere is a nice move.
I'm not sure how much this impacts the battery life, but it's one of the things that gets turned off when you enter Low Power Mode, so it must have some effect.
The performance of the iPhone 6S is strong - in our Geekbench 3 tests, it ran to an impressive 4417 score, which puts it slightly above the iPhone 6S Plus and within striking range of the Samsung Galaxy S6.
While that's a huge uptick over last year's performance, we're at the point where such boosts are becoming redundant. It's helpful, but I can't honestly say the iPhone 6 had a real problem.
But how does that compare in real world usage? We tested the iPhone 6 next to the iPhone 6S (although the former was still running iOS 8) and the new version managed to complete our test 12 seconds faster - the caching and speed with which apps loaded was insane.
Check out the video above to see what I mean, but you'll definitely feel less annoyed with apps taking a few seconds to load with the iPhone 6S.
iPhone 6S review
Siri is now a really functional part of the phone, with both the accuracy and results impressing time and again. Being able to type in a sports team to find out their results and news is cool - for instance, key in the name of your favorite football team and you'll not only get their recent score but also web content that's related, such as video and news.
The ability to work out what you're talking about, making voice searches contextual, is really cool too - being able to see all your selfies in one go is nice to do, although not the nicest thing to see.
Similarly being able to ask to see snaps from a certain holiday is neat (although you'll have to say 'show me pictures from San Francisco in 2013' rather than 'show me pictures from my holiday last year'.)
Our favorite iOS 9 tips and tricks
iOS 9.2
The latest software is iOS 9.2 and you can upgrade the iPhone 6S right away. It's only an incremental upgrade but it brings with it a few different updates that change the iOS experience a little.
Apple News now has a Top Stories section so you can get the most important news of the day in one easy hit. There are a few tweaks within Apple Music making it much easier to create playlists as well.
There's also a new Mail Drop option within the Mail app to help you send larger attachments in your messages. Plus peek and pop 3D Touch functionality is now available on iBooks.
That's all accompanied by a variety of bug fixes that make the whole iOS 9 software that little bit better - so download it as soon as you can.
Read our iPhone 6S tips and tricks
It sounds stupid, but one of my favorite things about the new platform is in the notifications bar - a simple drop down will display the 'Today' section, which contains info about what's going on in the next 24 hours. Here you'll now see the information on anything connected wirelessly - your iPhone's battery life, that of an Apple Watch and even Bluetooth headphones.
Given I'd often see the battery life shown by a tiny little icon in the corner when I connected up a pair of wireless earbuds, this is a big jump forward. It's tiny, but hey, sometimes those are the best bits.
iPhone 6S review
I'm a bit less bothered by the new information screen accessed by swiping all the way to the left of the home screen - which is your favourite people and some internet news.
Here you've got the ability to start a search within the phone or on the web, tap into apps that are most relevant to you at that point, or talk to the people that your iPhone thinks you'll want to talk to.
iPhone 6s Review
News
The news section is what irks me the most. If you're not in the US you won't have Apple's News app yet - so clicking these links will open up Safari. I'm not into politics, but that's all the app wants to serve me.
Download the News app (by changing your region to the US) and clicking these links will take you into the app itself. However, they still don't populate with the topics you're interested in, and all that happens is you're reading it in a slightly nicer manner in the app.
Apple's News app is massively underwhelming. I've used Blinkfeed, Flipboard and Pocket aggregators before, all of which try and suggest news you'd like, and most of them do a better job than this. Football gets confused between the American variant and soccer, the mix of news can default to just one 'channel' (which you can choose to subscribe to) and at startup the app will force you to choose a news site you like, even if you don't like anything on offer.
It's early days for the app, but it's currently getting very close to joining Stocks in the 'meh' folder.
For the rest of the platform, it's hard to decide how to review the current iteration of iOS 9 on the iPhone 6S as it's both radically different and very much the same - which sounds ridiculous but is the only way to describe it.
The familiarity comes from the way it's all set out - Apple's not changed anything in the way you use the phone, meaning you've still got the same rows of apps on the home screens and the Settings menu is still the place to get all your information for what apps are up to.
And that latter point is something that's hugely annoying - Apple's been slowly integrating elements from Android over the last few years, but the ability to change apps inside the actual program is something that's evaded it so far.
This means that if you're having a problem with Facebook and it's sucking down too much battery, you can't do anything about it in the app, rather having to jump out to another app to make the tweak.
iPhone 6S review
Perhaps that's not the best example though - after all, Facebook's app is a complete mess when it comes to trying to alter anything within the app itself - but if you're in the camera and decide you want to film in the new 4K resolution, or alter the quality of the slo-mo video, then you can't do it in the camera app.
It's a trip down to Settings and through the Camera and Photos section (for some reason clumped together) before you can make this tweak.
OK, you can argue that Apple's being consistent in this approach, but it doesn't encourage the user to play with certain new features, and that's a failing in my eyes.
But that aside, I still really like the simplicity and subtle tweaks that Apple's added into iOS over the years, and iOS 9 is by far the best version of it yet. The new font is nice, Siri's abilities are excellent and being able to say 'Hey Siri' from anywhere is a nice move.
I'm not sure how much this impacts the battery life, but it's one of the things that gets turned off when you enter Low Power Mode, so it must have some effect.
The performance of the iPhone 6S is strong - in our Geekbench 3 tests, it ran to an impressive 4417 score, which puts it slightly above the iPhone 6S Plus and within striking range of the Samsung Galaxy S6.
While that's a huge uptick over last year's performance, we're at the point where such boosts are becoming redundant. It's helpful, but I can't honestly say the iPhone 6 had a real problem.
But how does that compare in real world usage? We tested the iPhone 6 next to the iPhone 6S (although the former was still running iOS 8) and the new version managed to complete our test 12 seconds faster - the caching and speed with which apps loaded was insane.
Check out the video above to see what I mean, but you'll definitely feel less annoyed with apps taking a few seconds to load with the iPhone 6S.
iPhone 6S review
Siri is now a really functional part of the phone, with both the accuracy and results impressing time and again. Being able to type in a sports team to find out their results and news is cool - for instance, key in the name of your favorite football team and you'll not only get their recent score but also web content that's related, such as video and news.
The ability to work out what you're talking about, making voice searches contextual, is really cool too - being able to see all your selfies in one go is nice to do, although not the nicest thing to see.
Similarly being able to ask to see snaps from a certain holiday is neat (although you'll have to say 'show me pictures from San Francisco in 2013' rather than 'show me pictures from my holiday last year'.)
Our favorite iOS 9 tips and tricks
iOS 9.2
The latest software is iOS 9.2 and you can upgrade the iPhone 6S right away. It's only an incremental upgrade but it brings with it a few different updates that change the iOS experience a little.
Apple News now has a Top Stories section so you can get the most important news of the day in one easy hit. There are a few tweaks within Apple Music making it much easier to create playlists as well.
There's also a new Mail Drop option within the Mail app to help you send larger attachments in your messages. Plus peek and pop 3D Touch functionality is now available on iBooks.
That's all accompanied by a variety of bug fixes that make the whole iOS 9 software that little bit better - so download it as soon as you can.
Read our iPhone 6S tips and tricks
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