Apple has finally unveiled its latest iPhones – the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. In terms of design, these two new devices look identical to the previous generation iPhone 6/6 Plus, but on the inside, Apple has done quite a major overhaul. The are significant changes in the processor, camera, and new technologies in display and a whole lot more. Let’s take a deep dive through them, and compare them with this year’s best Android smartphones.
First up, how has Apple improved the new iPhones compared to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus that was launched last year? Here’s a quick specs comparison:
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But of course, there is more to that than just the hardware. The design may look the same, but Apple says that it has used stronger materials this time round – the aluminium is made with 7000 Series aluminium, which Apple says is the “strongest alloy we’ve ever used in an iPhone”. It is also the same material Apple uses on the Apple Watch Sport. The stronger and thicker material is very likely an indication that the company does not want a repeat of last year’s #Bendgate fiasco.
It is also the same grade of aluminium used in the aerospace industry. The glass display has also been improved – both new iPhones are now made from the “strongest cover glass used on any smartphone in the world,” according to Apple. Finally, there is also a new rose gold colour option.
As anticipated, the display now also has a new Force Touch technology called 3D Touch. It can recognize different type of touches (using pressure-sensing technology), giving a whole new level of control. You can instantly see a response on the screen depending on the pressure you apply, and feel the feedback from an all-new Taptic Engine. Some of the things you can do with 3D Touch include:
- Access shortcuts like 3D Touch on the Camera app to bring up various camera modes, e.g. enter selfie camera instantly (Quick Actions)
- 3D Touch on emails to peek at them before you open them
- Preview a website by using 3D Touch on a link
- New game controls with 3D Touch – 3D Touch to smoothly zoom into games, press harder to change weapons
The iSight camera on the iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus has also been improved with a 12MP sensor on board. On top of that, Apple also introduced a new Live Photos feature, claiming it to be “a whole new way to look at photography”. Turned on by default on the camera app, whenever you capture an image, Apple will also capture a 1.5-second video clip right before and after you capture the shutter button. When you preview the image, just 3D Touch to watch the pictures come to live – “Experience the crack of a smile. The crash of a wave. Or the flutter of a wing”.
Apple will still maintain the 12MP resolution of your pictures of course. On top of that, you can also use Live Photos as a dynamic wallpaper on iOS 9. The new rear camera can also capture videos in 4K resolution – the first time ever Apple is allowing its users to record 4K videos with an iPhone. The front Face Time camera has also been improved with a 5MP sensor, and a Retina Flash that lights up the display to give it a natural lighting to help you take the perfect selfie.
Other things that have been improved this time around is a brand new A9 chipset, Apple’s third-generation 64-bit processor, along with an M9 motion coprocessor. This enables for an overall CPU performance improvement by up to 70% compared to the A8 chip, and GPU performance increased by 90%.
Finally, Touch ID has been improved too. The second generation Touch ID can detect your fingerprints even faster than the previous generation. The Touch ID home button is made using laser-cut sapphire crystal, stainless steel detection ring, capacitive single-touch sensor, and tactile switch.
Sounds great so far, but how do the new iPhones compare against the many 2015 flagship smartphones running on Android? Here’s a comparison:
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The iPhone always look bad when it comes to a hardware comparison with Android smartphones. There is very little RAM on board (Apple did not mention the RAM on the new iPhones, but it most definitely will not be as much as these Android flagships). Apple almost never mentions the exact battery capacity on board. The camera has “only” a 12MP sensor while other bigger players have 23MP cameras on board and sometimes more.
But that’s not how an iPhone works. Despite its less than impressive numbers, the iPhones have always been one of the best smartphones in the market.
The major setback for iPhones would definitely have to be the price, and with our exceptionally weak currency this time around, this could make things even worse for those looking to upgrade to the new iPhone of your choice. In fact, Apple usually reduces the prices of older devices following an announcement of new ones, but this time round, the older iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and certain iPads are all seeing a price hike. How much will the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus cost in Malaysia? Apple did not mention anything about that but one thing’s for sure, it will not be affordable.
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