Apple iPhone 6s :Review:what's new?
Apple iPhone 6s The
iPhone 6s keeps the same design as the iPhone 6, but packs better cameras, a
snappier processor and 3D Touch, a smart new way to get things done in fewer
steps. Beyond that, the combination of iOS 9 and some well-built hardware help
makes the 6s one of the best iPhones ever made... even if we wish it had some
of the 6s Plus' niceties. Improved speed everywhere
(new processor, faster wireless, quicker Touch ID sensor); a sturdier body;
better front and rear cameras; a bold new 3D Touch pressure-sensitive display
that could end up being a really useful tool in apps down the road, and which
already offers new iOS shortcuts. Performance
Providing the power behind the scenes on the iPhone 6 is a 1.39GHz
dual-core A8 processor with 64-bit architecture and 1GB of RAM.
The iPhone 6 seemed to be the slicker of the two new iHandsets
when it comes to chugging away under the finger, although when looking at the
Geekbench 3 scores, we can see it's almost identical to the iPhone 6 Plus
(average score of 2905 vs 2911 for the 6 Plus).
This puts it below 2015's
crop of smartphones like the Samsung
Galaxy S6 andHTC One
M9, but right with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and below the One M8 and
One E8 - although HTC has admitted to slightly gaming those results with a
special 'high power mode'.
In short, despite the dual-core processor, Apple
seems to have eked out enough power to make the iPhone 6 a strong enough
contender day to day. Battery Life
“Battery
life could be a problem,” was my first thought when I started my iPhone 6S
review, and with good reason. Wonderful though 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine
are, Apple had to reduce the battery capacity from 1,810mAh to 1,715mAh to fit
them in. It made the 6S slightly thicker and heavier, too, though not enough
that anyone should care.
The iPhone 6 didn't have a stellar
reputation for battery life, and while some of those complaints are overblown,
they’re not without foundation. Certainly, the ‘Plus’ variant is the phone to
go for if you suffer range “range anxiety”.
Through my week using the the iPhone
6S, I consistently managed 15 to 17 hours per day. Switching off Bluetooth and
disabling the Facebook app’s background refresh made a big difference, though I
always left Wi-Fi on.
For whatever reason, the Facebook app
uses more background time than other app. Before the change Facebook was
responsible for close to 25% of the phone’s battery drain, despite being on
screen for just 20 minutes or so. iOS 9’s improved battery monitoring was a
godsend here.
Navigation puts a big strain on the battery, though, particularly in
built-up areas. One 15-minute walk with directions drained 7% from the battery.
Streaming video over Wi-Fi burns through around 12% of battery per hour,
depending on the quality and how bright your screen is.
The new Low Power won’t extend your life indefinitely, but
it’s useful and effective enough. iOS prompts you to turn it on when your
battery hits 20% and it turns off all background activity, while also
throttling down the CPU and GPU.
The iPhone is already frugal when
idle, but Low Power extends that further still – I once got five hours of very
light use after passing 20%, which is handy if you’re staying out late. And you
can turn Low Power on earlier if you know you have a long day ahead – the iPhone
6S runs fine when it’s on.
Ultimately, while some management is needed from time to time, I never
felt like I would run out before I got home, and it would only concern me if I
was on a “night out” and got home late. In those cases, a few simple
precautions will avert problems.
Power users who stream video all day, use navigation lots
or play games often should look at the 6S Plus, but the 6S’s battery life is
fine for the majority of people.
Same battery life as the iPhone 6.
The 6S Plus model remains the only way to get optical image stabilization for
photos and video, plus better battery life. You'll need to pay extra to vault
past the too-small storage of the entry-level 16GB version.
THE BOTTOM LINE The
newest iPhones are top-to-bottom better phones with lots of enhancements;
iPhone 6 owners don't need the upgrade, but everyone else should seriously
consider it.
Key
Features: 4.7-inch,
326ppi LCD; 7.1mm thick; 143g; 1.8GHz Dual-Core; 2GB RAM; 16/64/128GB storage ;
12-megapixel iSight camera; 5-megapixel Facetime HD camera
Manufacturer: Apple
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