iPhone 6 Plus Review: Overview of Specs, Camera, Battery - Features Are Impressive But Quite Expensive
A perfect phone – that must be the goal of every gadget maker in the world, but it seems no one has done it yet. Perhaps, perfection is just a dream.
However, the iPhone 6 Plus is one of those high-tech phones that nearly capture this dream.
Numerous reviews have already been made on Apple's latest flagship iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus phones since they were launched about a month ago. A great majority of those reviews unabashedly express oohs and aahs at the enhancements found in the latest Apple phones.
Do they resemble the ideal perfect phone? The reviewers' final verdict: Almost but still not quite.
In summary, one reviewer (itpro.co.uk) best described the positive points of the iPhone 6 Plus in the simplest of terms: Great screen, dedicated landscape mode, solid battery life, and fantastic all-round camera.
But the reviewer also cited at least four negative factors: Too big, no stylus, fragile, and expensive.
The reviewer then describes the best features of the iPhone 6 Plus in greater detail:
Sharp display
The iPhone 6 Plus is the first iPhone with a full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution (401ppi). This explains why DisplayMate has called it the best LCD panel on the market. Color display is natural, viewing angles are excellent and text/images are extremely sharp. Watching videos, particularly those from the iTunes store, on the 6 Plus is marvellous videos, with the 16:9 aspect ratio rendering the black bars obsolete.
The landscape mode is thus enhanced by the use of the extra screen space. Apps like Mail and Notes provide users with two-panel views. The users also have more options like undo, copy and paste.
The home screen is fitted for a landscape view. Hence, the device can be used exclusively in landscape mode like a tablet. However, if a user clicks on the Zoomed Mode to enlarge the icons, he won't be able to use the home screen in landscape mode.
The iPhone 6 Plus'maximum brightness measures a superb 500 cd/m2. A user can reduce brightness to between 25 - 50 percent and still see everything clearly. There is only a need to turn up the brightness level when watching video or to see through sunlight.
Best battery life
A common complaint of most iPhone 5/5s users is that they have to charge their devices by the middle of the day. No such complaint can be made on the iPhone 6 Plus. The phone's large chassis houses a 2915mAh battery pack, nearly twice the size of the 5s.
Apple says it is good for 80 hours of audio, 16 days on standby, and 12 hours of Internet use on both 4G and 3G. Some users say it is possible to get two days out of the 6 Plus battery.Another good thing in the iPhone 6 Plus is that it charges faster than previous Apple models with the use of the iPad adaptor. A fully drained battery can reach up to 90 percent power in just two hours.
Touch ID
This feature makes the iPhone 6 Plus as the phone with the best fingerprint scanner in the market, given its simplicity and convenience.
Rivals like the Galaxy S5 require users to swipe to activate the fingerprint scanner. But with iPhone 6 Plus'Touch ID all a user has to do is touch the home button – which is the natural way to open the iPhone. A user can thus unlock the device with just one action.
With Apple opening up the APIs to third-parties, Touch ID has become ever more useful as users can log onto their online accounts such as Amazon.
Excellent camera
The iPhone 6 Plus' 8-megapixel camera uses the same sensor as its smaller iPhone 6 version. But the 6 Plus has an added feature: Optical Image Stabilization. The phone's Focus Pixels technology and low-light performance easily make it stand out from other similar devices.
The 6 Plus focuses so quickly that a user can snap away multiple pictures without worrying about focusing.
Bendgate?
The trending issue arising from photos of misshapen iPhone 6 Plus handsets appearing on the Internet appears to be exaggerated. Apple says that out of the millions of devices it has churned out from its factories, only nine customers have officially complained about this so-called "Bendgate" thing.
As validated by Consumer Reports, the iPhone 6 Plus is structurally sound. Tests show it is capable of withstanding more pressure than the iPhone 6. Under normal usage there should be no problem.
On the downside, the iPhone 6 Plus has merited the following comments:
Too big
Although users usually love a big screen for web browsing and watching videos, some reviewers say the dimensions of the iPhone 6 Plus made it unwieldy. The 6 Plus is longer than the Galaxy Note 4, although the latter has a bigger 5.7in display.
The device slips perfectly into most trousers but will protrude from cardigans and the pockets of smaller jackets. Like most phablets, the 6 Plus can also make the user feel self-conscious when holding it close to the ear in public when use as a phone. But this can be avoided by using the headphones to make calls.
No stylus
Unlike Samsung, Apple doesn't offer a stylus which increases the usefulness of the device for graphical work and make the device easier to use with one hand.
Fear of dropping it
Questions remain about how fragile the device is. Even with a cover, the results of a drop test are unlikely to be positive.
1GB RAM
Apple powers its 6 Plus with speedy A8 processor but continues to use just 1GB of RAM. That's three times less than devices like Galaxy Note 4 and Xperia Z3. With only this amount of RAM, the question arises: How can the 6 Plus handle upgrades?
Value for money?
The 6 Plus is definitely not cheap. The 6 Plus starts at $749.00 SIM-free (16GB). This rises to $849.00 for the 64GB model and $949.00 for 128GB of internal storage.
Final verdict
The iPhone 6 Plus is impressive but is quite expensive. Its lack of memory expansion is also a major consideration.
Specifications:
OS: iOS 8 (preloaded)
Display: 5.5in, 1,080 x 1,920 (401ppi)
Processor: Apple A8 64-bit + M8 co-processor
RAM: 1GB
Biometrics: Touch ID fingerprint sensor
Storage: 16/64/128GB
Camera: 8-megapixel with autofocus, flash, 1.2-megapixel front-facing
Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4, NFC, 4G, GPS/GLONASS
Ports: Lightning connector
Dimensions: 158 x 78 x 7.1 mm (WDH)
Battery: 2915mAh
Weight: 172g
