iPhone 6 Thoughts

Yesterday saw the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. This is the first year that I haven’t either logged on to Apple’s website (hitting refresh frantically) to pre-order the week before, or queued up in line outside of the Apple store at a ridiculous hour of the morning to grab a phone on release day. Why? Because we’re having a baby? No (although that would be a good enough reason). This is probably the first time that I haven’t been wowed by Apple’s latest iPhone release. There’s usually something whilst watching the keynote presentation that pulls on my heartstrings and wins me over to buying the latest model. But this year was different, simply because they seemed to be very happy with the one thing I didn’t really need – screen size! But that’s only half the story.

iphone-6You may remember from an earlier post about the iPhone 5, when it came out (only 2 years ago!). The upgrade from the 4s to the 5 increased the screen size, giving more room to achieve typing and viewing various apps. I was surprised how much of a difference that the screen size made to the daily usage of the phone. It was great. However, the screen size did come at a cost (besides the price!). It sat in my pocket a little bit bigger. I remember thinking to myself then: “this is big enough, any bigger and my pockets will burst”. And it fit for 2 years perfectly, but only just. But now – Apple seem to want us to go bigger. The trouble is, I’m not entirely sure why?

Now hold-up, before you think I have turned anti-Apple here. There are some things that I love about the iPhone 6. I love love love the curved look. I miss this from the 3GS days and I’m so glad it’s (sort-of) returned for this model. I also like the new processor and the motion chips that will measure altitude as well as movement while making the device a lot faster. I love the new retina display and appreciate even more the new camera lens not to mention the wireless payment technology*, ApplePay. But all this didn’t add-up to an upgrade from my 5S to 6. Not yet anyway. There were a lot of similarities. Namely (between 5S and 6), battery life, HD capacity and general stats (just look at the comparison table). So with this in mind, I would need to upgrade to the iPhone 6 Plus before getting any serious benefits. And this presented me with a serious problem.

dom-joly-phoneI really don’t like the iPhone 6 Plus. I’m a little miffed at the size increase from the 5S to the 6, but I’ll get over it I’m sure. But the iPhone 6 Plus is honestly a joke to me. I like the fact there is better battery life, but the increased screen size (by that much), is just unnecessary. Surely, anyone wanting that phone would just get an iPad mini?? I’m sorry, but this is a completely irrelevant copy of Samsung device I mocked only a few months ago. We’re talking Dom Joly with his giant phone in public again. Sorry Apple – this is caving to peer pressure of a very small percentage of people. Boo.

All things considered. Although the iPhone 6 Plus is the funniest Apple product to hit the shelves since the iPod Shuffle, the iPhone 6 really isn’t that bad at all. It’s just not miles better than the iPhone 5s (which it would have needed to be in order for me to upgrade). Contracts these days are two years long, and I am very happy that mine lands on the alternate year, because that’s when we got the 4S, the 5S and presumably (this time next year) the iPhone 6S. So when my contract ends, that’s what I’ll be aiming for. the iPhone 6S will probably have some added functionality that will just about push it into the viable option for me. *Also, by that time the UK may have caught up with wireless payments – making the ApplePay function worth having over here.

In conclusion, the 6 would be a lovely addition to my long line of iPhones (which I haven’t kept, by the way – I need to sell each one to buy the next one!), it’s one I am going to skip. I’ll be going for the 6S. But that’s not the end of the story. There are two other things to discuss… The Apple Watch and the New iPad… And THOSE stories have completely different endings…