iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus - comparison of characteristics

In the express review, we already talked about the performance of the new Apple A9 platform, so we won’t repeat ourselves and run the tests a second time. First of all, we will talk about the camera capabilities in comparison with competitors and the previous version, battery life and iOS 9. And yes, we almost forgot - now we have the iPhone 6s Plus!

It has minimal differences from the “regular” 6s: a 5.5-inch screen instead of 4.7-inch, an optical stabilizer for the camera and a more capacious battery. In any case, there is something to talk about - part of this review is dedicated specifically to the 6s Plus and its differences from its predecessor. Well, we did a camera test based on the 6s Plus - after all, the optical stabilizer is very important, it would be wrong to neglect it.

Size and weight

If you use your phone more often to browse social networks than to make calls, then it is better to choose a smartphone with a larger screen diagonal. Based on the table, the advantages of the iPhone 6s are the phone’s smaller thickness and weight.

How long does iPhone 4 and 4s last to charge?

Let's look straight away at the official data.

As you can see, with a slight increase in battery size, smartphones perform approximately the same. The only thing is that the talk time on 3g networks has increased for the iPhone 4s. It’s unlikely that the extra 10 mAh played a role; rather, it was the improved processor and wireless communication chip. Although, to be fair, from my own experience I can note that they hold a charge equally – the difference is almost impossible to notice.

Display

What can you say based on the data in the table? Display resolution is an important parameter for any smartphone; the iPhone 6s Plus has much higher resolution.

Comparative characteristics of iPhone 6 and 6+

The smartphone screen is one of the main indicators, since its owner is in contact with it. It is interesting that the display is assessed not by image quality and ease of use, but by resolution, now pixel density.

The screen parameters of the two iPhone 6 models are presented in the table below.

If you compare the iPhone with the previous gadget, it differs in its screen. Both models became a real breakthrough in the Apple phone series. The screen sizes have not changed since 2012. In the sixth version, customers were offered a successful smartphone with interesting innovations.

iPhone 6 Specifications

For iPhone 6, the usual diagonal dimensions have been increased from 4 to 4.7 inches. For version 6+ it is 5.5, which made it a full-fledged phablet option (this is a stylish class of phones that combines devices with a display from 5 to 7 inches).

Statistics have shown that the sale of such gadgets is growing and becoming more in demand, so iPhone developers have tailored the 6+ model to customer requests. The diagonal of the iPhone 6 plus is 5.5″.

The two models differ from the previous ones not only in screen size, but also in design. The developers decided to deviate from the straight lines of the body lines and made them rounded, thereby causing confusion among consumers. The shades chosen were classic – silver, space grey, golden.

Sketch

Differences and similarities

We list below how many differences there are between the iPhone 6 and 6+ smartphones:

1. Dimensions. This is the main thing worth mentioning in this section. The iPhone 6+ screen size is 0.8 inches larger. The length of the “six” is 13.8 cm, width – 6.7 centimeters. The “plus” version has heights of 15.8 and 7.8 cm. The diagonal of the iPhone 6s remains the same as the six. The creators did not increase it; they focused on screen resolution. Version 6c is visually similar to the previous one, but there have been changes in the technical content. Length and screen remain the same. The thickness has increased by 0.2 mm, and the s version has become 15 g heavier. iPhone 6 16Gb Space Gray weighs 129 grams and has a diagonal of 4.7 inches.
2. Screen resolution. The “Plus Model” is designed with 1920x1080 pixels. Its brother has a resolution of 1334x750. At the same time, the number of pixels per 1 inch is the same - 326
3. The camera of the “plus” version has built-in optical image stabilization.
4. Battery. If a person likes to talk on the phone for a long time, it is worth purchasing the “plus” version, since its power is higher. When talking, the iPhone 6's battery lasts 14 hours, its brother's - 24. This noticeable difference in power is due to the fact that the semi-tablet iPhone 6 Plus is designed for more serious work with multimedia applications. In many ways, it replaces a tablet for its owners.

Comparison

Similar features:

1. Same A8 processor and 64-bit architecture. Both devices have 2 cores at 1.4 GHz. Thanks to this, the models are distinguished by their high speed and power. They are convenient to use even when installing serious applications. RAM is 1 GB, in the + model it was increased to 2.
2. Same memory and price category. Two models are developed in three types - 16 gb, 32 gb, 64 gb, 128 gb. The larger the capacity, the higher the price.
3. Camera. Both variants are equipped with an 8 megapixel camera with a fast 5-lens lens and facial recognition function.
4. Equally good high quality video recording at 1080p resolution. The 1.2 megapixel front camera allows you to take burst photos.
5. Almost similar technical characteristics.

Difficulty of choice

Camera

Do you often take photographs? Let's determine whether there are differences in cameras. Table below.

We found no differences in the basic characteristics of the cameras. The difference may be in additional functions - see the corresponding section of the review.

Battery capacity of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus - how long does it hold a charge?

With the iPhone 7, many, including myself, were expecting, if not a revolutionary breakthrough in battery life, then at least a significant increase. Did you wait? Now let's find out:

The battery capacity has increased by 245 mAh for the iPhone 7 and by 150 mAh for the iPhone 7 Plus, which should provide improved battery life. This is what Apple tells us in the specifications of the “seventh” iPhones on its website:

However, if you skip all these statements and look at the numbers, you will see that nothing has changed significantly. And some of the numbers indicating operating hours have even decreased. As a result, we can conclude: all these “dances” with the indicators left autonomy at the same level - the iPhone 7 (Plus) holds a charge as long as the “sixes”.

Processor, memory size and battery

The iPhone 6s is inferior to the iPhone 6s Plus in these parameters, but we haven't compared everything yet.

⇡#Camera

Apple iPhone 6s Plus, main camera module
Since we had plenty of time for testing this time, we took the opportunity to try the new iPhone's camera in various situations. We will not compare 6s and 6s Plus - the only difference here is the absence/presence of an optical stabilizer. All test images were taken using the 6s Plus.

The module is completely new. With the same physical dimensions - 1/3'', which is smaller than that of Korean flagships - the resolution has increased: from 8 to 12 megapixels. The pixel size, accordingly, decreased to 1.22 microns versus 1.5 microns for the iPhone 6. The lens aperture remained the same - f/2.2. As we already said, the placement of the camera has not changed, nor has the fact that the lens protrudes slightly above the body has changed. This may not look as cool, but in practice it is rather useful - you are more likely to notice that you have touched your finger to the lens and immediately wipe it, thereby reducing the number of photos that are cloudy due to marks on the optics. The lens, by the way, is the same as before, and, as then, is covered with sapphire crystal. The flash also has not received any changes - dual LED.

The main innovation of the iPhone 6s camera is the Live Photo function - the ability to create so-called “live” photos. The idea is simple: along with a photo in JPEG format, a video is recorded in MOV format, capturing events one and a half seconds before the photo and up to one and a half seconds after. When you click on a photo, you get an “atmospheric” piece of video, as if growing out of a photograph.

In fact, nothing new - a similar function has long been offered by camera manufacturers and even some smartphone manufacturers: for example, Microsoft or HTC; Moreover, this function did not cause much excitement among users. Apple's advantage is its ecosystem and status. Live Photo has already promised to support, for example, the Instagram service - and this is quite a bid for victory. It is not yet possible to predict whether Live Photo will take off, but one thing is for sure - this idea will be picked up by those who previously had not even thought about short videos recorded along with photos.

Also, the iPhone 6s/6s Plus camera can record 4K video. This won’t surprise anyone - the resolution of cameras made it possible to do this for a long time, the only problem was the power of the processor and its cooling. Well, it's solved - let's enjoy the video in ultra-high resolution. There are only three but: firstly, do not expect cinematic quality right away, there is the wrong lens and the wrong sensor; secondly, such video files will weigh a lot, and the iPhone is still not friendly with memory cards - prepare all your cloud resources; and thirdly, you won’t be able to fully enjoy 4K video with a Full HD screen. This is such an unexpected dissonance. But on the latest TVs and iMacs, you can’t watch anything.

We did not miss the opportunity to compare the iPhone 6s/6s Plus in terms of shooting quality with last year’s iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the standard smartphone for this parameter today - the Samsung GALAXY S6 edge+.

iPhone 6s camera test gallery

View all images (10)

There was no revolutionary breakthrough in the quality of filming. Increasing the resolution logically had a positive effect on image detail, but a slightly negative effect on the camera’s performance in the dark. Everything is extremely logical, the simplest laws of physics work, reducing the distance between pixels, which Apple emphasized in its presentation, cannot seriously affect anything.

Software image processing can help solve the situation - and it really works well: pay attention to the natural colors and fairly smooth, confident camera performance in all situations. Noise reduction allows you to count on the fact that photos in poor lighting will at least look normal on Instagram. The iPhone still has a pretty versatile camera, but it just wasn't the best and still isn't.

Selfie example

A more noticeable breakthrough occurred with the front camera - its resolution has increased from 1.2 to 5 megapixels. Selfies now look much more pleasant, there is at least some detail, and you can look at pictures from dark clubs without tears.

Extra options

Take your time to make your choice. Each phone has additional parameters, here are some of them.

⇡#iOS 9

The new version of Apple's mobile operating system has remained virtually unchanged in appearance, maintaining the corporate Flat Style set by the radical update of iOS 7. The font has changed, plus a new, “marine” theme is used by default. By the way, it’s quite nice - it looks fresh. There can be a lot of debate about the font, but one thing is for sure: you quickly get used to it.

The basic laws of navigation through the system have changed slightly. Now, as in iOS 7, to go to the search you need to “swipe” to the right. In addition to the search bar, Siri “lives” on this screen with a list of applications recommended to it. Siri, by the way, has learned to interact with applications currently open on the screen - this mode of operation of the assistant is called Proactive. And, alas, it is not yet available in Russia - Siri learns Russian very slowly, you will have to wait again. The screen of open applications has been changed - the icons have become larger, and they do not include contact icons. The search itself has also changed: to the standard one, based on the smartphone’s memory, a new one, based on the settings, has been added.

The list of system applications that do not need to be downloaded from the App Store has been supplemented with two important programs: “My Friends” and “Find iPhone”. Well, the PassBook application has been renamed to Wallet - and now you can store bonus card codes in it. The Photos app adds the ability to quickly swipe through photos in one swipe, and the Camera app lets you choose the frame rate and resolution for shooting videos.

Applications are rendered using the Metal API, which makes animations smoother. Most likely, only professionals will notice this, but Apple’s reputation is built on attention to such details.

The Notes app has changed a lot. Now you can draw in it, create active lists with the ability to mark completed items, and use it as a notebook for sketches. Notes is also integrated into various applications.

Important changes have been made to the keyboard: the register is now clearly visible, predictive typing has appeared, and a multi-touch gesture with two fingers has been added, which allows you to select typed text.

Probably the most important innovation is the power saving mode. It is enabled in the settings and lowers the processor frequency by 40%: from the standard 1.8 GHz to approximately 1 GHz. In an emergency situation, when there is little battery left, and you need the iPhone for simple applications and calls, it is very useful. The battery icon, by the way, turns orange in this mode.

There are also many small changes: new icons, new fonts, small additional features that iPhone and iPad users will soon not be able to live without. For example, this includes software detection of connected headphones and advice from corresponding applications.

In general, iOS 9 did not become some kind of revolutionary milestone in the development of the operating system - it was an ordinary annual update. And, as usual, it confirms Apple’s reputation as a largely totalitarian company: we recall contacts removed from the open program window or search returned to a separate screen, which many were dissatisfied with. But it’s Apple’s ability to decide for itself what the user needs and what they don’t that many people like about iOS. Be that as it may, iOS 9 is a fast, beautiful and convenient operating system. But not very energy efficient - more on that below.

Results

Let's summarize. For basic features, the iPhone 6s got 3 likes from us, and the iPhone 6s Plus got 7. But keep in mind that we didn't compare prices. Final table, why we liked:

Features of the iPhone 6 Screen

Available advantages:

1. The screen is protected by a smooth polished panel and a grease-repellent layer. This reduces the risk of scratches and finger marks.
2. Using the settings, you can get a good photo in any lighting. It will also be comfortable to read and view files at any time. The brightness itself is adjusted depending on the light. This quality emphasizes the advantage of the smartphone.
3. When working with the phone, you can rotate it vertically and horizontally. Before doing this, it is important to unblock it.
4. While the phone is not needed and is lying down, you can turn off the backlight so as not to waste charge. SMS and calls will continue as usual.

In the shop

Among the disadvantages of the smartphone are the following:

1. Due to its large size, the iPhone 6+ is awkward to hold in your pocket.
2. In the six+ version, the finger cannot always reach the desired point on the screen. In this case, the function of zooming in on the upper half of the image will not help.
3. The software allows you to easily view pictures on your phone in low light conditions. But if repairs are needed, replacing the screen on it will cost a large sum. This will be significantly more expensive than other models that do not have this feature.

Before the purchase

If you ask residents which phone is better, practical or large, the reviews will be divided into two camps. Apple did not split hairs and released the sixth version in 2 sizes. What is better to buy – a spectacular smartphone that displays colorful pictures, or a practical, convenient gadget? It all depends on the purpose for which a person needs it.

Phone characteristics

It is better for a teacher, doctor, entrepreneur, or salesperson to give preference to equipment with small dimensions. It is convenient to hold it in your hand, write messages, put it in your pocket or purse, and answer calls.

iPhone XR operating time

As usual, we open the Apple website and see this wonderful inscription: “iPhone XR lasts up to 1.5 hours more than iPhone 8 Plus.”

If you remember the “plus eight”, then it really held a charge quite well. And here we are promised even more! Victory? Depending on which way you look at it...

Judging by user reviews, the battery life of the iPhone XR is really not the worst. But! There is still no need to say that it holds a charge much better than the iPhone 8 Plus (that’s what the phrase “up to 1.5 hours longer” makes you think).

About the same? Yes. Much longer? No.

However, as we remember, a lot depends on the use case.

For example, if you listen to music on headphones, the iPhone XR will easily work for a couple of days.

But who does that? Almost no one.

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus operating time on a single battery charge

Considering the fact that the iPhone 8 is practically the same iPhone 7, it would be foolish to count on any kind of maximally increased autonomy compared to the previous model. It is logical to assume that everything will remain at “plus or minus” exactly the same level.

And this is what Apple came up with:

Agree, not much. The battery capacity has become slightly lower, and all other numbers are similar to the “seven”. However, Apple does not hide the fact that the iPhone 8 holds a charge exactly the same as the iPhone 7. And even directly indicates this in the specifications of the G8.

The only thing is that the iPhone 8 now has fast charging, and for some this may be a decisive factor when choosing a device.

Operating time of iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

Well, dear friends... It's done!

Apple has done a good job on optimization, the battery, its behavior (underline what is necessary), and the result of these works is visible to the naked eye - each iPhone 13 model holds a charge better (and in some scenarios, much better) than similar models of the previous generation.

Moreover (this is important!), the operating time has increased:

1. Not just in standby mode, but during active use (Safari, watching videos on YouTube, playing games).
2. Against the background of “measurements” in real life, and not under ideal testing conditions (as they do at Apple).

Overall: the battery life indicators of the iPhone 13 (mini, regular, Pro and Pro Max) definitely deserve attention - after all, these same indicators are the highest among all current iPhone models.

E - Evolution!

Hopefully, this is not all that Apple is capable of, and in iPhone 14 we:

1. Or we will see exactly the same battery life as in the iPhone 13 (which, in itself, is not so bad).
2. Or we’ll once again be surprised at how long this smartphone can last on a single battery charge (which, of course, would be great).

As they say, we’ll wait and see... We’re waiting:!)