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When we get ‘S years’, they are seen by some as half-steps between iPhone generations, with new features not always forthcoming. This has not always been the case, and it’s definitely not true of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.
Yes, on the surface and in appearance, very little appears to have changed in this 2015 iPhone when placed alongside last year’s devices. But as an experience, things have taken an intriguing turn.
Very well described online by some as effectively “right-clicking for a phone”, 3D Touch is a great introduction to the iPhone in theory, and even more so once you try it.
Tap, and then press more firmly on any app icon, email, message or photo, and a new window of shortcuts appears. There’s a nice haptic feedback when you use 3D Touch to let you know the press has been registered, but in truth the process feels quite natural from minute one.
Perhaps it plays on that frustration-born idea that pressing any tech more firmly will make it work if it hasn’t previously. We’ve all done it on our phones, but now it really exists. Press hard on the camera icon and you can hit the selfie option to snap a photo. Or when you do it on Messages your most frequent contacts appear.
Once you get into your communication apps such as email and Messages there are some nice touches too. You can press to peek at an email. Press harder still and then the email will open.
It’s also worth pointing out that this doesn’t replace traditional taps, but serves as an extra tool for navigation, and it doesn’t get in the way.
The other major reboot in the 6s range is the camera. Apple has gone into its nuts and bolts and changed a few things – among them upping the megapixels to 12 from eight. This is still way below some other flagships out there, but there is nonetheless a marked improvement here.
The 4K video is great to have too, and iPhone videographers out there will appreciate being able to shoot and then edit 4K on their smartphone from now on.
One other cool little touch is Live Photos. This is a feature that sees single images come to life as short videos – though Apple still insists on calling them photos. The camera, when Live Photos is active, captures the moments just before and after a photo is taken, and when pressed with 3D Touch, plays them as a Live Photo.
It won’t work in every scenario, but if you can get in the habit of knowing when it will work, Live Photos does look very impressive and engaging, offering new versions of your favourite moments, which can only be a good thing.
Apple has moved to avoid another “bendgate” incident by saying it’s changed the aluminium it uses on the iPhone. The good news about all this beyond the reassurance is you can’t tell the difference in the hand; the 6s and 6s Plus still feel premium, light, and familiar if you’re already an iPhone 6 user.
Also on the looks front, that much talked about rose gold coloured device turned out to be true – but much more surprisingly is that in the flesh it is almost worryingly easy on the eye. It would be no surprise if this became the most popular version of the device.
There have been reports that Apple has ordered more units of the 6s and 6s Plus than they did the 6 last year – with suggestions the firm believes it can outdo its record sales of last year.
It seemed outlandish before the live event. It doesn’t quite so much now.
