iPhone 6 Review – with plenty of photos inside!

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Apple iPhone 6 Review – Apple’s latest flagship phones come in 2 different models: the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, with the latter having a bigger screen (5.5″ vs 4.7″). They are pretty much similar in design, although the iPhone 6 Plus (Apple’s phablet) has a bigger battery and also an extra OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) hardware that help you take photos better in low light. I’m reviewing the 4.7″ iPhone 6 because that’s the device that I actually own (pre-ordered it on the day of the launch).

I’m sure you’ve read all the things offered on Apple’s iPhone 6 and perhaps some reviews as well, so I’ll be focusing more on my opinions and experiences in using the phone. After using the iPhone 6 for more than a couple of weeks, I’m happy to part with my old, smaller iPhone 5s and to claim iPhone 6 as my favorite smartphone at the moment.

iPhone 6 Design & Features

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As always, the iPhone is beautifully designed and iPhone 6 is no exception. It’s slimmer than the previous iPhone 5s with a smooth, continuous form along the edges.

iPhone 6 comparison shots with iPhone 5s:

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The slim factor definitely helps to make it easier to carry the bigger phone around. It also shows remarkable craftsmanship by Apple for being able to fit so many things in such a slim device. The protruding rear camera looks funny at first but you won’t realise that it’s there (unless if you have an OCD). The phone still sits sturdily on a surface and the Sapphire covering the lens will ensure that you won’t get a scratch on it (unless if you slide it onto a diamond surface, perhaps).

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Unfortunately, the iPhone 6 is a slippery beast, thanks to the materials used. Handling the phone with one hand is a huge challenge, especially when you interact with the screen. At all times, it is as if I’m about to drop the luxurious phone to the ground due to the slippery feel. Adding a bumper case definitely makes it much easier to grip, but I’m not a fan of wearing cases. The Reachability feature (where you double tap the Home button to bring half of the screen down) also helps but I still have that funny feeling that I may drop the phone if I don’t use both hands.

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So far, however, I can still use my iPhone 6 with 1 hand with the help of my pinky, but I encourage you to use it with 2 hands whenever possible (or get a case). Note that this is a problem that occurs on all big phones (well, Steve Jobs have warned us about this).

It’s a great trade-off, however. The Retina HD 4.7″ display makes it a more enjoyable experience to check on your Facebook, to view your photos, to watch videos, and everything else. The screen is beautiful, crisp, and everything pops. Like the iPhone 5 and 5s, it feels as if everything is printed just beneath the screen. It feels as if you can really touch the app icons and texts without any barrier. I can also see my screen clearly under the sun, a treat on iPhones screen that I always praise about.

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Everything is responsive and smooth too, as expected from Apple. The iPhone 6 has newer processors compared to the iPhone 5s and everything flies on iOS 8. I definitely can’t wait for apps and games that take advantage of these powers.

The cameras (both front and rear) also get some nice upgrades to quality and features. The rear camera is still an 8-megapixel camera but you shouldn’t judge a camera’s quality by its megapixels (you should know this by now). iPhone 6’s camera quality is superb and even if it’s not a huge jump from iPhone 5s, you can still see the difference. My friends on the iPhone 5s did a few comparison shots with me and they could tell the difference (both in doing selfie and taking shots with the rear camera). iPhone 6 also takes better quality photos in low light compared to iPhone 5s and focuses instantly (both taking photos and recording videos). This means you’ll never miss any crucial moments when taking a quick snap.

Here are some photos taken with the iPhone 6 (without filters or modifications). Click them for a larger resolution.

Outdoor shots (notice the awesome HDR where you can see the clouds on the bright, sunny conditions):

southgatesouthgate evening

southgate afternoonsouthgate afternoon 2

near crownroad trip

Indoor shots:

watchcoffee

Macros:

tulip farm

food1food2

Low light shots:

desktop

vic mart nightcrown casino

docklands

Using just the default Camera app with automatic settings, you can get great shots. These can further be edited and tweaked but I’m really impressed overall with it.

Battery life is okay on the iPhone 6 (not much different than the iPhone 5s) but standby time is phenomenal (with Bluetooth turned on all the time):

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If you desperately need better battery life, go for iPhone 6 Plus – but bigger may not mean better for you. iPhone 6’s size for me, is perfect.

iPhone 6 Review Conclusion

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The iPhone 6 is larger, prettier, and better but it doesn’t feel like a revolutionary device, as everyone would expect from a major iteration of an iPhone. The rumored semi-sapphire screen was supposed to be one of the major “attractions”, but something happened and Apple pulled it out at the last minute before the announcement.

Saying that, however, I’m still in love with the iPhone 6. It looks beautiful from all angles (apart from the protruding rear camera), the upgraded camera takes great shots with instant focusing, everything runs smoothly on iOS 8, TouchID rocks as before (I can’t imagine going back to doing a PIN or Pattern Unlock ever again), and it comes with a beautiful, sharp bigger screen.

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Powered by iOS 8, more powerful and flexible apps are coming. Apple did a nice catch-up with Android by allowing third party keyboards, apps that can “talk” with the other apps”, and more (I’m not a fan of the widgets though). You can also now use the TouchID to further secure apps like Dropbox (I wish other important apps like Gmail, Facebook, and a few others have this support – maybe an update is coming) and also for the upcoming Apple Pay (which went live in U.S a couple of days ago).

iPhone 6 is not about a phone that can “wow” you with gimmicks. However, once you use it on a daily basis, you will appreciate everything that Apple has thrown to make your daily experience smoother, faster, and more enjoyable. Once Apple Pay goes live in Australia and works without a hitch, it will be a blast to use.

The camera takes great quality shots, even in low light. Sure, there are other phones that can take better photos (like the Lumia phones) but iPhone 6 comes in a more complete package with TouchID, Apple Pay, iOS quality apps, great standby time (battery), and more.

Overall
4.5

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