Here to take on the Galaxy S6, Xperia Z5, One M9 and other smartphones, the iPhone 6S is available in two models. Apple launched them alongside the iPad Pro, iPad mini 4 and new Apple TV at its launch event last night. With the phones being extremely similar, we’ve split this article up into two sections to explain what is different and what it the same – rather than going through various different aspects one at a time.
iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6S Plus: What’s different?
As with the iPhone 6, the 6S and 6S Plus are priced differently so it might be a case of which one can you afford. With three storage capacities available, the iPhone 6S starts at £539 while the iPhone 6S Plus will cost you at least £619. See the table below for the full price line-up.
The main difference between the two phones is once again the screen size (which hasn’t changed in true ‘s’ model fashion). This means you can choose between a 4.7in screen with a 750×1334 resolution (326 ppi) and a larger 5.5in display with a Full HD 1080×1920 resolution (401ppi). They both have the new 3D Touch technology which is explained below. With different screen sizes, it’s no surprise that they have different dimensions and most importantly weights. The iPhone 6S is more manageable, of course, at 67x138x7.1mm and 143g while the Plus model is a heftier 78x158x7.3mm and 192g. Although there is a new camera in the iPhone 6S models, it’s still only the Plus which boasts optical image stabilisation which works for photos and video. The battery is also larger in the 6S Plus and according to Apple’s figures will provide better battery life. It will last 16 days on standby compared to 10 and video playback is touted as 14 hours against 11 on the regular 6S.
iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6S Plus: What’s the same?
So we’ve outlined the differences between the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus which means all the other aspects of the smartphones are the same no matter which one you choose. Let’s run through the key points of the new 6S phones. There’s a new colour available with the iPhone 6S so alongside Silver, Space Grey and Gold you can choose Rose Gold (above). Apple has given the devices a new chip in the form of the A9 64-bit processor which comes with the M9 motion co-processor. The design now includes 7000 Series aluminium which is stronger (to avoid another bend-gate) and the strongest glass ever used on a smartphone. A new 12Mp iSight is found at the back which supports 4K video and a new feature called Live Photos will capture video before and after a photo so you can make it come to life in a sort of gif style. Note, however, that TechCrunch has shown Live Photos take up roughly twice the amount of storage space as a standard 12Mp photo, so you may want to choose your iPhone storage capacity carefully. The key new feature of the iPhone 6S models is the 3D Touch, essentially Force Touch, which has been built into the screen. It detects how much pressure you put on the display so you can do more things with it. It’s kinda the evolution of the long press. In tandem is a Taptic Engine which provides shorter and more precise vibration feedback. Apple has introduces Peek and Pop so you can do things like preview an email with a light touch, a Peek, then go further into with by pressing harder, a Pop. Quick Actions will also help you out so you can press harder on an icon to do things like send a message to a favourite contact, check-in on Facebook or open the front camera to take a selfie – all directly from the homescreen. Other specs remain the same with iOS 9 pre-loaded and various existing features such as Touch ID, Apple Pay and a Lightning port. Tech Advisor’s Reviews Editor, Chris has been reviewing all kinds of tech for over 10 years and specialises in audio. He also covers a range of topics including home entertainment, phones, laptops, tablets and more.
