Apple iPhone 6 Plus: The TechSpot Review

[Shawn Knight]

While virtually every other manufacturer began pumping out phones with increasingly larger screens in the wake of the Samsung's Galaxy Note arrival in 2012, Apple was content to ship their next two iPhones with a 4-inch display.

The company continued to set sales records with the iPhone 5 and 5s but if Apple wished to keep raking in money hand over fist, they had to wake up and smell the roses. The market had changed.

That response came in the form of two new devices, the completely redesigned 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus --  the latter of which represents Apple’s first foray into the phablet market.

Read the complete review.

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

It's a pretty solid phone as always they deliver quality phones but as many people lack common sense and buy the phone right as it comes out they always end up finding problems as they just did with the bending issue.now who owns the phone ends up face-palming himself for rushing out to early to buy it just to end up with a bendable phone the new extra exclusive feature.

 

[dividebyzero]

Its a pretty solid phone as always they deliver quality phones but as many people lack common sense and buy the phone right as it comes out they always end up finding problems as they just did with the bending issue.now who owns the phone ends up facepalming himself for rushing out to early to buy it just to end up with a bendable phone the new extra exclusive feature.

Already under control I believe...

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

Already under control I believe

That would only match Apple if the roller had a price tag of about 199.99$ and of course the claims of being the only roller in the world to be able to reshape the iphone itself

 

[theruck]

You could have put an iPad and iPad mini next to the ip6+ to see that size comparison.

 

[noel24]

I've heard bending will be solved in iOS 8.0.2 patch.

 

[Nobina]

It's a pretty solid phone as always they deliver quality phones but as many people lack common sense and buy the phone right as it comes out they always end up finding problems as they just did with the bending issue.now who owns the phone ends up face-palming himself for rushing out to early to buy it just to end up with a bendable phone the new extra exclusive feature.

Well it's really not their fault for buying the phone early. Company as big as Apple should not have released defective phones. I guess iPhone is not the only thing that got bent here.

 

[Doctor Vadgers]

I've heard bending will be solved in iOS 8.0.2 patch.

Now you got me confused in what way can a software update fix bending issue fill me in I might of missed the sarcasm somewhere

LOL, how did you miss the sarcasm? It's as obvious as the app that added waterproofing or the ability to recharge it in a microwave...

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

LOL how did you miss the sarcasm - it's as obvious as the app that added waterproofing or the ability to recharge it in a microwave...

You can never tell when a person is being serious, TBH, I mean it's the internet, expect the unexpected

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I've heard bending will be solved in iOS 8.0.2 patch.

Me too. Apple are bragging it's going to be a solid patch.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

It's a nice phone albeit too big for my liking.

 

[Jad Chaar]

My only issues with iPhones currently are the RAM and the default storage options. They need to put at least 1 more GB of RAM in there and up the default storage tier to the 32GB. Then the phone will be a real good competitor. I am glad I opted for the regular 6 instead. I tried the 6+ yesterday and it is HUGE. Hyped for Tuesday (shipment date).

 

[amstech]

How can you look at those performance charts and not be impressed? I'll be honest I didn't look into the specs much...but I was expecting this thing to lose to a Snapdragon 805.
I ate my foot on that one.

 

[GhostRyder]

My only issues with iPhones currently are the RAM and the default storage options. They need to put at least 1 more GB of RAM in there and up the default storage tier to the 32GB. Then the phone will be a real good competitor. I am glad I opted for the regular 6 instead. I tried the 6+ yesterday and it is HUGE. Hyped for Tuesday (shipment date).

I always wait 2 years on my phones so I have to skip this generation since I still have a 5S. I agree they need to drop the 16gb option as in reality that is not enough even for the basic users anymore with all the storage requirements of the OS and apps, higher resolution camera and videos, and just the updates in general. I actually had gotten a bit low on space for the iOS 8.0 update and when I checked had well over 10gb worth of videos and pictures and I am not the type of person to take many pictures of things. I cannot imagine how much room the pictures and videos on the 6+ take up with that new camera feature set.

I actually am quite shocked at how well the new A8 performs in comparison to the other phones in the lineup. Makes it look very good comparatively though I bet many of that will not show up in real world testing.

Excellent review @Shawn Knight , though I missed seeing the battery life test (but understand why you could not), I enjoyed the read and the thoroughness.

 

[Guest]

Enjoying my iPhone 6 Plus.

 

[Guest]

Anyone who's done some reading on the iPhone 6 can see what it is capable of. For all the people here who argue until the bitter end that the PS4 is only "more powerful on paper", I wish they'd take the same approach when they compare numbers with benchmarks. You realistically shouldn't need 8 cores and 4GB of RAM for a phone. Windows Phone easily makes that apparent.

 

[Experimentongod]

Just came here for the "bending" comments, not really interested in the review. These phones are way too overpriced.

 

[Guest]

That was very quick. Good job guys!

 

[Jad Chaar]

I always wait 2 years on my phones so I have to skip this generation since I still have a 5S. I agree they need to drop the 16gb option as in reality that is not enough even for the basic users anymore with all the storage requirements of the OS and apps, higher resolution camera and videos, and just the updates in general. I actually had gotten a bit low on space for the iOS 8.0 update and when I checked had well over 10gb worth of videos and pictures and I am not the type of person to take many pictures of things. I cannot imagine how much room the pictures and videos on the 6+ take up with that new camera feature set.

I actually am quite shocked at how well the new A8 performs in comparison to the other phones in the lineup. Makes it look very good comparatively though I bet many of that will not show up in real world testing.

Excellent review @Shawn Knight , though I missed seeing the battery life test (but understand why you could not), I enjoyed the read and the thoroughness.

I am excited for the A9 CPU since this is the "tick" cycle in which they change the manufacturing process. Next year we will hopefully see some big performance improvements.

As for the 16GB option, I agree. The only reason I got the 16GB though is because it forces me to organize my phone and keep it clean and not accumulate junk. As Apps get larger in size that cleaning process gets tougher so that is why a 32GB default is becoming necessary.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

This is the first phone from Apple that I think really looks good. I'd consider getting one if iOS gave you the freedom to mess with the launcher and keyboard etc. The design however, isn't new or revolutionary...

Apple has given this year’s iPhones a complete makeover.

No they didn't. When I first saw the iPhone 6 I didn't know it was an iPhone 6 until I realized it didn't look ridiculously small like most of them do. They changed up the edges (for the better) by taking a couple pages of HTC's book. Last years' HTC One had the screen that went to the edge to give the 'infinity pool' look. The HTC One M8 has the curved metal edges and back that Apple also incorporated, and I think it gives the phone a much better look.
Otherwise the phone keeps the general look of an iPhone, and it should... it's what people like so no need to change it.

While my hands are on the smaller side, I have no trouble using the 5.5-inch display on the larger phone.

Funny how this used to be such a source of criticism for Android phones in the past. (Remember this commercial where Apple calls the 4inch screen size of the iphone 5 a 'Dazzling display of common sense'?) Steve Jobs would never have swallowed his pride and released such a big phone. Kudos to Tim Cook for eating his humble pie and admitting that people actually do have two hands and are able to use them both.

 

[AnilD]

Enough with the #bendgate jokes! Hmm, no not yet...

 

[Jad Chaar]

Enough with the #bendgate jokes! Hmm, no not yet...

Lmao my friend sent me that this morning. I laughed pretty good.

 

[Trolle_BE]

For me the biggest hurdles with the iphones are the price(they deffo aint worth more then a premium droid)
and IOS.
IOS is (for me)together with vista one of the biggest piles of **** that I ever laid my eyes on.
its all looks to be made for children,the menus,icons,settings ,everything.
I want my OS to look like I want it and not how apple wants it.
in terms of OS a iphone doesnt even come close to a rooted droid.
also the 6+ looks horrible(the bezels of the G2/3 are just wy way way better)

 

[Guest]

Hideous design compared with iPhone 5s.. imho