Apple iPhone 6S, Apple iPhone 6S Plus are here; here is what to read before you buy

Written by Nandagopal Rajan | Updated: October 16, 2015 11:03 am The Apple iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S plus cater to different sets of users. (Source: Nandagopal Rajan)

It iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are finally here. The new S series of iPhone smartphones from Apple finally hit stores in India with thousands of eager fanbois queueing up before midnight to get their hands on these upgrades. If you were not in the queue or have not yet pre-booked one of the two smartphones with an e-tailer, here is what you should read before making up your mind.

What should you look out for in the Apple iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus?

Design: The build quality has improved and Apple now uses better aluminum to make the phone lighter and sleeker. Plus, Apple claims the cover glass is the strongest in the world.

3D Touch: It does take some getting used to, but 3D Touch is truly revolutionary and literally adds a new layer to touch screens. The screens are pressure sensitive and it is almost like touching different layers of the screen to do different things. Peek and Pop powered by 3D touch makes the phone more products and you will do things faster and without even opening the apps in most cases.

Camera: The camera has certainly improved, more so for the iPhone 6S Plus which also comes with image stabilisation. The addition of 4K to a iPhone camera has to be good and it is, so is the improved time lapse. A real edge over other 4K cameras in smartphones is the fact that this one is powerful enough to edit what you have shot. The phone could also have the best selfie camera in the business thanks to the innovation that changes the screen into a flash.

Battery: My review iPhone 6S Plus lasted the entire night without dropping more than 5% of its battery even with 4G and Wi-Fi on. This is something Android phones still can't achieve, at least not with the networks on.

iOS 9: Overall iOS 9 gives you enough tweaks to make it a better experience than before. There are lot of steps that have now become faster, especially in tandem with Peek and Pop.

Apple iPhone 6S vs Apple iPhone 6S Plus

This is an easy one. Go for the iPhone 6S if you want something compact and very stylish.

The iPhone 6S Plus is for those who actually need the extra real estate on the screen and more battery life. If cameras are your thing, then remember the iPhone 6S Plus has a better camera with image stabilisation.

Is it a good upgrade for those with iPhone 6?

Tough one. Go ahead if you are one of those people who upgrade every year, otherwise the iPhone 6 upgraded to iOS 9 gives you most of the features you need, except for the 3D touch and the improved camera. On the other hand, the phone makes a good choice for those who are on earlier versions like the iPhone 5 or 5s.

What about Android users?

Given that it was not that easy moving from Android to iOS or vice versa, Apple has introduced a new app that just moves your entire data from your Android phone to the new iPhone. This option comes during the initial set up itself and is relatively easy.

Having been on Android for well over a year, I can say that Google's system offers a lot of advantages especially for those who don't mind a third party accessing their data. On the other hand, it does not offer the peace of mind you would have on a Apple device when it comes to malware and just the robustness of the system.

But still there some very good Android rivals to the Apple iPhone, especially the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. It is up to you to choose the ecosystem.

Accessories

Interestingly, Apple will be selling some neat accessories through its resellers this year. I particularly loved the new dock which lets you charge the phone while also being a stand for Facetime calls. It even comes with an audio port. The leather cases are also worth a second look.

Pricing

At upwards of the Rs 62,000, the Apple iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus are certainly not for everyone. And Apple is quite happy keeping it that way. Of course, you can buy the phone on EMIs even if you can't really afford it, but do look at the earlier versions of the iPhone which will now have lower price points as a good alternative.

See our unboxing video here

The article is based on first impressions. Watch out for our full review next week. 

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Source: Apple iPhone 6S, Apple iPhone 6S Plus are here; here is what to read before you buy