It’s easy to assume that the latest iPhone is also ‘the
best’ one and leave it at that. But, let’s be honest; the main reason that a lot
of people to buy an iPhone is because the iOS software is good -- and you may not need the latest and greatest iPhone for this. So long as
everything works smoothly, you needn’t always spend top-dollar on the newest
handset. In fact, you may even prefer one of the older models.
Current iPhones - click on the links for current pricing and deals
- iPhone 6s: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB
- iPhone 6s Plus: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB
- iPhone 6: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB
- iPhone 6 Plus: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB
- iPhone 5s: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
iPhone 6s
The latest and greatest, Apple’s iPhone 6s is the new benchmark for iOS powered products. Though incrementally different from last year’s iPhone 6, the new 6s has a number of cool new features, an upgraded camera and 3D Touch.
Display
Apple keeps the 4.7-inch display the same as in last year’s model, and while hardcore fans may be slightly disappointed, we have no complaints about this screen. It’s ‘Retina’ quality panel is one of the sharpest and most colourful in market, and is perfect for most everyday smartphone jobs.
One significant enhancement to the screen this year isn’t one you can see. 3D Touch is a new enhancement to the touchscreen component, making it possible for the phone to detect the pressure with which you touch the screen, opening up a new possibilities for how you access different functions within apps. For example, if you are using the Maps, a brief touch might bring up details about a restaurant, while a longer, firmer touch might shortcut you directly to turn-by-turn navigation to this place.
Camera
Apple continues to excel in smartphone photography and iPhone users who love photography will get a kick out of this year’s big update.
Like many of it’s competitor’s, Apple has significantly increased the size of its image sensor, stepping up from 8-megapixels to 12-megapixels. This move isn’t only about the size of your photo prints, but it should also play a part in creating a more detailed image.
Also, new is the iPhone’s ability to shoot videos with a massive 4K resolution. If this is new terminology to you, 4K means a video roughly four-times the size of a standard Full HD image, comprised of over three-times the number of pixels. For most of us, with standard Full HD TVs in our living rooms, this is serious overkill, but again, it should contribute to iPhone videos looking of a higher quality.
CPU
The iPhone 6s (and 6s Plus) benefits from an improved computer chipset under the hood, known as the Apple A9. It is hard to say how much faster things will feel when you use the new iPhone, but synthetic benchmarks suggests between a 40 - 50% increase in performance capability.
Who is it best suited to?
You know who you are. You want to be on the absolute bleeding edge of technology, or you want a talking point when you pull your phone at the bar. Photographers will benefit most for the upgrades this year, and 3D Touch is a nifty new feature which should prove extremely useful over time.
iPhone 6s Plus
Like last year, you know have two iPhone size options, and the iPhone 6s is the big daddy of the bunch. It’s retains the 5.5-inch display of the original ‘Plus, but comes with all of the new goodies found in the iPhone 6s.
iPhone 6s similarities
Everything we listed as being new and different about the iPhone 6s applies to the larger 6s Plus. The upgraded computing power, the improved 12-megapixel camera and 3D Touch — all are included with the Plus.
One important difference is that the iPhone 6s Plus has a higher resolution, Full HD, screen. While this is necessary to compensate for the larger screen size overall, it still makes for a slight denser arrangement of pixels, and a sharper image as a result.
Camera
As we saw last year, Apple gives its larger phone a significant, if hidden, photographic advantage. It’s optical image stabilisation (OIS) and it is a physical mechanism that attempts to compensate for your wobbly, shaking hands. This helps focus your photos better, and can seriously improve the performance of the camera in low-light situations where the shutter needs to stay open longer to bring more light onto the sensor.
We said above that the iPhone 6s is great for photographers (and it is), but if you’re seriously about your smartphone snaps then the iPhone 6s Plus is the better choice.
Who is it best suited to?
If you’re spent some time with a ‘phablet’, it can be hard to go back to a smaller screen. As you’d expect, the larger display means you get more of a webpage on screen, and it’s great for watching videos. It’s also great if you like to get creative on your phone, whether you’re sketching, or editing the photos you’ve taken.
iPhone 6
Though it has recently been superseded by the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 6 is no slouch. It has a super fast processor, a great camera and a great ergonomic handset design.
Display
Its 4.7 inch display is 17.5% larger than its predecessors; something a lot of Apple fans have been waiting for.
It uses Apple's Retina Display technology, so the viewing experience is the same high quality you’re used
to, but there’s just more of it.
Camera
Apple has always
excelled in photography and, from our own experience, you'll be happy to hear that the camera in the iPhone 6 is the best yet.
It uses an 8-megapixel image sensor, plus there have been improvements in
autofocus speed, image sensing technology and the lens system. There’s also
some digital image stabilisation (DIS) to make sure your pics come out as
blur-free as possible.
Another enhanced feature involved the flash, which fires with different
colour tones depending on what it's looking at. This is to avoid that white,
washed-out look that so many flash photos suffer from. Instead, you can get a
nicer, warmer look that you’d be happy to post without shoving it through an
Instagram filter first.
CPU
The iPhone 6 uses a 64-bit A8 chip that is 25% more powerful
than the one found in the iPhone 5s. 64-bit is a good sign that it will be
fairly well future-proofed against iOS releases until at least iOS 10 or 11.
Who is it best suited to?
The iPhone 6 is the best choice for people who want the latest, fastest iPhone, but don't want the size or bulk of the new iPhone 6 Plus. It is also a little cheaper than the bigger phone, but it is not a difference in price you are likely to notice when the price is spread out over a 24-month plan.
iPhone 6 Plus
Big and beautiful, the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus is the iPhone
for lovers of beautiful displays with as much screen real-estate as possible.
It is the only iPhone to go above and beyond the 326 pixels per inch (ppi)
restriction. Its 1080p resolution gives it a whopping 400ppi, which in layman's terms is a very sharp, crisp display.
iPhone 6 similarities
It sports the same fingerprint scanner perks as the iPhone
6, including NFC payments, and the same A8 processor and graphics capability.
Camera
The rear camera is essentially identical to the one found on the
smaller iPhone 6 with one difference: it has optical image stabilisation (OIS).
OIS has the advantage because it literally moves the camera lens to compensate
for your shaky hands, instead of relying on clever software tricks like DIS.
Unique features
Thanks to its size, the iPhone 6 Plus needed a little more
attention to keep the fans happy. You can view the Home Screen in landscape mode if
you wish, which is a nice perk that not even Android has implemented yet. You
can also get a two-column view in the email app.
More interestingly, Apple has taken a unique approach to
solving the finger gymnastics needed to reach the top of such a large screen.
Double-tapping the Home/Touch ID button will bring everything on the display
down, leaving the top half blank. This is so you can reach any
on-screen buttons located up there, or easily tap the address bar in your
browser.
Who is it best suited to?
If you love browsing the web on your phone, watching YouTube videos or gaming; then the iPhone 6 Plus should be right up your alley. The extra-large screen helps you see more, play more and read more easily, and it's full HD resolution makes everything super crisp.
The size and price are considerations, though. There has never been an iPhone more expensive that the
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB, and the shape of the 6 Plus will stretch the pockets of tight fitting jeans. But if you want the ultimate iPhone experience, these are easy sacrifices to make.
iPhone 5s
The 5s was 2013’s flagship model and so has now been
relegated to 2nd tier in both status and price. That’s good news for anyone after that old compact Apple
experience.
Fingerprint scanner
It has the same Home button fingerprint scanner as the newer models, but it
doesn’t have NFC so you won’t be able to use it for those swanky Apple Pay
payments that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus can do.
You’ll still be able to use your fingers as your unlock code and App Store security. It’s especially handy for in-app payments.
Camera
The camera was our 2013 pick for best colour accuracy on the
market, and came close to being the best overall phone. It takes photos quickly, achieves focus within milliseconds and you can take repeat shots almost as fast as you can tap your finger. It also rocks the two-tone flash of the 6 and 6 Plus.
CPU
The A7 chip is a little slower than the A8, but it’s still a
64-bit chip and as such should be well future-proofed. With any luck you should
be good until at least the end of 2016 or 2017.
Who is it best suited to?
The iPhone 5s is still a remarkably zippy phone, despite being several years old now. If you're looking for an iPhone with a bargain price tag, you should be looking at the iPhone 5s.
There are also some phone owners who still swear by smaller handsets. Apple made a bold move towards bigger phones with the 6 and 6 Plus, but has kept the iPhone 5s in production for those of us that love single-handed phone use.
What they have in common
All iPhones offer similar user experiences thanks to their operating system, which is called iOS. As of the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the current version is iOS 8. All of the iPhones listed here are compatible with the iOS 8 update, but will obviously differ in how well they can handle it based on their hardware.
iOS 8 brings new features like:
- QuickType keyboard
- Family sharing for music, movies, books and apps you buy through the iTunes store
- Health tracking compatible with sports bands, like Nike Fuel
- Messages that include voice clips
- Easy file-sharing from a Mac to your phone, and vice versa
Click here for a detailed breakdown of the features on iOS 8.
iOS ubiquity
All Apple phones and tablets run on the iOS operating system. Each time an iOS update rolls out it makes its way to most of the iPhones across the world. Even if an older iPhone comes with an older OS, it’ll update as soon as you want it to. This is a key bonus for iPhone owners, as most of the key features and apps are part of the iOS software.
Identical displays – no longer
Apple has been reluctant to change the size of the iPhone’s screen, finally budging in 2012 and upping it to a still-compact 4 inches. That’s all changed now.
The iPhone 6 has a more-standard 4.7 inch display, while the iPhone 6 Plus has a whopping 5.5 inches. This is compared to the identical 4 inch displays of the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5.
Siri access
All these iPhones run Siri — Apple's personal assistant software, all models interface with iTunes in the same way, and all have access to iCloud.
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