On Friday, Sep. 19, Apple released the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus phones in stores nationwide. With a newly improved camera, a longer battery life, higher resolution, and significantly larger screen sizes for both models, it’s no surprise that together both versions of the phones topped ten million sales in just the opening weekend. However, while the added features of the new iPhones are enticing, both prospective and current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners should be aware of a few cons as well.
The new iPhone 6’s screen size is 4.7 inches from one corner to its opposite corner, which is a noticeable increase in screen size compared to the 4-inch iPhone 5s screen. The even bigger iPhone 6 Plus sports a massive 5.5-inch screen, which is the biggest screen size in the history of the iPhone. While it may take some time adjusting to this significant change in screen size for new owners, they will find that the movement of the screen is smoother than ever and that its increased size makes room for more apps to be displayed on each page. However, many old apps that haven’t been adjusted to match the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus’s larger screens are automatically blown up in size, making everything a bit blurry. However, once apps inevitably release updates that make them compatible with the new versions of the iPhone, this problem should no longer be an issue, and the apps should look clear again.
Unfortunately, the larger screens, especially on the iPhone 6 Plus, pose a more long-term problem: It’s difficult for many users to reach that upper right-hand corner of the phone. Some users find that they have to use a second hand in order to access this region that their thumb on their dominant hand cannot reach.
But screen size isn’t the only difference between the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6 models. The new iPhones have also become thinner than their predecessors, with the iPhone 6 being 6.9mm thick and the iPhone 6 Plus, 7.1mm. While this change in the smartphones’ structure makes them easier and more comfortable to hold, their streamlined shape makes the phones a bit slippery, so that owners are encouraged to invest in a phone case that both protects the phone and offers users a good grip. Although, even if an owner were to drop one of these precious new phones, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are supposedly more durable than the iPhone 5s: The new models are made of Gorilla Glass, which is designed to be hard to scratch or break.
Despite the supposed durability of the new iPhones, a new rumor has sprung up on the Internet, claiming that the iPhone 6, and especially the iPhone 6 Plus, bends when sat upon in people’s pockets. While there has been speculation that many of these claims have been faked through the magic of Photoshop, videos showing people bending iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Pluses with their own hands suggest that the rumor is actually plausible. This may be due to the phone’s thinner frame, which is made of aluminum, a relatively flexible metal, as well as the larger size of the iPhone 6; as a result, the smartphone has less room to move around in the pocket. When pressure is applied against the phone, it therefore cannot shift away from the pressure, forcing the phone to bend under its own force. Apple has yet to respond to this issue, but in the meantime, it is recommended that owners avoid placing their new iPhones in their pockets, especially when wearing tight jeans.
All in all, while the hype of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus makes the new smartphones appealing, it is important to consider the problems that the supposed improvements may cause, and whether the new phones are good investments.
