The iPhone 6 Plus Mini-Review: Apple's First Phablet
by Joshua Ho on September 30, 2014 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Apple
- Mobile
- iOS
- iPhone 6 Plus
While we’ve also written about the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus needs its own review in order to really understand the various features of the device that would otherwise be buried in the context of the iPhone 6. Without question, this device represents a significant departure from the way Apple has competed in the smartphone space. Until now, Apple hasn't competed in the phablet space and has thus avoided competing with Galaxy Note line that has been established as the dominant phablet for the past 3-4 generations. As a result, Apple occupies a fast-follower position at best.
This brings us to the iPhone 6 Plus, which really is an extension of the iPhone 6. Both phones share the same SoC, NAND configurations, front and rear camera sensors, LED flash module, industrial/material design, TouchID home button, earpiece and speaker configuration, WiFi/BT chipset, modem, and button layout. At this point, I’m going to stop listing similarities because the iPhone 6 Plus is interesting for its differences. Unlike similarities, the differences are simple. The iPhone 6 Plus is bigger, the display has higher pixel density, the camera has optical image stabilization, and iOS 8 has new app designs to take advantage of the larger screen. The iPhone 6 Plus is also more expensive, with the 16GB version starting at the same price as the 64GB version of the iPhone 6.
While I’ve already discussed the design of the iPhone 6, it’s important to see whether the same design translates to the iPhone 6 Plus. To this end, the iPhone 6 Plus does well. While the angular design of the iPhone 5 line would have looked and felt enormous in the hand, the shape is quite similar to the iPad line and is similarly comfortable in the hand, although the rounded edge really differentiates it, as does the control scheme. The only real issue here is that the top bezel on the front becomes surprisingly large, and this seems to contribute to a sense that the phone is top-heavy even though the phone is evenly balanced.
| Apple iPhone 5s | Apple iPhone 6 | Apple iPhone 6 Plus | |
| SoC | Apple A7 | Apple A8 | Apple A8 |
| Display | 4-inch 1136 x 640 LCD | 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 LCD | 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 LCD |
| WiFi | 2.4/5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n, BT 4.0 | 2.4/5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, single stream, BT 4.0, NFC | |
| Storage | 16GB/32GB/64GB | 16GB/64GB/128GB | 16GB/64GB/128GB |
| I/O | Lightning connector, 3.5mm headset | ||
| Size / Mass |
123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 grams |
138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm, 129 grams |
158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm, 172 grams |
| Camera |
8MP iSight with 1.5µm pixels Rear Facing + True Tone Flash 1.2MP f/2.4 Front Facing |
8MP iSight with 1.5µm pixels Rear Facing + True Tone Flash 1.2MP f/2.2 Front Facing |
8MP iSight with 1.5µm pixels Rear Facing + True Tone Flash + OIS 1.2MP f/2.2 Front Facing |
| Price |
$99 (16GB), $149 (32GB) on 2 year contract |
$199 (16GB), $299 (64GB), $399 (128GB) on 2 year contract |
$299 (16GB), $399 (64GB), $499 (128GB) on 2 year contract |
Overall, even though the iPhone 6 Plus is noticeably taller than the Galaxy Note 3 both feel similar in size. The iPhone 6 Plus is on the thinner side which makes a significant impression in the hand. At any rate, it’s physically impossible for me to use this device with one hand for most situations. It’s definitely a tablet in this sense, but in a much more compact and pocketable form factor.
"Bendgate"
Of course, drawing the comparison between the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note 3 inevitably raises the question of “bendgate”, which draws interesting parallels with “scuffgate” from the iPhone 5 generation. Unfortunately, I can’t destroy multiple review units in order to thoroughly investigate this issue. However, we can look at Consumer Reports’ data and come to a few conclusions about this problem. The first is that in the case of the iPhone 6 Plus, there appears to be an area near the bottom of the volume buttons that is a weak point as we see a clear failure of the casing in this area.
However, it seems that there is a significant amount of force needed in the first place in order to cause permanent deformation. Otherwise, everything that we’ve seen is primarily the result of fundamental differences between the two materials. It’s clear that in the case of the Galaxy Note 3 that a great deal of the structural rigidity is tied to the display itself, so the case doesn’t quite provide much in the way of protection as the polymer used is clearly in the elastic region all the way to failure. LG seems to have a different design though, as their polymer material has a clear case of brittle failure at the limit, which saved the display from shattering.
It's certainly possible to bend the iPhone 6 Plus (or really any phone or tablet), but the real issue here that hasn’t been addressed is the level of force needed to cause a certain level of elastic or plastic deformation in the material. This matters far more when discussing drop protection as the level of force in such a scenario is relatively small but applied over an extremely short period of time. There’s also no mention of force per unit area in any of these figures, so we can’t really have a serious discussion about this issue without the necessary data.
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WinterCharm - Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - link
Hahaha This guy has been running around and posting this comment on EVERY single iPhone review over the web.He's so desperate for attention, and so put off by the iPhone 6 that he feels the need to go about justifying his choice to love android.
darwinosx - Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - link
Everything you said is wrong of course and you sound like you have a personality disorder of some sort. I would seek therapy if I were you.Alexey291 - Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - link
He's deffo not correct but you certainly have always been on par with him when it comes to random bs :3option7 - Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - link
Moron. 1080P is a waist on a small screen. All it does is increase the file size of every video you watch which then requires more RAM and mor memory.You wouldn't know this because you are one of the lemmings that jump off a cliff for overkill specs that cause other "back door" issues you are too stupid to recognize.
What other great products do you own? ...a Dodge Ram pickup? ...a Kia Soul? ...or are you a big fan of all those high quality products from "As Seen On TV"?
Maybe you should hold off on critiques of engineering, design and asthetics and learn how to dress so you can get a girlfriend someday. Here's a tip for you...don't use a coupon on your first date when you take her to Denny's. Good luck, Moron...
shtldr - Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - link
Wow, someone whose life revolves around cars and dating women calls someone else a moron?iphone4ever - Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - link
You are the tool.Did you read the article (you do know how to read numbers and graphs I hope) and notice that iPhones totally dominate every display statistic and the Samsung S5 lags behind two prior generations of Apple iPhones and the iPhone 6 is so far ahead that Samsuck may never catch up.
I noticed you conveniently forgot about the 64bit Processor that runs at 1GHz lower speed on only two cores but is still faster than the Quad core junk that Android uses and oh yeah the battery life is significantly better and thats on a much smaller battery. Yeah no innovation there, Apple is really falling behind. In terms of memory the iPhone 6 comes in 16, 64, and 128GB - no need for some extra RAM modules because Samsuck decided to cheapen out and only include 32GB.
You Sumsuck troll just go away and play with your me too devices from the copy cat foreigners and come here and tell us when Samsunk/Android actually invents something significant or innovative - remember the tilt to scroll feature (HaHa what a piece of crap and they let be seen by the public). Ohh a bigger display no one would ever see that coming, except for Apple and the iPhone 1.
bigstrudel - Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - link
This is a copy and pasted post from the iPhone 6 review.MODS please delete.
RandomReader - Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - link
In contrast to you I very much enjoyed reading the differing viewpoint mentioned above, albeit the facts that it does display a healthy dislike for apple products in general and has been written by an obvious android fan-boy.Now what I don't like that much is your request to censor the aforementioned post and all related answers out of purely private motives.
Just because you deem something inappropriate and dispensable, it doesn't has to be that way, thus I politely ask you to respect the right of others to enjoy unhindered freedom of speech in general and the existence of other peoples personal opinions.
Hereby I politely ask you to abstain from censorship requests out of mainly egoistic, egocentric motivations, please respect other peoples rights and opinions.
As a side note, based on your behavior and the totalitarian nature of your requests, I suspect you to be either a member of some law enforcement entity or
an individual blessed with a pretty weak character, apparently unable to deal with differing viewpoints in a grown up, factual manner.
klutzak5 - Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - link
Wow, just WOW. Most apple users probably earned enough money to pay the price differential while you were codifying your irrational hatred in your never-ending screed.Why so much bile? As much as you condemn apple users, its clear that your have tied your self-worth into your non-apple purchase to a much higher degree than any apple fan.
Grow up. Its pathetic.
akdj - Thursday, October 2, 2014 - link
There's really no where to start, other than your 'name' with your falsehoods and reek of 'Android Zealot/Evangelist' attempting to discredit today's BEST option for a 'phone' ...rather pocket computer on the maket. Period. Silly. Silly. Man. Apparently there were about ten million 'idiots' in the first 72 hours ....and probably triple that today that see things a bit differently. Including myself and I'm ambidextrous. Note 3 for my personal business. 5s as my personal phone. Still have the original Xoom and a pair of Nexus 7s collecting dust. Why? No one wants them. They're worth nothing.iPhones on the other hand? I've owned em all. I've got a pair of sixes on order. My wife wants the larger, 6+, myself the standard. You're so incredibly wrong about literally EVERYTHING you've said it's impossible to even get started without laughing myself to sleep.
Thanks for the incredible reviews. I've just finished the '+' addendum and I'm excited. Delivery date through my 'business rep' ordered the 'launch day' albeit in the afternoon is sometime between November 3-29th I think ...lol.
...and then the conspiracy theory. Apple is a business. If you had a million dollars you'd managed to save from your 'worldwide' business ...and one of the countries you do business in, your home country wants to tax it at a 40% rate to 'bring it home', WTF would YOU do? Forget s million. How about 200 billion? While still a helluva lot of cash, $80b is a big F'ING check to write to help our dumbass spend their government recover interest rates and bonds. Juvenile.
Get outta mom's basement
Let the spider go
Get some sunshine
Don't buy an iPhone. You'll 'enjoy' it and forget all about defending it. Too much fun 'using' it. And when you're done you can actually 'sell' it. Unlike ANY Android device I've owned! Not just sell it, but typically recover your subsidy payment, often up to 50% more selling locally! Try that with an LG G2, Note 2 or an S3/4. They gave me a hundred bucks when I turned my Note ones in and update to the Threes. AT&T did. No one else would
Record busting weekend. So much so, I ordered a couple for the business as we provide 17 employee phones, and I upgrade my wife and I. Ordered it launch day, lucky to get it before turkey day!
What. A. BUST!
Ignorance is bliss I guess. Unreal
PS. I forgot to see who did the review, but thank you again to the Team! Very well done, both reviews. As always, not rushed. Detailed. Objective and subjective as well, from the POV of a daily Android user made it all the more enjoyable as I guess I just don't 'get it'.
Generational maybe? We had baseballs and bats. Bikes and 'jumps' when I was a kid. I was in my second year of graduate school when I got my first massive brick for a cell phone. You could talk maybe an hour before you had to re-charge it. No texting. Monochrome (or whatever Orange on black is;)). And a buck a minute to chat. And I'm young. I think! @46 I'm astounded by these (obviously 'paid') schills spewing their bullshit after such an incredibly written and informative piece
To take an entire page and not ONCE reference the review or data. Just. Pure. Vitriol.
J