Apple may have moved on with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but let’s not forget about the smartphones that came before. When announced, the iPhone 6 Plus and the iPhone 6S Plus were Apple’s flagship devices.
A few years down the line, and they remain quality phones that offer excellent performance for the price. Having spent enough time with both devices, we now know exactly what made the 6 Plus and 6S Plus notable upgrades for Apple aficionados. To get an idea of what sets the 6S Plus apart from its predecessor, we’ve decided to pit the two against each other in a spec comparison. May the best phone win (spoiler alert: the iPhone 6S Plus wins, though you should just wait for the iPhone 8).
Apple’s design for the iPhone 6 Plus was beautiful simplicity, wrapping rounded edges into glass in an unassuming style typical of past iPhones. Apple decided not to fix what wasn’t broken, bringing back a nearly identical style for the 6S Plus. However, it did improve the phone’s enclosure, borrowing a page out of the aerospace industry’s book and wrapping it in an alloy of 7000 Series aluminum. In other words, this is the strongest and most durable iPhone yet.
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Aside from the dimensions of the 6S Plus registering one-hundredth of an inch bigger in height, width, and thickness, these two phones are mirror images of each other. Back is the same 5.5-inch screen with the same gorgeous 1920 x 1080 screen resolution owners of the 6 Plus came to know and love. Where the iPhone 6S Plus does diverge a bit from the 6 Plus is its available colors. While the 6 Plus comes in just Space Gray, Silver, and Gold (the Gold has been discontinued), the 6S Plus comes in Space Gray, Silver, Gold, or Rose Gold, giving buyers an even greater opportunity to customize their smartphone.
Power and productivity
The 6S Plus is definitely faster than the 6 Plus. Apple’s A9 chip runs 70-percent faster than the A8, with a GPU that’s a staggering 90-percent faster. The iPhone 6S Plus also features 2GB of RAM, which is double that of the original 6 Plus. Additionally, Touch ID is faster — there’s no lag when you swipe around — and games run more smoothly.
The iPhone 6S Plus also touts what Apple calls 3D Touch, which grants users an extra level of touch sensitivity. Slightly touching an application, for instance, brings up a table that’s similar to the right-click menu you might see on a computer. Apple claims the feature improves productivity and streamlines the smartphone experience when time is at a premium. Although you can get iOS 10 on the 6 Plus, it doesn’t support the 3D Touch feature.
Camera
The one area where the iPhone 6S Plus arguably blows the 6 Plus out of the water concerns its camera functionality. Instead of an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a sub-par 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, the 6S Plus touts a gorgeous 12-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. In other words, Apple continues to make it easy for casual photographers to ditch digital cameras altogether and rely solely on the contraption they have in their pocket. For years, Apple has continuously boasted about the iPhone’s camera prowess, and the iPhone 6S Plus legitimately raises the bar.
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Packed within the camera’s massive upgrade is also the ability for users to not only shoot HD videos, but incredibly detailed 4K videos. Obviously it’s tough to put much stock in 4K actually mattering on something with a screen as “small” as an iPhone 6S Plus, but videos shot in 4K certainly looked a whole heck of a lot better than anything shot on a 6 Plus. Moreover, with 4K gaining popularity and momentum in the HD community, why not include it if the tech is there?
Availability
As always, the 6S Plus comes in three different storage sizes, each of which carries its own price tag. The 32GB 6S Plus comes in at $649 (or $27.05/month for 24 months), and the 128GB at $749 (or $31.21/month for 24 months). As of 2017, however, the iPhone 6 Plus is no longer being sold by Apple or any of the major carriers. With the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus out now, the iPhone SE is the represents the company’s entry-level model. If you want to buy an iPhone 6 Plus, you’ll have to scour the second-hand market.
Conclusion
As is typically par for the course for Apple, each new line of iPhones is described as the most advanced ever created, when compared to other smartphones available at the time. With a newer processing chip, a much-improved camera, a new operating system, and two extra snazzy colors, the iPhone 6S Plus offers a tangible step up from its predecessor. The 6S Plus has also dropped in price since the 7 Plus was released, making it even more tempting. If you already have a 6 Plus, then skip the 6S Plus, and look at the latest model. But if you’re choosing between a second-hand 6 Plus and a new 6S Plus right now, we’d definitely advise you to go for the 6S Plus. If you’re not in a rush, we recommend wiating for the iPhone 8, which is rumored to arrive in September 2017.
Check out this old news report of when Apple released the first iPhone
The first iPhone 15 customers are already heading to Apple Stores in Australia and Asia to pick up the new device, or are having it delivered to their door.
Apple’s new handset range comprises the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Pricing starts at $799 and tops out at $1,599 -- but it’ll cost even more if you opt for a case, a screen cover, and AppleCare.
The best iPhone 15 Plus cases in 2023: 11 best ones right now
One of Apple’s latest and greatest, the iPhone 15 Plus, is finally here. Announced at Apple's big iPhone 15 event, the iPhone 15 Plus gives you a huge 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with Dynamic Island, an A16 Bionic chip for fast performance, and a powerful dual-camera system with a 48MP wide and 12MP ultrawide lenses. It has also ditched Lightning for USB-C, and it comes in five fun colors this year.
But considering that the iPhone 15 Plus still starts at a hefty $899 for the base model, that’s some pricey glass and aluminum. You definitely want to protect your investment, and one of the easiest ways to do so is with a good case. Here are some of the best iPhone 15 Plus cases you can buy right now.
Do iPhone 14 cases fit the iPhone 15? There’s an interesting answer
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series have identical display sizes, but there are slight variations in their total dimensions due to design changes. This has led to a common question of whether the cases designed for iPhone 14 would fit the iPhone 15 models. The answer to this question is not straightforward and depends on whether you are looking for a perfect or a reasonable fit.
The iPhone 15 series consists of four models, just like the iPhone 14 series. These are the 6.1-inch iPhone 15, 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max. The prices of the iPhone 15 series are the same as the previous models, and they come with several improvements. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are made of titanium, while the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have stainless steel bodies. Additionally, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus now have the Dynamic Island for the first time.
