iPhone 6 Plus vs. iPhone 6

Preamble: This article is not going to argue that iOS is better than Android. If you’re reading this blog, you are very likely an iOS person. There is no need to discuss which platform is better. Android users are a passionate bunch as well.

This post is for those considering an iPhone upgrade. Those of you who currently have an iPhone 5 or older are probably due for an upgrade with your provider. If you have already purchased an iPhone 6, it is great phone and upgrade from Apple’s previous models. Please let us know what you think after reading this!

My colleague and good friend Matt Przybylski (@iphysed) and I love discussing Apple products. He has had the iPhone 6 plus since day 1 (almost 3 months ago!). I have had it for just over three weeks. We wanted to take the opportunity to share why we think the 6 plus is the better phone. Upon some discussion between Matt and I, here are some reasons why, if you are debating which iPhone to get next, the iPhone 6 Plus should be the one you get.

The iPhone 6 Plus should fit in most of your pockets

I thought this would be an issue before getting it, but I’ve had no problems at all with putting the iPhone 6 plus in my front pocket. Even at the gym, having it in my shorts does not bother me. The only time this might be a challenge is if you wear pants that are more form fitting. We just found that the larger size has many more benefits than drawbacks. You just get accustomed to the larger form factor.

Editing Photos is simple

In this day and age, a lot of people are using their phones as their primary camera. The iPhone 6 and 6 plus both take amazing photos, and now editing them right on the phone is easy and intuitive, even straight from the photos app. With the extra screen real estate, fine adjustments and edits are easier than ever. There is no need to transfer photos to a computer to edit, if you just need a few fixes, like cropping and lighting. Apple recently removed the iPhoto app, but added many of its features directly into its stock Photos app.

Higher Resolution Screen

The iPhone 6 Plus has a 1920 x 1080 Retina HD display, while the iPhone 6’s 4.7-inch Retina HD display is 1334 x 750. No matter how hard you stare at the screen, you can’t find a single pixel. Photos and videos will look amazing. If you look carefully above (and also depending on what screen you are using to view this post), you can easily see the difference between the two models.

Creating projects in apps such as iMovie is a pleasure

Working on my favourite apps, creating family and class videos, editing documents can now be done with ease on the iPhone. A lot of what I used to do on the iPad can be done on the iPhone 6 Plus. iMovie has an extension directly from the Photos app. Creating both fun and educational movies is straightforward and actually fun to do. While the A8 processor is available on both the 6 and 6 Plus, the extra screen space makes this an enjoyable task.

The biggest selling point is the all day battery

iPhone 6: 1,810 mAh battery, 11 hours video, 11 hours browsing

iPhone 6 Plus: 2,915 mAh battery, 14 hours video, 12 hours browsing

I used to have to plug in my 5S at every moment I got, in the car, at work, at home. Basically whenever I had a chance. It became a habit, albeit a necessary one. Now, without a question, I can get through an entire day without worrying about charging. Usually, at the end of the night, I’ll still have around 35% left, and it would be safe to say that I’m a heavy user.

The iPhone 6 battery is a slight improvement over the iPhone 5s with 1,1810 mAh, but it doesn’t come close to the large 2,915 mAh battery that the 6 plus boasts.

Opinions from friends who own the iPhone 6 Plus:

What do you like the most about your new phone?

“I don’t have to squint my eyes anymore! The phone is so much faster and responsive. I love the large size, and I don’t mind putting it my purse, as I never used to put it in my pockets anyway (her previous phone: an iPhone 4).

“I can’t believe the screen size! The display is amazing.” (Previous phone: iPhone 5)

“I will never go back to a smaller phone.” (Previous phone: iPhone 5)

With almost everyone I talked to, the battery-life has been the best feature of this phone.

Two-handed use a nuisance?

A main concern about the larger phone was that it could no longer be used by one hand. Although Apple introduced Reachability to allow for one-handed use, I haven’t found myself using it much at all. I don’t mind using both hands.

Reduction in iPad use?

Yes, without a doubt, although the iPad remains my number one tool in the classroomReading on the iPhone 6 plus is comfortable. Taking photographs on the iPhone 6 plus vs. the iPad is much easier and less obtrusive.

Conclusion

Now, holding someone’s iPhone 5 seems like a toy. One just gets used to the larger size. I held someone’s Note 4 the other day, and it did not feel large at all, whereas a couple years ago, people scoffed at its “ridiculous” size. Large phones are becoming more the norm.

While I agree that it may seem “silly” to hold such a big device to your ear, most communication (at least by people I know) is done through texting and other forms of messaging.

If you are debating which iPhone to get next, I hope this article has helped you make your decision. The improvements on the 6 Plus just make the choice a no-brainer. It will feel very large the first time you start using it, but after just a little while, you will become very accustomed to it.

Do you have either the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? What are your thoughts? We would love to hear them!

Many thanks to Matt for his contributions in the images and ideas!