iPhone 6

798 'iPhone 6' stories January 2013 - September 2014

The iPhone 6 ($199 and up from the Apple Store) is quite possibly the most popular product Apple currently sells. Equipped with a 4.7″ Retina HD display, the iPhone 6 has 1334×750 resolution at 326PPI, boasting increased color accuracy and a wider viewing angle than prior iPhones. Three capacities (16/64/128GB) and three colors (gold/silver/space gray) are available.

Apple has upgraded the iPhone 6 with a second-generation 64-bit A8 chip, delivering 25% faster CPU performance and up to 50% faster graphics than the iPhone 5s. Despite the superior processing and a thinner body, the iPhone 6 improves a little upon the battery life of the iPhone 5s, though not to the extent of the (much larger) iPhone 6 Plus. Apart from battery, screen, and small camera differences, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have identical hardware: 802.11ac Wi-Fi support, Voice over LTE with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others abroad, and Wi-Fi calling using T-Mobile in the US. It also has a Touch ID sensor with full support for secure Apple Pay transactions, both in retail stores and online.

The 8MP iSight camera has been improved. Although the 1.5µ pixels and ƒ/2.2 aperture aren’t hugely different from before, there’s an all-new sensor that improves focus, face detection, and digital image stabilization. The iPhone 6 lacks an optical image stabilization feature found in the iPhone 6 Plus, but camera performance is extremely similar. Video can be recorded in 1080p at 30 or 60fps, with slo-mo video at 120 or 240 fps. Small hardware improvements to the front-facing camera come from a new sensor and a larger ƒ/2.2 aperture, as well as H.265 video support for much smoother FaceTime calls.

Even with a larger screen and improved hardware relative to the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 measures only 6.9mm thick, versus the iPhone 5s’s 7.5mm and the iPhone 6 Plus’s 7.1mm. It is easier to fit in a pocket than the iPhone 6 Plus, which some users will like.

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

Apple and Colette show Apple Watch (behind glass) at one-off event, Jony Ive and Marc Newson present

Benjamin Mayo Sep 30 2014 - 3:56 am PT

17 Comments

Update: We have received this unconfirmed message from a reader who attended the event, seemingly indicating a January launch for the Apple Watch — the earliest of Apple’s quoted ‘early 2015’ timeline.

At Colette, when we entered inside there was a guy from Apple who took our name, email and said to choose an apple watch model we’re interested in. After that he said that we’re gonna receive an email from them 2 weeks before the launch. Later he said that we’ll be receiving it in late December. So… the  Watch in early January

The mysterious invitation was indeed for the Apple Watch. Apple has already confirmed it will not be revealing any more information (via Engadget) about the product at this demo area, such as pricing or availability. The device is also — unsurprisingly — locked behind glass running the same UI video loop that was shown at Apple’s media event on September 9th.

<a href="http://instagram.com/p/tj_lH9Fr0x/">via Instagram</a>

For the public, the Apple Watch demo units are all shielded by their glass cases. Select members of press attending the ‘show’ can try on the Watch, albeit the screen is still just playing a mocked-up video of the user interface. Apple execs and celebrities are in attendance, such as Jony Ive and Marc Newson and members of the fashion industry like Sarah Andelman, Colette’s CEO and Vogue’s editor Anna Wintour.

A 9to5Mac reader caught a brief video of one of the display units, showing the Apple Watch Home Screen, embedded below.

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iPhone 6 finally approved for sale in China following regulatory hangups (U: Pre-orders start Oct. 10, available Oct. 17)

Mike Beasley Sep 29 2014 - 7:51 pm PT

5 Comments

Earlier this month it was discovered that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus would be delayed in China due to regulatory hold ups when Chinese authorities decided that they were not pleased with the current state of security on iOS. According to Bloomberg, Apple has cleared the last hurdle and received the licenses necessary to run the device on Chinese cellular networks.

Apple reportedly agreed to make undisclosed changes to the privacy settings on the device to appease the regulators. Yesterday we reported that Apple was apparently preparing for a Chinese launch on October 10th, but that date has not yet been confirmed. Update: Apple has announced through a press release that the phones will be available for sale in China on October 17th with pre-orders starting on the 10th.

Apple also released a beta version of iOS 8.1 today, which may or may not include the updated privacy settings necessary to get approval from the Chinese government.

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Kindle & Facebook Messenger updated for iPhone 6 support

Zac Hall Sep 29 2014 - 11:57 am PT

4 Comments

The list of updated apps for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is still somewhat small since developers only learned of the new iPhone display resolutions earlier this month. The Kindle iPhone app from Amazon is joining that short list today, though, with a new version optimized for the iPhone 6.

That means that like iBooks, text you read in Kindle’s iPhone app won’t be fuzzy or scaled up. If you prefer the zoomed up version, however, iPhone 6 users do have that option to make every app larger using the Display Zoom feature found in the accessibilities section of the Settings app on iOS.

Kindle’s previous added a handy widget in Notification Center’s Today view for quickly accessing books you’re reading. Kindle for iOS is available for free on the App Store.

Facebook Messenger has also been updated for the new iPhone models. Notably, the chat app has beat the primary app for the social network in updating for the new iPhones.

Apple seemingly preparing for China iPhone 6 launch on October 10th

Benjamin Mayo Sep 28 2014 - 8:35 am PT

8 Comments

A supposed screenshot of a notice (via TechWeb) sent to Apple retail employees suggests that Apple is readying a China iPhone 6 (and 6 Plus) launch for October 10th. As stated on the Chinese site (translated):

It is important that the person broke new iPhone prototype store shelves will be put on Oct. 7, and should be officially on sale in October 10. A few days ago the Ministry of Industry Minister Miao Wei once said in an interview, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has entered the final stage of the audit, which means the phones will soon be landing in mainland China.

This is shortly after China’s national week-long holiday. Independently, the Chinese press have also reported the same October 10th date for the iPhone 6 debut. Last week, regulators stated that the phone was nearing final approval, causing black market iPhone 6 prices to plummet.

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Consumer Reports puts ‘bendgate’ to bed, finds iPhone 6 easier to bend than Plus model

Mike Beasley Sep 26 2014 - 6:41 pm PT

116 Comments

Consumer Reports released a new video today taking on claims of overly-flexible iPhones that have appeared online recently. Apple noted that only a handful of complaints have come in and gave journalists a look at its testing procedures. Regardless of Cupertino’s claims, Consumer Reports kept its promise to conduct testing that was a bit more scientific in nature than previous YouTube videos.

To address these claims, several different phones were tested under up to 150 pounds of pressure to see when each model would stop “snapping back” to its original shape. The devices tested were the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5, HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and LG G3.

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Review: Worried about iPhone 6/6 Plus bending in your pocket? This might be the perfect case for you

Jordan Kahn Sep 26 2014 - 12:48 pm PT

25 Comments

This holster case from Toronto-based LD West seems completely ridiculous at first glance, but it starts to make a lot more sense when you realize your oversized iPhone 6 or 6 Plus might no longer fit in your pants pocket. Strapping my phone to my side with what looks like an over-the-shoulder gun holster doesn’t exactly vibe with my usually minimalistic approach to iPhone cases. But it turns out the product is much more than just the gimmick I thought it was.
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How much does it cost to charge the iPhone 6 for a year? Less than you might think

Mike Beasley Sep 25 2014 - 7:22 pm PT

9 Comments

via Opower

Some new numbers from the Opower blog have revealed how much you can expect to spend when charging your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. At average U.S. energy prices, the cost comes in at a mere $.47 per year for the smaller 4.7-inch device. The 5.5-inch model will run a little extra due to its larger battery, coming in at just over half a dollar for a total of $.52 per year on average. As you might expect, this year’s larger devices will cost a little more than the smaller iPhone 5, which cost only $.41 per year.

According to the blog, adding up the energy used by each of the 10 million units sold over opening weekend would come out to less power than the entire state of Nebraska uses in 12 hours. By comparison, a typical desktop computer uses about 41x the power of an iPhone 6, while Microsoft’s Xbox One console uses has much as 61x as much energy.

As was pointed out last week, while charging your device may be fairly inexpensive, it can cost you a lot of unnecessary time if you’re using the charger that ships with it.

You can find more facts and figures about the new iPhone’s power consumption over at the Opower blog.

The quality assurance manager responsible for iOS 8.0.1 also oversaw—you guessed it—Apple Maps

Mike Beasley Sep 25 2014 - 4:54 pm PT

71 Comments

Bloomberg has uncovered details of what went wrong at Apple and who is to blame for the botched release of the iOS 8.0.1 update yesterday, citing sources who point to a quality assurance manager in charge of overseeing iOS updates who also managed QA for the Apple Maps project before its launch. To quote Bloomberg:

The same person at Apple was in charge of catching problems before both products were released. [redacted], the mid-level manager overseeing quality assurance for Apple’s iOS mobile-software group, was also in charge of quality control for maps, according to people familiar with Apple’s management structure.

According to the report, this was also the individual responsible for hunting down any crucial bugs in the iOS 6 Maps software, which debuted to a chorus of negative reviews and bad press.

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Apple provides a look inside its iPhone stress-testing facility following ‘bendgate’ controversy

Mike Beasley Sep 25 2014 - 3:33 pm PT

54 Comments

via The Verge

After a few YouTube videos hit the web claiming that the iPhone 6 Plus could be easily bent out shape in a user’s pocket, Apple addressed the issue by stating that the device was designed to meet its quality requirements and that only a handful of owners had complained about any issues. To further prove its commitment to building solid devices, Apple gave journalists access to the lab where it tests the build quality of its iPhones.

In a tour of the facility guided by SVP of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio, reporters were given an in-depth look at how each new generation of the iPhone is tested to ensure that it can endure all of the rigors of daily life. Each device the company makes—including its notebook computers—is put through thousands of rounds of testing that simulates everything from twisting the device to flexing the screen, or sitting on a bench with the phone in the back pocket of your skinny jeans.

Video and more photos below:

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Consumer Reports devising authoritative test for iPhone 6 bending issues

Zac Hall Sep 25 2014 - 11:58 am PT

50 Comments

Not sure what to believe about recent claims that the iPhone 6 Plus has a malleability issue? Consumer Reports says it is in the process of undergoing authoritative testing to find its own answer to the question of whether or not the larger iPhone has a bending problem.

According to their post, Consumer Report will critically test the new iPhones against other popular smartphones using their “sophisticated machinery” which can apply up to 1,000 pounds of force previously used to test the LG G Flex and determine whether or not the iPhone 6 models are more likely to bend than other phones.
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Apple responds to iPhone 6 Bendgate controversy, says only 9 customers have complained

Jordan Kahn Sep 25 2014 - 11:06 am PT

83 Comments

Apple has officially issued a statement regarding the iPhone 6 bending controversy saying the issue is rare during real world use and that it’s only received complaints from 9 customers (via CNBC). Apple adds, according to the reports, that the “new iPhones feature steel/titanium inserts to reinforce stress locations and use the strongest glass in the industry.” Apple also commented that bending is “extremely rare” during normal use and that it performs a number of strength and durability tests (as you’d expect) before it ships new devices (via WSJ):

Since going on sale Friday, Apple said only nine customers have contacted the company about a bent iPhone 6 Plus—the larger and more expensive of its two new iPhones. Apple said both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus passed a series of tests meant to check the products’ strength and durability to withstand every day, real-life use.

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1Password iOS beta previews upcoming iPhone 6/6 Plus enhancements

Zac Hall Sep 25 2014 - 9:36 am PT

2 Comments

The popular password and data management app 1Password was ready on day one with a powerful, systemwide extension for accessing your vault and Touch ID support for unlocking the app with your fingerprint. The latest beta version sent to testers today promises one more useful feature its users will appreciate: iPhone 6 optimization.

The new version of 1Password currently being tested by beta users no longer relies on zoomed scaling on the larger display devices and takes advantage of the new screen sizes more efficiently. iPhone 6 Plus users have shared that the new version supports the new iPad-like split-view introduced to certain Apple apps as well.

1Password recently changed its pricing model from a paid application to a freemium model allowing new customers to try 1Password and unlock pro features within the password management app.

While the iPhone 6/6 Plus-optimized version is currently in beta, 1Password users should expect to see the update on the App Store after adequate testing and approval.

Apple kicks off iPhone 6 sales in 20 more countries starting w/ New Zealand

Jordan Kahn Sep 25 2014 - 8:38 am PT

14 Comments

NZ carrier Spark offers customers life-sized cardboard emoji characters to reserve their spot in line for iPhone 6

Apple’s second wave of iPhone 6 sales has just kicked off with customers in New Zealand getting access to the device through retail stores and online as we roll into the morning of September 26 in the country. We’re also approaching the launch in a total of 20 countries today as the device goes on sale the morning of September 26 local time in the following locations:
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Apple says some bent iPhone 6/Plus phones will be replaced under warranty

Ben Lovejoy Sep 25 2014 - 5:01 am PT

47 Comments

An Apple support representative has told TNW that iPhone 6/Plus phones that have experienced warping in normal use would qualify for replacement under warranty if they pass a test known as “a visual mechanical inspection.” It should be noted that this is simply one AppleCare rep speaking, and not an official statement by Apple.

That is 100 percent up to the Genius you speak with at the store. There is a test called a Visual Mechanical Inspection that the device will have to pass. If it is within the guidelines, they will be able to cover it. If not, the replacement would be a paid one.

Apple was not able to provide any information on what the test involves, though one commentator below suggests that it is simply comparing the phone to a set of reference photos used to distinguish phones damaged by misuse from those considered faulty. In some rather Steve-like phrasing, the representative said that support chatroom comments revealed that “we’re looking into this with an insane amount of detail.”

Photos of the iPhone 6 and, especially, 6 Plus bending whilst in pockets starting emerging a couple of days ago. Video tests, though, do seem to indicate that a substantial degree of force is required.

Our own poll suggested that around 30 percent of readers are concerned about the issue, with 11.5 percent saying that they already own an iPhone 6 and are worried about damaging it, and 18 percent stating that they are delaying purchase until the issue is resolved.

iDevice warranty specialists SquareTrade found that the iPhone 6 passed all its breakability tests, describing it as the “toughest iPhone yet” and noting that it beat all other phones in its drop tests.

Apple publishes new support article with instructions on downgrading from iOS 8.0.1, says update coming soon

Mike Beasley Sep 24 2014 - 9:46 pm PT

36 Comments

Earlier today Apple released what would quickly be revealed to be an extremely broken update for iOS 8 that resulted in a complete loss of cellular connectivity and Touch ID support on its newest line of iPhones. Now, nearly twelve hours after the update went live, the company has published a new help document for users stranded on the faulty operating system.

The document lists the steps for restoring a device back to iOS 8.0 with links to download the appropriate IPSW file. Interestingly, the page notes that the Health application will stop working, likely due to changes that were made in 8.0.1 and cannot be reverted to work on the older firmware. The notice also points out that it is crucial to back up your device in the iTunes app for Mac or PC rather than to iCloud, as iCloud-based backups will not restore to the older version.

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iPhone 6 (and 5s) found less bendy than iPhone 6 Plus

Mike Beasley Sep 24 2014 - 2:23 pm PT

48 Comments

Earlier this week it was revealed that if you bend your iPhone 6 Plus, it will bend. This shocking news took the world by storm, but left some people wondering if other phones would also flex under pressure. To answer the question, YouTuber Unbox Therapy attempted to repeat his earlier experiment with iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, HTC One M8, newest Moto X, and Nokia Lumia.

After applying roughly the same force to each of these handsets, he discovered that the iPhone 6 Plus was in fact more flexible than the rest. The Moto X ended up coming out top of the pack, with next to no flexibility at all. The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 was also found to be much less “bendy” than the larger model, though it did get a very small curve with enough force.

You can check out the video of all five phones being tested below:

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Talking Schmidt: Google Chairman says Samsung had [iPhone 6-level products] a year ago (Video)

Seth Weintraub Sep 24 2014 - 1:08 pm PT

93 Comments

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg are on their How Google Works book tour and they got the fun questions from Bloomberg.

At 5:30 in the video:

RUHLE: You mentioned smartphones. How do you feel in the last week when you drive by any Apple store, San Francisco, LA, New York, and there are people lined up around the block? So even though way more people carry Android phones, how does Apple have that desire factor?

SCHMIDT: I’ll tell you what I think. Samsung had these products a year ago.

Amusing.

More Schmidt:
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Uber app updated with iPhone 6/6 Plus support

Mark Gurman Sep 24 2014 - 12:10 pm PT

2 Comments

If you’re an iPhone 6 user running the botched iOS 8.0.1 update and can’t make a phone call to ask for a ride, Uber has some great news for you today. The company has updated its iOS application with full optimization for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus screens. The update does not add much else today, but expect an update in the near-future with support for the upcoming Apple Pay payment service.

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Nokia continues the Siri bashing w/ new Lumia ads showing off Cortana

Jordan Kahn Sep 24 2014 - 9:45 am PT

3 Comments

[youtube=http://youtu.be/DIdf99noLJk]

Nokia, like the rest of the smartphone industry, is no stranger to mocking its biggest competitor in ads. Today we get two new spots posted to the company’s YouTube account that highlight the Windows Phone Cortana assistant feature while mocking Apple’s Siri feature in the process.

The first ad called “Lost” highlights Cortana’s ability to automatically remind users when to leave for appointments based of calendar and traffic data. The second spot, titled “Remind Me”, shows Cortana sending reminder notifications associated with texts and calls they are receiving.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/vfozrCjKHus]

Nokia isn’t the only company iPhone bashing today, BlackBerry just wrapped up its Passport launch event where it took time to compare the device directly to the iPhone 6 on stage.

Poll: Does the malleability [#bendgate] of Apple’s iPhone 6/Plus concern you?

Dom Esposito Sep 24 2014 - 8:34 am PT

128 Comments

The Internet recently exploded with reports of the iPhone 6 Plus’ bendable body. Unofficially dubbed “Bendgate” this problem seems to occur when the device is in pockets and other tight areas that apply pressure on the chassis of the iPhone 6 Plus. This is probably a small issue when you look at the big picture and ones that other metal phones including previous iPhones also experience. Over 10 million iPhones have been sold since its Sept. 19 launch, but we’ve only seen a handful of legit Bendgate issues in the wild. The question is, does this actually bother you?

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iPhone 6/Plus cameras ranked joint 1st in highly-respected DxOMark Mobile tests

Ben Lovejoy Sep 24 2014 - 7:22 am PT

19 Comments

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cameras have taken joint first place in the influential DxOMark Mobile ranking of smartphone cameras – three points ahead of the two Android smartphones which previously headed the list, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z3.

DxO Labs tests the image quality of literally thousands of cameras from entry-level smartphones to professional DSLRs, and is considered by many in the photography field to be the definitive database. The company said that Apple has “set the gold standard for smartphone image quality” …
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Hack test shows Apple improved security and reliability of (still not perfect) Touch ID sensor in iPhone 6

Ben Lovejoy Sep 24 2014 - 6:50 am PT

15 Comments

You may recall that the Touch ID sensor was successfully hacked last year, using a technique where fingerprints were lifted from the phone’s casing followed by sophisticated lab techniques used to create artificial copies of the print to activate the sensor.

The bad news is that the sensor in the iPhone 6 is vulnerable to the same methods – the good news is that security researcher Marc Rogers found the iPhone 6 version to be both more secure and more reliable …
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iPhone 6 “toughest iPhone yet” as it passes all SquareTrade’s breakability tests

Ben Lovejoy Sep 24 2014 - 4:58 am PT

8 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpx6r5FVXPo]

If anyone has more interest than its owner in how well a phone survives accidents, it’s the insurance companies that have to fork out afterwards. iDevice warranty specialists SquareTrade put the iPhone 6 through a series of breakability tests, and found that it was the toughest iPhone yet.

The tests began with ‘grippability’ – how likely you are to drop the phone in the first place – then ran through slide tests, submersion in water and a series of six drops from a height of four feet …
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The cost difference to Apple between the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus: $15.50

Ben Lovejoy Sep 24 2014 - 4:02 am PT

11 Comments

Apple may be struggling to meet demand for the iPhone 6 Plus, but the effort will be worthwhile according to some number-crunching by IHS cited by Bloomberg: it makes an extra $84.50 in profit on the larger model.

It costs an additional $15.50 to make the larger iPhones, according to a breakdown by researchers at IHS, but the sticker price is $100 higher than the iPhone 6 […] The main difference in cost between the two phones comes from the supersize screen, which adds $7.50 to Apple’s production cost. The camera and battery subsystems also cost slightly more.

While everyone doing these analyses seems to come up with a different set of numbers (none of them having access to the actual deals negotiated by Apple so having to rely on a whole bunch of assumptions), everyone seems to agree that margins are significantly higher on the iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung is said to be so worried by record sales of the new iPhones that it has brought forward the planned launch of the Galaxy Note 4 to September 26th, the same day Apple puts the iPhone 6/Plus on sale in 20 more countries.