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iPhone 6s vs. iPhone 5s: What We Know So Far

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As we push toward the summer and the fall, we’ve finally begun to see iPhone 6s rumors emerge. The new iPhone is still shrouded in mystery but we have enough to start making some early comparisons. Today, we want to compare iPhone 6s rumors to the iPhone 5s. This is our way too early iPhone 6s vs. iPhone 5s comparison.

In the fall of 2013, Apple announced a brand new iPhone, a follow-up to the popular iPhone 5. As expected, we didn’t get an iPhone 6. Instead, consumers were given an iPhone 5s, a phone that delivered a host of new features including Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have since replaced the iPhone 5s as the company’s flagship models though the iPhone 5s is still very relevant. It serves as a cheap alternative to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and it’s also still in the hands of consumers around the world, many of whom will be coming off contract this fall.

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If you’re here, you probably fall into one of two camps. Either you’re looking for a new smartphone and the iPhone 5s has caught your eye or you’re thinking about replacing the iPhone 5s later this year. Whatever the case, you’re here because you’re weighing the iPhone 5s against the competition. And while it’s not official, iPhone 6s rumors have turned the 2015 iPhone into a potential option.

Apple’s iPhone 6s isn’t official but iPhone 6s rumors continue to heat up. As the year’s progressed, we’ve started to hear whispers about the iPhone 6s specs, iPhone 6s design and more. There are still plenty of details that remain shrouded in mystery but we have enough to make an early comparison to Apple’s iPhone 5s.

This early iPhone 6s vs. iPhone 5s comparison will run down the latest iPhone 6s rumors and show you how they currently compare to a device that many people will think about replacing later this year. Here’s what you need to know as we push into May.

iPhone 6s Release Date

We still haven’t seen any credible iPhone 6s release date rumors emerge in 2015 but those of you looking to buy the iPhone 5s/iPhone 6s or replace the iPhone 5s with an iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus will probably have to wait at least a few more months before Apple delivers its new iPhone.

In April, Apple confirmed dates for its annual WWDC developers conference in San Francisco. WWDC 2015 kicks off on June 8th and there, the company will talk to developers (and the public) about the future of iOS and OS X. The company’s announcement did not mention anything about hardware.

While the company has used WWDC to announce iPhones, it has since shifted its iPhone releases into the fall ahead of the holiday season. The company recently produced a record second quarter for iPhone sales so it’s hard to see the company shifting its cycle or rushing a new iPhone out onto shelves.

What you need to know about iOS 9 and WWDC 2015.

What you need to know about iOS 9 and WWDC 2015.

Apple’s WWDC 2015 will likely focus on iOS 9, the iPhone’s operating system. And if you’re at all familiar with Apple, you’d know that the company likes to dump its software into beta before releasing it to the public.

An iOS 9 beta is, unsurprisingly, rumored for June with a public release rumored for the fall. Apple doesn’t pull software out of beta after a day. It takes months. Apple likes to release new iOS software alongside new iPhone hardware so smart bets would be on an iPhone 6s release alongside iOS 9 in the fall.

We have seen one iPhone 6s release date rumor and the rumor comes from the hit-or-miss Digitimes. The publication says that Apple will release an iPhone 6s in the second half of the year. It’s a rumor but the publication isn’t credible.

At this point, we recommend circling the month of September in pencil. Apple’s released the last three iPhones in September and there’s a very good chance that we’ll see the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus release date land in late September. You can expect to hear a whole lot more about the iPhone 6s release date as we head deeper into the year.

One other thing to note: Once the 2015 iPhone arrives, we’ll probably see some kind of a price drop on the iPhone 5s. Something to think about if you’re interested in buying, not selling, the iPhone 5s in 2015.

Design

Apple’s iPhone 5s comes with an impressive design that features a combination of metal and glass. Apple changed its design language with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and the iPhone now features an all-metal design that’s thinner than the 7.6mm iPhone 5s. The iPhone 6 is 6.9mm thin, the iPhone 6 Plus is 7.1mm thin.

The current iPhone models have larger footprints than the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 6 Plus, in particular, makes the iPhone 5s look tiny. And while people are hoping for an iPhone 6c or a smaller 4-inch iPhone 6s, those rumors have stalled. Instead, if iPhone 6s rumors are correct, we’ll probably see two new iPhone 6s models that are similar to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

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If you know Apple, you know that the company likes to release an iPhone “S” immediately after a redesign. Unsurprisingly, rumors suggest that Apple will release iPhone 6s models and not an iPhone 7.

Apple’s “S” models typically looks a lot like their predecessors but don’t let that fool you. The company usually tweaks the design with improvements. For instance, the iPhone 5s added the Touch ID fingerprint technology that’s now common place on iPhones and iPads. The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus could also feature some changes from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

According to respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 6s could feature an improved Touch ID fingerprint sensor embedded in its home button:

We think the new iPhone,expected to launch in 3Q15, will be equipped with an upgraded Touch ID module, with which Apple (US) intends to offer a better and safer Apple Pay user experience with reduced reading errors. We therefore raise our 2015F shipments of Touch ID module by 12.4% to 262mn sets, boosted by Apple Pay and new iPhone models.

That may not be all. According to Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, Apple might use the same custom Series 7000 aluminum alloy that it uses in its Apple Watch Sport. The alloy is designed to be 60% stronger than most aluminum without any additional weight. Apple describes it as being extremely light.

Touch-ID

The publication is extremely hit-or-miss and while the iPhone 6 Plus bendgate problems got a ton of attention, they were overblown. So we’d take the rumor with a grain of salt.

Furthermore, The Wall Street Journal claims that Apple is considering a brand new color. In addition to the white, gray and gold color options that come standard with the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6s might include a pink option.

Display

The iPhone 5s was the last iPhone to feature a smaller, 4-inch Retina Display. Apple has since turned to 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina HD displays and at this point, it doesn’t look like the company will be dropping back down anytime soon. And while Apple isn’t expected to change the size of the display though it’s rumored to have a few other changes up its sleeve that could it sell like hotcakes.

We expect an iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in 2015.

We expect an iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in 2015.

The company’s rumored to have two iPhone 6s models, an iPhone 6s and an iPhone 6s Plus. This makes sense given how well both models have sold. Display sizes are expected to remain at 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches respectively. In addition to the extra screen real estate, the devices could have some other advantages.

Apple’s new Force Touch technology can determine the action a user wants to perform based on the strength of a tap. Apple built this into the Apple Watch, the new MacBook and the MacBook Pro Retina. One iPhone 6s rumor indicates this will appear on the iPhone 6s display and another suggests it will be exclusive to the iPhone 6s Plus.

The video above highlights Force Touch actions inside OS X and shows how the new hard press works. On the iPhone 6s, the technology could make it easier to use many apps where users want to see information with a hard tap instead of using multiple taps.

While there have been whispers about a new sapphire display, Digitimes claims that Apple will use Gorilla Glass to protect the display from damage. The iPhone 5s also uses Gorilla Glass, not sapphire.

Processor

The iPhone 5s debuted with an A7 processor, Apple’s first 64-bit chip. It’s a solid CPU though there’s no doubt that it will be overshadowed by the processor that appears in Apple’s next iPhone.

Every year, Apple introduces an improved chip and this year should be no different. In a report outlining a special division within Samsung that will focus on developing displays for Apple, Bloomberg says that Samsung will deliver the new iPhone processor for 2015.

This will likely be the Apple A9 processor which will likely include more power than the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both of which sport A8 chips. Early reports also indicate Apple will boost the RAM from 1GB to 2GB.

Camera

The iPhone 5s camera was once one of the top smartphone cameras on the market. It’s still pretty solid but camera technology has come a long way since 2013.

iPhone 6s rumors suggest that one of the device’s biggest features could be its camera. Earlier this year, we heard about iPhone 6s camera upgrades and now we may know more about what Apple could do to deliver better iPhone cameras.

iPhone 6s Camera

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple acquired LinX, an Israeli Camera technology company that develops cameras for smartphones. While there are some cool features that this tech can bring out in the iPhone 6s camera, the really exciting part is that it could dramatically improve the quality of iPhone photos.

LinX previously described the camera technology as enabling better low light performance, faster exposure. It also said that it can deliver the same image quality as a big DSLR camera. Expect big upgrades here.

iOS 9

Apple’s new iOS 9 update is all but confirmed for arrival at WWDC 2015 and it will likely be the software that accompanies the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to shelves. It will also probably arrive for the iPhone 5s later this year. Apple typically keeps devices updated for 3+ years. Here’s what we know so far about iOS 9.

iOS 9 release rumors have suggested that the update will be focused on improving the stability of the operating system. Many iPhone 5s users have been plagued by a number of bugs since the arrival of iOS 8 back in September.

Expect a lot of iOS 9 update information at WWDC 2015.

Expect a lot of iOS 9 update information at WWDC 2015.

According to a new leak, Apple is working on a new look for Siri that mirrors the colorful look found on the Apple Watch. The update is also expected to feature a new background that features blue and green as well as a major round of security enhancements.

Apple is known for adding software exclusives to “S” iPhone models so there’s a very good chance that the iPhone 6s will feature something that the iPhone 5s will never get. Something to keep in mind as we march toward Apple’s WWDC 2015 and the arrival of iOS 9.

11 iPhone 6s Features We Want in 2015

Wireless Charging

Wireless Charging

It would be amazing to finally get wireless charging in the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus so that charging would no longer require a Lightning cable. There are adapters and cases to add wireless charging to the iPhone, but the real benefit comes from integrated wireless charging.

Yes, there is still a need for a cable connected to power, but you would no longer need to plug the iPhone in, just set it on a charging mat on your nightstand, on a coffee table at Starbucks or in a wireless charging dock in your car that can deliver power without the need to fumble with a cable.

The wireless charging iPhone 6s feature is all about the convenience of using the iPhone without a cable tethered to it -- and charging remains the only reason you absolutely need a cable with the iPhone.

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