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

As we march toward the summer and the fall, we’re beginning to see iPhone 6s rumors emerge teasing those in the market for a new device. 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 6 Plus. This is our way too early iPhone 6s vs. iPhone 6 Plus comparison.

Every year, Apple releases a new iPhone. Last year, the company released the iPhone 6, a device that comes in two flavors: A 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and a much larger iPhone 6 Plus that utilizes a 5.5-inch display and comes with a few tweaks including Optical Image Stabliaztation for its camera. This comparison focuses on the larger variant, the iPhone 6 Plus.

The iPhone 6 Plus has been on shelves for a number of months now and it’s still one of the best smartphones that money can buy. It will probably stay that way until the new iPhone arrives.

Some might be looking to buy now, others will be looking to buy later on this year. Whatever the case, you’re here because you’re probably weighing the iPhone 6 Plus against the competition, both real and rumored. One device that might be looking at is the iPhone 6s, Apple’s rumored 2015 flagship that’s leaked out several times this year.

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 current iPhone.

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

Last month, Apple confirmed dates for its WWDC 2015 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.

Apple has used WWDC to announce iPhones before but 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 another iPhone out to shelves.

Instead of the iPhone, WWDC 2015 will likely focus on iOS 9, the iPhone’s operating system. 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.

If you know Apple then you’d also know that Apple likes to release its new iOS updates alongside new iPhone hardware. So while we might see rumors hint at an early release, smart money would be on a lengthy iOS 9 beta and a public iOS 9 release alongside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus 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. So there’s that.

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.

Design

The iPhone 6 Plus is a much larger phone than the iPhone 6. It’s also a little bit thicker, 7.1mm vs. 6.9mm on the smaller iPhone 6. It’s a massive smartphone but it’s nice to look at and it feels great in the hand. Apple’s current iPhone design is one of the best out right now. So will Apple change things up with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus? Rumors seem to think so.

Let’s start with what we know. If you know Apple, you know that the company typically releases an iPhone “S” model immediately after it introduces a redesign. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are completely different from the iPhone 5s.

Apple’s “S” model typically looks a lot like its predecessor but don’t let that fool you. The company usually tweaks the design with improvements. For instance, with the iPhone 5s release, it added Touch ID. With the iPhone 6s, we could see an assortment of changes.

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.

The publication is extremely hit-or-miss and while the iPhone 6 Plus bendgate problems got a ton of attention, they were overblown. So there’s no guarantee that this will happen, at least not this year.

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 6 Plus, the iPhone 6s might include a pink option.

Display

Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus features a monstrous 5.5-inch Retina HD display that offers 1080p resolution. For those of you that care about the precise numbers, the iPhone 6 Plus’ display comes with 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution with a 401PPI pixel density. It’s a gorgeous display and it has been able to keep pace with its Android rivals.

With the iPhone 6s, 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.

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.

While the display sizes should stay the same but we could see some changes. Notably, new display technology borrowed from Apple’s other devices.

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 6 Plus uses Gorilla Glass, not sapphire.

Processor

The iPhone 6 Plus delivers a dual-core A8 64-bit processor and an M8 motion co-processor. It also features 1GB of RAM. On paper, that might look underpowered but we’ve been using the iPhone 6 Plus since launch and its performance and battery life are both good enough for most people.

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. Early reports also indicate Apple will boost the RAM from 1GB to 2GB. That could be huge for a device like the iPhone 6 Plus series.

Camera

Apple also tends to upgrade its camera every year. So while the iPhone 6 Plus’ 8MP camera with OIS reigns, the iPhone 6s’ camera could offer some improvements.

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.

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.

iOS 9

iOS 9 is all but confirmed for arrival at WWDC 2015 and it’s likely going to be the software that accompanies the iPhone 6s to shelves. It will also probably arrive for the iPhone 6 Plus later this year. 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 6 Plus users have been plagued by a number of bugs since launch back in September.

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 6 Plus will never get. Something to keep in mind as we march toward WWDC and the arrival of iOS 9.

Wireless Charging

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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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