Apple has announced a new range of iPhones for users, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. The names make it sound as if these new iPhones will be superficial updates to the iPhone 6 range. However, this is not the case. The 6s series has a new technology called 3D Touch installed. There will be more on that below. Apple is also claiming the strongest glass to be used on a smartphone and a Retina HD display.
The 3D Touch feature is intriguing and new. While many Android devices compete with who has the best camera, Apple has come up with a way to spice up the smartphone. Users will be able to interact in different ways with content on their iPhone, with new gestures and movements able to be understood by the iPhone.
App developers will be able to consider new ways for users to use their apps and will be able to get creative and innovative with the new 3D Touch technology. 3D Touch allows you to Peek and Pop, meaning you can dip in and out of content with losing your place. A light press will offer a Peek at whatever content you need, like a photo, email or web page. For a deeper look, pressing a touch harder will Pop you into the content. New actions will be available through Quick Actions from the Home Screen. 3D Touch is a feature designed to save time and make using the iPhone more efficient as well as expanding the potential of interactive content that is more immersive.
The camera has changed with a new way to capture still images and motion video. Live Photos give more than just a one shot hit, but take images in ways that capture a moment in motion. How it does this is by taking a before and after shot of the 12MP image, so you have recorded the moment before and after an image is taken. This feature is well thought out and is different to other smartphones being released. Live Photos takes into account the creative process that goes into taking a photo. A snapshot looked back on is a good memory and seeing the moments before and after the image being taken could raise a laugh. Or it could be used in modelling to show “behind the scenes” images of iconic images. It would be interesting to see the moments before set up shots.
Other ways the camera was improved is with a new state-of-the-art 12-MP camera and support for 4K HD video. The resolution will be 3840 x 2160 and have over 8 million pixels on the screen. The optical image stabilization has been improved to make taking photos in lower light better. The FaceTime HD camera and Retina Flash is 5MP. True Tone lighting helps selfies be taken in lower light, making the display three times brighter to achieve this.
Powering the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus is the A9 chip. This chip is a 64 but chip and goes harder than the A8. The CPU of the A9 is 70% faster, and the GPU is 90% faster. The updated speed of the CPU and GPU means that battery efficiency is improved. As Apple like to go, the chip and the OS were created together to be able to work effectively and efficiently. The iOS 9 and A9 chip will make daily usage faster, meaning less wait time and a more effective use of the 3D Touch technology. The motion coprocessor, the M9 is embedded into the A9 chip.
The iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will come in multiple colors with a new one added. The colors are gold, silver, space grey and rose gold. The release date is Friday 25th September, and preorders start on Saturday 12th September. Payment plans are now available via Apple in the U.S., with the 6S available for $27 a month and the 6S Plus $31 a month with $0 upfront. There’s also a plan that costs $32 for the 6S that gives users the ability to get the new model when it comes out annually and access to AppleCare+. Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the U.K. and U.S. will be the first countries where the 6S and 6S Plus is released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSTEB8cdQwo
It’s good that the new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus devices aren’t superficial upgrades. It feels like it’s been a while since a smartphone was released that had something more than a bit more speed or an updated camera. The 3D Touch Motion technology is a step forward, despite not being a complete revolution. But, a revolution in the device isn’t what’s needed and the upgrading of models with different features (Beyond the camera or design.) could be something that sets mobile devices apart from each other.
