Hands-On First Impressions of the New iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

After today’s media event saw the introduction of two new iPhones and Apple’s first wearable device, members of the press were invited to go hands-on with all of Apple’s new products. Several sites are now posting hands-on first impressions of both the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which we’ve gathered up below to give users an overall picture of the look and feel of the larger-screened phones.

Jared Nelson from our sister site TouchArcade took a look at both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. According to Nelson, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus is actually “manageably large” and the screen is “amazing” for tasks like watching videos, reading texts, and gaming. He says the new Retina Display HD screens look “absolutely incredible” in person.

The Verge says the screen of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 “looks great” and that the device feels like a “hybrid of iPhone and iPod touch.” Though it’s bigger, it “doesn’t really feel big,” and it’s “remarkably light and incredibly thin.” Sentiments are similar for the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, but the site noted that even the larger version is “much smaller in the hand” than expected, with the rounded edges making it “somewhat easier to hold.”

The protruding camera is a indeed a bit strange; I can’t help but wish Apple would ease up on its relentless pursuit of thinness in favor of a slightly thicker phone with longer battery life, but like I said, the thinness is what makes the large size manageable.

And that large size is pretty key; this is the phone that’s going to force Apple to turn the iPad into a true laptop competitor. I have an iPad mini that will never come out again once I get this phone; I have an iPad Air that will need a better reason to come out than simply the size of its screen.

Engadget has similar thoughts about the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, also noting that the phone’s curved edges are “easier to grip” than originally expected.” Though the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 has a resolution of 1920×1080, Engadget says there wasn’t much difference between the displays of the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones. The site also points out a few of the differences between the two phones, including the 0.2mm difference in thickness (4.7 is 6.9mm, 5.5 is 7.1mm) and the increased battery life of the larger phone.

With it being a brief hands-on, I wasn’t able to notice a large enough difference between the two; both looked sharp, clean and had great viewing angles. I’ll be able to go into more detail when review units grace my desk, but for now, I’m satisfied enough with the visual quality, and I doubt the difference in pixel density will be a critical factor when choosing between the two sizes.

Gizmodo‘s first note on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is that it “feels like an iPhone.” The site was not a fan of the antenna bands on the back, which it says are “not all that pretty,” but it did like the Retina HD screen on the device, saying its “brilliant.” As for the larger iPhone 6 Plus, Gizmodo called it “HUGE!”

It’s amazingly thin, and incredibly solid, but it barely fits into my hand at all. Just see how those fingers struggle to grasp the new iPhone in the picture above.

Combined with those slick, beautifully machined metal edges, now rounded like an iPod touch or iPad mini instead of chamfered, I was honestly scared I would drop and break the giant handset right there in the Apple tent.

Gizmodo also delves into Apple’s one-handed mode, which shrinks anything on the phone’s screen into thumb’s reach with a double tap on the Touch ID home button.

But if you do want to use it one-handed, then boy does Apple have a smart solution for that. Double-tap the Touch ID sensor (don’t press it, I learned the hard way) from LITERALLY ANYWHERE in the entire iPhone interface, including the homescreen, and everything on the top half of the phone’s screen, every icon, will shrink down to put itself within your thumb’s easy reach.

Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have nearly identical specifications. Aside from the difference in screen size, the larger iPhone has a longer battery life and optical image stabilization to differentiate it. It also comes with a $100 price premium.

Apple’s two iPhones will be available beginning on Friday, September 19, with pre-orders for the devices starting this Friday, September 12. Prices for the 4.7-inch version start at $199, while prices for the 5.5-inch version start at $299.

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Tim Cook: Steve Jobs’ DNA Will Always be the Foundation of Apple

Following today’s media event that saw Apple revealing two new iPhones, a wearable device, and its payments initiative, Tim Cook did an exclusive one-on-one interview with ABC News’ David Muir.

In a clip of the interview shared by ABC News, Muir asks Cook if he was thinking about Steve Jobs’ during today’s event, which took place at the Flint Center at De Anza College, the same location where Jobs unveiled the original Mac in 1984. Cook responded that he thinks of Jobs all the time, and that he believes Jobs would be “incredibly proud” to see the company today.

I think about Steve a lot. I love Steve dearly. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him. This morning, being here, I especially thought about him and I think he would be incredibly proud to see the company that he left us — which I think was one of his greatest gifts to mankind, the company itself — be doing what it’s doing today. I think he’s smiling right now.

Jobs apparently was not aware that an Apple Watch was coming, as Apple began work on the device after his passing. According to Cook, though, the “foundation” that Jobs left can be seen in all of the work that Apple is doing today
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His thinking and his taste and his incredible perfectionist kind of view, and his view that you should always innovate, all of those things are alive and well in the company. And I think they always will be. I think his DNA will always be the foundation of Apple.

More of Tim Cook’s exclusive interview with David Muir will be available on World News Tonight later today.

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Apple Releases iTunes 11.4 for Mavericks With Support for iOS 8 [Mac Blog]

Apple today released iTunes 11.4 for OS X Mavericks, bringing support for iOS 8. According to the release notes, the update adds the ability for users to sync movies, music, and more to devices running iOS 8.

iTunes 11.4 can be downloaded via the Software Update Mechanism in the Mac App Store or through Apple’s iTunes website.

The release of iTunes 11.4 comes just over a week ahead of iOS 8’s public release date. Apple has plans to launch the software on Wednesday, September 17, two days before the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are available in stores.

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Apple reveals new iCloud pricing, but you still only get 5GB of space for free

It used to be that if you compared iCloud pricing to other online storage services, Apple didn’t look so hot. (Twenty bucks a year for 10GB?! Bye, Felicia.) Now, in a bid to better compete with bigwigs like Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, Apple is revising its iCloud plans so that they’re a little more affordable. Now, 20GB costs 99 cents a month; 200GB costs $4; 500GB is $10; and 1TB is $20 a month. All told, that’s an improvement — at least compared to the Apple of years past. It must be noted, though, that the free storage plan still only includes 5GB of space — a bit stingy considering Google and Microsoft both offer 15GB gratis. Also, as low as Apple’s prices are compared to the olden days, Google’s are still better: Google charges $10 a month for 1TB, not $20, and it also offers a more inexpensive 100GB option, which Apple doesn’t do.

Filed under: Internet, Apple

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Via: 9to5Mac

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