iPhone 6, 6 Plus: Choosing the best fit
There’s a trade-off between carrying the larger iPhone 6 Plus against the benefits of a bigger display.
At first sight the iPhone 6 Plus seems too big for everyday use. It looks like Apple’s large phone wouldn’t fit as well in the hand or pocket as the iPhone 6.
The 6 Plus’ giant size proved less of a problem than I feared. It doesn’t get in the way. While the 6 is more pocket-friendly, the practical difference is negligible
Not bent out of shape
The iPhone 6 Plus didn’t bend. It didn’t even flex.
You won’t believe how many people still ask about iPhones bending. The bent iPhone 6 Plus incident, though short-lived, continues to shape public perception.. The incident speaks volumes about brand reputation. A less robust brand than Apple might not have survived such a story.
Two modes of working
The physical difference between the two screens is minimal, yet their practical applications diverge.
In a sense the two iPhones fall into close, yet different, device categories. They represent two modes of working.
The Apple iPhone 6 is a traditional mobile phone in every respect. It does phone things and makes calls. The iPhone 6 Plus is closer to a pocket computer or a tiny tablet. Making calls feels clumsy, not ridiculous.
The sound of one hand phoning
My hands are average sized. My fingers are neither slender pianist fingers nor are they stumpy, fat sausages. I can just about get away with one-handed operating on the iPhone 6.
On the 6 Plus I might need to use two hands to do most things. Apple recognises this problem and came up with something it calls reachability. You give the home button two light taps and the top part of the display moves half way down the screen making it thumb-reachable.
Every so often the reachability feature stops working. The fix is to restart the phone — a minor pain. It is a known problem so presumably Apple will fix this in a later iOS update.
Bigger screen, better productivity
Working with the iPhone 6 Plus shows the bigger screen has advantages. It is better for viewing video, reading documents or web pages and looking at pictures. It is even better for on-screen typing.
You can get more done on the iPhone 6 Plus than any other smartphone.
The larger iPhone 6 Plus is more like a small portable computer. I can be more productive handling emails, writing short amounts of text on the bigger screen. That’s a useful trade-off against the small inconvenience of carrying a bigger phone.
Surprises
In hindsight, this isn’t so surprising: I found the iPhone 6 Plus didn’t reduce my iPad use. I know people who traded in a iPhone and an iPad to buy a iPhone 6 Plus. They figured they wouldn’t need the iPad with the bigger screen in their lives.
That’s not my experience. I found I still pick up the iPad to read longer material.
I’d go further, having the iPhone 6 Plus and the continuity features in iOS 8 mean I now work more often across iPhone, iPad and MacBook. I’m more inclined to use the best device for any given task because moving between devices is easier.
Battery life
One advantage of a bigger phone is there is room in the case for more battery. While some of the extra juice is needed to drive the bigger display, there is still enough left to keep the phone running longer.
In my experience an iPhone 5S would get through a typical day on a single charge so long as you didn’t push it too hard. There’s an extra hour or so in tank for the iPhone 6 when used in the same way, or you can push harder.
There’s at least a further hour in the 6 Plus. If used sparingly, the 6 Plus can almost last two days on a single charge. Otherwise, there’s enough power to cruise through a long day working at full tilt.
iPhone 6 Plus choice
Where does this leave me? For the way I work at the moment — mainly from home — the iPhone 6 would be a natural choice. It is more comfortable and it gives me all I need on a single charge.
On the other hand, I’m going through a series of eye treatments which means I sometimes have reduced vision. When that happens, the bigger screen on the 6 Plus is essential. Given my current circumstances, the iPhone 6 Plus is the more suitable choice. As a bonus, I get longer battery life.
How to choose the right iPhone for you
Three key factors to consider when choosing an iPhone:
- How you use an iPhone. If you mainly make calls and text, the bigger iPhone 6 Plus may not be essential. If you work all day on the move, that’s going to influence your decision.
- Does it suit your body? If you have small hands the iPhone 6 Plus may be a stretch too far. If your eyes aren’t that great, you might prefer a big screen.
- How are you going to carry the phone around? If you mainly wear a jacket or trousers, or if you carry a purse or bag, then the big phone will work. If you travel light the smaller iPhone 6 is a better choice.
Member discussion