iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Apple launched two new iPhones, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, in September of 2014. Along with larger screens and a completely new iPad-style design with an ultra thin body and rounded corners, the two new phones offer faster processors, better cameras, and NFC for Apple's Apple Pay payment system.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus originally came in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities. The iPhone 6 pricing started at $199 on contract or $649 without contract, while the iPhone 6 Plus pricing started at $299 on contract or $749 without contract. With the release of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in September 2015, Apple reduced prices on the older iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models by $100 and eliminated Gold as a color option. Only Silver and Space Gray remain available.
While both models include the same 64-bit A8 chip and the same general design, there are several differences between the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 measures in at 6.9mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus is slightly thicker at 7.1mm. Apple's iPhone 6 Plus also has three major differentiating factors: optical image stabilizationfor the camera, and a longer battery life, and an iPad-style landscape mode that displays more content on the screen.
Though the iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization, both phones got some major camera improvements in form of sensor upgrades, improved tone mapping, better noise reduction, and new "Focus Pixel" technology, which improves the phone's ability to select autofocus points. For videos, there's a new240fps slo-mo option, along with support for shooting in 1080p at 60fps. The front-facing camera was also upgraded, with anf/2.2 aperture that lets in more light and new burst mode capabilities.
Both phones have an impressive "Retina HD Display," with the iPhone 6 featuring a resolution of 1334 x 750 (326 ppi) and the iPhone 6 Plus featuring a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (401 ppi).
Design wise, the phones more closely resemble the iPad and the iPod touch than the iPhone 5s. Both models have soft, rounded corners and a curved glass screen that melds smoothly into the thin metal body of the device. The volume buttons on the left side of the device are pill-shaped, and the power button is located on the right side of the device for easier one-handed use.
To further make its devices easier to use one-handed, Apple added in a double tap (not press) home button gesture called "Reachability," which moves items from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen for quick access.
Other new features in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus included Wi-Fi calling support, faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and support for Voice over LTE (VoLTE).
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