What are folks thinking of iPhone 6s?

Parent Cafe
1

We are mulling it over as we aren’t that happy with our one plus one android phones, sadly. At this point, it’s hard to know the pricing details and if there are any amazing deals. We have TMobile and Luke having 4 lines for $100. We would just want to get unlocked phones somewhere and have them work with our TMobile account.

Our current phones still work, but we aren’t fans

2

Ever since I got my iphone 6, people tell me I sound like I’m talking in a tunnel, and they have trouble hearing/understanding me. Very annoying.

Maybe I just have a lemon.

3

I’m content with my 6. It works well for nontechnical people.

4

Looking forward to the release of the new iPhone 6s Plus for H. He’ll like having the bigger screen.

I’m waiting for the new Samsung Galaxy Note 5…I have the Note 3 as my main cell phone, so I’m used to that.

I also have the iPhone 5s, and it’s ok…altho I do love that I got the Mophie case with the add’l battery life…

I am absolutely LOVING my Samsung Gear S watch that syncs with my Note. I love mine so much that I bought one for each kid…and they love them, too.

5

There are 2 reasons to buy the new iPhone. (I pre-ordered the large one this AM.)

  1. 3D Touch. This changes how you access and do things on your phone. We all have lists of emails and messages, etc. and we have to open this and then tap to move back and do something else to shift to another program. 3D Touch - which is an accurate name - uses the force of your press to "peek" into an email or message or a little harder to "pop" it open and then be able to do stuff like reply or whatever all without actually opening up the app, having to move back and forth among apps, etc. The technical stuff is quite cool: new sensors that detect tiny movement of the glass and a "haptic engine" that generates tiny pulses instantly - literally 1 millisecond for a "peek" and 15 for a "pop". Once you see this in action, it changes how you interact with your device. And what we saw in the demo is already extensive but will be expanded by developers so workflows for heavy users will become easier and easier.
  2. Live Photo. Think Harry Potter: the new default for the camera is to capture 3 seconds with your shot "in the middle". If you think about it, it's an application of burst mode converted algorithmically into something else. What happens is you get a picture just like now but if you touch it, it comes alive. So your kid smiles at you. And you can put one on your lock screen and Facebook and Instagram, etc. will be supporting it soon. It's really that Harry Potter effect of living pictures. And because the actual photo is sort of the "center", it tracks changes so the actual Live Photo is only about twice as big as a regular one. Note: this isn't a short movie. It can be treated as a regular jpg, etc. I'm a big fan of Google Photos' Animations which take related photos and connect them to make an animation. Sort of an auto Gif. This is better. And the issue with Google Photos is I'd bet no one who reads this knows how to access these animations once made. I guess that because I had to dig into a Reddit thread to figure it out: you press the search magnifying glass and scroll down to the bottom and pick the center button. Apple, by contrast, puts it right in front of you: it's on by default and you just touch the photo and it moves.

They talked a lot about the camera improvements but I haven’t seen any work yet other than their demo.

BTW, as a bit of (to me) humor the very first reviews I read talked about the depth of blacks on the screen versus a super amoled screen and a few other bits like image stabilization as though the masses of people, the literal tens of millions, care about this. My rough estimate is that maybe 10,000 people actually care about the marginal difference in the depth of black on screen and that’s probably high. There are many more people who care about marginal differences in black depth on TV where they watch movies in a large format and many more people who care about how their stereo speakers render voice.

What grabbed me about the new iPhones is they presented the great mass of users with immediate ways to simplify their interactions with their phones and immediate ways to enjoy them more.

There’s also an interesting change in the way we buy phones. First, Apple’s new way is you can now buy the phone from them for a monthly charge AND this charge is not excessive and includes Applecare+, which lasts 2 years and includes accidental damage (though the service fees for replacing or repairing a wrecked phone remain high). Basically, a 64GB phone is $36 or $40 (for the Plus) a month and that’s $4 more than Verizon, for example, charges but includes Applecare+ and you can upgrade each year. Second, I use Verizon and decided to order from them because they “offer” a credit against your line charge when you buy. So I’m paying about $35/month for the 64GB 6S Plus but they credit me $25/month. That needs a bit more explanation. You’ve probably seen the new ads for Verizon’s plans. If you get one of those and buy a new iPhone, they’ll give you a $20 credit each month but since I already have a plan I can keep mine and get $5 more. So to me the actual cost per month is $10/month and I’m selling my old phone for about $120 so I’m not actually paying anything other than an activation fee for the new phone. And I can sell my new phone and keep this cycle going with very little to no outlay for the newest phone.

BTW, I won’t buy anything Samsung because the Lee family that controls it resorted to truly hateful blunt anti-semitism when they were forcing through a merger between two of the Samsung companies.

6

I wish I had the option of getting a new iPhone that is the same size as my 5s. Everyone I’ve seen with the 6s looks like they are talking on a iPad mini. Looks funny. Doesn’t fit into pockets as well. For me…just too big.

I could get an upgrade, but I’ll stick with my current 5s until it does or can’t be upgraded.

@HImom look at TMobile…you can get unlimited talk and text, no contract…I know someone who got five lines $140 a month. I think it was also 10gb of data per line…but I could be mistaken about that.

Many of the larger carriers like ATT and Verizon are really coming down on prices to compete with these no contract plans. Check there too. We have three lines through ATT for $140 or so per month.

7

Forgot to mention, if you buy from Apple on installments, the phone is unlocked.

8

We’re happy with our tmobile 4 lines for $100 with no contract. There are only 4 of us so we have no good reason for a 5th line for more $$$$. I’m not sure what I think of the bigger phones–we have a OnePlus One phone right now and it’s the same size as the iPhone 6 plus. I kind of prefer the smaller phones like our iPhone 5.

9

Legnom, thanks for the great explanation. I am still so confused about the pricing.

Right now I’m on a plan with my S and his gf and since my iPhone 5 is off contract I’m only paying 32.50/month for my portion sharing 10gs. I’m thinking that my portion will be the same if I upgrade, the extra will be the monthly price of the phone, does that seem right. I’m paying $15/month plus my portion of the data plus taxes.

The phone battery is really short so I’m thinking it might be nice to upgrade. Can’t figure out what my old phone will be worth and what is better, Verizon or Apple.

But then maybe I will just get a battery pack and stay with this phone and the price.

Does anyone think that when the iPhone’s come out, you will get the best price on a trade in or that you can get that anytime you want to upgrade.

10

I bought a 6 this summer - unlocked, no plan. I do feel that it’s not much different than talking into my Ipad Mini,and wish it was smaller. The upside of the size is that the keyboard is easier for me to use than some other phones. As a phone, it has functioned fine, the pictures are great, despite my aging eyes which need reading glasses to get a sense of what I am photographing. I don’t usually pull out the glasses - the phone photographs better than what I see. I did notice when I had it in 90 plus degree temps in Asia that I needed to charge very frequently, couple times a day. This isn’t necessary when the temp is cooler. Maybe that’s common for Iphones, but this is the first I’ve noticed. I personally don’t need the features of 6S, but do appreciate the explanation, @Lergnom!

11

I believe its the 6 **plus/b thats the big one, not the 6s http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/ Some of the androids (eg Samsung galaxy note) are really big too.

12

I ordered the iPhone 6s for DD. Verizon offered a nice tradein value for the old iPhone.

13

I have the 6s. I like it. S just preordered the new one yesterday. There was also a deal if you traded in old phone you get $200 credit/ gift card so we bought him new iPad Air 2(?) $200 credit will go towards that and did phone on installment plan because it reduces my monthly bill. Plus sales person gave me an additional $5 off a month. So my bill is lower than before.

@Lergnom, what do you mean phone is unlocked? I bought my 6 on installment and it is definitely locked. I bought it from Verizon so maybe that makes a difference?

14

I love my 6. You might be able to get a deal on a 6 since the 6s is the hot new thing.

15

If you buy your phone, does the monthly bill go lower since you no longer have the phone subsidy?

16

I still have the 5s, plan to get the same one for my husband so his phone is up to date. I read it’s free, is it really free? I have verizon.

17

This is so confusing. Cell phone companies haven’t done much to make their charges clear.

18

Heads up - easy to read article about storage issue with 10gb iPhones, and how work around them…
http://www.wired.com/2015/09/16gb-iphone-6s-storage-tips/?google_editors_picks=true

19

The 6s is bigger than the 5s…and the 6 plus is even bigger.

I feel like I’m moving in the direction of the old “bag phones”. Remember those. If our cell phones get any bigger, we will need a bag to tote them around.

20

@thumper1, that’s the reason I still keep the 5s. My handbag has exactly the slot for 5s. I might have to buy another handbag for the bigger phone. I like my mini iPad with me almost anywhere because I can easily use it with free wifi. Small phone is only for phone calls.