Like most of the later variants of the original model, if you were to pick up both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s in either hand, you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two. Apple has recently unveiled a new line of phones, so it is only logical to assume that these older models will now be available for a much lower price.
But a word of caution if you are looking to buy any of these phones: these phones have been officially discontinued (along with some other models) in most markets when the company launched the iPhone 7 in September 2016. This essentially means that if you have been wondering why they don’t appear on the Apple website anymore, it is because their sales have been discontinued from that avenue, but it does not mean that you still cannot buy them from elsewhere.
iPhone 6 had been one of the highest selling phones of its time, with more than 70 million unit sales, just 3 months after it was launched. Getting back to the two phones in question, the two phones have some major differences under the surface. If you turn the phone around though, the “S” at the bottom is a giveaway. Let us look at the major and minor differences between these two phones:
Design Comparison
As we said, “S” models that usually come after the original models are usually similar in design, which means that they retain the form factor and have relatively smaller upgrades. I would go ahead and call them a bit more “polished” version of the first model. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s are no exceptions. The latter model retains the superior-quality build that the iPhone 6 has and feels virtually the same in the hands, though it is a bit heavier and here is why.
The iPhone 6s uses 7000 series aluminum and is considered to be as much as 3-times are stronger. This also makes it heavier by about 14 grams and the grip on the phone slightly less slippery. The iPhone 6 used the 6000 series aluminum. These changes came after many users reported the iPhone 6 “bending” during normal usage. The phenomenon came to be called “Bendgate”. So users have generally welcomed this slight “heaviness”.
There is also a rubber gasket present around the edges of the display to make the phone somewhat water-resistant. The iPhone 6s also is slightly thicker. This is because it has capacitive sensors that help the built-in 3D touch to determine the pressure of your touch.
Performance Comparison
Performance-wise, the iPhone 6s has seen some major performance upgrades. It is equipped with Apple’s A9 chip, a dual-core 1.85 GHz CPU, PowerVR GT7600 GPU, and 2 GB RAM. Compared this with the iPhone 6 which has 1 GB RAM, a dual-core 1.4 GHz CPU, PowerVR GT6450 GPU, and Apple’s A8 chip.
These specs also translate to a dramatic change in power. The iPhone 6s claims to have a massive 90% in GPU power while delivering a 70% boost in overall power. We don’t mean to say that the iPhone 6 is an underperformer, but when you take into consideration how it behaves in the iOS, it delivers a smooth performance.
The iPhone 6s also gets faster 4G, with a blazing-fast 300 Mbit modem, compared with the iPhone 6’s modem which is 150Mbit.
Another improvement over the iPhone 6 is that the Touch ID works twice as fast. Some users may ask how is this even relevant, but the difference is noticeable.
Display Comparison
If you compare the two phones side by side, you are unlikely to find any difference. They have identical dimensions and the FaceTime cameras are also placed exactly the same. Like we said earlier, the 3D Touch that adds bulk to the phone is a major difference here.
The 3D touch is what makes all the difference; you put slight pressure on the screen and the pressure is used to launch several commands. A lot of reviewers had grumbled at the time that not many apps supported the 3D Touch feature and its value has been questioned time and again. The feature lets you see previews of emails by using a short press and the long-press offers a menu of more shortcuts for different functions.
Apart from this, you will find no significant change to the screen quality. They both have an LED-backlit IPS LCD, a screen-to-body ratio of 65.6% and a screen resolution of 1334 x 750 pixels.
Camera: iPhone 6 vs. 6S
Most smartphone companies pay a lot of attention to the phone camera and Apple does not want to be the exception. And it is true that with every iPhone release, the camera has only gotten better. The same is the case between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s.
Many users had felt that the iPhone 6 was underpowered when it came to the camera, and maybe it was for good reason. The iPhone 6 is equipped with an 8 MP camera that can record resolutions up to 1080p. It also has a front-facing or selfie camera that is 1.2 MP and offers no flash, which was a big disappointment for many, considering rival Android models were all equipped with one.
The iPhone 6s has bumped up its camera capabilities. It is equipped with a 12 MP camera that is respectable in all aspects and allows recording up to 4K. The result is quite smooth and rich, probably one of the best as far as smartphones are concerned. There is also the option to take a “live” picture, which means that it records a few seconds before and after the actual shot, making it look more fluid. This may sound more like a gimmick to camera enthusiasts, but it is a fun feature to play around with.
The iPhone 6s also has a 5 MP front-facing camera, so if you are fond of taking selfies often, you can rejoice. Oh, and they have added a flash for clearer, crisper photos. Camera enthusiasts will probably complain that the camera does not offer options such as optical image stabilization (OIS) like on other models, but these are minor complaints. Overall, the camera on the newer iPhone 6s is way better than its predecessor.
Charging/Battery Life
Battery life is something that is not a favorite topic for iPhone users and unfortunately, there is not much to praise about these two phones either. The same with the charging; while rivals are moving forward by offering features like fast charging, there has been no such announcements from Apple.
The iPhone 6 features an 1810 mAh capacity battery, while the iPhone 6s has a smaller, 1715 mAh capacity battery. Users may take solace in the fact that thanks to the new A9 chip, there is a significant change in the phone performance, the batteries (on both phones) still take a whopping 2 hours+ to charge. Compare this with rivals that have products that charge to full capacity in less than half this time.
Apple says that you will not feel the difference between the battery life of the two phones and it may be true to some extent. This is because the iPhone 6s uses iOS 9’s improved features such as the Low Power Mode.
Storage
Long-time Apple users were disappointed when yet again, the company put out 16 GB models out for sale. The iPhone 6s has 4K video capabilities (a minute of 4K video would be roughly 5GB) and imagine shooting a mere 2-minute video on it. You will run out of space immediately! The same goes for its photo file sizes. A sensible person will scale these down and still use the phone, but then it takes away the whole point of using these new features.
The iPhone 6 is available in 2 variants; the 16 GB and 64 GB, while the iPhone 6s is available in the 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB models.
Price
As expected, the original announcing price for the iPhone 6s was about $100 more than the iPhone 6 for the 16 GB model and the same for its 64 GB model. A 128 GB model would cost about $200 more. However, these prices are irrelevant since both phones have now become hard to find. Of course, you can still find sellers willing enough to sell you their old stock.
Conclusion
You may have scoffed at the iPhone 6s at first glance, but as it is pretty apparent, there are quite a few differences between the two models. To start with, the iPhone 6s is tougher than its predecessor, thanks to the series 7000 aluminum. It also feels snappier because of the chip upgrade, the much faster Touch ID and twice the RAM. The 3D Touch also gives it a distinctive edge and is fun to use.
The cameras are also vastly different on both phones, and with the inclusion of a front-facing flash, selfie lovers have reason to cheer. So regardless of the critics saying that these are lackluster models if you have been an Apple follower, these differences are reason enough for you to splurge on one, provided you can find them!
