There were a number of exciting announcements at Apple’s event on Wednesday, not the least of which was the debut of their new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus handsets. The new devices feature an improved A9 processor, improved cameras on the front and the back, and the new 3D Touch interface.
The new iPhones feature a body made of 7000 Series aluminum, the same alloy used in the aerospace industry. A new color, Rose Gold is also now available. The new iPhone’s screens are made of the strongest glass of any smartphone available today.
“The only thing that has changed with iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is everything — 3D Touch lets users interact with iPhone in entirely new and fun ways, and the innovative Live Photos brings your pictures to life,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “These are the most advanced iPhones ever, with 7000 series aluminum, ion-strengthened glass, the new 64-bit A9 chip, 12-megapixel iSight and 5-megapixel FaceTime HD cameras, faster Touch ID, LTE and Wi-Fi. Customers are going to love them.”
The Cameras
The new rear-facing camera has been bumped up to 12-megapixels, and includes Apple’s advanced pixel technology, along with an Apple-designed signal processor, to allow for more detailed photos.
The new camera also supports 4K video, with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, delivering over 8 million pixels, plus there is now optical video stabilization for video on the iPhone 6s Plus. The 4K video can be edited directly on your iPhone in iMovie, or on your Mac, iPad, or PC.
The front facing shooter now boasts 5-megapixels, and uses the iPhone’s Retina display as a front facing True Tone flash, perfect for selfies in low-light conditions.
The new iPhones can also capture what Apple calls Live Photos, which are 12-megapixel photos that via 3D Touch show the moments just before and just after the photo was taken, allowing the photos to display in motion and sound.
3D Touch
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus also bring Force Touch to the iPhone, by sensing pressure on the screen to enable two new gestures, Peek and Pop. Press lightly to peek at content such as a photo, email, contact, or web page, and press a little deeper to Pop into the content itself.
iPhone Specs
The new iPhones are powered by the third-generation 64-bit A9 chip, which offers 70% faster CPU performance, and 90% faster GPU performance than the A8. The A9 also sports optimized operation for better battery life. The M9 motion coprocessor is now integrated directly in the A9 chip, allowing more features to run all the time at lower power.
“Hey Siri” is now available all of the time, with no need for the iPhone to be plugged into a charger.
The new handsets also boast faster LTE Advanced and Wi-Fi wireless technologies, and the devices support up to 23 LTE bands – the most of any smartphone – making for better worldwide usage.
Pricing & Availability
- iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in gold, silver, space gray and the new rose gold metallic finishes for $0 down with 24 monthly payments starting at $27 (US) and $31 (US), respectively, from Apple’s retail stores in the US, Apple.com, select carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers.
- Exclusively at Apple’s retail stores in the US, customers can choose their carrier and get an unlocked iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus with the opportunity to get a new iPhone annually and AppleCare+ on the new iPhone Upgrade Program with monthly payments starting at $32 (US) and $37 (US), respectively.
- Both models will be available in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and the US beginning Friday, September 25, with pre-orders beginning Saturday, September 12.
- Apple-designed accessories including leather and silicone cases in a range of colors and Lightning Docks in color-matched metallic finishes will also be available.
