Apple iPhone 6 One-Week Review and Report
The iPhone 6 contrasted against the larger 6 Plus
USING THE IPHONE 6
The iPhone 6 makes one thing clear: even as Apple bundles more power and functionality into a device, it doesn’t make it that much harder to use. Yes there are more features and delving into them will require time (we have a short guide to some key and somewhat overlooked features here), but Apple’s forte is simplicity. From setup to third-party apps to integration with cars, the user doesn’t have to worry about compatibility nearly as much as his Android counterpart, if at all.
Apple’s using the newfound screen real estate intelligently. One of the first things to notice is that double tapping the home button not only allows scrolling through open apps but displays icons representing recent conversations with people.
The camera, which in my estimation was quite good on the iPhone 5s, is even better on the 6, even with the same 8 megapixels, and seems to perform significantly better in low light situations thanks to a better lens and sensor. With a significantly faster autofocus, the long wait when pressing the shutter button is now gone.
THE IPHONE 6 AS A PHONE
Until the 6 was in my hands, I continued to hold that Android phones were better at making and receiving phone calls and many Android phones support Wi-Fi calling. Now, the introduction of Wi-Fi calling on the iPhone 6 allows users to make calls even in low signal or no reception areas when connected to the mobile operator’s network via Wi-FI. Indeed, T-Mobile has offered this capability for BlackBerry and Android phones in the United States for some time and my first exposure to Wi-Fi calling was with a BlackBerry perhaps five or six years ago. It is most useful when traveling and calls from other countries to the United States over Wi-Fi are not billed as international calls.
Another key feature is what Apple calls Continuity. I had actually forgotten about this feature until my iPad started to ring with an incoming call to my iPhone. With this feature, I can place and receive phone calls from my MacBook Pro (running Yosemite) or my iPad as long as all of the devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Incoming calls display full information and it’s easy to answer although it is awkward to conduct the call on an iPad.
BOTTOM LINE
We’re just getting to know the iPhone 6 and iOS 8 and there’s much to learn and test. Our initial judgment, however, is quite favorable. Clearly this is the best iPhone yet and I’d count on it to hold its own against an Android contender at this point.
(Photos: Accura Media Group)
