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As the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sales have shattered previous iPhone records, is the iPhone 6 something new and magical?
I was lucky enough to pre-order the phone online via the Apple website and pick it up at Ala Moana mall in Honolulu, Hawaii, which took roughly an hour. I arrived 0730 for an 0800 opening and I was out of the store with my new iPhone 6 by 0830. I purchased the iPhone 6 64GB T-Mobile edition for the full price of $749 + tax, which came factory unlocked – confirmed by both the T-mobile agent at the Apple store and the T-mobile agent in the Hawaii Kai store.
I have been exclusively using the iPhone 6 in the past 72 hours and there are many things I love about iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 itself, and there are some things that make me want to reach for my other mobile device: the OnePlus One.
Phone design
Having previously used the OnePlus One, I knew I wanted a device that is slightly smaller. This was the main reason I chose the iPhone 6 vs the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7 retina display, which for my hands is the perfect size.
While I like the curves on the side of the phone, the combination of the metal finish and the curved sides make this phone slightly more slippery than it should be. As such, a case or bumper is definitely required, but this will also protect the camera which protrudes out from the rear and which detracts from an otherwise sexy industrial design.
The main display is also a fingerprint magnet and I recommend the anti-glare screen protector to prevent fingerprints on your device.
Camera
Wow. The camera is awesome. While only 8 megapixels, this takes slightly better photos than the OnePlus One and marginally better photos than the Nokia 1520. The front-facing camera exceeded my expectations and takes photos comparable to many normal back-camera photos out there. The camera is really good – I haven’t used a DSLR camera since my HTC One and with the iPhone 6, there really isn’t much reason to go back.
Touch ID
I am not 100 percent sure if the Touch ID was upgraded, but this works for me 99.5 of the time, and when it doesn’t work it takes no more than two times to get it to unlock the device. I added my left and right thumb and haven’t had any problems yet.
WARNING: Security rant
One of the reasons I probably love this even more is that while Apple touts this as a secured phone, there is no way to turn off the light when you type in your 4-digit security code (which Android has), so everyone within a three-feet radius can see your password. Considering how many times you unlock your device, it kind of defeats the purpose of having a pin.
Needless to say, I am super happy that touch ID works as advertised and I have’t typed in my code besides to set up my touch ID.
iOS 8
I really like iOS 8, having also upgraded my iPhone 5c. I like the new features of the updated OS: primarily the keyboard SwiftKey and also Spotlight. These two main features have made this phone even better, as a long time user of SwiftKey. After installation and signing in, SwiftKey worked like a champ – being able to swipe in English and Spanish with one hand, and without changing keyboards, is a great addition to iOS 8.
Shortcomings
The iPhone 6 is not perfect (then again, I don’t think any device is). Apple touted Apple Pay and Health as great new features. However, Apple Pay will not be available until October and Health was pulled due to security concerns.
As for what is in the device, voice dictation was missing from SwiftKey, so if you use voice dictation you will have to use the default keyboard. Furthermore, not all applications support SwiftKey, so I had to install the default keyboard. While not a big deal, it detracted from my experience.
Recommendations
The iPhone 6 isn’t flawless, and to be honest the upgrade isn’t for everyone. If you have the iPhone 5S, I wouldn’t recommend the upgrade. The only main difference is Apple Pay (which hasn’t been released yet), a bigger battery, a bigger display and a slightly better camera. However, if you have an iPhone 5C or older device, the inclusion of touch ID (the only way I unlock the phone now), and the aforementioned factors are marginally better.
If price is an issue and you’re not tied to iOS, I highly recommend the OnePlus One. For the same 64GB phone, it is only $349 – a $400 saving, meaning you can buy two OnePlus Ones (get it?). A comparable device to the iPhone 6, the OnePlus One lacks Touch ID, but already has NFC (which I’ve used many times) to pay and even share photos, plus a great display, great camera and great battery life.
Do you have any iPhone 6 questions? Or any tech questions? Tweet away @hawaiiinsomniac or ask via my YouTube channel.
