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Did Apple take too many shortcuts with the iPhone 6?

M

MacRazySwe

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
1,245
1,161
I can't decide whether to get the iPhone 6 or not.

Right now, I'm using the 5S 16GB. It's a great phone, feels perfect in the hand, offers all the performance I need. However, I have longed for a larger screen iPhone for a long time. Also, as apps are continuously growing in size and I take more pictures than ever due to the great camera, 16GB is getting cramped. I find myself having to delete apps and photos A LOT.

That said, I was pretty much set on getting the 6 in a larger storage configuration. Rumors suggested that 32GB would be the new standard size. Now Apple made the dick-move of keeping the 16GB while completely removing 32GB. I would have much preferred if Apple made 32GB the baseline, or if they would have made it cheaper to upgrade from 16 to 32.

I guess you can't have the cake and eat it.

So, the iPhone 6 would get a bit more pricey than I had hoped. But, I'm fine with paying plenty of money as long as I get the best phone out there. However, I do feel that Apple has taken plenty of shortcuts with the new iPhone 6, some of which include:

* Protruding camera
* Not-so-good-looking antenna bands
* Large bezels all around the phone, making the 4.7" iPhone nearly as large as the 5.1" GS5 and much larger than the Moto X, for example.
* Not much improved battery life (in some aspects worse than the 5S from what I understand?)
* No sapphire screen
* No Full-HD display in the iPhone 6
* UI which doesn't really utilize the larger screen of the iPhone 6

What are the odds that Apple will correct some of these points, come the iPhone 6S?

For me, Android is not the answer. I love the iPhone and the ecosystem it offers me. I have had iPhones since the 3GS launched in Sweden. I'm just not sure of whether I should spend so much money on a phone, seeing as I'm not a hundred percent sold on it as of yet.

I guess I can live with the protruding lens and antenna bands, but I would get seriously annoyed if the iPhone 6S featured a Full HD Sapphire screen, improved battery life, better cameras, et.c. et.c.

What's your reasoning?
 
The iPod Touch had a protruding camera for a while now, its not a shortcut and everyone with an iPod Touch has no problem with it, at least, not me.
 
MacRazySwe said:
* Protruding camera
Less of a shortcut and more of a "MUST BE THINNEST EVARRRRR" design decision. Not saying a like it though.
* Not-so-good-looking antenna bands
Again, not sure this was a shortcut. They could have made it look exactly like a big 5/5S I imagine. Design choice, again.
* Large bezels all around the phone, making the 4.7" iPhone nearly as large as the 5.1" GS5 and much larger than the Moto X, for example.
Could go either way, but I think design choice again. Apple loves them some bezels. Will we see them go? maybe someday. Look how long we waited for a larger screen though.
* Not much improved battery life (in some aspects worse than the 5S from what I understand?)
I agree here. But again, had a lot to do with the lust to be thin. I'd rather have a bigger battery.
* No sapphire screen
This could have simply been supply constraints. I don;t believe anyone else is launching with a sapphire display. Hard to push something completely brand new in the numbers Apple has to meet. I guess that would be the definition of a shortcup though lol
* No Full-HD display in the iPhone 6
If both screens had the same pixels, it would sort of defeat the purpose. All the bigger screen would end up being is lower PPI (things would be bigger but less sharp).
* UI which doesn't really utilize the larger screen of the iPhone 6
I don't follow
Click to expand...

Responses in bold
 
If on the fence like this, just keep the 5s and maybe go play with an iP6 in store at some point over the next few weeks and decide then?
 
MacRazySwe said:
* Protruding camera
* Not-so-good-looking antenna bands
* Large bezels all around the phone, making the 4.7" iPhone nearly as large as the 5.1" GS5 and much larger than the Moto X, for example.
Click to expand...

Those design choices are what you get with the new iPhone models. I would add that I don't like the curved design more than the "brick" style of the previous generations.

If you don't have enough reasons to buy a new phone, I can't see why you are even bothering to ask. Get what you like, no one can justify a purchase for you other than yourself.
 
Put a case on like most folk will and almost all the issues evaporate.

Is Sapphire better in a phone? Not so sure. Less prone to scratches, more prone to breakages. We shall see how that pans out.

HD screen? Would you be able to tell the difference between two 4.7" phones with the higher resolution screen? Maybe in a very close inspection side by side, otherwise surely not?
 
Similar to a precious poster, I would say that the things you listed are not so much shortcuts than design decisions and/or trade offs that you happen to dislike.
 
MacRazySwe said:
So, the iPhone 6 would get a bit more pricey than I had hoped. But, I'm fine with paying plenty of money as long as I get the best phone out there. However, I do feel that Apple has taken plenty of shortcuts with the new iPhone 6, some of which include:

* Protruding camera
* Not-so-good-looking antenna bands
* Large bezels all around the phone, making the 4.7" iPhone nearly as large as the 5.1" GS5 and much larger than the Moto X, for example.
* Not much improved battery life (in some aspects worse than the 5S from what I understand?)
* No sapphire screen
* No Full-HD display in the iPhone 6
* UI which doesn't really utilize the larger screen of the iPhone 6
Click to expand...

Not living up to rumors and false expectations =/= cutting corners or taking shortcuts.
 
Guys why are you hating on his opinions ? Everyone is entitled to their own. Sheesh.

In my personal opinion, I do feel that the iPhone 6 could be better, but it is good enough for now.
 
There will definitely be improvements for future iPhones. Maybe wait for the next one and hope it meets your expectations.
 
Apple is a master at disguising itself as innovative, when it's really quite conservative. Their brilliance is in their taking time to get certain features right and not rushing to market, keeping people hooked into the ecosystem, and making just enough changes to keep technophiles happy, yet still hungry, while not making soccer moms learn a whole new device every year.

Cramming in bleeding edge tech and maxing out the specs of every new product is not Apple's style and likely never will be.
 
Lots of good responses so far, keep it up.

Also, I believe some of you are right, maybe shortcuts aren't necessarily the right word, but rather design-compromises.

Choosing to have a protruding camera lens is a compromise in order to make the phone thinner. As I said, that I can live with, and the same applies to the antenna bands. Just as a previous poster said, I'll keep it in a case no matter what. But I just can't help but thinking that Apple should have gone the extra mile to get it just right. I'm sure we can all agree that Apple could have come up with better looking antenna-bands? It's the one thing people dislike about this design. Even the HTC One looked better, and that was released 1.5 years ago!

Speaking of the HTC One, it was released 1.5 years ago with a Full-HD resolution display. Not only that, but it managed to get really good battery life as well. Even the cheap Nexus 5 has a Full-HD display. Shouldn't Apples $700 device at least match that, in this day and age? Of course, I haven't used the iPhone 6 - frankly none of us have, but if we are to believe the latest reviews, you can see a visible difference between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6+ Full-HD display. Also, I noticed that one of you claimed that the display resolution should be the differentiating factor between the two - I do not agree. Before making the display a differentiating factor between two flagship models, both of the two have to match the displays of the competition. The iPhone 6 should have had a Full-HD display. The 6+ should have had a Full-HD display as well, minimum. Maybe even larger, to match the Note 4 and the LG flagship.

I feel like I really want the iPhone 6, but I can tell that the iPhone 6S will probably correct many of the iPhone 6's shortcomings. I'm not talking about a new design, but I think 2GB ram is pretty much a given, better battery life, sapphire screen and who knows - maybe even a 1920*1080 display in the normal iPhone 6.

...Or maybe I'm just looking for reasons not to spend 750 dollars on a phone? I don't know.
 
Last edited:
I find it odd how people are frustrated that Apple got rid of the 32GB model. I'm sure those people were prepared to pay $299 for the 32GB but instead they're getting 64GB.

Some people forget there are lots people out there who aren't media hoarders and 16GB is more than enough for them.
 
DVNIEL said:
Some people forget there are lots people out there who aren't media hoarders and 16GB is more than enough for them.
Click to expand...

iOS 8 update requires as much as 6.9GB free space. Could you say that again?
 
Wish the whole thing was plastic. Would be lighter and have better signal.

Don't care for posing with it, better performance/weight is more preferable.
 
DVNIEL said:
I find it odd how people are frustrated that Apple got rid of the 32GB model. I'm sure those people were prepared to pay $299 for the 32GB but instead they're getting 64GB.

Some people forget there are lots people out there who aren't media hoarders and 16GB is more than enough for them.
Click to expand...

If you only need 32GB then you're paying the same price as last year. What's the point of 'buy one, get one free' if you only need one?
 
To put it bluntly, my 5s does EVERYTHING I task it to and very fluidly. Every time I use it.

Sure, Apple released some bigger phones with some uppety features, but there are probably MILLIONS of people that would have been as happy with a 5sPlus phone. That is, a 5s in a larger screen size without ANY of the added features besides the screen. I'm one of those.
 
kalebnate said:
Guys why are you hating on his opinions ? Everyone is entitled to their own. Sheesh.

In my personal opinion, I do feel that the iPhone 6 could be better, but it is good enough for now.
Click to expand...

"Hating his opinions"? Do you mean, disagreeing?

Why are you hating our opinions of his opinions? Sheesh.
 
Buy it, try it.

One can wait for the next but that is another year. Or make do with what you have now and don't look back. Easier said than done though.

Every smartphone I have owned led to compromises. Just went with the lesser ones that did not concern me as much.
 
Seems pointless to whine about it at this point. I won't say apple took shortcuts. They'll sell like hotcakes. But if I could have MY dream iPhone...

- Smaller bezels for both 6 and 6+
- It might be a little rough on developers now, but I'd had switched both phones to an industry standard of 1080p. At the very least, I would have used native 2208p panels in the 6+.
- I'd have moved to 2GB of ram. There'd be negligible power differences, especially after not having to pause, save state, and restart apps all the time. I'd have limited app accessible ram to what it is today, in iOS8. That way they don't suffer from bloat and it keeps backwards compatibility with the 5 series. 6 Series would get the benefit of less automatic app closing and safari reloads. In iOS9 I'd unleash the dragon.
- USB 3.
- Wait another year on :apple:Watch. I think it needs more focus, sounds like better battery life, and a diet. Plus, it's not like Apple to release something before it's clearly ready.
- I might change my mind after trying it in hand, but I'm pretty sure I'd forego the extra mm in thinness, make the camera flush, and make the batteries that much bigger.
- Find a more elegant, apple worthy if you will, solution to the one handed double tap trick. Maybe a capacitive sensor on the side or back you could use to slide the screen down or maybe something I haven't even considered.

$.02 and may owe change.
 
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