iPhone 6(S)/Plus How is 6S on iOS 13?

[SuperDuperMan]

i have an iPhone 6S and am apprehensive about updating to iOS 13 next week seeing as it’s probably the last iteration of iOS that Apple will allow on this phone.

I love that even my old iPhone 6 still runs iOS 12 and works decently enough to browse the web and make calls but it’s definitely slow, especially compared to my 6S and business phone iPhone 8.

Any words of advice is appreciated.

 

[MrAperture]

Is your 6s on iOS 12?

 

[SuperDuperMan]

Is your 6s on iOS 12?

Yeah.

 

[MrAperture]

I'm sure most newer apps will keep updating for iOS 12 for at least another year or two. By then your 6s will no longer be as good anyways, knowing it will be 6 years old by then should you choose to use it that long.

 

[gigatoaster]

Hello there

I have a 6S and changed the battery last week. It works like charm, as good as the first time i bought it. I know iOS 12 is the best for that phone and I skipped on purpose iOS 11 after hearing so bad things about it.

I’ll give it to my mom and I’ll make sure not to upgrade to iOS 13. I honestly don’t think it can get better in terms of stability. I prefer & value stability over feature, I don’t mind skipping on the dark mode.

 

[EugW]

In terms of speed, iPhone SE with same 2 GB RAM and same A9 SoC runs fine on iOS 13.1 beta 3. Not super fast, but not any slower than iOS 12.

iOS 13.1 beta 3 is buggy though, so it may pay to wait a little bit if that matters to you.

 

[bodonnell202]

I think it will run iOS 13 fine - I have an iPhone SE (mostly the same innards as the 6s) that I mostly use to play with betas at this point and it is running the iOS 13 beta just fine, no slower than iOS 12.

 

[nordique]

Very fast. Some stock apps open faster than the XR on iOS 13, for comparison.

 

[aleni]

My SE handles iOS13 very well. I think it’s a bit faster than iOS12. Too bad the battery depletes really faster too now. I hope the final version of iOS13 fixes this.

FYI, My battery capacity is still at 100% so it’s not the battery issue. It was fine on iOS12.

 

[mrklaw]

i have an iPhone 6S and am apprehensive about updating to iOS 13 next week seeing as it’s probably the last iteration of iOS that Apple will allow on this phone.

I love that even my old iPhone 6 still runs iOS 12 and works decently enough to browse the web and make calls but it’s definitely slow, especially compared to my 6S and business phone iPhone 8.

Any words of advice is appreciated.

‘doesn’t it have the same ram as the iPhone 7 & 8 (8 still on sale this year). Feels like 6s/SE will be a landmark device and get longer support than you might think. I’d bet on it getting iOS 14

 

[navigates]

My 6s is still on 9.3.3. Offcourse I've kept it brand new in the box just for fun. iOS9 is so snappy.

 

[bodonnell202]

‘doesn’t it have the same ram as the iPhone 7 & 8 (8 still on sale this year). Feels like 6s/SE will be a landmark device and get longer support than you might think. I’d bet on it getting iOS 14

Yeah, Apple cut all devices with only 1 GB of RAM from iOS 13 support, so 2 GB is the new baseline - but they used 2 GB on a lot of devices, including some that are still sold (iPhone 8, 6th gen iPad - and possibly the 7th gen iPad too, 7th gen iPod touch). The 6s was blazing fast when new, and to this day it's only achilles heel is the battery, but a battery replacement every couple years is much cheaper than a new iPhone...

 

[FeliApple]

My 6s is still on 9.3.3. Offcourse I've kept it brand new in the box just for fun. iOS9 is so snappy.

I used a 6s on 9.3.3 up until recently as well. A family member has it now and it will continue to be on 9.3.3.
Unfortunately, I’m seeing some reports which indicate that battery life drops with iOS 13 on the GM, on every device. Whether that remains true is to be seen, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

 

[EugW]

I used a 6s on 9.3.3 up until recently as well. A family member has it now and it will continue to be on 9.3.3.
Unfortunately, I’m seeing some reports which indicate that battery life drops with iOS 13 on the GM, on every device. Whether that remains true is to be seen, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

I don't think there is a good reason to stay on iOS 9.3.x. While battery life may not be awesome on iOS 12 or iOS 13, the functionality and app support are much better, and overall performance is fine.

I would recommend upgrading to 12.4.1, and then eventually to iOS 13 when the bugs are quashed. For myself, I have already upgraded my iPhone 7 Plus to iOS 13 GM, after being on the betas for quite some time. My main critical banking application was finally updated last week, and it works perfectly on iOS 13 GM and iOS 13.1 beta 3, so I'm good to go. I can live with the remaining general UI bugs, because overall I prefer iOS 13 to iOS 12.4.1.

 

[Significant1]

Have a 6s myself and saw this video yesterday.

 

[now i see it]

Why not wait a few months (at least) until a lot more people are using it. By then there will be more first hand experiences. Anyway, installing a .0 release isn't the best way to go about it. Be patient. Personally, I'm going to wait until 13.3 before considering installing it. That will be sometime late spring 2020.

 

[Kmart9419]

i have an iPhone 6S and am apprehensive about updating to iOS 13 next week seeing as it’s probably the last iteration of iOS that Apple will allow on this phone.

I love that even my old iPhone 6 still runs iOS 12 and works decently enough to browse the web and make calls but it’s definitely slow, especially compared to my 6S and business phone iPhone 8.

Any words of advice is appreciated.

Silky smooth. iOS 13 gm. Since Apple reduced file size on apps, everything feels extra snappy. Overall, feels faster than iOS
12. 100% recommend you update.

 

[Jimmy James]

‘doesn’t it have the same ram as the iPhone 7 & 8 (8 still on sale this year). Feels like 6s/SE will be a landmark device and get longer support than you might think. I’d bet on it getting iOS 14

Probably true. I suggested as much when the 6s was released. The forum was crying foul, calling it a “minor update” because the housing looked the same as the 6. Short sighted.

 

[EugW]

Probably true. I suggested as much when the 6s was released. The forum was crying foul, calling it a “minor update” because the housing looked the same as the 6. Short sighted.

Yup. I warned people that the 1 GB of the 6 series would be a limitation, but pent up demand for a bigger iPhone was too strong and people bought the 6 series in droves.

Even ignoring the issue of significant app/tab refreshes, within a short time people were complaining about overall performance on the 6 Plus too. We waited a year for my wife's 6s and overall performance has remained OK on it, although tab refreshes are more common these days. She upgraded to the XR last year, but my mother-in-law uses it now and likes it a lot.

 

[FeliApple]

I don't think there is a good reason to stay on iOS 9.3.x. While battery life may not be awesome on iOS 12 or iOS 13, the functionality and app support are much better, and overall performance is fine.

I would recommend upgrading to 12.4.1, and then eventually to iOS 13 when the bugs are quashed. For myself, I have already upgraded my iPhone 7 Plus to iOS 13 GM, after being on the betas for quite some time. My main critical banking application was finally updated last week, and it works perfectly on iOS 13 GM and iOS 13.1 beta 3, so I'm good to go. I can live with the remaining general UI bugs, because overall I prefer iOS 13 to iOS 12.4.1.

We tend to keep devices for a long time, and we enjoy that they work like new for a very long time. I tested an iPhone 7's battery life on iOS 10. Exact same battery life as my iPhone 6s on iOS 9. 7-9 hours on-screen depending on usage. The iPhone 7 was updated to iOS 11: Battery life was 5-6 hours. The iPhone 7 was updated - again - to iOS 12. Battery life: 4 hours. After three years, my iPhone 6s is still on iOS 9. Battery life? 7-9 hours on-screen.

You are right in the fact that performance hasn't been crippled with the 6s onwards, and you are right that app compatibility is better, but we have all the apps we need. Updating to iOS 12 wouldn't bring anything significant to the table (I'm using an Xʀ on iOS 12.3.1 - it will stay there - and it doesn't have any must-cripple-battery life-by-50% feature). I got burned by iOS 5 on an iPod Touch 4g; I got burned by an iPad 4 on iOS 7, and I have seen disastrous results with way too many devices. I'm not updating anything ever again. I am typing this on a 9.7 iPad Pro on... iOS 9.3.4. I'll tolerate the lack of app compatibility, and I will tolerate not having the latest features. I cannot tolerate lacklustre battery life, or poor performance.

I understand the reasons for which nearly everyone updates. I don't like that some apps I would like aren't compatible, and I like a lot of the new features. I wish Apple would release iOS versions so solid that my argument is burnt to the ground forever. I wish I could update confidently, thinking that everything will be better. I really do. Until that happens, unfortunately, I'll stay behind.

 

[maerz001]

I'm sure most newer apps will keep updating for iOS 12 for at least another year or two. By then your 6s will no longer be as good anyways, knowing it will be 6 years old by then should you choose to use it that long.

Sorry i don’t get ur response. Op is asking for ios 13 and u are talking about ios 12. And yes in 2 years it'll be 6years old. But this also has no content

 

[MrAperture]

Sorry i don’t get ur response. Op is asking for ios 13 and u are talking about ios 12. And yes in 2 years it'll be 6years old. But this also has no content

He said he was apprehensive about updating. I mentioned iOS 12 because that’s what his phone is currently on. Thus OP doesn’t need to update to iOS 13 and worry about apps not being updated for iOS 12.

 

[EugW]

We tend to keep devices for a long time, and we enjoy that they work like new for a very long time. I tested an iPhone 7's battery life on iOS 10. Exact same battery life as my iPhone 6s on iOS 9. 7-9 hours on-screen depending on usage. The iPhone 7 was updated to iOS 11: Battery life was 5-6 hours. The iPhone 7 was updated - again - to iOS 12. Battery life: 4 hours. After three years, my iPhone 6s is still on iOS 9. Battery life? 7-9 hours on-screen.

You are right in the fact that performance hasn't been crippled with the 6s onwards, and you are right that app compatibility is better, but we have all the apps we need. Updating to iOS 12 wouldn't bring anything significant to the table (I'm using an Xʀ on iOS 12.3.1 - it will stay there - and it doesn't have any must-cripple-battery life-by-50% feature). I got burned by iOS 5 on an iPod Touch 4g; I got burned by an iPad 4 on iOS 7, and I have seen disastrous results with way too many devices. I'm not updating anything ever again. I am typing this on a 9.7 iPad Pro on... iOS 9.3.4. I'll tolerate the lack of app compatibility, and I will tolerate not having the latest features. I cannot tolerate lacklustre battery life, or poor performance.

I understand the reasons for which nearly everyone updates. I don't like that some apps I would like aren't compatible, and I like a lot of the new features. I wish Apple would release iOS versions so solid that my argument is burnt to the ground forever. I wish I could update confidently, thinking that everything will be better. I really do. Until that happens, unfortunately, I'll stay behind.

iPad 4 and iPod Touch 4th gen are terrible examples with which to base your decisions here. iPad 4 was A6X and only had 1 GB RAM. iPod Touch 4gh gen is A4 and only had 256 MB RAM.

Also, it makes no sense to keep an XR on 12.3.1. It's not even the latest most secure version of iOS 12. However, there is no slowdown at all on XR with iOS 13. Also, iPhone 7 Plus is very good on iOS 13.

 

[FeliApple]

iPad 4 and iPod Touch 4th gen are terrible examples with which to base your decisions here. iPad 4 was A6X and only had 1 GB RAM. iPod Touch 4gh gen is A4 and only had 256 MB RAM.

Also, it makes no sense to keep an XR on 12.3.1. It's not even the latest most secure version of iOS 12. However, there is no slowdown at all on XR with iOS 13. Also, iPhone 7 Plus is very good on iOS 13.

I know that 32-bit devices are atrocious when updated. I also know that battery life is heavily affected when updating 64-bit devices, yet performance tends to remain near-perfect. I don’t wanna sacrifice either by updating. I’m missing out on app compatibility and features, and I will continue to do so until Apple improves with updates.
[doublepost=1568592045][/doublepost]Anyway, OP, I would not update, but if you want to update, at least wait a few versions until the then-current version is a little more stable. Check this forum for feedback and you should be good to go!