There's nothing wrong with the iPhone 6 (4.7) ... Right?

[LadyX]

I've been reading people's comments here on what size they'll go for and it's interesting. Prior to the keynote, the majority of users were 100% sure they'll get the 4.7" saying "no way I'm getting a phone that huge", or "I don't have an Android phone for a reason", "not walking around with a phone that big", " I don't need a phablet, I have an iPad", "don't want to carry around a man purse", etc. etc. After the keynote it's like Apple brainwashed people. I came back to the forums and was surprised to see that many have changed their minds, the same/most of the users who were completely against the 5.5" have very different opinions. Now they're saying "buy the 5.5" iPhone or you're going to regret it", "those who will be getting the 4.7 will be jealous when they see us with the 5.5" , " the iPhone Plus is not that big", "it's OK my pockets are big", etc. etc. Now don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that but I'm a bit confused as to why some strongly advice people to go for the 5.5 as opposed to the 4.7. Saying that the 4.7 is not different from the 5S and that it's hardly an upgrade. From what I've seen and read, the iPhone 6 Plus has:

* obviously a bigger screen - I'm pretty sure the screen size is not the reason why some will be getting the iPhone Plus.
* better resolution - Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are considered to have "Retina HD" displays.
* better battery life - of course the 5.5 has better battery life. It's a big phone, it needs more juice. But what you'll be doing on your phone will affect the battery life, it's not like it won't need any charging.
* optical image stabilization - The 6 Plus has optical image stabilization while the 6 only digital image stabilization.


Are these the 3 reasons (not counting screen size) why most people have changed their minds about the 5.5? Will this really make future iPhone 6 (4.7) owners jealous of future iPhone 6 Plus owners? Am I missing something here?

 

[jsmith189]

The keynote changes everyone's opinions. People will bitch and moan for WEEKS on end about something, but then when they see it in person they flip. Happens every time. Put it down to Apple's marketing. Or the fact that a lot of people complain just to complain.

I think a lot of them realised that the 5.5 isn't AS big as they thought it would be in-hand. Which is what most have been saying all along.

 

[jabingla2810]

Here's the thing.

To the consumer, it's a bad strategy.

When somebody looks at the iPad Air or iPad Mini, the ONLY thing they need to consider is, which screen size do I want?

Here, there is much more, and it leads to a situation where neither is the phone you might truly want.

I want the best camera, the best battery life, the new software tricks, the split screen apps... But I also want a phone that's comfortable to use with my relatively small hands.

So, I should get the iPhone 6 Plus, but I'll be annoyed everytime I wear a pair of trousers with small pockets.

So, I should get the iPhone 6, but everytime I take a photo I will know it might not be as good a picture as it would have been.

I'm torn, and as a consumer, who is about to pay over £600 on a new device, I worry that I might not be happy with either.

(Yes yes, first world problems, I know)

 

[jr866gooner]

I think that not only that the comparison between sizes (seeing the 4.7 on top of the 5.5) really doesn't seem that big a jump in size. Certainly not as large as I thought it would be but I'd have to hold one myself to see. If I were to upgrade I'd go 4.7 tho I think but who knows till we hold them!

 

[Izauze]

There are some practical reasons to discover an appetite for the iPhone Plus, but aside from the benefits afforded by size, the difference in user experience is pretty minimal.

A fairly big part of it just boils down to envy. People just want to be seen as having biggest and best, and don't want their neighbor to be able to have one up on them. Sadly enough, that probably explains much of the sudden newfound appeal.

 

[Velin]

A fairly big part of it just boils down to envy. People just want to be seen as having biggest and best, and don't want their neighbor to be able to have one up on them. Sadly enough, that probably explains much of the sudden newfound appeal.

Envy over a phone? If that is the case, humans are stupid. Thus, you may be onto something.

 

[LadyX]

I think a lot of them realised that the 5.5 isn't AS big as they thought it would be in-hand. Which is what most have been saying all along.

How could someone come to this decision when it's not out yet. That's not possible until the 19th when they'll actually be holding the phones. Then people will start complaining again; I had no idea it was that huge or something similar.

 

[TheSacredSoul]

Envy over a phone? If that is the case, humans are stupid. Thus, you may be onto something.

It has been a long established fact that humans are stupid.

That said, I wanted the 4.7" pre-keynote. I want the 4.7" post-keynote. The 5.5 is just too huge and this is from a 25 year old male with larger than average hands.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

The Apple Watch might be swaying some opinions. You handle the 5.5 less as you have the watch and the bigger screen comes into play when appropriate. On the flip side, you interact with the watch more often so you're springing for the 4.7 as you don't need the extra bulk in your pocket. Can go either way.

 

[LadyX]

Here, there is much more, and it leads to a situation where neither is the phone you might truly want.

I want the best camera, the best battery life, the new software tricks, the split screen apps... But I also want a phone that's comfortable to use with my relatively small hands.

So, I should get the iPhone 6 Plus, but I'll be annoyed everytime I wear a pair of trousers with small pockets.

So, I should get the iPhone 6, but everytime I take a photo I will know it might not be as good a picture as it would have been.

But does the 6 Plus really have a good battery life? This will greatly depend on the person and how he/she uses the phone. The 6 Plus has a bigger battery because it needs more power to run. The things you do will effect the battery life no matter how better or big it is. Is my reasoning wrong?

 

[SMIDG3T]

* obviously a bigger screen - I'm pretty sure the screen size is not the reason why some will be getting the iPhone Plus.
* better resolution - Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are considered to have "Retina HD" displays.
* better battery life - of course the 5.5 has better battery life. It's a big phone, it needs more juice. But what you'll be doing on your phone will affect the battery life, it's not like it won't need any charging.
* optical image stabilization - The 6 Plus has optical image stabilization while the 6 only digital image stabilization.

Point 1) Bigger screen? Not everyone wants a bigger screen.

Point 2) You won't be able to notice the difference in screen quality unless you have the iPhone 6 right in front of your face so that's point 1 voided.

Point 3) Can't argue with that! It has a bigger battery but for me the 5s battery is fine so that means the 4.7-inch will be fine for me, so, again, for me, that's point 2 voided.

Point 4) Meh. Personally, doesn't bother me.

I'll be getting the 4.7-inch and I can't wait!

 

[LadyX]

Point 1) You won't be able to notice the difference in screen quality unless you have the iPhone 6 right in front of your face so that's point 1 voided.

Point 2) Can't argue with that! It has a bigger battery but for me the 5s battery is fine so that means the 4.7-inch will be fine for me, so, again, for me, that's point 2 voided.

Point 3) Meh. Personally, doesn't bother me.

I'll be getting the 4.7-inch and I can't wait!

I agree with you.

Doesn't bother me as well as I rarely use the camera.

 

[Steve121178]

Here's the thing.

To the consumer, it's a bad strategy.

When somebody looks at the iPad Air or iPad Mini, the ONLY thing they need to consider is, which screen size do I want?

Here, there is much more, and it leads to a situation where neither is the phone you might truly want.

I want the best camera, the best battery life, the new software tricks, the split screen apps... But I also want a phone that's comfortable to use with my relatively small hands.

So, I should get the iPhone 6 Plus, but I'll be annoyed everytime I wear a pair of trousers with small pockets.

So, I should get the iPhone 6, but everytime I take a photo I will know it might not be as good a picture as it would have been.

I'm torn, and as a consumer, who is about to pay over £600 on a new device, I worry that I might not be happy with either.

(Yes yes, first world problems, I know)

I don't really understand your point. Choice is never a bad thing and Apple have made a brilliant decision to produce two sizes as it's clear there is very strong demand for a larger device. The iPhone 6 Plus is the larger more premium device as it has a better camera and the larger screen allows a richer iOS experience. The smaller device (which I personally favour) is the best of both worlds. It lacks some of the Plus's bells & whistles but that's because they are not technically possible on a smaller device.

If you are that unsure then go to an Apple Store and decide which is the right phone for you, rather than buying blindly.

 

[oVerboost]

It's hard to justify the extra cost on the 5.5 for me for what I'll get from it, but the fact that you'll have "plus" owners no doubt looking down their noses at the regular 6 people is daft if that happens. Just get the one that YOU want and YOU are happy with. That's all that matters IMO.

 

[mnemonix]

Choice is never a bad thing and Apple have made a brilliant decision to produce two sizes as it's clear there is very strong demand for a larger device.

Choice is good and that's why I'm extremely disappointed that Apple no longers offers the choice of a smaller sized phone in their latest model for those who want one. The 4 was perfect, I have a 5 and it's just about ok, but I simply don't want anything larger than that. PERIOD.

So great, Apple are satisfying peoples demand for a larger phone but they have screwed up with the 4.7", it should have stayed at 4". Time was, discreetness, compactness and miniaturization were the marks of a high end product, now they're catering ONLY for the blingtards and who think bigger is always better.

 

[recoil80]

I don't really understand your point. Choice is never a bad thing and Apple have made a brilliant decision to produce two sizes as it's clear there is very strong demand for a larger device. The iPhone 6 Plus is the larger more premium device as it has a better camera and the larger screen allows a richer iOS experience. The smaller device (which I personally favour) is the best of both worlds. It lacks some of the Plus's bells & whistles but that's because they are not technically possible on a smaller device.

If you are that unsure then go to an Apple Store and decide which is the right phone for you, rather than buying blindly.

let's wait and see a teardown to find out whether Plus have better A8 specs in terms of RAM and CPU/GPU power.

I understand the point of the guy you quoted.
I'd like to have the best phone, with a very good battery life and with OIS, but that phone is too big for me.
So either I'm buying a big phone and find it uncomfortable in some situation or I'm buying a phone with a good size but have to compromise on battery life and picture quality.

With iPad Air and Mini I get to pick the right device size and I'm sure I'll have the same user experience.

 

[bmac4]

I don't really understand your point. Choice is never a bad thing and Apple have made a brilliant decision to produce two sizes as it's clear there is very strong demand for a larger device. The iPhone 6 Plus is the larger more premium device as it has a better camera and the larger screen allows a richer iOS experience. The smaller device (which I personally favour) is the best of both worlds. It lacks some of the Plus's bells & whistles but that's because they are not technically possible on a smaller device.



If you are that unsure then go to an Apple Store and decide which is the right phone for you, rather than buying blindly.

I am not sure it was a great choice by Apple. Let's look at the S5 and soon to release Note 4. Samsung separates the two from each other, and launches them at different times. If you go with the S5 you get a smaller phone, but you feel like you have the best "normal" phone Samsung offers. If you wait and get the Note 4 you bet the best Phablet Samsung offers.

Apple on the other hand gives us to almost identical phones, but one is bigger and adds just a few upgrades. Enough upgrades to make a difference. They didn't make the Plus feel like a different device like the Note 4, but just a bigger and better one. I think that is what people are having such a hard time with. You feel like you are missing out on what the best Apple has to offer because you don't want a big phone.

 

[maflynn]

The keynote changes everyone's opinions.

No it didn't change people's opinions but rather because apple came out with it, many people who were staunchly against large phones are now for large phones.

The same exact thing happened with multitasking, and the notification center. Many folks fought tooth and nail that phones didn't need multitasking but once apple rolled it out, they were at the front of the parade cheering the addition.

I've been wanting a larger phone for a while, and went to the Lumia Icon for a while (but missed iOS so I returned). I'm on the opposite side now. I wanted a larger iPhone before the keynote, now afterwards I'm not so sure.

 

[JaySoul]

People on internet forums are reactive creatures and fear any kind of change.

I thought my 4" iPhone 5 was "just fine" until using it is a SatNav in the car made me realise the screen was just too damn small and I was squinting.

So I went and got an Android phone because I "had" to. Now I could never go back to such a "small" screen.

All this endless navel-gazing about "Oh is it TOO big? Oh how do you feeeeeeel?" It's nonsense, Apple should have done this 2 years ago but they were probably tied to Steve's roadmap.

4.7" is a really good size. It's a solid upgrade - not particularly daring, but solid. As soon as you've had the bigger screen for 2 weeks, you'll curse Apple for not having done this 2 years ago.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Envy over a phone? If that is the case, humans are stupid. Thus, you may be onto something.

Where have you been?

Well know fact that some humans are not too smart!

 

[Shuri]

I've been wanting a larger phone for a while, and went to the Lumia Icon for a while (but missed iOS so I returned). I'm on the opposite side now. I wanted a larger iPhone before the keynote, now afterwards I'm not so sure.

May I ask why you're not sure anymore?

I'm on the boat: I love my iphone 5's size and it stayed this way after the keynote. If the 4.7" would have brought something not seen before I might just live with the size, but now my point is: If the iPhone is 4.7" I can just get an Android device as well.

 

[Steve121178]

Choice is good and that's why I'm extremely disappointed that Apple no longers offers the choice of a smaller sized phone in their latest model for those who want one. The 4 was perfect, I have a 5 and it's just about ok, but I simply don't want anything larger than that. PERIOD.

So great, Apple are satisfying peoples demand for a larger phone but they have screwed up with the 4.7", it should have stayed at 4". Time was, discreetness, compactness and miniaturization were the marks of a high end product, now they're catering ONLY for the blingtards and who think bigger is always better.

As I said elsewhere on MacRumors, things change over time. When the iPhone 4 came out it was perfect for it's time. But now an iPhone is so much more than a phone and device to send text messages and occasionally browse the web. There some some people who use their iPhone for literally everything and do not use a computer at home. The way we consume media and digital content has also changed which is why a bigger device is a must.

Apple can't please everyone with their new phones, but they will please far more people than they annoy this time around. I can almost guarantee it.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Here's the thing.

To the consumer, it's a bad strategy.

When somebody looks at the iPad Air or iPad Mini, the ONLY thing they need to consider is, which screen size do I want?

Here, there is much more, and it leads to a situation where neither is the phone you might truly want.

I want the best camera, the best battery life, the new software tricks, the split screen apps... But I also want a phone that's comfortable to use with my relatively small hands.

So, I should get the iPhone 6 Plus, but I'll be annoyed everytime I wear a pair of trousers with small pockets.

So, I should get the iPhone 6, but everytime I take a photo I will know it might not be as good a picture as it would have been.

I'm torn, and as a consumer, who is about to pay over £600 on a new device, I worry that I might not be happy with either.

(Yes yes, first world problems, I know)

It wasn't always like that. The first gen mini had inferior specs. Maybe with the release of the 6S we might see parity.

 

[Hey Jude]

I was going to get the 4.7., but after the keynote presentation realized that the features available only in the Plus were compelling enough to give me pause. After careful consideration, I decided to go with the Plus.

My reasons are unique to my personal and professional intended uses for the new phone, and I don't believe that people who later decide to opt for one product over another are brainwashed, fanboys/girls who fell for Apple's marketing spin.

 

[LadyX]

There's nothing wrong with the iPhone 6 (4.7) ... Right?

It's hard to justify the extra cost on the 5.5 for me for what I'll get from it, but the fact that you'll have "plus" owners no doubt looking down their noses at the regular 6 people is daft if that happens.

Yes it really is silly but will happen no doubt.

Just get the one that YOU want and YOU are happy with. That's all that matters IMO.

Well said.