It’s Apple’s biggest phone yet, packing a 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 display within a slim and curvy chassis that makes its monster size look elegant.
This isn’t simply a scaled-up iPhone, either; the 6 Plus boasts features exclusive to Apple’s line, such as optical image stabilization and a dual pane landscape mode that makes the smartphone feel like a tablet. Overall, the iPhone 6 is easily one of the best big-screen phones you can buy.
So, finally, the first supersized iPhone has arrived, and Apple’s normally bite-size flagship has made a graceful transition into the ‘phablet’ realm with the iPhone 6 Plus. This 5.5-incher sports the same curvy edges and smooth, anodized aluminium backside as its smaller iPhone 6 counterpart, though the grey plastic stripes on the top and bottom rear panel distract a bit from its otherwise classy design.
While the 6 Plus’ curved edges make it comfortable to hold, the phone’s aluminium finish is slippery enough to warrant picking up a case. And unless you’ve got monster hands, this is a two-handed device. Measuring 6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches, the iPhone 6 Plus is taller but thinner than many of its competitors, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, LG G3 and OnePlus One.
Sporting a 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 display, the iPhone 6 Plus marks the iPhone’s first jump to full HD. The 6 Plus’ massive screen is on a
par with the OnePlus One’s 5.5-inch, 1080p display, though the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 4 and 5.5-inch LG G3 sport
even sharper quad HD (2560 x 1440) displays.
This bigger, sharper screen makes it the best iPhone yet for watching movies, while games look vibrant and sharp, too. It boasts above-average colour accuracy, show you can see every shade in greater detail and depth.
The iPhone 6 Plus’ display doesn’t just make movies and games look prettier; it actually lets you use the iPhone in new ways. When using Messages and Mail in the 6 Plus’ exclusive Dual Pane landscape mode, you can view a list of your most recent conversations on the left side of the screen while reading each message in full on the right.
New to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is Reachability, a feature especially handy for the gargantuan 6 Plus. Double-tapping the Touch ID home button will bring the top half of the screen to the bottom, allowing you to more easily access things like app icons and search bars with your thumb.
The iPhone 6 Plus’ most notable new app is Health, which allows you to track a smattering of wellness statistics, including steps taken, distance travelled, daily calories and sleep. Health can funnel in data from a variety of iOS 8-optimized fitness apps, including Map My Run, Mayo Clinic, Up by Jawbone, WebMD and Sleep Cycle.
The 6 Plus also heralds the arrival of Apple Pay, which stores your payment cards to Passbook and uses the phone’s NFC chip to let you pay for goods with a quick tap of the phone at supporting stores.
Apple’s phablet comes preloaded with GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Keynote and Numbers, allowing you to make music, edit videos and work on presentations right out of the box. If that’s not enough software for you, you can always peruse the million-plus apps available on Apple’s App Store.
The iPhone 6 Plus’ iSight camera retains the 8-MP resolution of the iPhone 5s, but boasts an improved sensor with an aperture of f/2.2, meaning more light can get in. The 6 Plus is the only new iPhone to offer optical image stabilization, which allows for better low-light shots.
Apple’s front-facing FaceTime camera continues to be one of the best selfie-takers around, capturing finer details. You’ll probably find yourself addicted to the 6 Plus’ slo-mo video mode where you can capture slow-motion video at up to 240 fps on the 6 Plus,
The iPhone 6 Plus isn’t just the biggest iPhone yet; it’s also the longest lasting in terms of battery life – finally! The 6 Plus outlasts the standard iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5s.
Overall, if you’ve been holding out for a phablet-size iPhone, the iPhone 6 Plus is for you. The handset’s 5.5-inch full HD display and zippy A8 processor make it the best iPhone yet for entertainment, and its long battery life ensures that you’ll be able to enjoy apps, movies and games for hours on end. Apple’s big-screen phone also packs a fantastic camera in a slimmer design than the competition.
