iPhone 6: Week 1

N. Scott Emery, P.E.

IMG_3619I picked up an iPhone 6 one week ago. I planned on upgrading at some point, but had to do it a bit early because my iPhone 5 died. For the couple of days between the death of my iPhone 5 and picking up my iPhone 6, I set up a flip phone. After nearly two years with a smartphone, it was hard to go back to a flip phone. It is amazing how quickly mobile technology has become integrated into our lives.

Since I was not really ready to upgrade, I started off life with my iPhone 6 in less than a positive frame of mind. Here are a few things I do not like about the 6 and a few that I do.

iPhone 6 Dislikes

  1. The cost. With Apple Care and the one-time setup fee from Verizon, the out of pocket expense was over $400. I realize this is a fraction of what buying the phone out right would be, but it was $400 I had not planned on spending.
  2. The phone’s size and smoothness. It is just a tad too big for me to securely hold it in one hand and interact it with it with one thumb. Also, because of its rounded edges and smoothness, it is a bit more difficult to grip than the 5 was. I have talked to other iPhone 6 owners who have the same issue.
  3. The ring/silent button has a tendency to switch to ring when I put the phone in my pocket. I keep my phone on silent all the time. So, I was surprised when the phone started to ring in the middle of a movie. I have since noticed that the ring/silent switch ends up back in the ring mode after I have had the phone in my pocket.

iPhone 6 Likes

  1. The battery life is far longer than the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 barely lasted a day. The 6 lasts more than one day even under moderate use.
  2. The WiFi is more robust. When streaming a radio station or music site, the iPhone 5 would disconnect from the WiFi when I turned on the microwave. The 6 keeps going when I turn on the microwave.
  3. Accessing the phone via Touch ID is convenient and fast.
  4. The iPhone 6 screen size and clarity. The 6 is much easier to read and navigate than the 5 was.
  5. The iPhone 6’s speakers. When I play music over the phone’s built in speakers, I am amazed at the quality of the sound and the volume the small device can put out.

Overall I like the phone, but I have to say that it is far from perfect. I will probably get a case for the phone, which will help with some of my dislikes. Although, it will make the effective phone size bigger.

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