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Welcome to the Apple iPhone 6, iPhone6 Plus and Apple Watch review. You've no doubt read all the various opinions aka reviews on the latest release from Apple and already from your own opinion on the latest model. In fact you may already own one but still interested to read why everyone loves your phone but mostly whether there are any new problems and why your views are not shared with so many others who chose other brands. We refer to brands because that appears to be the ultimate strategic direction for Apple. Namely a high profit luxury brand with supposedly gorgeous designs but little else - the iPhone 6 is not even close to the cheapest Vertu which uses real diamonds, rubies, platinum and other exotic materials. It's quite a smart move business wise but you can only fool consumers for so long! Unfortunately the iPhone 6 as a product does not even attempt that. So we take off the gloss and tell it as it is without the hype and shortsightedness of the paid media.
iPhone 6 review:
The mobile phone has evolved from literally a mobile phone to a smart phone to what is a small computer. As a software platform the iPhone is equal best (next to Android). It is like the old IBM and Apple of old where they make the hardware and OS but allow 3rd party developers to improve on the platform and make it more desirable. Summarised, what makes the iPhone so desirable is branding the PR or advertising and of course the Apps, secondary to that is the actual hardware.
The hardware behind the iPhone 6 is relatively high end but not the leading edge. Instead of spending time making the hardware more efficient Apple has chosen to take the short cut of putting in a larger battery to compensate. As a result so much of so called improvement just marketing spin. The design of the case is nothing special which is disappointing considering that the prior models where reasonably unique designs. The iPhone design peaked with the Steve Jobs directed iPhone 4s and it's been down hill from there.
The iPhone 6 does look like a Nokia 925 from a couple years ago. The way which the panels are put together are really good but not particularly premium more like just another well made phone. The white plastic edges are not attractive to look at likewise the camera lens juts out from the back and because its on an left edge means it never sits flat. Thankfully the majority of users will get an case for it to compensate of this design flaw. The other telling design problem that proves Apple has made the iPhone 6 down market is the missing metal surround on the headphone socket. Previously it has a nice and shiny metal border, it is missing clearly missing on the 6. The real Steve Jobs would never approve of this essentially poor design.
More telling was the the lack of an infrared and better sounding built in speaker system. The fast CPU doesn't really show its self but the screen image quality is among the best of the 2014 range topper smartphones. The camera hardware is 'claimed' to be significantly improved but will let other dedicated sites determine whether true of just more advertising spin. Recent comparisons show that it doesn't quite match the ultimate photo phone the Nokia 1020 but clearly better than the last one. The pictures the iPhone 6 camera takes requires more software to clean up the image as opposed to being clean from the start. It also shows how some other websites who claimed that iPhone 5s camera was the best clearly shouldn't be believed anymore. As we've said previously iPhone camera wasn't even close to the much older Nokia N8.
The operating system is the best part of the iPhone and while we didn't see any new functionality that was memorable or worth detailing, even the catchup features of various health monitors and much is hyped Apple Pay system which we think will just like another sub-par addition like Siri and Apple Maps etc... but at least matches what other brands have being doing over the last few years. Apple is once again copying existing ideas. Finally the 16Gig memory for the base model is simply a rip off and something everyone seems to forget.
The conclusion of this review is that the iPhone 6 is more of the same just bigger and less attention to detail. It would seem perfectly justified not to do too much since they are still making huge profits. Other than the things we pointed out there is nothing wrong with the latest iPhone but there is nothing compelling about it either. Anyone saying anything different is small minded and not promoting tech progress. Regardless the iPhone 6 is the best iPhone to date but that's it. "Pity you can't use it one handed - LOL - sarcasm folks"
iPhone 6 Plus:
The largest version of the iPhone 6 follows in the foot steps of what every other brand realized 2 years ago, that people want larger screens. It is fortunate that Apple have released the larger iPhone 6 Plus model because it can now really stop the 'can't use it one handed' PR rubbish one liner which clearly everyone but the Apple faithful believe. As they say let it go...
Nice large screen makes the 6 Plus the best model to get. Ignoring the failed software update the iPhone 6 Plus does feel less sturdy than the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, which is larger. It may indeed bend simply carrying it in your pocket but I think Apple QA would have tested it properly before release... Or perhaps you are not carrying it the right way...
Apple Watch
We didn't expect an Apple watch this year but the version they released was again disappointing. It does nothing that existing watches do accept to cost more. It doesn't actually look any better that current models either. In fact the Moto 360 will be the benchmark watch to get when it goes on sale. The off repeated one-liner (if actually true?) from the chief designer about the Swiss watch industry will be replaced by the Apple watch is definitely premature and shows how arrogant the company is these days. After all wasn't it Apple with thousands of designers simply copied the design of the Swiss train watch face from in the first place?
The Swiss watch brand and industry has survived the digital watch invasion, computers, mobile phone and smartphones it will survive the Apple watch. Swiss watches are made in very small numbers and use very intricate parts and materials and usually hand made and unique. They are often not particularly accurate at keeping time but don't need batteries either. Swiss watches are luxury items and truly collectable. 'Swiss made' watches are not made by the millions in China. Swiss watches are everything the Apple Watch is not - thankfully.
The Apple Watch has no functionally that does not already exist and after using the Sony Smartwatch2 for the last 6 months, honestly its a nice addition but ultimately the Apple watch will only give the Swatch brand a run for its money (at the most). The Apple Watch will not be ultimately useful or good looking enough to replace even a basic TAG HEUR let alone competing with a Omega or Rolex. It's a disappointment but telling about the fan based pre-release rumors of a benchmark watch design vs the actual release is a let down. People expected a classic design due to so much PR promoting that Apple has sooooo many designers in the company unfortunately the result is forgettable along with changeable wrist bands and a twirling menu dial! Pity the Apple watch will probably break should you be caught in the rain.
Final thoughts:
Our favorite stupid and repetitive comment on the iPhone's larger competitors in particular. 'You can't use it one handed' spare us! The truth is by watching the line up for the new iPhone shows that one actually uses their existing iPhone one handed. You see it's really easy to drop and damage the iPhone so no one does. Some Bloggers and Apple PR should get out more if this is the biggest compliant about a larger screen the person who write it needs to get out more. Funny that the same people don't mention anything about that with the now larger iPhone 6.
The iPhone 6 is very expensive and definitely not value for money. Apart from battery life the 16G memory in the mass market iPhone is tiny in 2014 and usable space is under 12 Gig. How so many claimed pro bloggers and and claimed reputable sites miss this rip off is disappointing.
Aluminum is not a 'premium' metal, you can buy it in rolls at any grocery store.
Clearly visible plastic joint lines is not a luxury design choice it's the cheapest choice.
No one mentions the lower grade materials especially the cheap plastic interior of the headphone socket.
Apple is incapable of making the iPhone water resistant or vaguely weather proof.
To prevent the iPhone from bending we will now be told 'we're doing it wrong' just like what happened with the antenna problem with the iPhone 4. Perhaps they shouldn't be kept in pockets after all?
Only Apple could get away without false advertising of the 'Gold' iPhone is not really made of gold or gold in colour - let's face it it's beige coloured boring beige so get over it.
