So, what’s it gonna be: 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus?

“Choice is usually a good thing,” Adrian Kingsley-Hughes writes for ZDNet. “I like having the option to get more storage, a faster processor, or to max out the RAM. I usually love that, but I find being faced with having to choose between the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus is causing me to have last-minute jitters as to which handset I pull the trigger on.”

“I’ve no intention of queuing up for the iPhone 6 – I have far better things to do with my time – but I’m still keen to pull the trigger on a preorder as soon as they hit the online Apple Store,” Kingsley-Hughes writes. “Instinctively I want to go for the iPhone 6 Plus, not just because of the larger screen, but also because of the better battery life and the optical image stabilization.”

“I’m worried that the thing is going to feel more like the Nexus 7 or the iPad mini than an iPhone,” Kingsley-Hughes writes. “Now I could hold off and get some hands-on time with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in a store, but I know even will be artificial and hardly ‘real world.’ A few minutes at an Apple Store with a product isn’t really going to cut it.”

Read more in the full article here.

60 Comments

  1. Due to the lack of sapphire display I am going to wait for the next release, unfortunately Tims Just-in-Time-philosophy – that undeniably saved Apple a lot of money over the last decade – this time the suppliers could not make it on time.

    The 6+ provides optical stabilizer which I can really recommend not only when shooting in the dark, the advantage at exposure time is significant.

    But I guess the Watch will be on my list next year 😛

    1. I wouldn’t hold my breath for a sapphire screen. The choice to stick with the ion-x gorilla glass was a practical one not supply. Sapphire is more scratch resistant but more brittle in drop situations. Hence the reason the “Sport” Apple Watch uses the ion-x glass while the other two models use sapphire. You think your screen cracks too easily now when dropped on a corner? See what happens when you do the same to a sapphire 5.5″ screen.

      1. Any word yet on how the 6 holds up compared to the 5? It seems with the wrap around glass it would be even easier to break when dropped but maybe it’s resistant to that type of damage? (I’m still getting one)

      1. I’ve been wondering how to make a choice without having to drive 40 miles to the nearest Apple store. You just solved my problem for me. Thanks! Now, which carrier? That’s a more thorny issue.

        1. Yeah I just cut it out of cardboard.. So not perfect but close enough (depending on the thickness of the cardboard you can come close to the thickness also)

          A PS Vita is close to same size too, a little taller and obviously thicker…

          Also… Hold that 6+ up to your face like you are talking with it 😉
          Not everyone can use Bluetooth on every call.

        2. T-Mobile if their coverage matches your needs. T-Mobile has by far the best pricing and has promised wi-fi calling. No brainer that this is the best bargain in the USA.

        3. Totally agree! Free tethering, unlimited all, generous 4G speed allowances, enhanced voice quality between iPhones (already there for over a year), and the upcoming voice-over-WiFi, others really can’t match (unless coverage is a non-starter).

  2. Although my men’s shirt breast pocket size is a problem, I can’t resist all the many additional feature advantages of the 128GB iPhone 6 plus for only a $100 premium.

    I hope short manufacturers are developing a new series of 100% cotton flannel shirts for men with Phablet size breast pockets soon. Meanwhile I plan to use a small rubber band between my pocket’s flap hole and the button to secure my 6 plus for now.

    1. The breast pocket of a shirt seems like a good idea, but occasionally I bend over. I put mine in the left front pants pocket. I don’t need special pants for that, and the 6+ will fit better than the smaller one.

      1. And the plus fits better in my pants pocket than the smaller one. Exactly! Thank you. You have just decided for me. I am going to jump from an iPhone 4 to the iPhone 6 plus because it will fit better in the pocket.

  3. When the 5S sales numbers start to go down I would like to see Apple introduce an iPhone 6 Air with a 4″ screen form factor of the 5S but the tech specs, battery life, screen and camera quality and thinness of the 6. A sapphire screen wouldn’t be bad either.

  4. I bought my iPhone 5 in December, so although I’m not on a contract I’m in no rush as I still like to keep to a 2 year upgrade cycle. I’m going to have to try one in person this time.

  5. I guess it will have to be 5s for me, since they neglected the large percentage of their user base the never wanted a bigger phone. There’s nothing wrong with 5s, but I’d really very much like the ability to use Apple Pay (which is reserved for 6 models, with their NFC chips).

    I’m curious to see how many users will complain about the lack of normal-screen new models now.

    1. For me the 5s screen is great, and when you put the 6 and 5s together it’s not a lot bigger.

      I also was against the larger screen, but IMO 4.7 is as big as it needs to go. 5.5 is just too big..

      Time will tell on sales numbers.

      I’m betting that in a few months you will be in an apple store… Break down and get a 6 after you realize it’s not that much bigger.

      1. Possibly, since I won’t have a choice, if I wanted Apple Pay. Had they announced an iPhone 6 minus (or 6 mini, or some other new iteration on the 4″ size), I would have lined up next week to get it.

        It’s about choice. The way those who wanted bigger phones were forced to contend with the 5s size, we are now forced to settle for a brick or a phablet if we want the greatest smartphone in the world.

        I have always argued that there was a reason why Apple didn’t have larger phones — it just wasn’t worthwhile. Ever since Jobs returned in the 90s, the product lines have been kept to a bare minimum. You had a choice of two or three devices and that was it. They eliminated features when they determined that less than 5% of all users are actually using them. I had argued that this is why there was no large iPhone: less than 5% of iPhone buying population really wanted one. I am now having a hard time believing that less than 5% of iPhone buyers want a normal-sized screen (instead of a big or massive). We’ll, time will tell, when we look at how well 5s continues to sell against the sales of 6 and 6+.

        1. My understanding is that Apple Pay works with the iPhone 6 and nothing prior. If their payment system is a runaway success — and industry analysts say it will be — consumers will be lured to upgrade their phones. I can’t see Apple keeping retro iPhones around for very long after that, at least in the U.S.

          It feels like “curtains” for the 4 inch screen. I still have the 3.5 inch iPhone 4s. I will miss it.

        2. Sounds like you are upgrading. Just to the 5s for now or to the 6? 5s is thinner and lighter and 6 is even thinner but a much bigger jump. The 5s would be a much more gradual change especially since it is no wider.

          Oh, and if Apple Pay is important you can do that with Apple Watch and an iPhone 5.

        3. 5s, 6, it’s too abstract right now. I need to handle them myself before I decide. The UX with iOS 8 may make all the difference.

          As for the Apple Watch, I fear the dork factor wearing one on my arm, but perhaps it can be made to work as a brooch or pendant. One thing about the Watch bothers me — it is made to be used daily. That would make it a fixed point of my outfits, and I’m not sure I could make it work without a drawerful of straps!

          In diversifying its products, Apple has flipped open Pandora’s Box and unleashed the Paradox of Choice. I see murmurings about that even in this thread.

        4. Exactly. For the first time I have to make a truly difficult decision for size. Colors, carriers, storage, those are fairly minor decisions or rely on some external factors, but choosing size is brutal.

          Been sporting a Pebble for 9 months so it’ll be a natural progression, and I don’t have “outfits” so haven’t ran into any issues there. 😉

    2. I like the form factor of the 5/5S, as well, but I’m going for a 6 or 6 plus for the tech upgrade. Looking at paper cutouts, the 6 is probably best for me. It seems like it should still fit in my pocket. The extra battery life on the 6plus is tempting, though….

      I do agree that the percent of users that actually wanted the bigger screens was not the majority. Apple must believe the 4.7 will end up appealing to those that prefer the 5/5S form factor. I was surprised that the cutout still seemed like a reasonable size for me.

    3. I hear that a lot and it surprised me. I do think you’ll end up moving to the 4.7″ eventually just like you ended up at the 4″. The form factors are small increments. The 5 is thinner and lighter than the 4. The 6 is thinner than the 5. A little bigger and thinner seems to be a good trade-off.

      1. I have the Mini 2 and an iPad 2 as well. Along with the 5S, I am well aware of the size constraints. I think the 7 inch mini replicates the usability of the regular iPad, very well. A 5.5 inch screen will not do that, I think it will be cumbersome to expect and iPad experience. However based on the demo, the Phone experience will be enhanced.

        Keep in mind what these products are meant to do. The mini is meant to be an iPad so the iPhone will be a poor example of an iPad. I think if users are buying for that reason, they will be unhappy.

  6. I wish Apple listened \ read their own marketing material! people want a phone were they can reach from corner to corner on the screen with 1 hand. They should have kept a 4″ model, and no the 5s doesn’t count as it will lack choice in memory and will eventually be discontinued.

  7. Do this:

    Take the cardboard backing off a note pad. Get the measurements from Apple’s web site and cut out two rectangles the same size as the 6 and the 6+. The cardboard is rigid, so you can experiment with slipping it in and out of pockets and such.

    After doing that, the iPhone 6 seemed too small and the iPhone 6+ just right—for my needs. No buyer’s remorse for me!

  8. 6 plus for me. I’m not too jazzed about the phanger form factor, but….

    I use my iPhone all the time. A bigger screen will be a benefit for most of my use.

    The 6 plus has more functionality with the bigger screen, which is nice. Split screen e-mail, texting, etc.

    The bigger battery, 1080p scree and optical image stabilization camera seal the deal.

    Now, the bigger question…

    Does anyone know final details on the pre-order process? Will that start at midnight pacific time tonight? I haven’t seen an answer.

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