Monday, September 28, 2015

iPhone 6S: Day 1, Meh But Still With High Expecations

If you're judging from the title of my post, you'd think I was not impressed with my iPhone 6S.  Well, it has been day one and I have not had a chance to go exploring new features like 3D Touch, snapping photos, and testing out the battery life.  I just had an ordinary day.  And for the new iPhone 6S at my side, there was nothing new to change my routine. 

I did snap a couple Live Pictures but was unable to share this new iOS feature because many folks with iPhones have not upgraded their phones or to iOS 9. So, it could be a while before we start seeing many live pictures being shared and viewed properly.  For now, it feels gimmicky.  Apple pushed it as a new neat feature but it does not feel like a must have.  But don't tell the other 12,999,999 iPhone 6S buyers that. 

But the fact that the new 6S out of the box works like just the 6 means that Apple has done well in allowing users from previous iPhones to transition well.  Swap out the sim card, transfer old data from iCloud or iTunes, and it just works a few hours later.  That is an incredible feat.  Something that is not easily done on Android especially if you're moving from one company's phone to another. 

One thing that did irk me just a bit was pairing with Apple Watch with the 6S.  I lost half a day's of physical data on the watch.  There does not seem to be a way to repair without resetting the watch.

One thing I noticed was how comfortable it felt in my hand. I previously owned an iPhone 6 Plus. And now with the iPhone 6S Plus which weighed just a bit more, for whatever reason, it feels great in my hands.  Perhaps it's pyschological. 

Now, I can't end the post without talking about battery life.  I'm not expecting great things especially given the talk around the tubes of web that the both models of the new iPhone have smaller batteries than their predecessors.  I reckon Apple has made enough improvements to both the hardware and iOS 9 to squeeze out additional efficencies to maintain similar battery lives.  I've adapted and have made peace with battery life expecations from all my devices, trying to preserve battery maintenance, and balancing my needs.  With the expectation that I will upgrade my iPhone annually, I have no issues charging the battery once a day when I have a light schedule or midway through the day if onset of battery anxiety hits.  Still, Apple, would it kill you if you stop making phones thinner every other year to increase the battery life? 

Same goes for the iPad.

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