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iPhone 6 vs. the world trying to destroy it
Some people can't stand gadget destruction experiments, especially when the device being obliterated is brand new and hard to find. The iPhone 6 has spent the week or so since its debut getting destroyed by everything from water to power tools, all for the enjoyment of the internet at large. Here are some of the more insane ways people have decided to eradicate Apple's latest and greatest smartphone. iPhone 6 Plus vs. Thermite iPhone 6 vs Knife & Hammer iPhone 6 Plus vs 50 Caliber Rifle iPhone 6 vs Microwave iPhone 6 vs Liquid Nitrogen iPhone 6 vs Blender
Apple cleverly advertises actual iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sizes in Rolling Stone Magazine
Apple's current marketing campaign for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is focusing on the sizes of the new handsets, which are larger than earlier iPhone models. To help consumers get a feel for the size of the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Apple is cleverly using a full-page ad in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine to display the actual sizes of the two devices, as spotted by The Mac Observer, Shown partially above, the back cover advertisement places the iPhone 6 next to an iPhone 6 Plus with a simple tagline, "Actual Sizes." Underneath the phones is a quick list of the major features offered in Apple's latest iPhone handsets. Not only is the page eye-catching, it also allows Rolling Stone magazine readers to compare their current phone to Apple's latest models to see how they size up. Head over to The Mac Observer to view the full ad, which is pictured along with an iPhone 5s as a size comparison.
The oversized iPhone 6 Plus needs an oversized thumb to match
Did you order an iPhone 6 Plus only to find that the phone was far too big when it finally arrived at your door? I mean seriously, the thing is practically a coffee table. But that's ok, thanks to Japan's Thanko Inc., which has come up with an absolutely genius solution to the phablet problem: A bigger thumb. You read that correctly. A Japanese accessory maker has a massive slip-on thumb for sale that is designed to help you reach all the corners of your phablet without two hands. It's obnoxious and silly and it looks like a joke... but as far as functionality goes, it would seem to work just as well as any capacitive input device. The third thumb is priced at 1,480 yen, or roughly US$13.50, and it even comes with a three-month warranty. You'd obviously get plenty of laughs if anyone ever saw you wearing something like this in public, but if you're particularly miffed by the unreachable corners of your iPhone 6 Plus, you might not care about the giggles. [via Wall Street Journal]
YouTube Find: Andy Ihnatko humorously unboxes the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
Chicago Sun-Times technology journalist Andy Ihnatko unboxes both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus as part of his YouTube series The Very Least I Could Do. Ihnatko spends 20 minutes covering the features of the two phones and how they compare to their Android counterparts in an humorous way that'll keep you entertained for the duration of the video. It's worth a watch if you want to see how the two iPhone models size up to each other.
iPhone 6 Plus + cheap folding Bluetooth keyboard = little laptop
I love the combination of small computers and Bluetooth keyboards. Back in the day when I was using a Palm IIIc, I remember using a Stowaway keyboard (non-Bluetooth) to make my device into a really small "laptop". It was great for taking meeting notes and writing stories, even with the primitive productivity apps the Palm ran. Well, the other day while recording an episode of The British Tech Network's Mac Show, fellow guest Andy Ihnatko talked about using an inexpensive keyboard with his iPhone 6 Plus and my immediate reaction was to interrupt him to find out who the manufacturer was. Andy had picked up a US$35 keyboard from iWerkz that has all of the right features: it folds in half for compactness, it has a hard case that also props the iPhone for hands-off use, and yep, it's cheap. I ordered one immediately from Amazon (note, your price may vary). The little keyboard showed up in an envelope this morning, so I wasted no time in popping it out, charging it, and putting it to the test. So, how does the iWerkz Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard work with the iPhone 6 Plus to make it a (relatively) pocketable productivity machine? Setting up the iWerkz keyboard was a no-brainer. I turned it on -- there's a big OFF/ON switch on the left side of the keyboard -- pressed the big Connect button, and then got into the Bluetooth settings on my iPhone. I saw the keyboard appear, tapped on it to connect, and was then asked to type a four-digit code to pair the devices. Boom, I was up and running. For my test, I used that productivity trio that Apple throws in free of charge on every new device -- Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. Pages is all about creating text documents, although you can throw in the occasional image and do page layout. In this use case, the iWerkz keyboard worked well. I had the iPhone 6 Plus in landscape orientation, scaled down the size of the page so that I had a small margin on each side, and it was fine for writing. I was surprised with this keyboard. There's about a 3/4-inch hinge line in the center of the keyboard where it folds, and my fingers got used to the gap very quickly. The keys have an amazing good feel, and all of the keys are in the standard positions where you'd expect them. How about Numbers? On spreadsheets, you're often pressing the tab key to move between cells. Would that work here? Absolutely -- and I was once again pleased with the way the little keyboard worked for entering data. Keynote also worked fine, although you find yourself tapping on the iPhone's screen a lot more to place your cursor in the right place. I also do a lot of work in Byword when I'm away from my Macs, and I found that it was perfectly suited to work with the itsy-bitsy keyboard. The little slide-out stand makes a lot of ratcheting noise when you're pushing it in or sliding it out, but it has a nice "lip" on it to hold your iPhone in place whether it's in portrait or landscape orientation. Since the two devices -- keyboard and stand/iPhone -- are separated, this works best on a flat hard surface and not on a lap. Will it replace a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro for everyday work? Heck no. Does it beat one of the nice keyboard cases for iPad Air? Not really. But if you really want to go minimal and still get some work done, an iPhone 6 Plus and this little keyboard can help you accomplish your goal with a minimum of pain. The screen on the plus is big enough that you can see your work without squinting, and the keyboard makes data entry a dream. Anyone else out there thinking of using an iPhone 6 Plus as a productivity tool? Let us know in the comments.
Pad & Quill Giveaway: Attaché Leather Bag and iPhone 6 cases
Pad & Quill has a bunch of new products rolling out, and the company's owners are always thinking of TUAW readers. When the new Attaché Leather Bag (US$449.99, with $419.99 introductory price) and three new iPhone 6/6 Plus cases were announced, the company thought that a giveaway of this beautiful gear was in order. Let's take a look at the new product, and then you can enter our giveaway for an opportunity to carry your favorite Apple products in style. Attaché Leather Bag As a person who carries one of Pad & Quill's laptop bags (the Messenger Bag), I can attest to just how useful, good looking, and durable the bags are. There seems to be a spot for everything on the inside, and I know from looking at the construction that the bag is probably going to outlive me! Well, take the same attention to detail and quality that's in the Messenger Bag but make the bag entirely out of hand cut full-grain leather, and you've got the Attaché Leather Bag. It will hold up to a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display plus a variety of accessories, all in impressive beauty. It's available in either Galloper Black or Dark Chocolate leather finishes, and features the same unbreakable hardware found on the Messenger Bag. There's a dedicated iPad pocket lined with soft orange suede (just like the other pockets), and a extremely comfortable adjustable shoulder strap. iPhone 6 / 6 Plus Cases For the iPhone 6, Pad & Quill has upsized its popular Little Pocket Book ($64.99), Bella Fino ($54.99), Luxury Pocket Book ($84.99) and Traveler ($64.99) cases. For the iPhone 6 Plus, they've absolutely super sized the Bella Fino ($74.99), Luxury Book ($94.99), and Traveler ($74.99) cases. Over the past few years, I've had an opportunity to review the Traveler, Luxury Pocket Book and Bella Fino cases. In each case, I've been impressed with the quality, design, and usability of these cases. I can imagine that they're going to be very popular for Apple's newest iPhones. All of these cases come in a variety of exterior and interior finishes to make just the unique case that's right for you. Giveaway And now, the entry form you've all been waiting for! Pad & Quill is going to give away one grand prize of a Attaché Leather Bag valued at $449.99. Two other readers will get their one of any of Pad & Quill's cases for the iPhone 5/5s/6/6 Plus. To enter, all you need to do is fill out the entry form below. Be sure to tweet or post this giveaway on your favorite social media so all of your friends can have a chance to win, too. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before September 27, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Three winners will be selected in a random drawing. One winner will receive a Pad & Quill Attaché Leather Bag valued at $449.99. Two other winners will receive their choice of any Pad & Quill case for iPhone 5/5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, values ranging from $34.99 to $99.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
SquareTrade tests suggest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are most durable iPhones yet
SquareTrade recently published the results of its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus breakability tests that examine the scratch resistance, water resistance and drop test damage potential of the two phones. The iPhone 6 came out on top as one of the best smartphones SquareTrade has ever tested, with the 6 Plus sliding into second place. In its testing, SquareTrade slid both the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus across plastic and wood surfaces to measure scratch resistance and then submerged them in water for 10 seconds to determine how they handle exposure to liquids. In both tests, there was only minimal scratching and no apparent water damage to either phone. Both phones survived six drop tests from a height of 4-feet without breaking the large front glass display. The iPhone 6 performed exceptionally, sustaining only minimal nicks and scratches that did not impair the functionality of the device. The iPhone 6 Plus did not fare as well, with the case and display separating following several impacts with the floor. "Both new iPhones are bigger and more durable than any before them," a SquareTrade spokesman said in the YouTube video showing off the company's testing. "The iPhone 6 passed all of our tests with flying colors. The iPhone 6 Plus also did extremely well but it's so big that it lost points for gripability and size." Overall, both iPhone models earned a 'medium risk' rating with a score of 4 for the iPhone 6 and a 5 for the iPhone 6 Plus. Based a system where lower is better, the iPhone6 and 6 Plus beat both the last year's iPhone 5s and Samsung's Galaxy S5. [Via WSJ]
Meet Engadget's new buyer's guide picks: The iPhone 6, Moto X and more!
Here at Engadget, we make good on our promises. So when we say we're going to be updating our buyer's guide more frequently, well, gosh darn, we mean it. Roughly two months after we re-launched the guide, we're adding a bunch of new gadgets, including the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the new Moto X, HTC One M8 for Windows, the Acer C720 Chromebook, the NVIDIA Shield gaming tablet and the Moto 360 smartwatch. Of course, we also had to remove some of our original picks to make room for the new ones: The new, 5.2-inch Moto X takes the place of the old 4.7-inch one, while the Moto 360 overtakes the Samsung Gear Live -- formerly our favorite Android Wear device. We're also getting rid of all the BlackBerrys for now. That's not to say BBM hold-outs should switch operating systems, but until we get to try the new BlackBerry Passport, we're going to refrain from including those older models. Check out our guide right here, and stay tuned for more updates next month -- who knows what we'll be adding then!
Pro Photographer: iPhone 6 Plus camera is 'awesome', an asset to the industry
Oregon photographer and filmmaker Ben Canales put his iPhone 6 Plus camera through its paces during a weekend trip to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The result of this labor of love is a wonderful video showcasing the time-lapse, slow motion and high definition video capabilities of the iPhone 6 Plus and iOS 8. Besides an inspiring video, Canales also provided some insight into the iPhone 6 Plus and how it fits the photography profession. Canales said the capabilities of the new phone made him "feel like an 6 yr old with a magic toy," adding "it feels like cheating going from shooting 240 fps to timelapse to stabilized video so easily." Though Canales is clearly impressed with the iPhone 6 Plus, he does recognize its limitations and doesn't see the pocketbale shooter replacing high-end gear anytime soon. So yes, it's jaw-dropping awesome what's packed in this big phone, and we will probably see some amazing footage and videos shot soley on the new iPhones, but I don't feel a threat to my job security....yet. The quality needed for professional work is not there.... yet. Rather than a threat, I think this will be an asset to the industry to inspire and find those in our populations that should be behind a high-end camera making beautiful work. Canales concludes his mini-review with the observation that using the iPhone 6 Plus is so much fun that it could rekindle the joy of shooting among photographers who are burnt out by deadlines and client demands. Are you an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus owner? Have you used it to take photographs? What do you think of Apple's new gear? Let us know in the comments.
Apple airs two new iPhone 6 ads starring Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake
Apple yesterday released two new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus commercials starring Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. One advertisement, "Huge," focuses on the bigger screen sizes offered by the pair of devices, while the other, "Cameras," spotlights the advanced camera technology Apple incorporated into its new iPhone models. You can view both commercials below and keep an eye out for them while you are watching TV.
Waiting on those 6 Plus Cases
As TUAW editor-in-chief Victor Agreda, Jr. put it, my new iPhone 6 Plus is a dropportunity waiting to happen. I've put in an order for a new case to protect my baby (review to follow when it finally shows up.) Until then, I've had to make do, creating the abomination of style shown in the above photo. It's basically a padded mailing envelope, Velcro, bandage tape, and a hole I can stick my finger through for Touch ID. It's nothing to look at, but my post-apocalyptic iPhone survived a rather intense day of biking at Denver's Cherry Creek State Park without incident. It's a bit surprising how few 5.5-inch cases were ready for sale at launch. As fellow 6 Plus owner Steve Sande put it, "This leads me to believe that they either didn't think it was really going to happen or didn't think they were going to sell very well. Wrong on both counts. Now they're all behind the 8-ball on getting these things cranked out in quantity." So what have you done about your personal 6 Plus? Do you have a case already? Or have you ordered one? What cases do you love (or think you'll love) and which ones are must-avoids? Drop a note in the comments and share your thoughts and buying tips.
iPhone 6 tops competition in benchmarks, battery life
Apple's annual iPhone update always brings with it a nice bump in specs, and this year is no different. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are currently being put through their paces by the benchmarking gurus at AnandTech, and the preliminary results show that Apple's newest pair of smartphones are among the best of the best on several popular graphical tests as well as web browsing battery life. In nearly all the tests -- check out the full rundown to get the whole picture -- the iPhone 6 twins hold the top two smartphone scores, with the exception of a physics benchmark where they only narrowly beat out the iPhone 5s and lag behind the rest of the competition. It's unclear why that particular test came out the way it did, while the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus dominate so handily in the rest, but the testing parameters have been questioned by commenters. It's interesting to note where the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus trade places from test to test. With slightly less screen real estate to worry about, the iPhone 6 has a small advantage and manages to eke out its bigger brother a few times along the way. The two remain very close in nearly every test though, so the slight differences in performance shouldn't factor into your choice either way. [Graph via Anandtech]
Three days with the iPhone 6 Plus
I've now had enough time with the iPhone 6 Plus to really get a feel for the device, so I thought I'd follow up Friday's "quick look" with a more detailed look at what's to like or dislike about the big new iPhone. Battery Life The folks at iFixit took apart a 6 Plus immediately after they first started rolling out the doors in Australia on Friday, and they found a massive 2915 mAh battery inside the phone. How big is that? Consider that the iPhone 5s battery has a capacity of 1560 mAh. The 6 Plus battery pack is 86.8 percent larger than the one in the iPhone 5s. So what does that mean for the average user? Over the weekend, my battery never got below 50 percent. This from a guy who normally sees that ominous red bar on the little battery icon and evening warnings about "You have less than 10% battery left." Does this make me happy? Heck, yeah. Does this mean I'll be able to skip my usual purchase of a Mophie Juice Pack? Yep. How does this translate to benchmark results? Anandtech showed that the iPhone 6 Plus can get about 13.7 hours of web browsing done on a single charge. The iPhone 5s, on the other hand, maxed out at about 9 hours. Display I can't say enough good things about the display. As a nearsighted person who is on the downhill side of his fifties right now, I found that with my earlier iPhones I was constantly pulling my glasses off and putting the phone close to my face so I could actually read what was on the screen. Now it's possible for me to just look at this screen and actually read everything clearly. Being able to read emails in landscape orientation on the iPhone 6 Plus made me very, very happy. I also found that it's much easier to see what's on the screen in broad daylight; taking pictures with the 6 Plus is a joy... and speaking of that... Camera Two things make me very happy about the iPhone 6 Plus camera. First, focusing is incredibly quick. No more waiting on the camera to focus, and when shooting video and doing zooms, the video is almost always in sharp focus. On earlier iPhones, it would drift out of focus frequently so I never really wanted to shoot a lot of video. That's going to change. The other thing? The new time-lapse function. I've used other apps (three of them to be exact) to shoot time-lapse video in the past. I've deleted all three. I kept Hyperlapse just because it's so cool. I haven't really had a chance to test the Optical Image Stabilization in the 6 Plus so I'll just keep quiet about that for now. I did some side by side shooting on Friday with the 5s and the 6 Plus. Here are some of those images, and I've also uploaded the full-sized originals to a slideshow for inspection. First, I took two shots of the same flower and then zoomed in to see the details. The iPhone 5s image (always on the left) seemed to have more visible pixelation. The 6s photo showed more saturated color and much more details in the shadows. Next, under identical conditions from the same spot, the iPhone 6s image (right) was slightly darker overall, once again with much better color saturation. Contrast in the cloud/sky barrier was much improved as well. To my eyes, though, the iPhone 5s photo was a much better representation of actual lighting and colors. Next was a shot looking towards the sun, with some flowering rabbit brush in the foreground. Once again the iPhone 6 Plus shot (right) was a bit darker and more contrasty in the sky, with more color saturation. Other than that, not too much difference between the overall look of the photos. Finally, another shot of those beautiful wild shrubs. In this one, the detail in the background seems to be sharper for the iPhone 6 Plus, and once again we see slightly darker tones, more saturation of the colors, and higher contrast in the sky and clouds. If you wish to look at the photos close up, please feel free to use this slideshow: For the most part, I think the biggest positive changes in the iPhone 6 Plus for photography are the fast focus and easier-to-view display. I do like the additional saturation, although it can make some photos appear slightly dark to my eyes. Size The most frequent question I get from people: "Is it hard to hold a phone that big?" The answer is no. I don't have big hands, yet I found talking on the iPhone 6 Plus to be quite easy. The sound from the ear speaker is much clearer and louder to my ears than on the iPhone 5s, and people I was talking to said that my voice was coming in much louder -- probably due to the length of the phone bringing the microphone closer to my mouth! I like the reachability mode when using the phone one-handed. A double-tap (not click) on the Home button moves items at the top of the screen down to the middle where they're reachable. This was a brilliant move on Apple's part for the big screen iPhones. One thing I'm not fond of The location of the sleep/wake button has moved from the top of the phone to the right side. I find myself still instinctively going to the top of the phone to put it to sleep. Overall impression after three days If I had any doubts about how I'd like a larger iPhone, they're totally gone. The size is entirely a positive to me, both in terms of the excellent battery life and the clear and incredibly readable display. The speed of the device in impressive, and the ability to do things on this phone I've never been able to easily do -- like actually edit and publish TUAW posts -- makes it the most useful iPhone I've owned. Owners of the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus: I'd like to hear your comments and what you think about your new iPhone. Leave your comments below.
Screenshot shows the immensity of the iPhone 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 Plus is an enormous phone, and this screenshot posted on Twitter by Brian Henderson puts Apple's 'bigger than bigger' tagline into perspective. "Screenshot from the original iPhone compared to a screenshot from an iPhone 6 Plus. Crazy" @kyleve http://t.co/VBY3BIPWic ... #pixel counts! - Brian_Henderson (@brian_henderson) September 21, 2014
Some of the best slow-motion video samples from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
One of the most fun features of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is the slow motion video capture that now offers a stunning 240FPS option. With the new iPhone models now in the hands of people around the world, you can expect a wave of slow motion videos to hit YouTube. Here are some of the best slow motion samples to first land on the video hosting site. Dylan does Bang at 240 FPS iPhone 6 Slow Motion 240fps featuring Willie the Bulldog Fire and Water - iPhone 6/6 Plus Slow Motion 240fps Cinematic Camera Test iphone6 slowmo 240fps beautiful San Francisco Frozen slow motion Steam train - Slo-mo 240fps - iPhone 6 Great Blue Heron comes in for a landing. iPhone 6 120FPS & 240FPS - Toowoomba Carnival Of Flowers iPhone 6 : Slow Motion 240fps Longboard by Kim Schneider iPhone 6 Slow Motion Video Test Samples (240FPS) from GadgetGuruHD iPhone 6 High Speed Test - Honda CRF50 Wheelie Cool iPhone 6 slow mo back flip (slow motion) UCA Bears football game sideline
Apple sells record-breaking 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units in first weekend of sales
Apple today announced it sold 10 million new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets in the first full weekend of sales since the device launched on September 19. This compares to five million first weekend sales of the iPhone 5 and nine million for the iPhone 5s and 5c. "Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn't be happier," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We would like to thank all of our customers for making this our best launch ever, shattering all previous sell-through records by a large margin. While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible." Apple kicked off sales of its new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus last Friday in select countries including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. Apple will expand sales of the two handsets to 20 additional countries starting September 26. Show full PR text First Weekend iPhone Sales Top 10 Million, Set New Record September 22, 2014 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® today announced it has sold over 10 million new iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, a new record, just three days after the launch on September 19. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK and will be available in more than 20 additional countries on September 26. The new iPhones will be available in 115 countries by the end of the year. "Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn't be happier," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We would like to thank all of our customers for making this our best launch ever, shattering all previous sell-through records by a large margin. While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible." iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina® HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras; ultrafast wireless technologies; and Apple Pay™, an easier way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger.* The new iPhones include iOS 8, the biggest release since the App Store℠, featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apple's QuickType™ keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive℠, so you can store files and access them from anywhere. Customers are encouraged to check the Apple Store® app or online to receive updates on availability and estimated delivery dates. Every customer who buys an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more, so they'll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store. Customers can also learn more about iOS 8 and their new device through free workshops at all Apple retail stores worldwide. In the US, the new iPhones are also available through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and additional carriers, and Apple Authorized Resellers including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Walmart. Pricing & Availability iPhone 6 comes in gold, silver or space gray, and is available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model, $299 (US) for the 64GB model and, for the first time, a new 128GB model for $399 (US) with a two-year contract**. iPhone 6 Plus comes in gold, silver or space gray, and is available in the US for a suggested retail price of $299 (US) for the 16GB model, $399 (US) for the 64GB model and $499 (US) for the new 128GB model with a two-year contract**. Both models are available for sale from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and additional carriers, and Apple Authorized Resellers including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Walmart. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will roll out worldwide to more than 20 additional countries on September 26, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in 115 countries by the end of the year. * Apple Pay will be available to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers in the US as a free update to iOS 8 this October. ** For qualified customers only. Check with your carrier for details. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Apple sees 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sales in three days
The new iPhones have been on sale for three days, which means it's time for Apple to announce how many devices it sold. Considering that the iPhone 5 hit five million sales in the same period, and the 5S and 5C earned nine million sales, it's no surprise to see that both new devices raked in a record 10 million, even without the help of China. For now, the devices are only available in 10 countries, including the US, Canada and the UK, but the company promises that 20 more countries will have units available to sell by September 26th. Unfortunately, Apple neglected to mention how many people plumped for the 6 or its bigger sibling, but that's hardly going to matter when Tim Cook wakes up and looks at the company's bank balance.
Barely Related: The Millennium Falcon's Batmobile baby
A happy weekend tip from us, your pals: Take a walk. Enjoy the sun, the shade and the way your new iPhone screen looks in both of those lighting situations. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
iPhone 6 models expected to spur wave of Android switchers
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus went on sale today and the lines at Apple Stores around the world are absolutely insane. At Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City, for example, the line at one point spanned a full 12 city blocks. It's safe to say that the iPhone 6 models are quite popular on launch day. Of course, the main selling points for this year's round of iPhones are their larger displays, a fact which many believe will help spur a new wave of Android defectors. Bloomberg reports: When Apple's main product, featuring bigger displays and faster chips, goes on sale starting in Australia, they may be best remembered as the generation of iPhones that won over consumers from rival smartphones. Trade-ins of Samsung phones with smartphone reseller Gazelle Inc. tripled last week and about a quarter of potential iPhone 6 buyers are new to Apple's ecosystem, according to RBC. For years, larger displays served as a key differentiator between popular Android handsets and the iPhone. With the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus now hitting the streets, Apple has all but eliminated what for many was one of the more appealing and unique features about Android smartphones. Interestingly enough, Tim Cook alluded to this himself, telling the Wall Street Journal last week that the iPhone 6 will usher in "the mother of all upgrades." Cook said he expects the introduction of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will trigger "the mother of all upgrades." While the bigger screens will capture most of the attention, Cook said the phones are "appreciably better in every single way." He said he expects Android users to look at switching to the iPhone. And it's certainly no coincidence that Apple this year put up a dedicated page on its website informing Android users how to easily move their content from their Android phone to the iPhone.
iPhone 6 Plus first impressions
While recording an episode of the British Tech Network Mac Show this morning, I was happy to hear my doorbell ring as I knew that meant that the UPS truck had arrived with my iPhone 6 Plus. After a hurried run down to the front door to sign for the phone, I was able to do a live unboxing. Unlike past years, I won't subject TUAW readers to that -- you'll have to watch the episode for the gory details. Warning -- watch out when opening that box! The thin profile of the iPhone 6 Plus makes it very susceptible to falling out of the tray inside the box, probably what happened to the first buyer in Perth, Australia who dropped his new baby in front of TV cameras. I fumbled mine, but recovered... The 6 Plus feels very good in the hand, primarily because of the smooth, rounded edge and how thin it is. Despite my small hands, it feels snug and secure. At this point I don't have a case for this behemoth, so I'll have to be extra careful while carrying it. Overall, to me the 6 Plus has a more "modern" look to it than the 5s, very subtle and muted without the harsh cut bezel Now, let's talk about that size. Here are some photos. First, let's look at the family: From left to right: iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s While it looks positively huge next to the iPhone 5s, the 6 Plus just feels right. How Jony Ive and team managed to do that with such a large screen is totally beyond my understanding. Now I'll stack 'em for an even better size comparison: Anybody remember how small the original iPhone was? Here's a side by side of the 6 Plus, 5s, and an original iPhone: And one last image: did you know that an iPhone 6 Plus is almost the same size as the screen of a Newton MessagePad 2100? Setup was typical, with the addition of one new question -- whether I wanted "Normal" or "Zoom" view for my home screens. Normal retains the usual size of the icons, while zoom makes them subtly larger and easier to read. I chose zoom, since my vision isn't the best. The display? Absolutely gorgeous. I can't describe it, but if you know the difference in "look" between an old iMac and the Late 2013 "skinny" iMac, you'll know that the display appears to have some depth to it although it also looks like it is "painted" on the surface of the device. That's the same way with this display. Very nice, clear, bright, and just plain beautiful. I'll do a more complete review later on after I've used this beast for a few days.
