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Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus crack under the pressure of drop tests
It's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus day today with Apple starting to sell its two new iPhone handsets at its stores in select locations worldwide. As with most iPhone launches, there are long lines, excited customers and the inevitable torture tests where eager bloggers put the new devices to the test. This year is no exception with PhoneBluff and Android Authority drop testing both the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus. While the iPhone 6 fared well in the PhoneBluff tests, the iPhone 6 Plus display cracked after the first drop to the ground. Ouch! In contrast, both phones survived all three drops performed by Android Authority, revealing that the pair are capable of withstanding some abuse. As with earlier iPhone models, the glass display is the weak point, making AppleCare+ or the use of a protective case a must-have for most iPhone owners.
Tweets and pics from iPhone lines in US and Canada
We asked, you sent 'em. If you're in line tonight (or tomorrow morning) and can send us a picture of the line at your iPhone store on our Twitter account (@TUAW, hashtag #tuawiphone6), you may end up in this post! We'll keep updating as the night wears on... and so it begins... @thetech_guy: @TUAW iPhone line up in Square one, Mississauga, ON, Canada #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/UGXlCHg2UG - Vincent Tapia (@pressf1) September 19, 2014 SF Apple Store line pic.twitter.com/75LSnf6jhw - Steve Streza (@SteveStreza) September 19, 2014 @SteveStreza @TUAW I walked by a few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/9wZKoBQb1k - Jon Chusid (@chakajon) September 19, 2014 People are waiting for the iPhone 6 at the #Apple store on North and Clybourn in #Chicago #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/yGPhx9RyWk - Mike (@mmikeanon) September 19, 2014 San Antonio LaCantera Store didn't let anyone line up until 8:30PM. Talk about chaos for a bit. #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/pSfJs1QB1B - Eli Tarin (@oneseven3) September 19, 2014 Apple Store Syracuse NY #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/686xeP5PNc - Ben Ingber (@beningber) September 19, 2014 Cold in line at the Maine mall pic.twitter.com/uX9IQUqnKC - Kelly Hodgkins (@kellyhodgkins) September 19, 2014 First in line, selfie with the bosses @TUAW #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/gPGbhWCySd - Brandon Murphy (@brandontmurphy) September 19, 2014 Corte Madera Apple Store pre iPhone 6 launch #tuawiphone6 @tuaw pic.twitter.com/nIyRKMcmQd - Rogue Hive (@RogueHive) September 19, 2014 7 hours in. 7 hours to go. San Antonio at the forum. #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/pUwX11Crl2 - QS (@SnowQuentin) September 19, 2014 #tuawiphone6 #Hamburg #AppleStore #tuaw pic.twitter.com/CjB8zcoayz - Duaf.dk (@DuafDk) September 19, 2014 @tuaw #tuawiphone6 First! Probably could've gotten more shut eye. pic.twitter.com/J3G9tgE6Me - Russ Johnson (@dirfrops) September 19, 2014 Look closely @tuaw someone wants an iPhone 6 more than we do #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/OZ9VAFzbX3 - Russ Johnson (@dirfrops) September 19, 2014 @TUAW RockinghamPark NH #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/b7ZGF4QUQI - Dave Sciuto (@SciutoDave) September 19, 2014 6am there are 144 people in line per an Apple employee #tuawiphone6 - Ben Ingber (@beningber) September 19, 2014 iPhone 6 overnighters. Apple Store Biltmore. @TUAW pic.twitter.com/HYKtzh3ByV - Thomas Ryerson (@jlpmcghrs) September 19, 2014 "@AndrewMelder: Almost 1pm, still a line #AppleStore #iPhone6 #Perth pic.twitter.com/u3UZiMww2m" @TUAW @cultofmac - Muz Chizyuka (@TheRealMuz) September 19, 2014 Block 4 of 5. #iPhone6 pic.twitter.com/2QyaJKq3AE - TUAW (@TUAW) September 19, 2014 About 150 in line at Station Park Apple Store, Farmington, Utah. #endoftheline, #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/Aev3tlxqLB - Jumping Peanut (@jumpinpeanut) September 19, 2014 @TUAW #tuawiphone6 #chicago AT&T pic.twitter.com/sRy9qvfAvj - Amy (McGrath) Hughes (@smallmegapixel) September 19, 2014 GCT store line now filling up the passageway. pic.twitter.com/7YpUOP7Xni- TUAW (@TUAW) September 19, 2014 Folks in line for the iPhone 6. #tuawiphone6 pic.twitter.com/TzSZRB9Q6H - Joe Breeden (@thatjoehep) September 19, 2014 A special TUAW thank you to all the Apple retail and carrier employees working their butts off today. pic.twitter.com/shKPOQIgue - TUAW (@TUAW) September 19, 2014
iPhone 6 Plus teardown analysis reveals 1GB of RAM, high-capacity battery
As the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus go on sale in Australia and other countries, repair ships like iFixit and iExperts have already torn apart the handsets to see what Apple has hidden inside its new phones. As noted by both analyses, the inside of the 6 and the 6 Plus is dominated by the battery with a layout that is reminiscent of the iPhone 5s. The battery is a big one in the 6 Plus -- 2915 mAh, which is almost double the capacity of the 1560 mAh battery in the iPhone 5s and larger than the 1810 mAh battery in the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. While iExperts has completed its teardown of the iPhone 6, iFixit is still taking its iPhone 6 Plus unit apart and identifying the internal components. One notable confirmation is the inclusion of 1GB of Elpida 1 GB LPDDR3 RAM on the A8 SoC. You can view photos of an exploded iPhone 6 at iExperts website and follow iFixit on the company's iPhone 6 Plus teardown page.
Exclusive: iCracked will buy your old iPhone from you while you're in line for your iPhone 6
If you're planning on standing in line at an Apple Store for an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus tomorrow morning, you might be able to actually sell your old iPhone while you wait and have money available to buy the new device. iCracked has a brilliant idea they're trying out tomorrow. They'll have techs on hand to look at your old device, make an estimate, and if you accept, they'll hand you a debit card that you can use to pay for your new iPhone. iCracked is an international company that employs 677 "iTechs" to do iPhone and iPad repairs on-site. The company also buys used equipment, and is known for its "do it yourself" repair kits as well. Of course, not every Apple Store will have someone on hand, but we have the list of iCracked locations available here. If you use the service tomorrow, be sure to tell your tech that you read about this on TUAW. Arizona Phoenix, Biltmore Scottsdale, Scottsdale Quarter California Berkeley, 4th Street Burlingame, Burlingame Canoga Park, Topanga Glendale, The Americana at Brand Irvine, Irvine Spectrum Center Los Angeles, The Grove Los Gatos, Los Gatos Modesto, Vintage Faire Newport Beach, Fashion Island Northridge, Northridge Palo Alto, Palo Alto Pasadena, Pasadena Rancho Cucamonga, Victoria Gardens Roseville, Roseville Sacramento, Arden Fair San Francisco, Chestnut Street San Francisco, San Francisco San Luis Obispo, Higuera Street Santa Barbara, State Street Santa Monica, Third Street Promenade Thousand Oaks, The Oaks Colorado Boulder, Twenty Ninth Street Denver, Cherry Creek Littleton, Aspen Grove District of Columbia Washington, Georgetown Florida Miami, The Falls Miami Beach, Lincoln Road Illinois Chicago, Lincoln Park Massachusetts Boston, Boylston Street Nevada Reno, Summit Sierra New Jersey Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill Marlton, Sagemore New York New York, Fifth Avenue New York, Grand Central New York, SoHo New York, Upper West Side New York, West 14th Street Oregon Portland, Pioneer Place Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Walnut Street Pittsburgh, Shadyside Texas Austin, The Domain Dallas, Knox Street Utah Murray, Fashion Place Salt Lake City, City Creek Center Virginia Richmond, Short Pump Town Center Washington Seattle, University Village Spokane, River Park Square
Griffin Technology is giving away five iPhone 6's
Don't have the money on hand to pick up a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? No problem, provided you're lucky. Accessories manufacturer Griffin Technology will have representatives on hand at Nashville's Green Hills Apple Store, Miami's Lincoln Road Apple Store, London's Regent Street Apple Store, and Paris' Opéra Apple Store. If you skipped breakfast to get in line early, they'll have granola bars and other refreshments to tide you over. Entering the contest is easy: if you're in line at one of the four locations listed above, just take a selfie of yourself in line and upload it to Griffin's selfie contest site at http://grff.in/selfie-contest. Winners will find themselves getting a congratulatory email and phone call from Griffin an hour before the doors open at the Apple Store. Now, for those who are standing in lines at the rest of the Apple Stores around the globe, take your selfie and upload it to Griffin's Facebook contest site. Good luck, and let us know if you are one of the winners!
Where to buy the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when they launch tomorrow
Apple will start selling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on Friday, September 19. Unlike previous iPhone launches when everyone lined up at Apple to purchase their iPhone, the new iPhones now are available from wireless carriers and a variety of third-party retailers in addition to Apple's retail stores. With strong demand for the new iPhone models and long lines expected, you'll want to head out to wait as early as you possibly can. A few diehards will hit the sidewalk Thursday night, while most people will arrive in the early morning hours. If you show up at 8 AM local time when stores open, you may be out of luck. Here is our list of all the major outlets which will be opening this doors to eager iPhone buyers on September 19. If you are still having some trouble deciding which model to buy, check out our cutout comparison and our roundup of recent iPhone 6 and 6 Plus reviews. Apple Apple will be opening its retail stores starting at 8:00 AM local time. Apple usually receives the most iPhone units, making it more likely you will be able to purchase the color and size combination that you want. Lines also are longer, so you may have to arrive earlier and wait longer for your phone. As a benefit, Apple usually treats its customers well, sometimes providing refreshments to those waiting in line. Wireless Carriers All major wireless carriers as well as regional carriers US Cellular and C-Spire will be selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on September 19. Carriers tend to receive less inventory than Apple's retail store, but are better equipped to handle any account issues that could stand in your way of purchasing a new iPhone. AT&T: Similar to Apple, AT&T will open its stores at 8:00 AM local time on September 19 for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus customers. Find your local store here. Verizon Wireless: Verizon Wireless will open its stores at 8:00 AM local time on September 19 for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus customers. Find your local store here. T-Mobile: T-Mobile will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine what time it will be opening for sales. Sprint: Sprint will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine what time it will be opening for sales. US Cellular: US Cellular will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine what time it will be opening for sales. C-Spire Wireless: C-Spire wireless will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine what time it will be opening for sales. Retailers Retailers are often the most convenient option for consumers, especially if they who do not live near an Apple Store. Similar to wireless carriers, retailers also won't receive as many iPhone units as an Apple Store, but they also see less traffic. More than once, I have found a stray iPhone or iPad on the shelves of my local Walmart several days after launch because nobody thought to shop there. Also, be sure to call your store to make sure it will be carrying the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus tomorrow, not all retail stores within a chain are equipped for mobile phone sales and not all of them will be receiving inventory at launch. It would be terrible to wait overnight for a phone, only to discover that particular store is not carrying the iPhone models at launch. Target: Target will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine whether it will be carrying the new models and what time it will be opening for iPhone sales. Walmart: Walmart will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Find your local Walmart with a wireless center and call them to determine what time it will be opening for iPhone sales. Sam's Club: Sam's Club will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine whether it will be carrying the new models and what time it will be opening for iPhone sales. Best Buy: Best Buy will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine what time it will be opening for sales. Radio Shack: Radio Shack will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine whether it will be carrying the new models and what time it will be opening for sales. The retailer also is offering a $50 gift card for all iPhone orders placed before September 27. Staples: Staples will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when stores open on September 19. Call your local store to determine whether it will be carrying the new models and what time it will be opening for iPhone sales.
Cinematic video stabilization on the iPhone 6 is incredible
Apple didn't spend too much time last week talking about the iPhone, and the little time they did devote to the iPhone centered on camera improvements. While some companies seem content to engage in a pointless megapixel wars, Apple remains squarely focused on delivering the best quality photos and video footage possible. In that regard, the iPhone 6 delivers in a major way. For the time being, though, let's focus on video. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so perhaps a video is worth even more. Who's to say, but with the iPhone 6 iSight camera now sporting features such as cinematic video stabilization and continuous autofocus, otherwise jerky video comes out looking golden. Apple showcased a few examples during last week's media event, but the following video from Matthew Panzarino of TechCrunch really drives the point home. The video was put together as part of his iPhone review and provides a split-screen comparison of what going on a ride at Disneyland looks like when recorded with an iPhone 6 versus a point and shoot. Panzarino does note that the point and shoot video footage was taken a couple of years ago. The video can't be embedded but you can check it out directly over here. It's quite incredible. For those curious, Apple describes cinematic video stabilization thusly: Cinematic video stabilization helps to keep your shots steady. So even if you're doing something like filming while hanging off the side of a street car, your video looks as smooth as if you were gliding through the scene on a rig. Indeed.
One reason not to buy an iPhone 6 Plus -- skinny jeans
This parody video from YouTube user Court Dunn hilariously shows the problems a skinny jeans wearer will face when he tries to pocket his new iPhone 6 Plus. Wonder if JNCO jeans is preparing for its big comeback?
Foxconn already struggling to keep up with overwhelming iPhone demand
The new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are monsters. They're both far bigger than any previously released iPhone and the 6 Plus model in particular is gargantuan. They're also both monsters in the sense that demand for them is already off the charts. Earlier this week Apple announced that pre-orders for its two new iPhone models topped 4 million units in just 24 hours, setting a new pre-order record in the process. But as with many iPhone releases, it appears that Apple may have a tough time getting supply to keep up with overwhelming demand. A report published today in the Wall Street Journal relays that Foxconn is struggling to increase production in the face of what may very well be Apple's most successful iPhone launch to date. Part of the problem, the Journal writes, is that Foxconn this year has greater manufacturing duties than it did last year when Pegatron helped handle iPhone 5c production duties. The Taiwan-based manufacturer, which has more than one million workers in China, is operating about 100 production lines around the clock in Zhengzhou. The challenge is to manufacture two complicated new iPhones on a large scale at the same time because Foxconn is the sole assembler of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. It also makes the majority of the iPhone 6 that comes with a 4.7-inch display, the people said. ... "We have been churning out 140,000 iPhone 6 Plus and 400,000 iPhone 6 every day, the highest daily output ever, but the volume is still not enough to meet the preorders," said a person familiar with the matter. If history is any indication, Apple will eventually get a hand on supply issues, but we can only hope that it's sooner rather than later. Recall that it took Apple more than two months to finally get all color/capacity/carrier combinations of the iPhone 5s in plentiful supply across all of its retail stores.
YouTube Find: Apple's new 'Minimal to the Max' packaging for the iPhone 6
The folks at T3 received an iPhone 6 review unit ahead of Friday's big launch and couldn't help themselves -- they had to post an unboxing video on YouTube. Yes, it is 2014 and yes, unboxings are so 2010, but ... it IS the iPhone 6 and Apple has pretty new packaging for us to behold. Check out the unboxing below and let us know what you think of Apple's presentation of the iPhone 6. When you are done and want more than just covers and inserts, check out Engadget's review of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which is embedded below for your viewing convenience. T3 unboxing of the iPhone 6: Engadget review of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus: #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-980720{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-980720, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-980720{width:640px;height:450px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-980720").style.display="none";}catch(e){}
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus review roundup
It's certainly a busy week for Apple;iOS 8 drops today and later in the week Apple will officially launch two brand new iPhone models -- the iPhone 6 and the gargantuan iPhone 6 Plus. With launch day just a few days away, media outlets on Tuesday evening began publishing their reviews of Apple's next-gen iPhone models. Below are a few takeaways and recaps from some of the more notable reviews. Joshua Topolsky, BloombergBusinessweek While some reviews were downright effusive about battery life on the iPhone 6 Plus, Topolsky was unimpressed: Battery life has been improved in the two models, but I'm sorry to report that even a big iPhone 6 doesn't deliver an all-day charge if you're a heavy user or in an area without strong wireless signals. It is better than the 5S, and the iPhone 6 Plus yields better results thanks to its size. This is a notable whiff given the fact that so many iPhone users have complained about the current model's battery, and I think most consumers would have sacrificed some thinness for a more robust daily life span. I experienced several days during the review period where I barely made it to the charger before the phone lost power. Battery issues aside, Topolsky was particularly praiseful of the enhanced iPhone camera. NIlay Patel, The Verge Regarding the iPhone 6 Plus: Huge phones get to have huge batteries, and the iPhone 6 Plus is a huge phone with a huge battery: I consistently got about two days of battery life from the 6 Plus in regular daily use - slightly more than the day and half we got from the iPhone 6, and basically the same as the Note 3. iPhone battery life tends to fade quickly, however, and I dread the day I inevitably stuff 6 Plus into a battery case and make it even bigger. Patel was also enamored with the new vibrant display technology Apple implemented on its iPhone 6 models. Apple's using some other tricks to make the display look amazing, though: there's a new polarizer that makes the phone easier to see in sunlight, wider viewing angles with more accurate color reproduction, and overall higher contrast than previous iOS screens. And perhaps most importantly, the entire display stack is thinner, so it looks more like you're touching the pixels directly than ever before. It's like the screen is painted on. This, more than anything, is what makes the iPhone 6 Plus display pop - I haven't seen another phone display that looks quite so immediate. David Pogue, Yahoo Tech Pogue is a big fan of Apple's two new iPhone models and review provides a broad and easy to understand overview of all the new bells and whistles. Here are Pogue's thoughts on the advanced camera technologies Apple packed into its new iPhones. There's phase-detection autofocusing, which compares incoming light from two pixels for fast, precise focusing - or quick, smooth refocusing while recording video (hallelujah!). The Plus model has optical image stabilization - the lens jiggles in precise motion to counteract the handheld movement of the phone itself - that works supremely well. To test it out, I fastened an iPhone 6 Plus and an iPhone 5s to a bike on this rig so that they would film exactly the same thing. Video of Pogue's makeshift bike test can be seen in the full review. Spoiler alert: it works really well! Brad Molen, Engadget Engadget gave the iPhone 6 Plus a score of 87/100 while the iPhone 6 netted a score of 90 With respect to the iPhone 6 Plus, Molen enjoyed its large display and solid battery life but noted that the phone might simply be too big for some people to use one-handed. The iPhone 6 Plus is difficult to use one-handed, not to mention more uncomfortable than similar-sized phones. In exchange, though, you get more of an iPad-like user experience on a much smaller device. It also has better battery life than the smaller iPhone 6, as well as a better camera. Engadget's review is extremely exhaustive and highly recommended if you're on the fence about which new iPhone model is right for you. Stuart Miles, Pocket-lint On the new iPhone design: Immaculately crafted, the iPhone 6 shows that you can create a device that blows everything else out of the water when it comes to design. That might sound like an Apple fanboy cliché, but we've put the iPhone 6 in the hands of ardent Android fans and they agree: the iPhone 6 sets a new standard for smartphone design. We heralded the HTC One (M8) as having the best design and build for most of 2014 and the iPhone 6 appears to owe a lot to HTC's previous efforts. The zero-gap construction in an aluminium body is along the same lines as HTC, but refined to the nth degree. The execution is remarkable. Some of that nuanced design you can't appreciate without holding the new phone. Photos don't give you the feeling of how light the phone actually is at 129g, how smooth that curved glass at the edge is, or how - within a split second - it makes the iPhone 5S look bland, bulky, and out of date. Darrell Etherington, TechCrunch I think he likes it: The iPhone 6 is the best smartphone available. It offers improvements in almost every way that matters, and it delivers those in a striking new design that balances consumer demand for larger screens with a thin, light and durable case. It's Apple's most attractive phone, visually, and the 4.7-inch size is going to be more generally appealing than the iPhone 6 Plus' larger proportions. More than anything, the selling point here is that Apple has managed to recapture the energy and excitement that came with the original iPhone with the new iPhone 6. It feels like a return to form in all the right ways, in addition to packing a ton of new features like Apple Pay that light the path for what Apple as a company is to become. For users, though, it's all about delivering the best computer you can keep in your pocket, and that's exactly what the iPhone 6 is. Jason Snell, Macworld Though he now writes for Six Colors, Snell didn't leave Macworld without leaving behind a great and well-written review of the latest additions to Apple's iPhone lineup. Notably, the iPhone 6 received a slightly better review score than the iPhone 6 Plus here as well. Here's Snell's take on Reachability, the new gesture Apple added to iOS to account for easier one-handed use on the larger iPhones. Reachability isn't the most elegant concept I've seen Apple develop, but it does make the size of these phones more manageable when you're using only one hand. After a few days, Reachability became something that I used without thinking, and it generally did what I needed it to. However, I did find it to be a bit inconsistent. The iPhone home screen doesn't slide all the way down, for instance-it scrolls the main icons down, leaving the dock and the top bar where they were. No other app interacts with Reachability in this way. I also found that in some cases, the contents of the screen immediately snapped back to the top when I tapped something. In other cases, there was a pause of a second or so after a tap, enough time to tap something else, or scroll, or interact with the interface in other ways. I don't like this inconsistency, and in general I think it would be better if the iPhone always waited a second to make sure everything's done before turning off Reachability. Right now, I never really know what's going to happen when I tap something when in Reachability mode, and that's not good. Below is a video review from Molly Wood of the New York Times: Additional reviews from other media outlets are listed below: Harry McCracken, Fast Company Ed Baig, USA Today Geoffrey A. Fowler, Wall Street Journal Jim Dalrymple, The Loop
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus review: bigger and better, but with stiffer competition
To say that Apple's doing things differently would be an understatement. With the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, the company introduced two new high-end phones at the same time, both with a complete redesign and a much larger screen size than any iPhone that came before. Gone are the days of 3.5-inch and 4-inch phones that, at one time, seemed to provide more than ample amounts of screen space. Now, the new iPhones make their predecessors look like the tiny handset Ben Stiller used in Zoolander. The market has changed, and it was high time Apple did the same. Even though this is Apple's first attempt at building large phones, it's not breaking new ground -- in fact, it feels more like the company is catching up than innovating. To be fair, finding a fresh take is a difficult thing to do in this crowded space: Samsung's Galaxy Note series, which started out at 5.3 inches and is now up to 5.7, is selling by the millions, and most competing flagships aren't much smaller. Basically, Apple would be leaving money on the table if it didn't address this segment of the market. So how did the company do on its first try at large phones? Pretty well -- mostly.
The iPhone 6 has NFC, but not really
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus definitely have NFC functionality, as was confirmed on-stage during the presentation of Apple Pay, but when it comes to using the chip for anything other than Apple's own payment system, it really doesn't have near-field capabilities. As Cult of Mac confirmed with Apple, the NFC feature on Apple's new phones will only be used with Apple Pay, and developers won't have access to the feature for their own apps. This of course could change in the future, just as Touch ID will soon be opened for developers to utilize the ID verification feature in their own software, but at the moment it is indeed being locked down. Apple's relationship with NFC has been a long and complicated one. In short, the company has taken heat year after year from a small number of vocal critics to bemoan its refusal to embrace the technology, while at the same time Apple has shown consistently that it really didn't need to do so. Had Apple included NFC early on, especially for some type of payment system, it would likely have aided competitors (namely Android manufacturers) by giving retailers more reason to include NFC payment kiosks in their stores. Apple Pay is sort of a workaround, so it's not entirely surprising that third parties won't have access to the hardware functionality right from the start.
64/128GB iPhone 6/6 Plus come with pre-installed iWork, iLife
Waiting for your 64GB or 128GB iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6 to show up on Friday? Apple's going to have a little surprise loaded on the device when you get it -- the iWork and iLife apps, which are of course a free download anyway, will come pre-installed on your new toy. According to an "internal training document" that 9to5Mac apparently got its hands on, "iMovie, GarageBand, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and iTunes U are included on the 64GB and 128GB models." The document notes that those are a free download for owners of the 16GB models. What's quite nice about this is that it should speed up the reload of apps on your new device from an iCloud backup, since these rather sizable apps won't have to be downloaded during restoration.
Samsung calls the iPhone 6 Plus a Galaxy Note wannabe in latest ad
Following Apple's announcement of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Samsung is kicking its advertising into high gear, mocking Apple's new devices at every turn. The latest promo, titled "Then and Now," berates Apple for following in Samsung's footsteps by adopting the oversized iPhone 6 Plus, calling the device a copycat of the Galaxy Note.
Apple confirms it sold record-breaking four million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units in first day of pre-orders
Apple today announced record-breaking pre-orders of its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handset with orders exceeding 4 million units in the first day of availability The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus beats out previously announced pre-order sales of the 2012 iPhone 5 and 2011 iPhone 4S, which reached two million and one million first day sales, respectively. "iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Pre-orders for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus set a new record for Apple, and we can't wait to get our best iPhones yet into the hands of customers starting this Friday." Apple will begin selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on September 19 in select launch countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. Sales will begin at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores. Customers also can purchase a new iPhone from wireless carriers and third-party retailers during store retail hours. Show full PR text Apple Announces Record Pre-orders for iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus Top Four Million in First 24 Hours Available in More Than 20 Additional Countries on Friday, September 26 CUPERTINO, California-September 15, 2014-Apple® today announced a record number of first day pre-orders of iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, with over four million in the first 24 hours. Demand for the new iPhones exceeds the initial pre-order supply and while a significant amount will be delivered to customers beginning on Friday and throughout September, many iPhone pre-orders are scheduled to be delivered in October. Additional supply of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available to walk-in customers on Friday, September 19 at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores. Customers are encouraged to arrive early or order online from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) to pickup in-store or receive an estimated delivery date. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple Authorized Resellers. "iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Pre-orders for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus set a new record for Apple, and we can't wait to get our best iPhones yet into the hands of customers starting this Friday." iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK beginning this Friday, September 19 and in more than 20 additional countries beginning on Friday, 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 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 easy 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. Pricing & Availability Every customer who buys an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup to help 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. iPhone 6 comes in gold, silver or space gray, and will be 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 will be 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 will be available from Apple retail stores, the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), and through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers, and select Apple Authorized Resellers including Best Buy, Target and Walmart. * 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 reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, defined the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad and has announced Apple Watch, its most personal device ever. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store, continues the rapid pace of innovation of mobile software with iOS and integrated services including Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world with OS X, and free iOS and OS X apps like iWork and iMovie.
Apple's latest pre-order record shows people want bigger iPhones
Apple's new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus went up for pre-order just three days ago, and as expected, they've helped set a new sales record. The company announced today that combined sales of the new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones topped 4 million in the first 24 hours. While the company hasn't broken down sales by individual models, giving us an early insight into which form factor consumers prefer, it says that initial supply of both units are scarce, which shows people want what the bigger iPhones are capable of offering. To put that into context, Apple saw more than 2 million orders for the iPhone 5 over the same period, but the company didn't share first-day for the combined launch of the iPhone 5s and 5c, which went on to sell more than 9 million units in three days. Given that Apple is pretty much the only phone maker that indulges in obligatory back-patting during every launch window, we're unable to draw much of a comparison against its rivals. However, if you were waiting to grab a new iPhone when they go on general sale this Friday, expect to get in line super early.
Feedback Loop: 'Minecraft,' home security, iPhones and more!
Happy Sunday, and welcome to another edition of Feedback Loop! By now, you're probably sick of hearing about the Apple Watch. Thankfully, though, our community members have some great discussions for you this week. To kick things off, we're talking about the implications Microsoft's potential purchase of developer Mojang could have on the indie community favorite Minecraft. Once you're done kvetching over Microsoft's latest pursuit, let us know which apps help keep your busy life on task and whether or not you're happy with the current selection of smart lock solutions.
How the iPhone 6 Plus could cannibalize sales of the iPad mini
It occurred to me the other day that the new, larger iPhone 6 Plus could very well end up eating into sales of the iPad mini with Retina display. Now, I'm not a Wall Street analyst -- just a tech blogger -- but after looking at the relative size, cost and capabilities of the two devices, I'm even more convinced that Apple big phone could bite into sales of its little tablet. First, let's look at the price tag on the two devices. A 64GB iPhone 6 Plus on the AT&T network costs US$399 with a 2-year contract. If you happen to be like me and have a contract that just happens to still be in effect, that price jumps up to $649. A 64GB iPad mini with Retina display with a month-to-month data contract runs $729. Here the iPhone 6 Plus has a price advantage of anywhere from $80 to $330 over the iPad mini. Next, let's look at the displays on the the iPhone 6 Plus and the Retina iPad mini. The iPhone has a 5.5" diagonal display with a total area of 12.86 square inches, featuring 1920 x 1080 pixels (2,073,600 total) at 401 pixels per inch (PPI). The Retina iPad is tricked out with a 7.9" diagonal display with a total area of 29.58 square inches, featuring 2048 x 1536 pixels (3,145,728 total) at 326 PPI. In terms of screen area, the iPad mini has the advantage both in total pixels (151 percent more than the iPhone 6 Plus) and raw area (230 percent more than the iPhone 6 Plus). But consider this: many movies and TV shows are now filmed in a 16:9 aspect ratio, exactly what the iPhone 6 Plus provides. The iPad mini with Retina display? It's stuck in the age-old 4:3 aspect ratio. For watching HD content, the iPhone 6 Plus might just have the edge as that content will fill the screen instead of leaving a band of black at the top and bottom as it would on the iPad mini. How about physical attributes? The upstart iPhone 6 Plus weighs 6.07 ounces and fits comfortably in a pants pocket -- I know, I built a mockup and it slips right into my jeans pockets! Try as I might, I can't fit the iPad mini with Retina display into any pocket except the one designed for the full-size iPad that's in my SCOTTeVEST jacket. That iPad mini also weighs almost exactly twice as much as the iPhone 6 Plus at 12 ounces. For portability, the advantage here goes to the iPhone 6 Plus. In terms of processor capability, the iPhone 6 Plus also has the current (2013) iPad mini with Retina display beat hands down. The A8 CPU in the iPhone 6 Plus is estimated to run at 1.4 GHz and Apple says it has 25 percent better CPU performance and 50 percent better graphics performance while drawing only 50 percent of the power of the A7. Both devices have a motion coprocessor -- not much is known about the M8 in the iPhone 6 Plus, but it apparently provides a barometer for altitude sensing while the M7 doesn't have that feature. How about the rear-facing (iSIght) camera on the two devices? The big iPhone comes with an 8 MP camera with optical image stabilization and an f/2.2 lens. The iPad mini? A 5 MP camera with no OIS and a slightly slower F/2.4 lens. Battery life? iPhone 6 Plus has the edge here, too. Up to 14 hours of video playback, 24 hours of talk time on 3G, and up to 12 hours of internet surfing on LTE. With the Retina iPad mini you're looking at 10 hours of video playback and 9 hours of internet surfing on LTE ... and you can't make phone calls on it. Phone calls aren't the only thing you won't be able to do with the Retina iPad mini -- it's also missing Touch ID and the ability to do Apple Pay payments. The iPad mini may continue to be popular in schools, where the price tag is less than that of the larger tablet and there's no need for cellular data capabilities. But I honestly wonder if the iPad mini has a future. A lot will become more clear in the next few months if Apple has an expected iPad event. Perhaps the iPad mini will gain resolution and a different form factor while coming down in cost. Or maybe a Wi-Fi only version of the iPhone 6 Plus -- kind of an iPod touch Plus -- will replace the diminutive tablet. What do you think? Does the iPad mini really have a place in the future of Apple? Let us know in the comments section below.
Gold: The secret shame of my late night iPhone order
If you were one of the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, all staying up late last night to pre-order an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, you probably noticed that the roll-out didn't proceed as smoothly as it might have, especially at the US store. With store-down notices going on significantly beyond the 12AM Pacific launch time, it was a mad scramble trying to get an early-shipped device. Outages were so bad that some people started hearing imaginary Mandarin audio tracks floating through their heads. I quickly found out, as did many others, that the iOS-based Apple store app offered the best chance for a pre-order. I hopped in, fully intending to pick up a mid-range 64 GB Space Gray iPhone 6 Plus unit. This is what I call the "accountant's special", as it offers the best mix of subdued coloring and storage value. Apparently, nearly every one else in the Internets hoped to pick up exactly that model since it showed "not available" from the moment I finally got past the AT&T upgrade screen. In fact, the only model I could order with a quick ship date was the 128GB Gold. I'm not terribly against the whole 128GB storage as I can basically put every bit of data I own on my phone along with the gross domestic data product of several small countries but the gold color, well, I'd like to think that I have, er, had, standards. Ever since the gold iPhone 5s debuted, its taste level has been subject to debate. Caught between "shameful bling" and "understated elegance", there fewer people who can figuratively carry it off than people who literally carry it in their purse or pocket. I know for sure that I'm not one of them. Sure, I'm trying to make the best of things -- I'm calling it "Fawkes" after the phoenix in Harry Potter, although I was tempted with "Deputy Parrish" for the ambiguously phoenix-y character on Teen Wolf -- but to me, gold color has always been something that happens to other people. People who live in Florida. Who have fabulous houses. Who drive nice cars and drink champagne. People to whom "lamé" is a metallic fabric and not an MP3 encoder. Steve Sande tells me that he's about to sell his gold iPhone 5s to Gazelle, adding "I've hidden it in a Mophie case for a year". What do you think of the gold iPhone? Cast your vote in this poll and then drop a comment about how your pre-order went. What model and color did you go for? And when do you expect it to arrive or be ready for pickup? %Poll-89389%
