Our Upgrade to IPhone 6 from IPhone 5 Six Month Review
So we have had our IPhone 6 regular size not that super-sized fablet. And I wanted to give it some time to marinate in my phone usage juices before I gave my two cents on the phone. I upgraded from the regular IPhone 5 to the new IPhone 6 when I learned that I could not get a new IPhone 5 for any less. Whatever, I loved my IPhone 5 and when mine took a crap I decided to just get a new one. But alas I upgraded. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the phone but I gave it a try and here is my six month review.
THE LOOK AND FEEL
The IPhone 6 is more rounded and thinner. It just looks slicker and more modern. The glass has a better feel to it and is smoother to the touch. I liked this feel and I my fingers just glided over the new glass. It also feels tougher and so I decided to not use a screen protector with a very thin case. With this I have a very light and thin phone that easily fits in my hand. And to date the screen looks like the day I got it.
The charger is the same one that the IPhone 5 used so we had no problem with that. But the headset mount is on the bottom which I still do not like.
The camera is much better and the LED light seems brighter. Video and Photos are much better and the zoom feature seems sharper. I am well pleased with the camera portion of the phone and use it quite often. WIFI is about the same, and BlueTooth seems also similar.
HANDLING OF THE PHONE
I thought that the bigger phone would be harder to manage with one hand. The IPhone 5 was easily used in my big hands and I can get from one side to the other with my thumb. With the new IPhone 6 I cannot easily do this. I know you can manipulate the screen to accomplish this but then everything gets smaller. I also thought that a bigger screen would help my eyes see better but I still find myself having to zoom in on certain games but the text is a lot easier to read. The side buttons for volume are very easy to use, and the mute switch is not as easy to move but that is because I have big fingers. The on/off button is on the opposite side of the volume and it is very easy to use. The main button on the front of the phone seems no different than the IPhone 5.
MICROPHONE AND SPEAKERS
The speaker and microphone are on the bottom and seem to work fairly well. I had some issues with hearing and others hearing me on the IPhone 5 but with the IPhone 6 that seems to be gone. Also the noise cancelling seems to be a lot better with the IPhone 6. The ringtones seem louder and I can hear the ringing of the phone a lot better. Also videos, music, and other sounds from the speaker are a little better and louder.
TEXTING AND CALLING
Calling on the phone and texting is about the same with no changes. The only change that I do like is the fact that I can get swype for my keyboard and that is easier for me to use. The keyboard by virtue of a large screen should seem bigger and therefore easier to use but for some reason my fingers have a harder time typing on the IPhone 6 versus the older IPhone 5 model.
SECURITY AND ACCESS
With Apple strengthening the security of their ICloud and adding Apple Pay the security on the phone is a lot better. To access this phone you can setup a passcode as well as fingerprint access. This is handy because you simply just press your finger on the phone you setup and voila instant access. You can program multiple fingerprints so others can have access or you can use fingers from either hand. It is a cool feature that adds some peace of mind. Also if you lose the phone there are some great security features you can use to kill the access to the phone until it is returned or you can kill it completely.
Recently a friend of mine lost their phone at Disneyland and immediately tried to locate it via the ICloud which works if the phone is on. Then they setup a message that said a reward is available for the return of the phone and killed the rest of the features. Each time the phone is turned on you can find out where. Alas the phone was taken all the way to South America and they had to kill it but at least they knew. I am not an expert on this, but you can read all about these features online.
APPS AND USAGE
All the applications and other usage is the same with some basic features for usability added like the ability to have bigger icons and zoom capabilities. All of my applications worked fine, and I am sure they would work fine with the old IPhone 6, it does seem to run at the same speed but I believe the OS takes up less room and some things are a little more speedy.
CONCLUSION
Overall I am very please with the performance, look and feel of the IPhone 6 but more importantly I am impressed with the small tweaks they made to give it just enough improvement to make it seem like another marvel in engineering. Like getting behind the wheel of a new luxury automobile and being overwhelmed by the ease of use, perfect fit, and elegant feeling of knowing you own something of fine value!
