Welcome to September 2015, and Apple has just released the ‘S’ that adds a whole new dimension to the smartphone experience. While the iPhone 6s looks identical to its predecessor, it is built from much stronger 7000 Series aluminium, a technical response to the previous year’s ‘Bentgate’, and features a new ‘Rose Gold’ finish that has taken the UK by storm. At 143g, it is slightly heavier than the 6, but that extra weight is the result of a revolutionary new technical layer beneath the screen: 3D Touch.
3D Touch is the headline innovation; the screen can now sense how much pressure you apply, enabling ‘Peek and Pop’ gestures to preview emails or launch app shortcuts directly from the home screen. It is a technical masterclass in haptic feedback, powered by a new ‘Taptic Engine’ that provides precise, localized vibrations. Under the hood, the 6s is powered by the A9 chip, which delivers a 70% boost in CPU performance and a 90% jump in graphics over the A8. It also doubles the RAM to 2GB, making the iOS 9 experience feel virtually instantaneous. Touch ID has also been upgraded to a second-generation sensor that is so fast it often unlocks the phone before you’ve even seen the lock screen.
The camera has received its first megapixel bump in years, jumping to a 12-megapixel sensor that can now record 4K video. It also introduces ‘Live Photos,’ which captures 1.5 seconds of video and audio around every still image, bringing your gallery to life. The front-facing camera is now 5 megapixels and uses the screen as a ‘Retina Flash’ for better low-light selfies. Connectivity is top-tier with 300Mbps LTE and Wi-Fi ac. Despite a slightly smaller 1,715 mAh battery, the efficiency of the A9 chip ensures it remains a solid ‘one-day’ performer. The iPhone 6s is a masterpiece of internal engineering, proving that the best innovations are often the ones you can feel rather than see.