It's the time of the year again. Apple has just released the iPhone 6S and 6S plus, the annual refresh of its flagship device. As is usually the case, the question on everyone's minds is, is it worth the upgrade?
This year's range of new smartphones doesn't represent as huge a leap as the one Apple took last year, when they entered the phablet market for the first time with the 6 and 6 Plus. However, the new devices still packs a host of new features such as Apple's groundbreaking 3D touch technology, beefed up rear and front-facing cameras, and the new gif-like Live Photos, in addition to the usual bumps in processing power and performance.
Reviews of the device have been positive, with many outlets praising the much selfie camera, which has seen its specs boosted to 5 megapixels, a huge leap from the 1.2 featured on its predecessors.
The Verge's Nilay Patel writes:
Selfies and Snapchats and video chats are part of the fabric of modern communication, and Apple's been way behind the curve with its front-facing cameras. The improvement in quality from the iPhone 6 to 6S when using the front camera is just tremendous; it takes realistic and usable photos now, not just pixelated approximations of moments from the past.
The jury's still out on the new Live Photos feature however. The new Photo format Apple is pushing was meant to be a gif-like hybrid that captures 1.5 seconds of action after you press the shutter. It seems like a cool novelty, but will it be enough to unseat Vine and Instagram in the viral video space?
The one criticism many reviews have pointed out is the phone's battery life. Apple fans have always clamored for an improved battery, but it looks like that wish will have to wait. The 6S battery actually has a smaller overall capacity, but new tweaks allow it perform incrementally better than that of 6. Those looking for a sizeable boost in battery life will be disappointed.
