This is the second part of our two part combined iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus review. In
Part 1, we took a look at the design and construction of the new iPhones, along with the new larger and much improved displays as well as the all-new front and rear iSight cameras. In each of these areas, Apple has continued to raise the bar with at least one or more significant improvements over the previous generation. In this second part of our review, we take a closer look at the performance of the new models, their connectivity options, Touch ID/Apple Pay, iOS 8 and weigh up which of the two new iPhones might be best for you.
Performance:
The iPhone 5s set a new benchmark for smartphone performance, vaulting into an all 64-bit mobile architecture more than twelve months ahead of the competition. In an industry where much technology is shared between mobile vendors, Apple's capability to design the ARM-based chips that power its devices became a clear differentiator with the arrival of the dual-core 64-bit A7 system-on-a-chip. It featured around 1 billion transistors and helped to power the iPhone past its multi-core rivals in numerous performance indicators. In particular, in single-core performance, a key metric for everyday usability and speed, the A7 chip still leads many competing 32-bit chips still powering Android and Windows devices today. This, despite being a dual-core design and clocked at just 1.3GHz.
Source: Chipworks
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both share the same system architecture, which is underpinned by Apple second-generation 64-bit SoC, the A8. Like the A7, the A8 is a dual-core design and is clocked just 100MHz higher than its predecessor, but is built on a new advanced 20-nanometer process by TSMC and uses an enhanced version of the Cyclone architecture first introduced by Apple on the A7. However, incredibly Apple has managed to pack in twice the number of transistors on the die this time around, taking the transistor count to a desktop-class 2 billion. Combined with what is thought to be Imagination VR's PowerVR 4-core GX6450, Apple claims that the new dual-core A8 chip is 25 percent faster than the A7, while its graphics performance is up to 50 percent faster than the 4-core PowerVR G6430 GPU in the iPhone 5s. As the A8 chip is now also up to 50 percent more energy efficient than the A7, Apple says that it is able to sustain peak performance for much longer helping to reduce, among other things, dropped frame rates when playing graphics intensive games for extended periods also without excessive battery drain.
Power management is also assisted by the second generation M8 motion coprocessor, which is a low power ARM-based secondary processing system designed to offload motion data calculations from the A8 CPU. The new M8 chip follows the same principles as the M7 motion coprocessor from the iPhone 5s, which turns the iPhone into an advanced fitness tracker in conjunction with apps that can monitor your activity throughout the day in the background without draining in battery life; in earlier versions of the iPhone, similar capabilities were possible using the iPhone's sensors, but they relied heavily on the main CPU. Now, in addition to measuring data from the accelerometer, compass and gyroscope the iPhone 6 adds a new barometer that is capable of measuring how many flights of stairs you've climbed or the intensity of your hill runs.
To test the performance of the new A8 SoC, we ran the both iPhone 6s through a couple of well-known cross platform tests; Geekbench 3 (which assesses single and multi-core performance), as well as the Futuremark 3DMark benchmark to test graphics performance. As you can see in the GeekBench 3 results, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus annihilate the 32-bit competition in single-core performance, which is the key performance metric as most apps only use one core. Multicore performance is now also a match for the competition, despite the fact that the Android devices each have an extra two cores. The 3D Mark test shows that have made solid gains over the iPhone 5s, but are generally a match for the Adreno 330 GPU found in the Android devices. However, this test does not test the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with games running the Metal framework, which gives the iPhones a substantial performance boost. As always, this is a case of Apple looking to optimize its hardware through creating better, more efficient software. This way, Apple gets better graphics performance than the competition, without sacrificing battery life.
Battery life:
One of the most comprehensive battery life tests on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus so far has been undertaken by respected tech site
Anandtech, which yielded some very interesting results. The iPhone 6 uses a 1,810mAh battery, which is much smaller than most of its Android competition like the HTC One (2600mAh), Samsung Galaxy S5 (2800mAh) and the LG G3 (3000mAh). The test assesses how long each of the handsets last while browsing the web over Wi-Fi with screen brightness set at 400nits. The iPhone 6 lasted for 11.46 hours, exceeding Apple's claim of 11 hours, and easily beating out the HTC One (10.8 hours), Samsung Galaxy S5 (10.2 hours) and the LG G3 (8.78 hours). What this highlights beyond a doubt is that Apple's capabilities in chip design and software design combined with careful parts selection simply blows away the competition for engineering prowess. Each of the competing products uses its own version of Google's Android and relies on Qualcomm to supply generic Snapdragon chipsets, while Apple designs its own chips and operating system providing the opportunity for much greater system optimization.
Source: Anandtech
Although clocked at half the speed of competing handsets, and with a much smaller battery, Apple has managed to deliver the seemingly impossible - better performance and better battery life than competing handsets in devices that also happen to be thinner as well. Clearly, the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S5 suffer in battery life by virtue of having to run quad-core chips clocked at high speeds in order to compete with Apple on performance. LG's to fit the G3 with a super high pixel density 538ppi display, on top of having to run a battery draining chipset, has negatively impacted its battery performance even more. The iPhone 6 Plus, with its larger battery (2915mAh) and larger display (@401ppi) with 13.7 hours of battery life crushes the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (@386ppi) which is capable of just 9.96 hours of battery life on the same test, despite compensating with a 3200mAh battery - good thing, then, that it is replaceable.
Source: iFixit
This should help to put to rest the mindless arguments that Android handsets are more powerful just because they are clocked faster and have more cores; or that they have better battery life just because they have bigger batteries - spec sheets do not tell the full story, especially when it comes to an Apple with Android comparison.
Audio:
The new iPhone continues Apple's tradition producing smartphones with high quality audio reproduction. As with the iPhone 5s, there is absolutely nothing that will make you want to listen to your music with the EQ set to anything but flat as the audio the iPhone 6 produces is rich and tonally accurate out of the box. Apple continues to choose Cirrus Logic for its DAC with teardowns of the iPhone 6 showing that is using the Cirrus Logic 338S1201, which is a customized part made specially for Apple. There is no doubt that this is a top notch component and helps to make the iPhone 6 the best sounding iPhone yet. It would not be a surprise to also learn that Apple has boosted the amplification of the new model as the audio output is noticeably louder and produces better drive when listening to the iPhone 6 with larger headphones.
With the specification battle raging in the Android world, it is little surprise that audio quality has also emerged as an area where handset makers are also trying find space for differentiation. In recent times, competing smartphones from HTC, LG, Samsung and Sony have also moved to step up audio quality with each of their most recent flagship handsets supporting high-definition audio playback (24-bit/96KHz). While the Sony Xperia Z3 is yet to hit the market, of the leading smartphones, the HTC One (M8) is widely considered to produce the best overall sound thanks to a high-quality DAC and built-in amplification. If the iPhone 5s had slipped behind slightly in comparison, the iPhone 6 has erased any deficit. However, although the iPhone 6 external speaker is also much improved, the amplified dual front facing stereo speakers of the HTC One remain the best of any smartphone.
Following the release of the iPhone 6,
Mashable was quick to investigate whether the iPhone 6 currently supports high-definition audio playback, with the early findings indicating that it does not. However, this can easily be addressed by Apple through a software update, which is in the cards given that Apple is rumored to be tracks
introducing high-definition to the iTunes Store. As it stands, iPhones have supported Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) files for some time ensuring that audiophiles have been properly catered for with CD-quality audio. Given that the jury is out on just how much benefit, if any, is to be gained from having the ability to playback high definition audio files, it's probably nothing to lament at this stage. In its current state, the iPhone 6 produces top quality sound that doesn't disappoint, while it seems possible that Apple may extend its capabilities further if the rumors of high-resolution audio hitting the iTunes Store in the future are true.
Connectivity:
As we have already outlined above, in engineering its own components, or ordering specially customized parts, Apple has been able to establish a competitive advantage in several key areas. This also extends to the wireless connectivity options that the iPhone 6 offers. Most competing handsets only offer a few LTE bands on any one of their competing handsets. This means that they are typically designed to work on a specific network, or networks, with the chances that you will be able to continue to get 4G LTE connectivity on different networks a strictly hit or miss affair. The iPhone 6 offers users of the handset anywhere in the world 4G LTE access on an amazing 20 different bands meaning that there is a far greater chance that when you travel, you will still be able to get the fastest cellular speeds possible in more places more often. Added to this, Apple has also amped up the speed of the LTE radios in the iPhone 6 so that where a network permits it, it can now reach speeds of up to 150Mbps.
Speed boosts aren't just limited to the cellular radios in the iPhone 6, with Apple also adding Wi-Fi 802.11ac wireless to the wireless equation. Apple has been selling Wi-Fi 802.11ac base stations for a while now, so it's great to finally be able to tap into this extra speed that its Macs have also been fitted with on its mobile devices. According to Apple, iPhone 6 users should enjoy up to three times the speed of the iPhone 5s, which relies on Wi-Fi 802.11n. Support of VHT80 for 80MHz wide channels and 256QAM for higher spectral efficiency means that users can expect speeds of to 433Mbps from their home connection. With support Voice over LTW (VoLTE) for wideband high quality calls, where available, and Wi-Fi calling using your regular cellular phone number for when cellular reception is poor (again, where available), iPhone connectivity has never been in better shape. Naturally, as an early adopted of the Bluetooth 4.0 specification, the iPhone 6 supports Bluetooth LE as well.
When you add the faster 64-bit A8 chip into the equation, coupled with speed enhancements to iOS 8 across the system and key apps like Safari, you will quickly appreciate just how much better the new iPhone 6 user experience is across the board.
Apple Pay/Touch ID:
Rumors of Apple adding NFC to its iPhone line have been floating around for some time, but they never eventuated. That's why this time around, even though rumors surfaced that Apple might finally be adding it to the iPhone 6, not a lot of people took the rumors particularly seriously. Apple had been know to have tested contactless payments through iPhones over the years, but as is often the case, it will only bring technology to the market when it is ready to pull the trigger on something that has been properly tested and refined. Enter Apple Pay. Although contactless payment models utilizing NFC have been around for some time, none have really taken off to date for various reasons. However, with an iOS install base using common hardware and software numbering in the tens of millions or more (coupled with user accounts already coupled to iTunes and a credit card), Apple is in a unique position to achieve the necessary critical mass to finally achieve widespread adoption and use of the technology.
While NFC payment systems on other devices can be relatively complex to set up for non-technical users, Apple has set up Apple Pay in such a way that users do not need to set it up when the Apple Pay update gets pushed to iPhone 6 devices in October. Once you have added and stored your credit card or debit card details to Passbook via iTunes, you simply hold your iPhone near a contactless read with your finger on Touch ID (no need to align it with an NFC chip buried somewhere in the middle of your device). As with Touch ID, which stores your finger print securely in a secure element on the A8 SoC, your credit card details are also similarly safe and secured. As Apple is at pains to point out, paying for things with Apple Pay will be more secure than paying for things using your physical credit card for several reasons. Firstly, no one actually touches your credit card, or can see any of its numbers. Secondly, each time you make a purchase with Apple Pay, you card Device Account Number (which takes the place of your actual credit card number) along with your payment are given a once use only dynamic security code. This means that even when making the transaction, the merchant nor Apple, will be able to trace any financially specific details back to you.
With Apple Pay rolling out with support at over 220,000 store locations at launch throughout the US, with more being added all the time, paying for products and services looks set to be transformed forever. Combined with Touch ID, you won't have to enter your PIN number again either. Speaking of Touch ID, Apple is also expanding its payment capabilities beyond Apple services. One of the new APIs in iOS 8 extends the convenience of Touch ID to use in apps made by third-party developers. Signing into your eBay and other web or app-based services is set to become much more convenient as well. While it first launched as a quick and secure way to access your iPhone, Touch ID is rapidly becoming a key component of how you will use and interact with your iPhone in many more ways that some might have foreseen when it launched.
iOS 8:
The launch of a new iPhone invariably brings with it the launch of Apple's next-generation mobile software as well. The launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is no exception, with Apple claiming that it is the biggest release of any version of iOS to date. As we have previously explored, iOS 8 represents some substantial steps forward in the overall usability and capabilities of the iPhone. Some critics have dismissed it as taking steps to 'catch up' to Android, but this is to completely misread what iOS 8 across the board. Sure, it adds Android-like support for third-party keyboards, along with NFC payments for example (if much more thoroughly engineered and implemented); but it brings a whole more to what iPhone users can now do and look forward to doing with their iPhone in the near future as well.
Although iOS 8 brings with it over 4,000 new APIs, there are several headlining feature additions including upgrades to the Camera and Photos app, as well as the addition of extensions through the new PhotoKit APIs. New functions like time-lapse photography and improved controls over photo exposure take give iPhone users greater functionality and more options for fine control. This is supported in the updated on-board photo editing functions, which also give users much more fine control over the look of photos. Coupled with this PhotoKit extensions now allow third-party apps on your iPhone to work within the main system apps meaning to can add detailed effects and other changes right within the Camera and Photos apps instead of being forced to open the apps separately. The expansion of iCloud offerings in iOS 8 also means that with the right storage plan, many users will never have to worry about losing a photo ever again.
Apple Pay in iOS 8 is potentially a game changer for the way people make transactions moving forward, with U.S. customers the first to benefit. That is not the only potentially game changing technologies in iOS 8 with the new Health app and the set new set of HealthKit APIs set to revolutionize the way in which we monitor our on key health indicators. People will now be able to use their iPhone to keep a detailed record of their vitals, either taken manually with other devices and recorded to the Health app, or through working with third-party apps and the M8 motion coprocessor to monitor and automatically record your fitness activities. With the Mayo Clinic on board, people will also be able to quickly and easily share this data with their health practitioners if they choose. Add the
newly announced Apple Watch into the equation with its fitness orientation and the stage is set for the beginning of a health revolution that is much more advanced in implementation and more ambitious in its vision.
iOS 8 Health app
Although in its infancy, Apple's HomeKit APIs could finally see dreams of smart, automated homes become a reality. Again, it is only Apple that is the most likely to make advances in this area because of the standardization of Apple's hardware and software. While smartphones have been able to control smart appliances and other home products remotely for some time, none have brought an integrated platform through which can allow for the certification of a wide range of products to work together on the one platform. Coupled with the power of Siri, software developers and hardware makers will be able to tap into one of the first comprehensive home automation platforms made to date. With Apple's extensive 'Made for iPhone' third-party certification program well established and a money spinner for participants, Apple is well positioned to establish the iPhone as the default platform of choice for yet another collection of iPhone-compatible products, this time with a home automation focus.
Even though Android has a larger install base, iOS remains the mobile platform of choice for many developers for reasons including that it is much less fragmented than Android as well as that Apple customers are more likely to monetize their apps. Consistently, the most popular apps on iOS remain game titles and understanding the importance of this, Apple has started highlighting App Store exclusives. Not content with this, Apple has leveraged its engineering skills to develop Metal, a new environment where developers can enjoy more direct access to the GPU capabilities of its devices without the usual GPU cycle chewing overheads. Apple has said that on the iPhone 5s, when compared with games using Open GL, games can get up to a tens times performance boost. Normally, this type of boost would only come through enhanced hardware. With the new GPU in the iPhone 6 offering up to 50 percent faster raw performance, Apple looks to be taking steps to ensure that games on iOS look and play better than anywhere else, especially when the Metal framework is added to the graphics equation.
iOS 8 Continuity
iPhone iOS 8 users who also use Macs are eagerly awaiting the release of OS X Yosemite. With it, iOS 8/iPhone functionality crosses over into the Mac OS space giving users the ability to seamlessly send and receive text messages and phone calls over their iPhones via their Mac. Handoff allows users to seamlessly pick which of the three screens that Apple offers for sending and receiving communications, whether it is the iPhone, iPad or Mac with users being able to pick between one or all three to get continue a conversation. Handoff also works across Apple's productivity apps for OS X Yosemite and their iOS versions. Whether its Continuity or any one of dozens of everyday improvements made to iOS 8, in combination with an older compatible iPhone, or one the new iPhone 6 models, iOS 8 has made some substantial advancements over Android that Google won't find it easy to emulate.
iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus?
The iPhone 6 launch marks the first time that Apple has simultaneously released two flagship devices. This poses something of a dilemma for Apple fans, particularly when there are some subtle, but potentially significant, differences between the two devices. The iPhone 6, with its 4.7-inch display, is the most mainstream of the two models. Early sales figures indicate that it is the more popular of the two models and will form the bulk of iPhone sales. It offers 38 percent more screen real estate over the iPhone 5s, making it a substantial boost in screen size and overall footprint compared to its predecessor. Yet, temptingly, the iPhone 6 Plus offers longer battery life, a bigger, higher resolution display offering 88 percent more viewing area than the iPhone 5s and incorporates optical image stabilization for its main camera.
Even though the iPhone 6 Plus display offers better resolution, most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two even under close scrutiny with the naked eye. The size of the 4.7-inch model is the ideal fit for most people, with one-handed usability still very much a comfortable proposition thanks to how thin the design is as well as Reachability. Optical image stabilization is nice to have, but the iPhone 6 still takes amazing photos and videos. When you realize that the optical image stabilization is being utilized specifically to improve low light shots, that is a trade-off most people can live with. Perhaps the most attractive feature of the iPhone 6 Plus is its extended battery life, yet the iPhone 6 still offers some solid gains over the iPhone 5s and bests most of the Android competition. For those who don't want to carry around a smartphone as well as a tablet, the iPhone 6 Plus will make the ideal phablet. Our preference, however, remains the 4.7-inch model for overall balance between increased display size, while maintaining ease of use and pocketability.
Conclusion:
In our
iPhone 5s review last year, we noted that the iPhone 5s did not offer the option of a larger display, did not have Wi-Fi 802.11ac, did not have a 128GB option and did not have a 'Swype-like' keyboard. The arrival of the iPhone 6 ticks off each one of those downsides, which is a pretty impressive strike rate. So does that make the iPhone 6 perfect? For some the answer may well be yes, but for others, there are only minor comings that Apple will inevitably address as iPhone design and functionality continues to evolve. Unusually, from a design perspective while there is much to love about the new iPhone design, the antenna bands on the rear of the device and the protruding lens are unusual compromises that potentially make the iPhone less than entirely aesthetically pleasing.
The cut throat pace of development in the Android smartphone world means that in Android the specification wars, there are some areas where the iPhone 6 does not stack up, at least on paper, to some of the leading Android smartphone currently on the market. Apple has persisted with a 326ppi pixel density for the iPhone 6, although it has boosted this to 401ppi for the iPhone 6 Plus. While this offers a good compromised between resolution, performance and battery life, there are some advantages in looking to boost the pixel density of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 as well. That said, this is perhaps the only real criticism that can be levelled at Apple's new iPhone hardware. And even then, it is somewhat harsh, as Apple has pushed the quality of its LCD panels further than ever before with enhancements made to contrast and viewing angles.
This is why raw specifications don't always tell the whole story. As Apple does not license iOS, it does not have to be fully engaged in the same specification war that many Android OEMs find themselves embroiled in. As Apple is in the unique position where it can orchestrate the entire software, hardware and services ecosystem, it remains the yardstick by which all other smartphones are judged, even if it does not beat out the Android competition in all areas - on paper at least. As Apple does not need to be engaged directly in the specification wars, it can focus on what will make the most balanced and usable smartphone experience that advances each new iPhone further than before. In this regard, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus deliver in spades.
Overall, the across the board advances in iPhone hardware and software make the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus easily Apple's best smartphones ever with the new handsets also extending Apple's technical lead in 64-bit mobile computing. The scale, depth and breadth of what Apple offers extends beyond any one product in its lineup; the whole Apple ownership experience is outstanding, which also extends to its customer care if and when something should go wrong. The same cannot be said for the competition; as hard as they might try, they cannot compete with what Apple is offering in a head-to-head battle when everything is properly taken into account.
By Sanjiv Sathiah
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