Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Described by Apple CEO Tim Cook as the biggest advancement in iPhone history, Apple has revealed its latest generation devices, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
The new devices, which are reminiscent of the earliest iPhone of 2007 with curved edges, are thinner than the previous generation iPhone 5s and come with an A8 processor that is 84 times faster than the first processor in the first iPhone.
The devices are engineered to be the thinnest iPhone products to date and are enclosed in a anodised aluminium unibody that joins seamlessly with the surface of the display.
Both devices come with 64-bit architecture and a new 8-megapixel iSight camera and are powered by Apple’s new iOS 8 mobile operating system.
“iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, at a press event in Cupertino, California, today.
“The iPhone is the most loved smartphone in the world with the highest customer satisfaction in the industry and we are making it much better in every way. Only Apple can combine the best hardware, software and services at this unprecedented level and we think customers are going to love it.”
The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 comes with a Retina display of 1,334 x 750 resolution and boasts 38pc more viewing area than the 4-inch iPhone 5s.
The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution display and boasts 88pc more viewing area and three times more pixels than the iPhone 5s.
A8 processor
Cook said the new A8 processor has some 2bn transistors, double that of the A7 processor in the iPhone 5s. The chip is also 13pc smaller and has a 50pc faster graphics processing unit (GPU).
The new smartphones come with a new M8 motion coprocessor that gathers data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and a new barometer that senses air pressure to be able to record relative elevation.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
New iSight camera
Apple said the new iSight Camera comes with a new sensor feature called Focus Pixels which enables faster auto focus – twice as fast as the previous generation. Cook explained this technology up until now has only been present in high-end SLR digital cameras.
The cameras on the devices are able to capture 43-megapixel panoramas with seamless stitching together of pictures.
This is where the key differences in the devices emerge. A new image stabilisation capability that compensates for handshake and poor light will be available in the iPhone 6 Plus.
Another new feature, present only on the iPhone 6 Plus, is the ability to landscape the home screen of the device.
The iPhone 6
Pricing and availability
The iPhone 6 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK from 19 September, with pre-orders being accepted on 12 September.
The device will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of US$199 for the 16GB model, US$299 for the 64GB model and, for the first time, a new 128GB model for US$399 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 US$299 for the 16GB model, US$399 for the 64GB model and US$499 for the new 128GB model with a two-year contract.
