S is for Sensational
I never thought I’d break my ‘tick’ cycle of iPhone upgrades starting with the iPhone 3G-4–5–6. My next iPhone should’ve been the 7. Sure, the s (tock) cycle upgrades have always been attractive (Video recording in 3GS, Siri in 4S, Fingerprint Sensor in 5S) but I preferred a phone that at least looked different from the last one. Internals be damned. Perhaps, the two year contract with AT&T had a lot to do with keeping my trigger happy fingers in check.
I also never thought I’d like a phone that sported anything beyond a 4 inch screen size. Never mind the silliness of a 5.5 inch phablet.
The iPhone 6 was indeed the better of two evils last year. Or so I thought.
Fast forward to September 2015.
The reviews started rolling in a couple of days before the launch date. Actually, the embargo on reviews lifted a day earlier than previous years, foretelling how good this ‘s’ year would really turn out. I was expecting decent reviews, but we didn’t get any.
What we got were jaw droppingly, mind-blowingly, hot damn good reviews!
Almost everyone was amazed by the extraordinary technological leap Apple made in a tock year. A new and near unbendable-near waterproof aluminum chassis, a screaming fast second generation Touch ID sensor, massively updated front and back cameras, optical image stabilization (OIS) for video, a game changing pressure sensitive touch screen, a new (A9) chip (subsequently benchmarked to be light years ahead of the competition) and last but not the least, iOS9, hand-crafted for the new generation and one of the most polished software releases in recent times. Contrary to popular opinion, everything was indeed changed. No wonder then, Apple released the following ad highlighting this very point. Masterfully done, if I may say so.
In parallel to this compelling release, Apple started offering its own financing option, letting customers amortize iPhone payments for 24 months, yet allowing them to upgrade every year. The iPhone secured through this program is not only unlocked, but also includes AppleCare warranty.
I decided to go the distance and completely shatter all my pre-conceived notions about upgrade cycles, size, and color.
The result:
Impressions
Let me preface my thoughts after a week of use by the following disclosure:
Like most people, my smartphone is the most important gadget in my life. Its more important than my laptop or tablet. Beyond the mission critical job of being a decent phone and messaging device, I spend a lot (emphasis on lot) of time reading on my phone including, books, articles, comics, news, etc. I also extensively use it as a music/podcast/audiobook player and quite frequently, as my sole GPS device. Finally, even though I own a DSLR, my phone is effectively my only camera and video recorder.
The near two day battery life alone is worth the price and awkward adjustment period for properly gripping this monstrosity of a phone. Throw in OIS (exclusive to the Plus), a nicer screen and you have a clear winner. Speaking of grip, it’s somehow less slippery then the iPhone 6. I ended up getting an Apple silicone case (Midnight Blue) but oddly, I find it more slippery with the case on?
Its funny how quickly you adjust to the bigger size. A couple of days in to my purchase, I held my wife’s iPhone 6 briefly and it felt like a small toy in comparison. I had a sense of Déjà vu then, as I remember having the same feeling when I left my 5 for the 6 last year.
Even though I don’t wear the photography pants in the family, here are a few shots that I thought were worth sharing. By the way, the full bleed photo at the top of the blog post was also taken from the Plus.
The pressure sensitive touch screen is amazing and is without a doubt, Apple’s signature update of the year. How did we ever live without this? My home screen is now predominantly filled with apps that support 3D Touch. The shortcuts afforded by applying a little pressure on the icons of supported apps helps me do things faster. Live Photos is a great 3D Touch implementation and I’ve had a lot of fun playing around with it. However, my favorite use case is pressing down on the software keyboard to turn it into a virtual trackpad, allowing me to move the cursor around quickly and super accurately. What an absolute boon to productivity!
The second generation Touch ID Sensor is so obnoxiously fast, that its caused a bit of an issue with current muscle memory w.r.t. to accessing the lock screen. For the iPhone 5s and 6, you had to tap and hold on the home screen button for a second or so before it unlocked. Therefore, you could quickly tap and let go to see the time or your notifications on the lock screen. Now, there is no way the phone will remain locked (believe me, I’ve tried) no matter how quickly you tap and let go. Its that damn fast. I mainly use the lock screen for three scenarios, to check the time, play/pause music, and to skip forward/backwards in audiobooks and podcasts. Now, I’m training myself to hit the power button instead to get the desired effect. It's a good problem to have.
Why Rose Gold? Why not?
