Apple introduced its next-generation iPhones, known as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, in a special event on Tuesday. These iPhones have bigger displays and incorporate a novel mobile payment system allowing users to carry out store transactions by holding their iPhones near a payment terminal.
The announcement was made by Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California. Alongside the new iPhones, Apple debuted its first wearable device, the Apple Watch.
In Cook’s words, “We are launching the biggest advancement in the history of the iPhone.” He gave the reins to Phil Schiller, Senior Vice President for Marketing, to carry forward the presentation.
The iPhone 6 boasts a 4.7-inch, 1,334 by 750-pixel Retina Display, while the iPhone 6 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch, 1,920 by 1,080-pixel Retina Display. These sleek, curved-edge phones are slimmer than their predecessors, positioned at 6.8 mm and 7.1mm respectively. To boost single-handed usability, Apple introduced a “reachability” feature, allowing users to double-tap the home button to minimize the display for easier onscreen access.
The iPhones exhibit a two-pane display in landscape mode. For instance, when scanning emails, users can view a list of messages on the left and the details of a chosen email on the right. Both the home screen and keyboard can operate horizontally.
These devices are Apple’s first to incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC), a technology facilitating wireless information exchange between two NFC-enabled gadgets within short range of each other. This technology enables Apple Pay, Apple’s new mobile payment system that substitutes physical credit cards with iPhones at checkout terminals. Apple has secured partnerships with numerous credit card companies and retailers for this service, including giants like MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Macy’s, Whole Foods, McDonald’s, and Walgreens.
As for performance improvements, both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus feature a new Apple A8 64-bit chip, which promises to deliver 25 percent more power and 50 percent faster graphics. Schiller guaranteed that the A8 chip will permit the device to operate at full power without excessive heat generation. The estimated battery life is 15 hours of 3G talk time for the iPhone 6 and 24 hours for the iPhone 6 Plus.
The devices are outfitted with an eight-megapixel rear camera, with advancements to improve speed and quality. The iPhone 6 Plus camera also includes optical image stabilization, aiding in the reduction of blurriness due to hand movements. Other new features encompass an enhanced M8 motion coprocessor capable of distinguishing between running and cycling, elevation measurement, and support for voice-over LTE and Wi-Fi 802.11ac.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus went up for preorders on September 12 and became available in the U.S. on September 19. The base prices for the iPhone 6 are $199 for 16GB, $299 for 64GB, and $399 for 128GB. Conversely, the iPhone 6 Plus is priced at $299 for 16GB, $399 for 64GB, and $499 for 128GB, each valid with a two-year contract.
At the time of the release, a lot was at stake for Apple. Despite a 12.7 percent year-over-year growth in iPhone shipments, Apple’s global market share decreased to 11.7 percent in Q2, as per research firm IDC. Additionally, the sales of iPhone 5c, Apple’s low-cost model, had not met the company’s initial projections. However, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus came at a time when larger-screen devices were in higher demand.
Analysts hinted at a growing popularity for bigger screens, as smartphone shipments with screens over five inches had risen by 369 percent in Q1 2014. Furthermore, IDC predicted phablet shipments to cross the 175 million units mark globally in 2014, exceeding laptop shipments for the same period.
The larger screen, or “phablet”, category had been made popular by Samsung with the release of its Galaxy Note. Even though many other Android and Windows Phone manufacturers, including LG, Nokia (Microsoft), and Sony, have released phablets, Apple had earlier been critical of the trend. But Apple eventually decided to unveil the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, calling them “best in class”.
“These are the best phones ever made,” affirmed Schiller. “They are the best we know how to make, and I think the best anyone has ever seen.”
Apple also announced the release of iOS 8 for the iPhone 4s and later models, fifth-generation iPod Touch, iPad 2, iPad with retina display, iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad mini with retina display. The announcement entailed lower prices for previous iPhone models, with the 8GB iPhone 5c now free on contract and the base price of the iPhone 5s set at $99.
*This article was updated in 2025 to make minor modifications to the language for clarity and readability.*
I am Martin Odinuwe, a logo identity designer, Graphic designer, Video editor and a professional videographer based in Abuja, Nigeria with over five years experience. I am currently a consultant with Reachout Multiservice company ltd a multimedia company in Abuja
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