By , Mike Gikas
Published May 03, 2016
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus announced by Apple today aren't dramatically changed from their pre-"s" versions—at least on the outside. But with upgraded displays and cameras, the new phones seem to adding capabilities introduced with limited success to Android phones in recent years. As so often happens, Apple's execution promises to be better that its competitors—though some of the new features could cause problems.
Faster processor. The new models have the A9 chip, which according to Apple can process graphics 90 percent faster than the A8 processor in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. That means astoundingly detailed graphics and more responsive controls for smartphone gamers. Working with 3D Touch screen, gamers can more more successfully defend themselves against alien attacks by leaping from one weapon to another without lifting their fingers off the screen.
The Touch ID is also faster. Apple says it can recognize your fingerprint in half the time it took on the iPhone 6.
Availability. These new iPhones, which come in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, Rose Gold will be avavailable in 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage capacities. Preorders begin on September 12.
3D Touch display. The responsive multi-touch display is able perform an impressive array of tasks based on how softly, firmly, or how long you touch it with your finger. For example, a light touch provides previews such as the contents of an e-mail message or calendar appointment, while firmer presses launch apps or let you peek at attachments, such as a photo or map, without leaving that e-mail. (This feature, at least partly, harkens to the app previews you can perform on Samsung Note smartphone by hovering it's S-Pen stylus over an e-mail, video, or calendar appointment.)
But the iPhone's gesture interpretation seem far more convenient, and appear to let you do more. For instance, while viewing an e-mail, you can delete it, forward it to a friend, or take further actions with just a swipe of your finger.
3D Touch screen makes multitasking easier, too. When you're juggling several apps at once you no longer have to back out of the application to view your choice of open apps. Now with the 3D Touch display, you can simply shuffle between them by swiping you finger left or right as though they were a deck of cards.
One thing longer-term hands-on tests will determine is whether 3D Touch will prove to be over-sensitve by responding to accidental touches when the phone is in your hand.
Mega-sharp camera. Apple bumped the already great iPhone camera up from 8 megapixels to 12, which they promises higher-resolution images and, for the first time, UltraHD video recording, with better color accuracy--especially when taking shots that have both natural in artificial lighting. Cramming that many pixels into the tiny image sensor of a smartphone, Apple admits, poses some challenges regarding image noise. Apple says they licked, or at least minimized, the problem using a technology to isolate the closely packed pixel sites on the image sensor. Our image experts will determine how succesful this approach is when we get these new iPhones in our labs.
One exclusive s-series feature is Live Photos. In this mode, still images you take with your iPhone 6s camera will appear to become animated for about 3 seconds if you firmly press on the display these new iPhones of the new iPad Pro. Apparently, this effect is achieved with the camera capturing 1.5 seconds of video before and after you snap a picture. This feature seems a like the Zoe images HTC introduced on its One series phones several years ago. We look forwar to seeing what impact this feature, which is on by default but can be turned off, will have on shutter speed and phone storage.
When taking selfies with the front-facing 5-megapixel camera, the display can act as TruTone flash. But we've already seen a feature like this on many Android phones.
Faster processor. These models have the A9 chip, which Apple claims, can process graphics 90 percent faster, 70 percent processor faster than the A8 processor in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. That should mean astoundingly detailed graphics and more responsive controls for hard-core smartphone gamers. Working with 3D Touch screen, gamers can more more successfully defend themselves against alien attacks by leaping from one weapon to another without lifting their fingers off the screen.
The Touch ID is also faster. Apple says it can recognize your fingerprint in half the time it took on the iPhone 6.
Availability. These new iPhones, which come in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, Rose Gold, will be avavailable for preorder on xxx in 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage capacities. Preorders begin on September 12.
Copyright © 2005-2015 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this site.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/iphone-6s-and-6s-plus-has-innovative-3d-touch-display-super-smart-12mp-camera