By now, the news that the iPhone 6 is debuting this Friday is about as old as Internet news can get. If you didn't read about it on a blog – perhaps even this blog – then you likely heard about it from a friend, via a Facebook post, or in a particularly informative snap. But aside from all the hoopla, and the relentless clamoring to be among those coveted first owners of the new device, there hasn't been as much discussion about what the new iPhone model is actually like. Well fortunately, the reviews are in. And – surprise surprise – they're just as effusive as everyone thought they'd be.
Best smartphone ever?
Leaving little down as to the tenor of its evaluation, TechCrunch titled its review for the new device "Meet The New Best Smartphone." As much as that sounds like a piece of promotional material from Apple itself, the piece proceeds to offer an illuminating breakdown of the "6" – even if it makes us just want to get our hands on one all the more. The review, which includes a video component, centers around the assertion that even though there's a "Plus" model of the new phone available, the regular one will likely do just fine for most users. With rounded edges and an enviably trim profile, the new phone is certainly a nice bit of eye candy – but does it make the grade when it comes to functionality?
TechCrunch says yes. The publication ran some tests on a "space grey" model (Apple's never at a loss for creative coloring) and concluded that, "It is the biggest change in iPhone hardware I think we've ever seen." Here are some of the changes outlined:
- Better camera: Practically everyone with an iPhone uses the built-in cameras, so it'll excite basically everyone to hear that the new phone's stabilization technology represents a major step over what's come before. To test it out, the TechCrunch reviewer took his dog for a brisk walk whilst filming, and the resulting fluidity of the image leaves no doubt that Apple is the company to beat when it comes to smooth picture technology.
- A8 chip: Most of what you'll come to love about the new iPhone is thanks to a new piece of chip technology called the A8. What it allows is an operational speed that's truly unprecedented. Switch between apps at lightning speeds, run multiple functions at once – do whatever you want, in fact, because the A8 is built to handle it.
- Health: Well, we should be more specific. Having the new iPhone does not guarantee you health, but it is the name of a program built into it. Merging the kind of functionalities people once got from services like Nike+, Apple's Health presents a one-stop shop of resources that help regulate physical well-being. Among other functionalities, the program is built to keep track of your activity throughout the day and deliver ongoing progress reports that can help you modify your lifestyle to healthier ends. In fact, it seems like the only thing Health can't do is actually mount that treadmill and run for you.
In an only slightly less venerative review of the device for Mashable, Lance Ulanoff asserts that the "beautiful and familiar" new iPhone is great in almost every way, except that the curved instead of defined edges of the device make it slippery in one's hands. So if you're the kind of person who's prone to hand sweat, you might want to invest in a case before you buy your iPhone 6, or else you have a recipe for dropping the device.
