2014 iPhone buyers guide: How to choose the perfect iPhone for you!
Once you know you're getting an iPhone, you need to decide which iPhone you want to get. Most year's that simple — the flagship. This year, however, the flagship comes in two sizes. There's the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. There are also older models like the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c for those who want to save a few bucks. If you're on-contract, you'll be paying a couple thousand dollars over the next couple of years anyway, so a few hundred for up-front may not matter to you. However, if you don't have that few hundred, especially if you're going off-contract, up-front cost really will matter. It's important to run the math on this and see what suits you best. So, big or bigger, new or old, which iPhone should you get?
Products and price points
Apple's 2014 iPhone lineup consists of 4 different models, the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 5. Here are the models and price points, both on and off contract. We're going to concentrate on the two new ones, and the ones most people will likely be having a hard time choosing between.
- $199/$649 - iPhone 6 16GB
- $299/$749 - iPhone 6 64GB
- $399/$849 - iPhone 6 128GB
- $299/$749 - iPhone 6 Plus 16GB
- $399/$849 - iPhone 6 Plus 32GB
- $499/$949 - iPhone 6 Plus 128GB
Up-front vs. total cost of ownership
The iPhone 6 starts at $199 on contract, $649 off. The iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299 on contract, $749 off. To get that subsidized price requires a traditional 2-year contract in the U.S. There are also newer plans that essentially "lease" the phone to you over to a period of time. Some are better values than others. However, regardless of how you pay, you will end up paying. Over the course of two years, when you add the price of the voice plan, data plan, and extras like voicemail, messaging, etc. you can easily end up paying over $2000, even for the "free" phone.
The up front difference between $199 and $299 can feel like a lot, especially if you have rent to pay or a family to feed. The total cost difference between $2199 and $2299 isn't nearly as big, relatively speaking.
If you don't have the extra $100, you don't have it and you'll go with the iPhone 6. If you do have the extra $100, however, make sure you really consider your options.
Screen size pros and cons
The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch 1334x750 screen at 326ppi. The iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch 1920x1080 screen at 401ppi. For some people bigger will be better — more pixels, more density. For others, worse — harder to hold or put in a pocket.
Holding an iPhone 6, it doesn't feel much different than an iPhone 5 or iPhone 5s. The roundness, thinness, and lightness mitigate the difference in size. Like the iPhone 5 did with the iPhone 4s, the iPhone 6 does with the iPhone 5.
Holding an iPhone 6 Plus is different. It's noticeably bigger. It fills your hand more, your pocket more. It's as much tiny tablet as big phone.
If the iPhone 5 or iPhone 5s are already big for you, you'll want to stick to the iPhone 6. If the iPhone 5 or iPhone 5s simply aren't big enough, you'll want to go for the iPhone 6 Plus.
Productivity
iOS 8 and Adaptive UI bring split views (iPad-style two column interface layouts) to the iPhone in landscape mode. Developers can opt into this for any iPhone, including 4-inch iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. However, Apple is only opting in on the iPhone 6 Plus.
That means the iPhone 6 works like every other iPhone you've used. iPhone 6 Plus, however, when rotated to landscape essentially becomes a small iPad. Mail goes from one column to two columns. So does Messages, Notes, and a host of other apps. It may not sound like much but it's a huge boon for productivity.
If you like the iPhone the way it is, you'll like the iPhone 6.
If you like the idea of having an iPhone in portrait and an iPad in landscape, you'll like the iPhone 6 Plus.
Camera
Both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus have the same 8mp iSight camera. However, the iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization (OIS). With OIS, the lens is essentially isolated from the body so that if your hand shakes the lens does not. That means it can stay open longer and drink in more light without introducing blurring and other distortions. Photos that were previously too dark will be noticeably brighter and better.
If you're not a camera enthusiast and don't need low-light photography, you'll be thrilled with the iPhone 6.
If you're a photographer and really want OIS, you'll really want the iPhone 6 Plus.
Battery life
The iPhone 6 gets as good or better great battery life as previous iPhones. That's up to 14 ours of talk, 10 days standby, 10 to 11 hours of web browsing and video playback, and 50 hours of audio.
The iPhone 6 Plus gets crazy good battery life. Up to 24 hours of talk, 16 days of standby, 12 hours of web browsing, 14 hours of video, and 80 hours of audio.
If good battery life is good enough for you, the iPhone 6 will suit you well.
If great battery life is what you want, the iPhone 6 Plus will give it to you.
Who should get the iPhone 6?
If you want an iPhone that's bigger but doesn't really feel bigger, that has almost all the great new features but still fits easily into your hand and pocket, then you should go for the iPhone 6.
You won't get the iPad-style landscape layout in Apple's apps, you won't get the optical image stabilization or the longer battery life, but you will get something incredibly sleek, incredibly comfortable, and incredibly easy to handle.
If you want an iPhone that's still primarily a phone, go with the iPhone 6.
Who should get the iPhone 6 Plus?
If you want an iPhone that's much bigger and feels it, that has absolutely every one of the new features even if it doesn't fit as easily in your hand or your skinny hipster jean pocket, you should go for the iPhone 6 Plus.
You'll get the iPad-style layout in landscape, the optical image stabilization for better low light photos, and the longer battery life. What you won't get is something as sleek and easy to handle as past iPhones.
If you want an iPhone that doubles as a tiny tablet, go with the iPhone 6 Plus.
Still undecided?
If you're still not sure about which to get between the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, jump into our iPhone discussion forums and the best community in mobile will happily help you out.
Bottom line, your iPhone will be one of the most often-used, most important possessions in your life. Get the one that will fit your needs the best!
No comments:
Post a Comment