Released in 2015, the iPhone 6s represented a significant step forward in Apple's smartphone evolution, building upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, the iPhone 6. While its external appearance remained largely consistent, the 6s introduced a host of internal hardware innovations and design refinements aimed at enhancing durability, performance, and user interaction. From a stronger aluminum alloy to groundbreaking display technology, this
model packed substantial upgrades beneath its familiar exterior, setting new benchmarks for the iPhone series.
Enhanced Durability and Aesthetic Choices
One of the primary concerns addressed in the iPhone 6s's design was durability, particularly in response to the "bendgate" issues associated with the iPhone 6. To mitigate this, the 6s was constructed from a more robust 7000 series aluminum alloy. Furthermore, "key points" within the rear casing were strengthened and reinforced, and touchscreen integrated circuits were strategically relocated to the display assembly. These changes aimed to create a more resilient device capable of withstanding daily use.
Beyond structural improvements, the iPhone 6s also expanded its aesthetic offerings. Alongside the established gold, silver, and space gray color options, Apple introduced a new rose gold finish. This new color proved popular and became a distinctive feature of the 6s generation, offering users a fresh choice in personalizing their device. Despite these internal and material changes, the overall physical dimensions and appearance remained nearly identical to the iPhone 6, maintaining a consistent design language.
Revolutionary 3D Touch Display Technology
A standout hardware innovation in the iPhone 6s was the introduction of 3D Touch technology. This feature fundamentally changed how users interacted with their device by allowing the screen to detect varying levels of pressure. Sensors embedded in the display's backlight layer measured the firmness of a user's touch input by gauging the distance between the backlight and the cover glass. This enabled the device to differentiate between a normal tap and a more forceful press.
3D Touch was integrated with a Taptic Engine vibrator, which provided haptic feedback to the user, confirming the recognition of different pressure inputs. This technology was distinct from the Force Touch used in the Apple Watch and Retina MacBook trackpad, as 3D Touch was more sensitive and could recognize a broader range of touch pressures. The operating system, iOS 9, was specifically designed to leverage 3D Touch, enabling new gestures and commands such as "peeking" at content with a light touch and "popping" it into full view with a harder press. It also allowed for accessing context menus with links to commonly used functions directly from home screen icons. The inclusion of the hardware necessary for 3D Touch did, however, contribute to the iPhone 6s being slightly heavier than its predecessor.
Powerful Internal Components and Camera Upgrades
Under the hood, the iPhone 6s was powered by the Apple A9 system-on-chip, which Apple claimed offered up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to 90% better graphics performance compared to the A8 chip. This model also doubled the RAM of previous iPhones, featuring 2 GiB of RAM, and supported LTE Advanced for faster cellular data speeds. The Touch ID sensor received an update as well, providing improved fingerprint scanning performance.
Camera capabilities saw significant enhancements. The rear-facing camera was upgraded to 12 megapixels (4032×3024 pixels), a notable improvement from the 8-megapixel unit in earlier models. For the first time on an iPhone, the 6s could record 4K video (3840×2160p), as well as Full HD (1920×1080p) video at 30, 60, and 120 frames per second. The front-facing camera was also upgraded to 5 megapixels, a substantial leap from the 1.3 megapixels of previous models. A "Retina Flash" feature utilized the display's brightness as a makeshift flash for front-camera photos, and "Live Photos" captured a short video alongside each still image, adding a dynamic element to photography. For improved storage performance, the iPhone 6s utilized NVM Express (NVMe), achieving a maximum average read speed of 1,840 megabytes per second.
Storage Options and Battery Considerations
Upon its initial release, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were available with 16, 64, and 128 GB of internal storage. Following the launch of the iPhone 7 in September 2016, the 16 GB and 64 GB models were discontinued and replaced with a new 32 GB option, while the 128 GB model remained. It's worth noting that some of this storage capacity was occupied by preinstalled software, resulting in slightly less usable space. For instance, the 16 GB model offered about 11.5 GiB of usable storage.
Despite the capacities of their non-user-replaceable batteries being slightly smaller than their predecessors (1715 mAh for the 6s), Apple rated the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus as having the same average battery life as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The A9 system-on-chip was dual-sourced from TSMC and Samsung. While initial speculation suggested the Samsung version might have inferior battery performance, independent tests later showed no significant difference between the two chips. Additionally, although not explicitly promoted, the iPhone 6s featured a degree of water resistance due to internal design changes, including a silicone seal around logic board components and an adhesive gasket around the display assembly, designed to protect against accidental water exposure.
