It was not that long ago when Apple fans found a lot of things to love about iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. However, months later, this same set of consumers found out that Apple’s most recent smartphone releases are not perfect.
Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may sell prolifically and draw levels of attention that a few of its rivals could hope to achieve, but their owners have encountered a variety of issues, errors, and problems with their new phones.
Some stem from the actual hardware of the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, while others originate with the phone’s software and the intricacies of the iOS 8 operating system and the various updates that have followed its initial release last September. Some of these issues can be solved by changing settings on the iPhone, updating the smartphone’s software, or through other processes of trial and error.
But whether you’re an Android user looking for a change or an owner of a previous-generation iPhone considering an upgrade, here are the three major issues that might be encountered with iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.
Battery Life Limitations
From the beginning of the iPhone 6’s availability, owners were dissatisfied with the new smartphone's battery life. Scott Stein wrote for CNET that better battery life topped many users’ wish lists of features for the new iPhones, but Apple didn’t deliver. For users who depend on their iPhones as a hub — pairing them with wearables or fitness trackers, connecting them to their in-car infotainment systems, streaming music, browsing the web, tweeting, emailing, and more — Stein thinks that “the iPhone 6 battery isn’t bad. It’s disappointing.” iMore noted that both the iPhone 6 itself and the iOS 8 operating system suffer battery life issues (and offered some advice on how to identify and fix a few common battery life issues).
While many users would have liked a thicker iPhone that wasn’t susceptible to bending when carried in a pocket, many would also probably have preferred a thicker iPhone with better battery life than the performance offered by previous generations. And while the iPhone 6 is no worse than the iPhone 5s at getting through the day without recharging, it isn’t much better; the iPhone 6 is powered by an 1,810 mAh non-removable battery, which is slightly larger than the 1,560 mAh battery of the iPhone 5s but needs to power a bigger, brighter display.
But not everyone is dissatisfied with the iPhone 6's battery life. Nate Swanner wrote for SlashGear that he's getting two days of battery life from his iPhone 6 by fine-tuning the settings for a variety of apps and services. He recommends turning off background activity for most apps, being mindful about app usage, turning off many notifications, using Airplane Mode as a do-not-disturb mode, and selectively choosing which apps can use location tracking.
Bluetooth Connection Woes
Bluetooth connections seem to be just as glitchy as WiFi connections for iPhone 6 users. iMore reported that many users have had issues with the stability of Bluetooth connections pairing a wide variety of devices with their iPhones. From connections dropping intermittently to pairings not functioning at all, affected users might be experiencing issues with iOS 8, or problems with the particular device or accessory with which they’re trying to pair their iPhone.
Build Quality and Durability
In the early days of its availability, Apple's thinnest iPhone 6 Plus became infamous when owners reported that it was also Apple’s bendiest iPhone. Some users found that the frame of the iPhone could be permanently bent by sitting when it was stored in a back pocket, or simply by storing it in the front pocket of a tight pair of pants. Mac Rumors reported that as iPhones get thinner and larger, storing them in a pocket becomes riskier; unlike smaller phones, which can slide out of the way, bigger iPhones are more susceptible to flexing at pressure points caused by sitting or bending.
Fast Company reported that only a "radical design shift" could fix the flaw, proposing that Apple won’t be able to keep making its devices thinner and lighter without ultimately abandoning aluminum. The company will either need to use thicker and heavier aluminum — and forego making iPhones that are thinner or lighter than the preceding models — or abandon the material that most of its aesthetic choices revolve around in favor of a stronger material.
In the meantime, users noted other issues with the iPhone 6's build quality, with The Next Web reporting that the phone’s "ion-strengthened” screen accumulates hairline scratches much more quickly than previous generations of the iPhone. A thread on Apple’s support forums with more than 1,000 replies indicated that even when scratches hadn’t been an issue for them with previous iPhones, the iPhone 6 was easily and often scratched.
(Article first published in CheatSheet by Jess Bolluyt.)
Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may sell prolifically and draw levels of attention that a few of its rivals could hope to achieve, but their owners have encountered a variety of issues, errors, and problems with their new phones.
Some stem from the actual hardware of the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, while others originate with the phone’s software and the intricacies of the iOS 8 operating system and the various updates that have followed its initial release last September. Some of these issues can be solved by changing settings on the iPhone, updating the smartphone’s software, or through other processes of trial and error.
But whether you’re an Android user looking for a change or an owner of a previous-generation iPhone considering an upgrade, here are the three major issues that might be encountered with iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.
Battery Life Limitations
From the beginning of the iPhone 6’s availability, owners were dissatisfied with the new smartphone's battery life. Scott Stein wrote for CNET that better battery life topped many users’ wish lists of features for the new iPhones, but Apple didn’t deliver. For users who depend on their iPhones as a hub — pairing them with wearables or fitness trackers, connecting them to their in-car infotainment systems, streaming music, browsing the web, tweeting, emailing, and more — Stein thinks that “the iPhone 6 battery isn’t bad. It’s disappointing.” iMore noted that both the iPhone 6 itself and the iOS 8 operating system suffer battery life issues (and offered some advice on how to identify and fix a few common battery life issues).
While many users would have liked a thicker iPhone that wasn’t susceptible to bending when carried in a pocket, many would also probably have preferred a thicker iPhone with better battery life than the performance offered by previous generations. And while the iPhone 6 is no worse than the iPhone 5s at getting through the day without recharging, it isn’t much better; the iPhone 6 is powered by an 1,810 mAh non-removable battery, which is slightly larger than the 1,560 mAh battery of the iPhone 5s but needs to power a bigger, brighter display.
But not everyone is dissatisfied with the iPhone 6's battery life. Nate Swanner wrote for SlashGear that he's getting two days of battery life from his iPhone 6 by fine-tuning the settings for a variety of apps and services. He recommends turning off background activity for most apps, being mindful about app usage, turning off many notifications, using Airplane Mode as a do-not-disturb mode, and selectively choosing which apps can use location tracking.
Bluetooth Connection Woes
Bluetooth connections seem to be just as glitchy as WiFi connections for iPhone 6 users. iMore reported that many users have had issues with the stability of Bluetooth connections pairing a wide variety of devices with their iPhones. From connections dropping intermittently to pairings not functioning at all, affected users might be experiencing issues with iOS 8, or problems with the particular device or accessory with which they’re trying to pair their iPhone.
Build Quality and Durability
In the early days of its availability, Apple's thinnest iPhone 6 Plus became infamous when owners reported that it was also Apple’s bendiest iPhone. Some users found that the frame of the iPhone could be permanently bent by sitting when it was stored in a back pocket, or simply by storing it in the front pocket of a tight pair of pants. Mac Rumors reported that as iPhones get thinner and larger, storing them in a pocket becomes riskier; unlike smaller phones, which can slide out of the way, bigger iPhones are more susceptible to flexing at pressure points caused by sitting or bending.
Fast Company reported that only a "radical design shift" could fix the flaw, proposing that Apple won’t be able to keep making its devices thinner and lighter without ultimately abandoning aluminum. The company will either need to use thicker and heavier aluminum — and forego making iPhones that are thinner or lighter than the preceding models — or abandon the material that most of its aesthetic choices revolve around in favor of a stronger material.
In the meantime, users noted other issues with the iPhone 6's build quality, with The Next Web reporting that the phone’s "ion-strengthened” screen accumulates hairline scratches much more quickly than previous generations of the iPhone. A thread on Apple’s support forums with more than 1,000 replies indicated that even when scratches hadn’t been an issue for them with previous iPhones, the iPhone 6 was easily and often scratched.
(Article first published in CheatSheet by Jess Bolluyt.)
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