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They look the same, but there are differences. Are they big or small? What does it feel like to live with the new iPhones, the iPhone 6S and the larger iPhone 6S Plus ? And how do they last through a New York Jets tailgate?
I’ll be taking Apple’s newest smartphones along for 48 hours through everyday life (and a pro football game) in New Jersey… Come follow along as I record my observations (and the reactions of others) in tweets. And check out the photos, all of which will be from the built-in cameras on both phones.
Tweets are presented in chronological order (oldest first). If you’d prefer the raw feed in reverse chronological (newest first) order, follow me on Twitter: @jetscott.
Have a question for me about the new iPhones? @reply to me on Twitter, and I’ll do my best to answer!
Friday night, September 25
NJT surprisingly quiet. Easy commute. iPhone 6S handled the station like the 6 did on AT&T. Today, cell service has been Pope influenced.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 25, 2015
Favorite demo of 3D Touch so far: AG Racer’s force-sensitive acceleration.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 25, 2015
Nighttime, Walnut Street Station, Montclair NJ (shot on 6S) pic.twitter.com/Q6nkZP7sSp
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 25, 2015
Twitter just updated for 3D Touch. Used shortcut from the app icon to write this tweet. #metapic.twitter.com/Lf2JiUJnfN
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Earlier today, Flatiron. I was heading home to beat Pope traffic. (Shot on 6S) pic.twitter.com/xxhjUW58AG
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Saturday, September 26
Morning! Family let me sleep in. 8:30am, phones unplugged. Live motion wallpaper very pretty. (6S shot w 6S Plus) pic.twitter.com/I4xXLmpStf
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Bagel, whitefish, espresso, I need to wake up #6Spic.twitter.com/aQhVOaZqL0
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Six year old son hypnotized by live motion wallpaper. (#shoton6SPlus) pic.twitter.com/6GQk99w9I7
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Interesting: on new iPhones it takes a lighter touch to wiggle-and-delete apps. Press deeper and you’re in 3D Touchland.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Sent my wife a text. Phone lying next to me. All Siri. Hands-free. #shoton6Spic.twitter.com/elHPKPt2Rj
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Looking forward to driving with the 6S and using hands-free Siri.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Adjusted 3D Touch in Accessibility settings (h/t @dcseifert, like new MacBook trackpads. Prefer light touch, I think. More immediate.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
“Hey, Siri, where are you”
(Two year pops out from behind curtain)
“Daddy I’m right here!”
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Going to play Siri hide and go seek later with kids and these phones
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Using Siri while changing diaper:
“Hey Siri”
“Daddy don’t call me Siri!”
“Where’s the farmer’s market”
“I don’t know, daddy!”
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
2-yr old: “Daddy, call me Siri again.”
Me: “hi Siri”
Kid: “What is the temperature like?”
Me: “What is the temperature?”
Kid: “I don’t know”
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Most of today’s test photos will be on iPhone 6S. Tomorrow, for Jets tailgating, 6S Plus.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Time for Montclair farmer’s market! (6S) pic.twitter.com/VB8s5pB47U
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Selfie while holding kid. I am feeling extremely tired FYI #shoton6Spic.twitter.com/TFNLV5TWyQ
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Hola habaneros #shoton6Spic.twitter.com/DjYxLNiKq5
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
My son took this photo. Pretty good! #on6Spic.twitter.com/YaoiT4KaqZ
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
These are called “bacon butters.” And I have tried them all #shoton6Spic.twitter.com/1ceQaKkPOS
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Battery life on this heavily used iPhone 6S now at 62%. 12:09pm. Also have Apple Watch and Jawbone Up3 paired.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Local cheeses: Valley Shepherd Creamery. (Bought the pepper Manchego) #shoton6Spic.twitter.com/J0DSrBuIOX
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Driving with new iPhone 6S: always-on Siri responsive. Big difference: can use plugged. (Some Siri results are not dictated though)
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Starting to wane on 6S battery life. 24% at 3:47pm. But I’ve been doing lots of photos, videos, tweets, etc. Will keep going.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
6S Plus is not Bluetooth paired to anything, using it less. At 80% right now.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Doorknob in the dark (or, very dim w curtains closed) #shoton6Spic.twitter.com/no0tkRtAED
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Live Photos: can’t share here in a way I can figure out. But they’re like little timelapse-esque clips, with audio underneath.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
So far new iPhone 6S benchmarks show a lot of speed. Much faster than iPad Air 2 in single core, and close to it on multi.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Just showed friend of ours 3D Touch on 6S. She has iPhone 6. Reaction: “ok, I’m never going to use this.”
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Early evening, Montclair center #shoton6Pluspic.twitter.com/zl8DafMx6H
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Montclair is busy tonight. Hyperglow concert! (who is that?) #6Sshotpic.twitter.com/vvKNZtltZa
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
7:40pm, 6S battery done. But I pushed it hard. 6S Plus at 72%. Less used today.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
I did not use power save at all or any of those useful features on 6S today, which will clearly help. Just wanted to see what would happen.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 26, 2015
Batman lurking at night, in town #shoton6SPluspic.twitter.com/oNHVcTeBlB
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
3D Touch works on iPhone 6S the way I want it to work via Force Touch on Apple Watch. Especially the pop-out parts.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
3D Touch feature that amazed our visiting friends the most: the animated lock screen.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
My friend (the one who didn’t think she’d use 3D Touch) also said iPhone 6 made a huge difference in her life.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
My guess: 3D Touch as hardware really impressive, just needs flashier/cooler ways to show up in software.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Touch ID is now so fast that the only way I really see the lock screen is by pressing the power button. #6S
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
I like News app’s pop-out category shortcuts for quick reads on 6S/Plus pic.twitter.com/yCJml50OMy
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Sunday, September 27
Apps I most want to see get 3D Touch: GarageBand. Any sketching app. The App Store. iTunes.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Kid wakeup at 6:30am! Had a dream my laptop fell out of a plane and I lost my research thesis. Today: 6S Plus goes…to the Meadowlands.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Swapping between Netflix, Geometry Wars 3 and Safari on iPhone 6S. Handles the app-switching really smoothly.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Trying to put a game face on with wet shower hair (selfiecam test). #shoton6SPluspic.twitter.com/oVgr44LPNu
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
MetLife stadium! JETS time! #shoton6SPluspic.twitter.com/W99nTLmIKv
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Family tailgate! Corned beef and pastrami! #shoton6Pluspic.twitter.com/GZThFBjTZh
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
My brother in law’s thought on Live Photo: “but why doesn’t it let you record video and then go back and re-shoot photo?” #goodidea
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Mom, sister can’t get 3D Touch habit down. When they do they say “ok.” (Needs more killer apps!)
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
My mom! Super Jetsmom selfie6SPlus pic.twitter.com/XY4zpkkdHo
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Everyone’s going in #6spluspic.twitter.com/dsIUwLM3yD
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
“Daddy, look at all those empty seats.” I explain they’ll fill in later (I think) #6Spic.twitter.com/q8lDKyJuqF
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
VR at the stadium!! #shoton6Pluspic.twitter.com/YnNHXFQtCf
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
6S Plus at 70% so far. Started at 9am today. Not too shabby.
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Here we go. pic.twitter.com/eQ3hOHUljQ
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Digital zoom across stadium. 6S. Trying to ignore Ryan Safepatrick and his overly safe stats pic.twitter.com/hLFOrKRpDv
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Get ready for a big comeback! #6Sselfiepic.twitter.com/b48KRF3cKr
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Quiet in stadium, with lots of boos. 6S at half battery
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Phone’s been holding up fine. I haven’t thrown it against anything yet
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Just beautiful sadness #6SPluspic.twitter.com/ocG4o4Uo8H
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Might capture the emotions of today pretty well #shoton6SPluspic.twitter.com/beA7dmaqo0
— Scott Stein (@jetscott) September 27, 2015
Thanks for following. Evening has arrived, and with it the end of this two-day journey across suburban New Jersey.
My main observations: always-on Siri is fun with kids, 3D Touch takes some getting used to (but you don’t need to use it), Live Photos are intriguing but sadly not easy to share and the cameras seem really good. Also, battery life seems similar to last year’s phones…as in, the Plus has a significant extra boost. For more stay tuned for our full reviews of the 6S and 6S Plus.
