• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
TechApple

Why I’m upgrading to the iPhone 6s

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 25, 2015, 8:44 AM ET
Apple Unveils New IPhones, IPad And Apple TV With Touch Remote
The Apple Inc. iPhone 6s Plus smartphone is displayed after a product announcement in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. Apple Inc. unveiled a wide-ranging lineup of new products, including updated iPhones, a revamped TV set-top box for playing games and watching videos, and a bigger iPad designed for business customers. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images

In early September, Apple (AAPL) announced the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Both smartphones go on sale today, Sept. 25. On the outside, the two models look identical to last year’s lineup, save for a new pink color that Apple refers to as rose gold.

Apple’s yearly iPhone upgrade cycle almost always sparks debate surrounding whether upgrading from an earlier model—in my case, the iPhone 6—is worth it. Questions fire off in rapid succession: Is the camera better? Will the faster processor really make a difference? What about cost? Is it really that much better? What about battery life?

The answers are often full of nuance and inherently complicated.

I’m not locked into a contract, or in the middle of an overly complex device leasing program carrier’s seem to favor. I’m free to upgrade whenever I want, to whatever I want. My decision to upgrade to the iPhone 6s this year, in lieu of staying with my iPhone 6, or opting for the larger iPhone 6s Plus boiled down to a few different factors.

Improved camera

The camera on my smartphone isn’t the feature I use the most, but it’s the most important to me.

I rely on my phone’s camera—a device I always have on me—to capture impromptu moments with my wife and kids, in still and video form. FaceTime calls bring us closer together when I’m on business trips, and allow me to share my journey with my family. Of course, the better the iPhone’s camera the better the picture on the other end of the call.

Group photos using the front-facing camera are becoming more common, and the 1.2-megapixel camera on the iPhone 6 just isn’t cutting it. The iPhone 6s boasts a 5-megapixel shooter on the front.

The last time Apple increased the megapixel count of an iPhone’s camera was with the iPhone 4S, bringing it from 5- to 8-megapixels. The rear camera on the iPhone 6s is equipped with a 12-megapixel sensor in addition to technology Apple claims will boost low-light performance. The megapixel count alone isn’t indicative of photo quality, but photos captured with the new device have shown improvement thus far.

3D Touch

Adding a new dimension to a touch interface is bound to cause some confusion at first. Second guessing if a tap, press, or deep-press are needed will be all too common. However, once the learning curve flattens out, I’m intrigued to see how developers will take advantage of the new feature.

Early reviews have stated 3D Touch is a transformative feature with the potential to change how we interact with touch-interfaces. I’m a sucker for living on the edge of technology. Naturally, it’s also entirely possible 3D Touch is nothing more than a gimmick.

It’s the right size

For a brief period of time, I carried the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus as my main device. Eventually, I grew tired of it sticking out of my pocket or not sitting just right in my car’s cup holder.

The iPhone 6’s screen measures 4.7-inches, and to me, that’s the ideal size for a smartphone. Single-handed use isn’t an issue, and it fits comfortably in my pocket.

I’m also unsure of how adding 3D Touch to a larger screen will impact its usability. Having to reach across the screen, then apply pressure to the screen while holding the 6s Plus in one hand seems like it’d be too much to manage.

There’s plenty other anecdotes which lead to my decision to upgrade now, instead of wait for the iPhone 7 (or whatever Apple’s going to call next year’s model): a faster processor, more memory and the cracked screen on my iPhone 6 (which occurred after I pre-ordered the 6s), to name a few.

I may end up regretting upgrading during a “S” iPhone year (as I did after upgrading from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S), but there’s only one way to find out.

Find out why writer Rick Broida thinks users shouldn’t upgrade their iPhone.

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

For more about Apple, check out the following Fortune video:

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
Startups & VentureFinance
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
By Shawn TullyJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
Bankingdigital and mobile payments
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
By Angelica AngJune 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Man in a white shirt and jacket.
InnovationBrainstorm Tech
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
9 hours ago
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026
InvestingWall Street
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
By Eva RoytburgJune 9, 2026
11 hours ago
AI isn’t replacing Hyatt’s salespeople—it’s freeing up a full day of work every week, according to the CEO
AIBrainstorm Tech
AI isn’t replacing Hyatt’s salespeople—it’s freeing up a full day of work every week, according to the CEO
By Sharon GoldmanJune 9, 2026
12 hours ago
America’s grid is reeling. General Motors offers itself as a distributed utility in disguise
EnergyAutos
America’s grid is reeling. General Motors offers itself as a distributed utility in disguise
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
16 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.