If you're still rocking an iPhone 6 Plus or an iPad mini 4, now is definitely the time to start considering upgrading to something a little newer after Apple added them to its list of really old devices.

Apple regularly adds older iPhones, iPads, and Macs to its list of vintage and obsolete products and now it's the turn of the iPhone 6 Plus and iPad mini 4 and while owners of those devices can of course continue to use them, there are some things to note.

For starters, the iPhone 6 Plus is now on the obsolete list which means that Apple Stores and Apple's authorized repair centers no longer offer repairs or hardware services for that particular iPhone. Apple adds devices to the list seven years after the company last offered them for sale.

In the case of the fourth-gen iPad, the miniature tablet has been added to the vintage list which means that it's more than five years since the company stopped selling it. As a result, Apple Stores and repair centers can continue to offer repairs for a further two years but there is no guarantee that parts will remain available. MacRumors was the first to report the new additions.

It's time

Given the age of these devices, it's definitely time to consider upgrading.

The iPhone 6 Plus was announced alongside the iPhone 6 in September 2014 with the larger screen being a key differentiator. It was the largest display ever offered on an iPhone but the iPhone 6 Plus was discontinued in 2016. Apple stopped supporting the device when iOS 13 arrived in 2019.

In terms of specifications, the iPhone 6 Plus had a 5.5-inch Retina display and an Apple A18 chip inside. 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB options were available while the main camera was an 8-megapixel affair with support for Auto HDR and more.  The front-facing FaceTime camera had a 1.2-megapixel sensor with Face detection and other camera-related features. The iPhone 6 Plus of course had Touch ID for biometric authentication and Apple Pay. Buyers could pick from Silver, Gold, and Space Gray color options when making their purchase.

The iPad mini 4 features a 7.9-inch Retina display and was again powered by the A8 chip. It came in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage options and used 8-megapixel (rear) and 1.2-megapixel (FaceTIme) cameras. Buyers could choose between Silver, Gold, and Space Gray.

This news comes as we get ever closer to the arrival of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models ten years after the iPhone 6 Plus debuted. The new models are of course huge upgrades over the old ones, but any newer non-Touch ID iPhone will be a big improvement over the iPhone 6 Plus for anyone ready to upgrade. Better and bigger displays, improved cameras, and of course the removal of the Home button and the addition of Face ID are just some benefits from upgrading to a newer iPhone.

Apple is expected to unveil the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models this fall, likely in September alongside the release of the Apple AI-laden iOS 18 and other software updates.

More from iMore

• Here's your first look at iPhone 16 Pro — Stunning concept shows off what to expect
• iPhone 16 camera button details revealed — could new model have a dedicated camera button?
• Rumor has it: iPhone 16 Pro models could include new 48-megapixel camera 

What you need to know

• Apple's iPhone 6 Plus is now on the company's vintage list.
• Devices are classed as vintage if they were last sold more than five years ago but less than seven.
• Products move onto the obsolete list once they're old enough.

Apple has finally added the aging iPhone 6 Plus to its list of vintage products more than seven years after it was released.

Apple made iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus available in September of 2014 and it was around for two years before being killed off. However, its smaller sibling lasted longer — iPhone 6 was on sale as a mid-range device as recently as 2018 which means it won't be making its own appearance on Apple's vintage list for another few years yet. That might seem pretty amazing to some of us who had those devices at launch — a period that feels like a long time ago.

Apple puts products onto its vintage list after the company stopped selling them more than five years ago, but less than seven. Things are a little more complicated in France, however.

The arrival of the iPhone 6 lineup brought with it Apple Pay as well as the first big iPhone, although sluggish performance caused by that huge display was an issue throughout its life.

MacRumors was the first to note the change in status for iPhone 6 Plus, a device that hasn't received an iOS feature update since the days of iOS 13 and will never see iOS 15.

What you need to know

• The iPhone 6 Plus will soon become a vintage Apple product.
• The phone was Apple's "Plus" iPhone.

The iPhone 6 Plus has lived its life and it is time to accept the end.

As reported by MacRumors, to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the model's launch, the iPhone 6 Plus will be added to Apple's vintage products list on December 31.

As a vintage product, owners of the iPhone 6 Plus are still eligible to have their phone serviced at Apple and the company's wide range of third-party repair shops.

If you need to upgrade from an older iPhone, check out our list of the Best iPhone of 2021.

Beginning this week, eligible iPhone users can apply for their share of a $500 million settlement that Apple agreed to pay to resolve a long-running class-action lawsuit over the controversial practice of "slowing down iPhones." Getting your $25 (or more) that Apple might owe you might not be so easy, however.

To qualify for your tiny slice of the pie, you need to submit the serial number for your eligible iPhone either by entering the information on the lawsuit website or filling out a form and putting it in the mail. That's simple enough unless you no longer have the phone in your possession. Under this scenario, finding the serial number could prove difficult and not worth the $25 you would eventually get once the claim filing period ends.

What's the problem?

As the settlement site explains:

Based on these parameters, eligible iPhone purchases could go back nearly six years, which is when the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were first launched.

According to a 2019 study, people are keeping their iPhones much longer than before. Instead of three years, consumers are now waiting four years between upgrades.

Relying on the word average here, this means typical users of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and first-generation iPhone SE may no longer have the phone that's eligible for the settlement offer.

Good luck finding that serial number

There are different ways to find a serial number for a qualifying device. Some of the solutions will take you maybe 60 seconds, while many others could require the assistance of Philip Jennings Perry Mason, circa 1932.

The easiest way to find the serial number is having the iPhone (or its box) in your possession. You can find the code using the Settings app under General > About. Otherwise, look on the outside of the iPhone box to find the number.

The settlement site also has a section where you can add your Apple ID to locate the serial number for eligible iPhones. We've received reports that filling out this form hasn't worked for everyone. Whether this is a bug or database error isn't known.

On this option, keep trying and make sure you're adding the correct Apple ID that was used when buying the iPhone. If you use an old Apple me.com account for your Apple ID, also add it using the icloud.com extension to see if that works.

If you have so far struck out in finding your serial number, it's time to put on your detective hat. You can look for your original email order or receipt to find the serial number, or check your AppleCare+ Proof of Purchase. The number is also located on your iPhone Upgrade Program trade-in receipt.

I'm not in the habit of keeping old emails or warranty notices for devices no longer have in my possession, and I suspect many are in the same boat. In this situation, good for you for being a paper hoarder!

Beyond this, you could try connecting with Apple support to try to get the serial number. Whether this legacy information is available to support personnel is unknown.

Final thoughts and questions

As part of the batterygate settlement, Apple didn't admit to any wrongdoing. Regardless, there are a lot of iPhone users eligible to receive a cash award. Hopefully, the database behind the settlement form mentioned reports accurate information moving forward. Otherwise, it could provide challenging for some eligible users to receive their payout. In the meantime, we'll continue to watch this story.

You have until October 6, 2020, to fill out your claim.

Did you successfully file a claim, or did you have a problem? Let us know in the comments below.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus came out a couple of years ago, and in the last little while, upgrades and updates have made other older iPhones obsolete, bringing people to ask the question: Is the iPhone 6 Plus even worth using anymore?

I'm under the strong impression that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!", but what do you think? We're chatting about the iPhone through the years in the iMore forums and would love to hear your opinion!

Some people claim that the iPhone 6 Plus is still great, citing that others are still attached and loyal to their iPhone 5s...

While others say that their iPhone 6 Plus still has an "outstanding battery life", despite it's age...

But what do you think?

Hop on into the iMore forums and join the discussion today to let us know if you think the iPhone 6 Plus is worth hanging onto – or if it's time for an upgrade (got your eye on the iPhone 8? Let us know!).

Join the discussion on the iMore forum!

While some people like bright and bold colors, others people prefer the original look of the iPhone: as Apple intended it #ApplePurist.

Unfortunately, carrying a naked iPhone around makes a lot of people nervous, so if you're someone that prefers the naked look but still would like some kind of protection, these are currently our favorite transparent cases for the[iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus!

Oh! Have a regular sized iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s instead? We've got clear case recommendations for you, too!

Case choices & original descriptions have been updated with more details and information on the products.

• Case-Mate Naked Tough Case
• Case-Mate Tough Air Case
• Poetic Atmosphere Series
• Griffin Reveal Case
• Power Support Air Jacket
• Case Ace Crystal Clear

Case-Mate Naked Tough Case

Sleek, slim and barely there, the Case-Mate Naked Tough Case is a protective yet clear accessory to pair with your iPhone 6 Plus.

Case-Mate's Naked Tough Case offers a bumper and case shell layer that are separate, adding an additional layer of protection to your iPhone 6 Plus. The buttons are super easy to press and this case fits snug and securely around your phone.

Case-Mate uses a great material that doesn't stick to your pockets either, but still manages to keep a firm grip to almost any surface. You can either pick this case up in clear or if you want to switch it up a bit, go with the clear smoke or the champagne/sheer glam version with sparkles.

See at Amazon

Case-Mate Tough Air Case

While not the most minimalist clear case for your iPhone 6 Plus, the Case-Mate Tough Air Case is super thin, impact-resistant, and perfect for anyone looking for a simple-to-use case.

The Case-Mate Tough Air case is thin and has easily pushable, metal buttons, whilet he inside of the back of the case is lined with tiny textured squares that gives this iPhone 6 Plus accessory a little bit more shock protection than some other options.

While the case itself is clear, you can choose from two types of bumper/bezel colors, including black, turquoise, lime, hot pink, and purple.

See at Amazon

Poetic Atmosphere Series

Poetic's Atmosphere series is not only a bargain, it's one of the only silicon/hard shell cases that adds next to no bulk, making it the perfect day-to-day iPhone 6 Plus case!

It may not be as grippy and sturdy as some of the other clear cases available, but it feels extra secure in your hand. It also has tons of fun colors available for the frame edges, if that's your thing. You can of course opt for straight up clear.

The case itself is made from a dual-injected polycarbonate material that's designed with a raised bezel for additional screen and camera protection for your iPhone 6 Plus.

See at Amazon

Griffin Reveal Case

If you're looking for a clear case that's not only perfectly transparent, but also super duper thin, then we suggest taking a peek at the Griffin Reveal Case.

The Griffin Reveal case offers a transparent back on your iPhone 6 Plus and lets you pick either clear, pink, or back edges. The polycarbonate material adds a little extra grip and additionally protects your iPhone from minor surface scuffs and scratches.

While some cases can add a fair deal of bulk to your iPhone, the Griffin Reveal Case adds a little over a millimeter in thickness. The inside of the case is lined with a protective rubber lining, making it safe in the event of a small drop or fall.

The best thing about the Griffin Reveal? How easy it is to take on and off!

See at Amazon

Power Support Air Jacket

If you don't like branding on cases, and prefer the minimalist, basic look, then the Power Support Air Jacket is worth checking into for you and your iPhone 6 Plus!

A perfectly clear case that perfectly encases your iPhone 6 Plus in a truly clear and unmarked shell, the Power Support Air Jacket feels great in the hand and even comes in a few different finish styles including clear, smoke, and matte. And if clear isn't your thing, there's a solid black option as well!

The only downside to the case is that it's so sleek and minimal that it doesn't have a bezel to protect against dropping your iPhone 6 Plus on its face, so if you're someone who shatters their iPhone screen quite a bit or is tough with their tech, then the Power Support Air Jacket might not be necessarily for you.

See at Amazon

Case Ace Crystal Clear

Inexpensive, highly-rated online, durable, and reliable, the Case Ace Crystal Clear case is a transparently fantastic option to consider for your iPhone 6 Plus.

The Case Ace is a favorite budget clear case for both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It may be on the cheaper end of the spectrum but it feels great, doesn't pick up dust and lint, and provides a decent amount of protection.

Designed from a premium silicone material that's meant to repel the harsh outside world, the Case Ace fits snuggly and securely to your iPhone 6 Plus without any of the additional bulk.

As a bonus, the buttons are easy to push and it doesn't seem to stretch out too badly over time like some other cases. Plus, for less than $10, you just can't beat the quality!

See at Amazon

What's your clear case favorite?

If you prefer to keep your iPhone 6 Plus in a clear case, which one is currently your favorite? Let us know in the comments below and we'll be sure to check it out!

Apple has launched a new repair program for iPhone 6 Plus owners who are experiencing problems using their Multi-Touch screens. "Touch disease" — a coined term some people use to describe the issue — has been known to cause several issues with iPhone 6 Plus screens including a gray flickering box at the top of the screen, trouble interacting with the screen, or even a complete failure of the touchscreen.

Apple#mn_e's statement on the new Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus is as follows:

If you have an iPhone 6 Plus with AppleCare+, this won't affect you, but customers whose warranties have expired or never had a warranty, will not have to pay the standard repair price of $329. On top of that, if you already paid for a repair for this issue Apple is offering reimbursements.

This program is only for the iPhone 6 Plus and not any other models as of right now. For more information, including how to go about getting a repair done visit the Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus on apple.com.

The iPhone 6 Plus has an amazing 5.5-inch 1080p display, but while bigger is better for apps and the web, bigger can also be harder to use one-handed. With a smaller display, it's easier to balance the phone and reach your thumb all the way up and across, from corner to corner. With a larger display, you may need to shift your grip more and maybe even bring the interface elements to you.

1. Put your best hand forward

Just because you're right or left handed, doesn't mean that hand will be the best one to hold your phone. Some people prefer using their dominant hand, others want to keep it free for other things. For example, I prefer using my iPhone with my right hand, even though I'm left handed. Spend some time using your iPhone in both hands and figure out which one is easier for you.

That'll be the hand you use for the rest of these tips.

2. Grip higher

Most of us have learned to grip the iPhone at the bottom. Now that the iPhone 6 Plus is here, however, it pays to grip it higher. Teach yourself to bring your hand up so it rests slightly below the middle of the phone. This way you can still reach the bottom but your thumb can also reach closer to the top.

3. Optimize your apps

Now that you know what hand is best for you, pick up your iPhone 6 Plus and fan your thumb across the screen. That's the sweet spot — the area that's easiest for you to reach. And that's where you should arrange all your most-used apps. So, for example, if you're holding your iPhone in your left hand, the bottom left is where you'll want to cluster your go-to apps.

4. Reach for Reachability

For apps, buttons, and other elements that aren't in the sweet spot, there's Reachability, which brings the entire interface halfway down the display. Since it's new, it won't be habitual. If you make a conscious effort to use it, however, you can make it a reflex. Any time you find yourself straining to reach the top of the screen, don't use your other hand, practice using Reachability instead.

• How to better use the iPhone 6 an 6 Plus one-handed with Reachability

5. The slide

Once you get better at using your iPhone 6 Plus one handed, The balance will click and you'll get better at shifting your grip around as well. In other words, you'll get better at relaxing your hand, letting your iPhone slide a bit higher or lower, and then tightening your grip again. It'll let you expand your up-and-down each, and the area where you can hit apps and buttons.

6. The turn

What the slide does for up-and-down, the turn does for side-to-side. By resting the side of your iPhone 6 Plus on your palm, a turn of your wrist lets your thumb reach the previously unreachable — even without Reachability. You'll still need the previous tips from time to time, but with the slide and the turn, you'll need them less often.

7. The pinky plank

Extreme situations call for extreme grips. Once you've mastered the slide and the turn, you can go for gold with the pinky plank. When you need to reach something on the extreme opposite of the screen, balance your iPhone 6 Plus on your pinky, and then reach your finger all the way up and across. It gives you both stability and flexibility.

8. The case for cases

Some people find the iPhone 6 Plus slippery. If you're one of them, it'll make one-handed use more stressful and perhaps even more accident prone. To compensate for it, you can use a case. You'll want one that's got some grip, but not one that restricts your grip. That means thin and smooth.

• Apple iPhone Leather Case - $49.00 - Order now
• Case-Mate Tough Air Case - $24.95 - Order now
• Case-Mate Naked Tough Case - $24.95 - Order Now

Your tips

The iPhone 6 Plus has an incredible display but its size makes using it one handed a challenge. These are some of the tips that I used to make myself as productive as possible with my iPhone 6 Plus when I need to use it one handed. With some practice and attention, it's surprising just how good anyone can get.

If you're using an iPhone 6 Plus one-handed, let me know how you're doing, and more importantly — let me know your tips!

iOS has always been incredibly efficient when it comes to its use of random access memory (RAM). It's what makes cross-platform spec comparisons so much more than just a numbers game. Apple gets to write their own native code directly to their own hardware. There's also no garbage collection to account for, no third-party skins to prop up, and no interpreters running between the apps and the metal. It lets Apple get away with 1GB of RAM in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. But it also makes me wonder — what could they do with 2GB?

Apple has always been conservative when it's come to RAM. Part of it might be cost at scale or availability at scale, but part of it might also be balancing resources and power demands, not to mention fitting the chips onto the dies and into the super-thin casing while keeping everything within thermal tolerance levels.

In 2007, the original iPhone shipped with 128MB of RAM. It supported multiple browser tabs and first-party multitasking, but didn't have to juggle any App Store apps. In 2009, the iPhone 3GS doubled the RAM to 256MB. It had App Store apps but didn't allow them to run any background processes. In 2010, the iPhone 4 doubled RAM again to 512MB. It allowed for limited background processes like streaming audio, location, and VoIP. In 2012, the iPhone 5 doubled RAM yet again to 1GB. By then background processes had begun to open up as well. And... then it stopped. 2014 and the iPhone 6 line came and went with nary a RAM doubling in sight.

Not so the iPad. Originally matching the iPhone 3GS with 256MB of RAM in 2010, it moved to 512MB in 2011 and, like the iPhone 5, 1GB in 2012. In 2014, however, the iPad Air 2 didn't stop. It doubled once again to 2GB of RAM.

I've joked previously that the iPhone 6 Plus is as much tiny iPad as it is big iPhone, but it's really not a joke. It doesn't have the same custom, triple-core central processing unit (CPU) or octo-core graphics processing unit (GPU) — the silicon that puts the X in the Apple A8X — as the iPad Air 2, but it does have the same 64-bit architecture and almost as many pixels to push around — 2,742,336 internally (down-sampled to 2,073,600 on the display) compared to 3,145,728 for the iPads.

2GB of RAM allows the iPad Air 2 to keep multiple browser tabs open with ease and multiple apps in memory with aplomb. Yet iOS does a lot to conceal the difference. Everything from page cache to background refresh to the new extensibility system makes apps feel like they were awake even when they weren't, and brings enough functionality to you that you don't need to go jumping around as much to find it.

The iPhone 6 Plus is also so fast that, as long as they properly preserve state, when apps do relaunch it's fairly quick. Likewise, as long as the network connection is strong, the browser renders so quickly more tabs reload in the blink of an eye. Problems arise when apps don't properly preserve state — looking at you, Instagram! — or network connections aren't consistently strong — insert carrier gag of your choice.

So, yes, having 2GB of RAM on the iPhone would be nice for those reasons alone. But what about for other reasons? Each previous increase in RAM has come not just with an increase in pixel count but with an increase in app functionality. In the span of 7 years we've gone from no third-party multitasking to universal, just-in time multitasking. What more could there be?

There are rumors of multi-window apps and drag-and-drop data in iOS' future, and while intriguing, it's also just a starting point. As phones become primary computing devices, they have not only the potential but the need to do so much more, and in ways that only minimally involve the numbers on the specs.

The iPhone already has two processor cores, four graphics cores, and a coprocessor. It'll almost certainly have 2GB of RAM someday and eventually more.

As hardware becomes more powerful, software has to advance to take full advantage of it. Not in a traditional desktop way, but in a way that once again makes that power more accessible to more people.

The iPhone 6 Plus is Apple's first "phablet" sized phone. That puts it in direct competition with other super-sized smartphones, particularly the brand new Samsung Galaxy Note 4. On paper, the Galaxy Note 4 has twice the megapixels, but does that translate into photos that are twice as good? If you're basing your next smartphone purchase on camera quality, you're probably more interested in how they actually perform in the real world. How's the color accuracy? What's the low-light performance like? From focus to exposure to white balance to everything else, which camera brings home the best shots?

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Specifications

Note: On desktop browsers you can enlarge all the images below. Also, EXIF data is provided for one image in each category.

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: General photography

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

In the above images, I purposely disabled HDR on both phones. Other than that, I shot the way both phones come out of out of the box. The first thing I noticed is that the iPhone 6 Plus favors much warmer tones than the Galaxy Note 4. A great example of this is the 2nd and 3rd images. I personally prefer the Galaxy Note 4 in these samples simply because I prefer cooler tones. I know many folks, however, that prefer warmer tones and would most likely pick the photos from the iPhone 6 Plus. Other than that, both lenses are sharp and with everyday scenes where you have sufficient lighting, you shouldn't have a problem capturing stellar images with either.

They're both great but if you prefer warmer tones, you'll favor the iPhone 6 Plus, and cooler tones, the Galaxy Note 4.

Winner: Tie

EXIF data for red door image:

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: HDR photography

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

For HDR samples, I made sure HDR was enabled on both devices. Other than that, everything else was left alone. For most of the samples, I felt as if both the iPhone 6 Plus and the Note 4 ran neck and neck. However, there were a few instances that one out-performed the other. The photo of the bricks is the first example of this. For some reason the Note 4 washed out reds while the 6 Plus did a more accurate job of presenting what was in front of me. The red trees in photo 3 however, they look better in the sample off the Note 4. They just seem to "pop" more. I also noticed that sometimes the iPhone 6 Plus produced images that were slightly darker when HDR was enabled where the Note 4 didn't. The 4th image of the house is a good example of this. It's not a huge difference, but it's noticeable.

While both cameras perform well, the Note 4 seems to be slightly more consistent and balanced, with only a few exceptions.

Winner: Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data for image of bricks:

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Macro photography and depth of field

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

For macro and depth of field photos, I purposely tapped on the same focus point with each camera. For close-up macro shots, I also attempted to get as close as I could to objects and only stopped when I had trouble focusing. Where macro is concerned, the iPhone 6 Plus seems to be able to get in tighter than the Note 4 without losing sharpness. This is the most apparent in the last sample photo of the leaf.

However, when it comes to depth of field and achieving a "bokeh" effect, the Note 4 has a secret punch in the form of a selective focus mode. Since it's easy to access and super simple to use, it's fair game. Just activate it in settings and then tap where you'd like the focus to be. Some behind the scenes software magic takes multiple photos with different focus points. This way you can even change the focus later if you'd like between near, far, and pan. The feature not only works, it works awesomely well.

When it comes to closeup macro shots, the iPhone 6 Plus wins. But where depth of field is concerned, the Note 4 has some awesome trickery up its sleeve.

Winner: iPhone 6 Plus for closeups, Galaxy Note 4 for depth of field shots

EXIF data for photo of leaf:

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Low light photography

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

Low light photography was very intriguing to me in this comparison. In the first sample shot, the Note 4 does a noticeably better job balancing brightness and noise. The iPhone 6 Plus shot is not only darker, it still has more noise, which is odd to me. In the second shot, the iPhone 6 Plus did a better job balancing the scene while the Note 4 produced the darker image. Moving indoors, the iPhone 6 Plus did a decent job balancing low indoor lighting without casting yellow hues, which I see often with many smartphone cameras. The shot with the phone box is brighter in the Note 4 sample but the colors are washed out.

Considering the wide range of differences, it's really hard to declare a single winner so I'm going to judge based on my experience as a whole. Indoor low light shots are consistently better with the iPhone 6 Plus. However, the Galaxy Note 4 seems to perform better in natural and outdoor low lighting scenarios.

Winner: Tie, iPhone 6 Plus is better indoors while the Note 4 does better outdoors

EXIF data for first photo in this set, outdoor scene:

I'm not sure why, but none of my low light samples on the Note 4 show shutter speed or ISO. I've tried to pull data in Lightroom, iPhoto, and Photoshop and all show blanks for both values in every low light sample I took with the Note 4.

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Flash photography

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

Flash photography isn't bad in either camera but the difference in tones will matter to some folks. Since the iPhone 6 Plus has what Apple calls a True Tone flash, you can expect warmer images. This is obvious in pretty much every sample. Again, I prefer cooler tones in most situations so to my eyes, I actually prefer the Note 4 samples. But again, it's going to come down to preference. The only other point worth making is that the iPhone 6 Plus flash seems to brighten the entire scene a little better while the Note 4 flash targets the subject. Again, probably a matter of preference and won't be a huge deal for most folks.

Winner: Tie

EXIF data from first photo in this set:

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Zoom

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

I've never been a huge fan of digital zoom and in most cases, I'd rather take a photo and crop later instead of using zoom. However, I was surprisingly pleased with the digital zoom in the Galaxy Note 4. Even at 8x zoom, the images aren't nearly as grainy as I'd expect and in most cases, are actually usable. In each image, I zoomed in to where the image was framed in the same way. If the iPhone 6 Plus zoom reached its maximum zoom and the Note 4 hadn't, I kept zooming on the Note 4. And surprisingly, the Note 4 did a noticeably better job in every instance. Yay for digital zoom that's actually pretty stellar! Hey Apple, make zoom better already!

Winner: Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data from seagull photo:

Zoom seems to be another instance where the Note 4 doesn't allow me to pull shutter speed and ISO. Any insight is welcome as to why this is the case.

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Selfies!

From left to right: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

The Galaxy Note 4 has a better front facing camera than the iPhone 6 Plus in terms of both megapixels and aperture. And for the most part, it shows. Not only is there less grain, you can fit more into a frame. My only complaint is that in low light, the Note 4 seems to soften images, which is apparent in the middle sample. It's not terrible, but to me it looks slightly blurry. I tried to take this photo numerous times but all produced the same softness. Perhaps this can be fixed via software update, but it's not necessarily a desirable affect. My gut tells me it may be an issue when using an aperture as large as 1.9 though. However, overall the Note 4's front facing camera does a better job balancing and reducing noise than the iPhone 6 Plus.

Winner: Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data from middle image in set:

Again, I couldn't pull anything other than aperture from the Note 4 image.

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Panoramas

From top to bottom: iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4:

Both the iPhone 6 Plus and the Galaxy Note 4 take panoramas in the same way and live stitch using software magic. Both do a good job too. The only difference I consistently noticed was that the iPhone 6 Plus does a better job at producing panos that are slightly brighter and better balanced. For example, the last two panos show fairly well that the iPhone 6 Plus does a better job balancing exposure. The Note 4 samples are more than useable, and are even great images, but it'd be nice if Samsung could issue an update that'd maybe help balance exposure in panos slightly better. The darker is gets outside, the more noticeable the difference becomes.

Winner: iPhone 6 Plus

EXIF data from last photo in set:

Again, I was unable to retrieve any shutter speed and ISO data from the Note 4 on any pano samples.

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: The bottom line

Smartphone cameras are getting so good these days that most differences are negligible. However, there are some subtle differences between the iPhone 6 Plus and Note 4 that may make one or the other a better choice for you. Overall, the iPhone 6 Plus produces much warmer images than the Note 4. This is completely a personal preference for most folks but something you should take into serious consideration if you lean strongly one way or the other. If you like warm tones, you're better off with the 6 Plus. If you lean towards cool tones, you'll most likely favor the Note 4.

Looking past these differences, it really comes down to how you use your camera and how you want to interact with your photos. If you take lots of selfies and find yourself using digital zoom quite often, the Note 4 out-performs the iPhone 6 Plus in terms of hardware. If you like experimenting with your photos and alternative camera apps, there's no denying the App Store has the best collection available, partially thanks to camera and photo extensions in iOS 8.

A camera is only one part of the puzzle when it comes to choosing a smartphone that's best for you. So if you're still undecided on which one you should buy, hit the links below to check out our full reviews of both devices both here on iMore and on our sister site, Android Central.

Regardless which device you ending up choosing, the iPhone 6 Plus and the Galaxy Note 4 are both cameras you can be proud to have in your pocket.

See also:

• iPhone 6 Plus review
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review

The iPhone 6 can comfortably fit in your jeans pocket, but it's a different story for the iPhone 6 Plus especially if you have a penchant for fashion jeans that contour to the body. Will the iPhone 6 Plus cause fashion designers to rethink their jeans and other tight clothes going forward?

• iPhone 6 Plus skinny — and not so skinny — jeans test. Will it pocket?!

That's the question Mashable recently tried to get answered when they polled a number of different clothing makers. Everyone from American Eagle to Levi's chimed in.

If you wear relaxed fit men's jeans and some other styles, the good news is that you're probably already in luck. Companies like American Eagle say the pockets of their men's jeans are already large enough to accommodate an iPhone 6 Plus. Rene's shown off his ability to pocket the iPhone 6 Plus, and I've confirmed that my jeans can hold the iPhone 6 Plus just fine too. Your mileage may vary, if your tastes run to the hipster skinny jeans variety.

Others polled by Mashable say that they're evaluating the need for or already working with designers to accommodate larger phones like the iPhone 6 Plus. So relief may be on the way for those of you stuck with jeans whose pockets just aren't big enough for the iPhone 6 Plus.

Obviously the iPhone 6 Plus isn't the only larger-format iPhone on the market. So called "phablet" phones have been on the market for a few years now. So why haven't clothes makers taken stock of the larger phones before now and made more jeans to fit them?

A lot of it is because the iPhone 6 Plus has captured the public's interest like few phones before it. The iPhone 6 Plus is Apple's first big iPhone, and it's a phone that a lot of consumers want: One that's being heavily marketed and promoted to them right now.

Another reason is that consumers are grabbing on to the idea that larger-format phones can be great primary computing devices. Many iPhone 6 Plus users are already noticing, for example, that they're less likely to pick up their iPad now than they used to be. I've long heard the same from Galaxy Note-using friends who also have tablet devices. As word spreads that you can do more with your larger phone, I expect that trend will continue.

Of course, a lot of digital ink has been spilled over the past week talking about "Bendgate" or "Bendghazi," the allegation that the iPhone 6 Plus bends too easily if force is applied to a specific part of the case. In some instances, it's been alleged that this bending was the result of the iPhone 6 Plus being put in a back pocket then sat on.

Apple has tried to put the complaints into perspective: They cited a total of nine bending complaints, after selling more than 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices during the first weekend. Apple also said it will replace phones that have been bent through normal use (and yeah, putting it in your back pocket without a case is normal use, if a bit daft, in my opinion).

Right now we're still pretty close to the iPhone 6's debut. Apple's still rolling the phone out in different parts of the world and has been having trouble keeping up with demand for the new device  — in some cases people are having to wait weeks before they get theirs.

Over time it'll be interesting to see if interest in the iPhone 6 Plus is sustained or if it drops off. Improved availability of iPhone 6 Plus over time may cause a corresponding drop in the perception of scarcity, which in turn may reduce public demand for the device. After all, why covet something you can get easily? Is it possible that the iPhone 6 Plus is in high demand right now just because Apple didn't make enough to fit initial demand? Or is it instead because there's a backlog of iPhone users who have long wanted a phablet-sized device, a backlog that will soon dissipate once that group gets theirs?

Assuming the iPhone 6 Plus remains popular, it's entirely reasonable to expect that at least a few designers here and there are going to make clothing designed to fit the big iPhone better. Few consumer electronics hold public interest like Apple's devices, and many big names in fashion have created accessories for iPhones in the past and continue to do so now.

One thing's for sure: Overall, cell phones are getting bigger. And there are a few reasons why. Screen technology in mobile devices has improved, along with the graphics and battery capacity to keep the screen (and the device) working. Now that handset makers can make larger phones without huge drawbacks, they are doing it. Certainly sub-5-inch phones are still the norm, but more and more we're seeing larger devices make their way out into the marketplace.

There have already been a few very successful large-format phones: Samsung's Galaxy Note II set the stage for a lot of other large-format phones to follow. While Windows Phone devices haven't had a huge impact on the market, Nokia's Lumia 1520 certainly generated a lot of buzz for itself with its big screen (and 41 megapixel camera).

Over the last few years, we've seen a steady rise in the average size of phones, from 3.5 inches to 4 and now close to 5. Will that trend continue to climb upward? We'll see. One way or the other, Apple's in it for the long haul. And as far as the future of jeans are concerned, I'm reminded of this quote from George Bernard Shaw:

If the worst thing to happen in the wake of the iPhone 6 Plus release and "Bendgate" is that some jeans pockets get a bit bigger, I suspect a lot of long-suffering skinny jeans wearers will be happier for it.

Source: Mashable

Apple opened up their testing facilities today to show the world how they put the iPhone 6 Plus through more than its paces long before releasing it to the public. Tests during the development cycle include 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and real-life user studies. Here's what the tests involve, according to the Wall Street Journal:

• Three-point bending: Apple's tests place pressure on iPhones in varying degrees to make sure they can handle "reasonable" force in various situations.
• Pressure-point cycling: The pressure-point cycling tests place "substantial" force across an iPhone's display and encasing, while it is held along its edges, to ensure that an iPhone can be bent and pushed many times over during its lifespan.
• Torsion testing: Apple clamps down an iPhone at both ends and twists the handset about 8,000 times.
• Sit tests: A single phone is placed into simulations reflecting real-life scenarios, such as being in the back pocket of tight jeans.
• Real-life user studies: Another part of testing involves real humans, hundreds of company employees live with and use the phones in various situations to test for both durability and performance.

Apple previously showed off their antenna testing facility following charges the iPhone 4 de-tuned when a finger bridged the gap at the bottom left of the phone, dropping signal reception.

The Verge has posted images from the stress test labs as well, along with the following statements from Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, and Dan Riccio, senior vice president of hardware engineering:

Schiller also advised customers to call AppleCare or go to a Genius Bar if they believed a problem, any problem, had occurred with their iPhone.

It's also important to remember that any industrial design is a tradeoff. The iPhone 6 Plus is amongst the thinnest, lightest phones in its size class. That makes it easier to hold and use, especially for long periods of time. There are other phones that use different materials, like plastic, or opt for thicker, heavier designs.

All this follows an earlier statement where Apple revealed that, to date, they'd received only 9 complaints about bending with the iPhone 6 Plus since it launched almost a week ago. That's compared to the millions of units shipped and used around the world.

Still, if you have have an iPhone 6 Plus and you're at all concerned, you should make sure you don't sit on it or otherwise subject it to excessive forces. It's big, it's thin, it's aluminum, it has areas that are cutout. The rest is physics.

Does Apple's tour of their test facilities reduce your concerns about #bendgate? Was it over hyped or does Apple still have more explaining to do?

NSFW is a weekly op-ed column in which I talk about whatever's on my mind. Sometimes it'll have something to do with the technology we cover here on iMore; sometimes it'll be whatever pops into my head. Your questions, comments and observations are welcome.

Before the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were even out in the world, Android phone users were having a go at Apple for only now getting around to releasing a bigger phone. Even Samsung got into the act with some ham-fisted advertising. Sure, make fun if you want, but the bottom line is that you're still stuck with a phone running Android. That's why we iPhone users are excited: We finally have a bigger phone that doesn't suck.

"You've never seen anyone line up like this for Galaxy Note," said a guy in the Apple Store line I waited in in Friday. There's a lot of truth to that.

The news here isn't that Apple's made a bigger phone. It's that Apple's bigger phone is demonstrably better. Because it's running iOS. Because it's thoughtfully designed. Because it's made out of quality materials. Because Apple, in typical fashion, didn't rush to be the first. They took their time, because they're interested in being the best.

And that's why Apple's preorders for the iPhone 6 set a new record. Samsung, LG, HTC and the rest dream of making a product that appeals to the general public like the iPhone does. Sure, Apple's marketing helps, but if they made a lousy product, people wouldn't buy it.

As I said a week ago, I didn't preorder the iPhone 6, because I really wanted to handle both phones at the Apple Store before making my decision. I'm glad that I waited in one respect, because I really do feel like handling both phones helped cement my plan to go with the 6 instead. I still get a twinge of self-doubt, when I think about the iPhone 6 Plus' superior battery life and better camera.

Then I remember how angry I got when an a-hole in front of me at the Throwing Muses show I went to last March blocked my field of view of the stage by hauling out his absurdly large Galaxy Note Something. Big phones can be a real nuisance to everyone around you.

That guy's phone also really struggled to take a picture in low light. The damn thing would not lock focus on Kristin Hersh to save its life. (Hot stage lights, combined with Hersh's naturally pale complexion, confounded the thing's white balancing capabilities.) Big phones that have sucky software on them can be a nuisance to use, too. That's not a problem the iPhone 6 Plus is going to have, based on early tests I've seen.

The fact of the matter is that my decision was made with some finality at about 7:15 AM, when the manager of the Apple Store in whose line I stood walked up and down, patiently repeating "We're all out of iPhone 6 Plus."

As his voiced reached the line, a few people here and there shrugged disappointedly and walked back to their cars. Of the 75 or so people ahead of me, we probably lost at least a dozen people who thought they were going to be able to walk in and buy a Plus on the spot.

"How is that even possible?" asked the guy standing in front of me. "It hasn't even gone on sale yet."

What he couldn't see due to our position in line was that the Apple Store staff was already out with iPhones in hand, taking pre-order reservations for the people in the front of the line. And this particular store had a very small stock of iPhone 6 Pluses. I assume some of their available inventory was spoken for by people lucky enough to make reservations online, too.

Not that they were in ready supply elsewhere. Some flagship stores got enough iPhone 6 Plus inventory to last a few hours, but none made it for very long. Most of the smaller Apple Stores in malls and shopping centers across the country like the store I was at sold out almost instantly.

Apparently the iPhone 6 Plus is this year's gold iPhone. It's the new device that Apple was just woefully underprepared to deliver in the quantity that consumers demand.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly Apple and its manufacturing partners can respond to that desire going forward. People who are ordering the iPhone 6 Plus from Apple's web site now are being told they'll have to wait three to four weeks before they'll see it. Already the 64 GB version, unlocked, is being hawked on eBay for $1,200 or more — a hefty premium over the $849 it retails for.

Let's face it: Scarcity can help drive demand. Some people get irrational when they're told they can't have something, even if they don't want it. People can be weird.

For now, I'm content with the iPhone 6. It's a really nice size upgrade compared to my iPhone 5S, a phone which never seemed particularly small to me, but which now seems puny when I hold it next to the iPhone 6.

I won't be that a-hole blocking your view at the next 80s rock show, for now. If I do trade up for an iPhone 6 Plus at some point, at least I won't be fumbling around trying to take a picture, because my phone will actually work.

The iPhone 6 Plus is here and we have it in glorious gold. So how big is 5.5-inches really? BIG. But depending on your priorities and how you want to use it, maybe big is also just right? Settle in, find a tasty beverage, and let the video roll!

We all know the drill my now. Or rather the screwdriver. The moment a new iPhone hits retail — in this case the iPhone 6 Plus — it gets picked up and torn down. That means every screw removed. Every chip examined. Every part explored. So, any really big surprises in Apple's really big phone? According to iFixit:

• In line with rumors, the battery is rated at 3.82 V and 11.1 Wh of energy, for a total of 2915 mAh—nearly double the capacity of the 1560 mAh unit in the iPhone 5s, and slightly larger than the 2800 mAh burner in the Galaxy S5.
• Just like the iPhone 5s, the 6 Plus features an 8 MP (with 1.5µ pixels) ƒ/2.2 aperture rear-facing camera. The 6 Plus brings two new additions to the table: optical image stabilisation, and "Focus Pixel" phase-detection autofocus.
• Apple A8 APL1011 SoC
• Qualcomm MDM9625M LTE Modem

Check out the rest of the iPhone 6 Plus laid bare and then let me know if anything else leaps out at you. Personally, I really want to try that battery.

Samsung continues to devote an embarrassingly large amount of their advertising not to their own products but to Apple's. In Samsung's latest ad, they pretty much admit they were the manufacturing equivalent of the stereotypical "FIRST!" message board commenter, releasing the super-sized Galaxy Note phablet before they, it, and the market were ready. They then make fun of their own product, highlighting quips like "you look like you're talking into a piece of toast", and "the note is an unwieldy beast", before diving head-first into the notion that Apple is imitating them by releasing the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. So what's really going on here?

Apple is patient. They weren't the first to make an MP3 player. They weren't the first to make a smartphone. They weren't the first to make a tablet. And they weren't the first to make a phablet (or "tablone" if you want to sound even sillier). Apple couldn't care less if they're first-to-market with a new category of device. They simply want to make sure that, when they do go to market, it's with what they consider to be the very best device in its category. That's why they wait — so they can figure out problems they're uniquely positioned to solve.

For example, Apple wasn't first to market with an LTE smartphone. The HTC Thunderbolt came out months and months beforehand. The battery life was horrid, even with a screen made larger merely to cover how much extra battery they had to shove in there to power those early generation chips.

Apple, by contrast, waited until next-generation LTE chips were available and could be implemented in a way that was power efficient, providing the same great battery life as before in a phone that, while taller, was also smaller by volume.

Likewise, Apple has stuck to the display technology they prefer, not willing to compromise with SAMOLED or PenTile subpixels just to stretch out their screens. Apple waited until they could get a Retina HD display, with photo alignment of the liquid crystals for higher contrast, dual-domain pixels for full sRGB color accuracy at wider viewing angles, a better polarizer, and an even thinner assembly. Instead of just an iPhone with a bigger screen, they waited until they could make an iPhone 6 Plus.

Now, I've used Wacom tablets for years and I like the idea of a relatively small digitizer with hand-writing recognition that I can hold in my hand. While Samsung calls it "innovative", I've used Tablet PCs that offered just that, albeit at larger sizes, for over a decade. Still, it's cool. What's not so cool is the software experience. Based on Google's Android operating system and cemented over by Samsung's own proprietary interface layer, it's often so disjointed and incoherent that it severely harms the overall usability, at least for me.

The fake stitched leather back of the Galaxy Note, made out of Samsung's go-to-plastic, doesn't help either.

(Nor, frankly, does this ad where Samsung chooses to highlight an app that ripped off its interface from the acclaimed djay app for iPhone and iPad... )

Samsung finishes up with some tweets praising their Galaxy Note series and slamming Apple, again for doing what Apple has always done. That's likely because, all these years later, Samsung still doesn't understand it. They can see the what, but they can't wrap their head around the how or the why.

Apple seems to believe they have the software, services, and hardware in place to make bigger screen devices now that better serve the growing market of mobile as primary computing device. They seem to believe they can use the bigger screen to provide a higher-level of experience.

Samsung no doubt feels the same. They simply differ on what that experience should be. And that's fine. Having different opinions is fine. In fact, it's great for consumers.

The sad truth is, however, it's not so great for Samsung. Previously anyone who wanted a giant phone — or nano tablet — pretty much had to go with Samsung. Now anyone can choose to go with iPhone. Which is probably the best explanation of all for this rather rushed, ill-considered ad. Especially considering that the only thing the ad does really, really well is announce to Samsung customers they can finally ditch their Galaxy Notes and go get an iPhone 6 Plus...

For contrast, here's how Apple is handling the iPhone 6 Plus in videos:

You've decided to get an iPhone 6 or an iPhone 6 Plus, and now it's time to figure out which carrier to go with. In the U.S., the major carriers are Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. All of them will carry the new phone, so how do you decide? We've gone over their plans and their coverage, and here are the details.

The Big Four: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint

Each of the big four carriers are the first out of the gate in the United States to offer the new iPhone models. And each are trying to sweeten the pot to get customers to jump at the new iPhones too. Some are giving billing credit incentives, some are offering generous trade-in allowances for working phones, and more.

Regardless of which carrier you choose, the 16 GB iPhone 6 will start at $199 on contract, with $299 on contract the base price for the larger iPhone 6 Plus. Add $100 to increase either phone from 16 GB to 64 GB, and another $100 for 128 GB.

Over the past year all four companies have changed the way they handle phone sales, all with an emphasis on helping you turn over your phone more quickly.

For Verizon, it's called Edge — buy an iPhone in 20 payments. After 30 days and once you've paid off 60 percent of the cost of the phone, you're eligible for an upgrade. Verizon is also giving a $200 credit if you buy a new iPhone 6 (not the 6 Plus) from them, assuming you're willing to trade in an iPhone 4 or newer and agree to a new two-year contract. They're billing this as a "free iPhone 6." Not quite, but a $200 trade-in gift card may be a strong incentive for some customers.

AT&T's program is called Next. It's 20 monthly payments as well, but you're not qualified to upgrade until the 12th installment. (There's a 24 month, 18th installment version available too). Once you upgrade, the cycle starts again. AT&T also incents customers to use Next by offering a $100 billing credit if you sign up. Like Verizon, AT&T's offering a trade-in credit for working phones, with a pretty generous allowance - you can get $200 for a working, unblemished iPhone 4.

Sprint's new program is called "iPhone for Life," and it's specifically geared towards customers interested in the new iPhone models. You can get the 6 or the 6 Plus for $20 per month. And after 24 months, you can trade in your old phone for a new one. It's essentially a leasing arrangement that makes you pay out $480 for the privilege of using the phone, then turning it in when you're eligible for a new one. You can get up to $300 in credit for an eligible iPhone trade-in.

T-Mobile breaks up the cost of the iPhone over 24 months, and your cost depends on your credit (with a 16 GB iPhone 6 starting at $27.08 a month). The company offers a trade-up upgrade called Jump that lets you upgrade as soon as you've paid off 50 percent of the balance of the phone. T-Mobile is also offering its customers a trade-in value guarantee: They'll meet or beat all the other major carriers' deals, and if you find a better deal within seven days, you'll get the difference back plus $50.

Pricing plans

It's enough to make your head spin. There are a lot of different plans available from each wireless company. What you'll pay depends on how many lines you're managing and how much bandwidth you're willing to pay for, but here's a quick breakdown. I'm going to focus on each company's shared plans for now, since so much consumer attention is focused on that right now. All the plans offer unlimited domestic talk and text.

Verizon's program is called "More Everything." A pool of data that can be shared on up to ten devices (smartphones, tablets and so on), personal hotspot support for your iPhone, and some other perks, like cloud storage, international messaging and more. Line access for each phone costs $40, with a fee for data on top of that which varies depending on how much bandwidth you're paying for. Verizon incents its customers to enroll in its Edge program by offering them $10 off per smartphone for the More Everything plan.

AT&T's variation is called Mobile Share. Just like Verizon, up to 10 devices can share a pooled data allotment. International messaging, and 50 GB of free cloud storage using AT&T's Locker service. Plan charges start at $20 per month for 300 MB of data, running up to $375 for 50 GB of data, with lots of stops in-between. Each smartphone costs $40 for line access, though you get a better price break than you do with Verizon if you're in AT&T's Next upgrade program: 6 GB or less data plans knock that line service fee down to $25 per month; 10 GB or more play only $15 per month for each smartphone line.

Sprint's new Family Share plan waives monthly access charges through 2015. Up to ten devices can be connected, with data plans available ranging from 1 GB per device to 6 GB per device. The company is also pushing a single-line unlimited data offer for iPhone customers for $50 per month.

T-Mobile's Simple Choice plan lets you scale savings based on how many lines you need. You can pick and choose data allotments for each line, with 2.5 GB to unlimited data available. T-Mobile also offers unlimited data and text in more than 120 countries, along with music streaming that doesn't count against your data cap, and a recently announced deal that gets you Visual Voicemail and texting capabilities on board airplanes equipped with GoGo Wi-Fi.

Who should get their iPhone 6 on Verizon?

Verizon remains the dominant player in the U.S. market, with the biggest 4G LTE network and the biggest footprint. After focusing on modernizing their network over the past few years and migrating to 4G LTE, They've spent a lot of 2014 building out capacity to improve network congestion in urban areas. However, you will pay for the privilege. Verizon isn't the most competitive on price, simply because they don't have to be.

One problem that Verizon has faced with the iPhone in the past is going away: simultaneous voice and data communication; namely, that iPhones on Verizon's network couldn't do it. That's changing thanks to two factors: Verizon will soon bringing online Voice over LTE (VoLTE), voice call technology that is encoded as data instead of a dedicated radio channel, and the iPhone 6 can do VoLTE. So users in the past who were worried about not being able to access the web while they were talking, or pull up map information and so on, won't need to worry going forward.

Who should get their Phone 6 on AT&T?

AT&T is second to Verizon in terms of customer base, but the company hasn't let that stop it from aggressively building out its 4G LTE network. AT&T boasts better reliability than the competition, with high scores from independent testers for call quality and Internet speed.

While VoLTE will level the voice/data playing field in the future, AT&T's use of the GSM networking standard makes simultaneous voice/data communication the way things have long worked on their network, so you don't need to worry about the switch getting flipped in the future — it works now, just as it always has.

Who should go with Sprint?

Sprint's been playing catchup as they build out capacity and speed on their 4G LTE network. They've tried to make up for it by offering some really good deals to sign up new customers, which makes them an attractive offer for bargain-hunting mobile users looking for the best possible deals.

There's a big glimmer of hope from the iPhone 6 - it's the first iPhone to support Sprint's "Spark" service, which offers faster data speeds on their network. It's something already available on some Android phones, but the iPhone 6 will be Apple's first phone to support Spark.

Who should go with T-Mobile?

shook up the mobile industry in the U.S. a year ago with their "Uncarrier" program. It seems like every month or two they're giving customers a new reason to come, whether it's eating Early Termination Fees (ETFs) for customers switching mid-contract, making music-streaming available without dinging your data allotment, free Visual Voicemail and texting on some Wi-Fi equipped airplanes, and more.

They're also aggressively building out their 4G LTE footprint and really have improved their network over the past year. They still have a long way to go before they'll catch up to AT&T, but their customer-friendly attitude and their simplified pricing plans make them an attractive choice for a growing number of mobile users.

Still undecided?

If you're not sure which carrier to go with, pop on over to our iPhone discussion forums and chat with the fine folks there, or drop a message here and hear what others have to say.