Unveiling the phone that captured the hearts of over 222 million users, the iPhone 6's revolutionary design and performance, from its A8 chip to its groundbreaking Apple Pay introduction, redefined what a smartphone could be.
Key Takeaways
- The iPhone 6 features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display
- The display resolution is 1334-by-750 pixels at 326 ppi
- It weighs exactly 129 grams (4.55 ounces)
- Powered by the Apple A8 chip with 64-bit architecture
- A8 chip is built on a 20nm manufacturing process
- The A8 chip contains 2 billion transistors
- Back camera is 8-megapixel iSight camera with 1.5µ pixels
- Aperture is f/2.2
- Lens consists of a five-element lens
- Supports LTE bands (up to 20 bands)
- Maximum LTE download speed is 150 Mbps
- Supports VoLTE (Voice over LTE) for high-quality calls
- Launched with iOS 8 operating system
- Final supported OS is iOS 12.5.7
- Announced on September 9, 2014
The iPhone 6 featured a larger, thinner design with a faster processor and improved camera.
Battery and Connectivity
- Supports LTE bands (up to 20 bands)
- Maximum LTE download speed is 150 Mbps
- Supports VoLTE (Voice over LTE) for high-quality calls
- Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with speeds up to 433 Mbps
- Bluetooth version 4.0 (later updated via software to 4.2)
- Includes NFC (Near Field Communication) specifically for Apple Pay
- Battery capacity is 1810 mAh
- Talk time is up to 14 hours on 3G
- Standby time is up to 10 days (250 hours)
- Internet use is up to 10 hours on 3G or LTE
- Internet use is up to 11 hours on Wi-Fi
- HD video playback is up to 11 hours
- Audio playback is up to 50 hours
- Battery is a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter
- Connectivity includes GPS and GLONASS
- Nano-SIM card support exclusively
- Wi-Fi calling is supported on certain carriers
- DC-HSDPA support allows up to 42 Mbps on 3G
- iBeacon microlocation supported
- Battery voltage is 3.82 V
- Battery total energy is 6.91 Wh
- Charging port is Lightning connector
- Supported audio formats: AAC, Protected AAC, HE-AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR
- Video formats: H.264, MPEG-4, Motion JPEG
- AirPlay Mirroring support up to 1080p to Apple TV (2nd gen+)
- Lightning to 30-pin adapter support
- Tethering and Mobile Hotspot support
- GSM/EDGE frequencies: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA frequencies: 850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz
Battery and Connectivity Interpretation
While it won't survive a modern apocalypse, the iPhone 6 was a meticulously engineered Swiss Army knife for the early 4G era, packing enough connectivity tricks, battery stamina, and format support to make you feel like a wizard who occasionally had to whisper sweet nothings to a power outlet.
Camera and Optics
- Back camera is 8-megapixel iSight camera with 1.5µ pixels
- Aperture is f/2.2
- Lens consists of a five-element lens
- Features "Focus Pixels" for faster phase-detection autofocus
- True Tone flash uses two LEDs for natural skin tones
- Video recording in 1080p HD at 30 fps or 60 fps
- Slo-mo video support for 120 fps or 240 fps
- Time-lapse video mode included in iOS 8 for iPhone 6
- Cinematic video stabilization helps keep shots steady
- Continuous autofocus video maintains focus as subjects move
- Front camera is 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera
- Front camera aperture is f/2.2
- Front camera supports 720p HD video recording
- Burst mode allows users to take 10 photos per second
- Panorama mode supports up to 43 megapixels
- Face detection is improved for faster and more accurate results
- Exposure control allows manual adjustment of brightness in the viewfinder
- Sensor type is CMOS BSI (back-illuminated) sensor
- Sensor size is 1/3"
- Sapphire crystal lens cover protects the camera glass
- Auto HDR available for both photos and videos
- Digital zoom up to 3x
- Geo-tagging for photos and videos via GPS/GLONASS
- Local tone mapping for better detail in shadows and highlights
- Advanced noise reduction for low-light photography
- Front camera includes a timer mode (3s or 10s)
- Video geotagging included
- Still photos can be taken while recording 1080p video
- DXOMARK Mobile score at launch was 82
- Focal length (35mm equivalent) is 29mm
Camera and Optics Interpretation
The iPhone 6's camera is a pocket-sized cinematographer, packing a surprisingly sophisticated arsenal—from a lightning-fast focus system and a true-tone flash to silky smooth video stabilization—all to ensure your hastily snapped photos look like you carefully planned them.
Hardware and Display
- The iPhone 6 features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display
- The display resolution is 1334-by-750 pixels at 326 ppi
- It weighs exactly 129 grams (4.55 ounces)
- The device thickness is 6.9 mm
- The contrast ratio is 1400:1 (typical)
- Maximum brightness is 500 cd/m2
- Features a dual-domain pixels for wide viewing angles
- The height of the phone is 138.1 mm (5.44 inches)
- The width of the phone is 67.0 mm (2.64 inches)
- Screen-to-body ratio is approximately 65.8%
- The display supports Full sRGB color standard
- The screen is protected by ion-strengthened glass
- Features a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on the front
- The chassis is made from 6000 series anodized aluminum
- Available colors included Silver, Gold, and Space Gray
- Reachability feature allows UI to shift down for one-handed use
- Display zoom feature allows users to see larger icons and text
- Backlight technology used is LED-backlit IPS LCD
- Resolution depth is 24-bit for 16 million colors
- The pixel pitch is 0.078 mm
- Bezel width is 4.66 mm
- Volume buttons are elongated rather than round like iPhone 5s
- Power button was moved from top to the right side
- The display covers 95.8% of the NTSC color space
- Display black level measured at 0.35 nits
- Effective viewing angle before 50% brightness loss is 170 degrees
- Display reflectance is 4.6%
- The home button houses a capacitive Touch ID sensor
- Screen uses a "Retina HD" branding for the first time
- The glass has a 2.5D curved edge finish
Hardware and Display Interpretation
While the iPhone 6 was touted as a sleek, featherweight device at just 129 grams, its considerable screen bezels and 65.8% screen-to-body ratio now make it look like a sturdy little picture frame for your apps.
Processor and Performance
- Powered by the Apple A8 chip with 64-bit architecture
- A8 chip is built on a 20nm manufacturing process
- The A8 chip contains 2 billion transistors
- CPU is a Dual-core 1.4 GHz Typhoon (ARM v8-based)
- CPU performance is 25 percent faster than the A7 chip
- Graphics performance is 50 percent faster than the A7 chip
- Included the M8 motion coprocessor to track activity
- RAM capacity is 1 GB LPDDR3
- RAM frequency is 1333 MHz
- GPU is a PowerVR GX6450 (quad-core graphics)
- L1 Cache: 64 KB instruction, 64 KB data
- L2 Cache is 1 MB
- L3 Cache is 4 MB
- Geekbench 3 Single-Core score is approximately 1610
- Geekbench 3 Multi-Core score is approximately 2890
- SunSpider 1.0.2 JavaScript benchmark score is ~350ms
- BrowserBench Kraken 1.1 score is ~3,900ms
- GFXBench T-Rex (Offscreen) score is 42 fps
- Sustained performance is 50% better than iPhone 5s without throttling quickly
- M8 coprocessor includes a barometer for measuring elevation
- M8 tracks distance and steps even when the main CPU is asleep
- Octane 2.0 benchmark score is approximately 7,500
- Basemark OS II overall score is ~1200
- Memory bandwidth is 12.8 GB/s
- CPU uses the ARMv8-A instruction set
- Core count: 2 (Dual-core)
- Lithography process is 20 nanometers
- Thermal design allows longer peak performance than previous models
- 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited score is ~17,500
- Internal storage options were 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB
Processor and Performance Interpretation
The iPhone 6's A8 chip is a marvel of miniaturized might, squeezing two billion transistors into a space so small it makes other processors look lazy, delivering a seriously snappy experience that finally made your phone feel more like a pocket-sized computer and less like a gadget that occasionally needed a nap.
Software and Market
- Launched with iOS 8 operating system
- Final supported OS is iOS 12.5.7
- Announced on September 9, 2014
- Released in the US on September 19, 2014
- Sold 4 million units in the first 24 hours of pre-orders
- Sold 10 million units in the first weekend
- Price for 16GB model at launch was $199 with 2-year contract
- Unlocked price for 16GB model was $649 in the US
- Introduced Apple Pay for contactless payments
- Health app integrated for M8 motion tracking data
- Siri voice assistant with "Hey Siri" support when plugged in
- Support for Metal graphics API for console-level gaming
- Family Sharing allows six members to share iTunes purchases
- iCloud Drive support for cross-device file storage
- Operating temperature range: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
- Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
- Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)
- SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) for Head: 1.18 W/kg
- SAR for Body: 1.18 W/kg
- The iPhone 6 was the first "thin" redesigned iPhone since iPhone 5
- Discontinued official sales in most markets in September 2016
- Re-introduced as a 32GB budget model in selected markets in 2017
- Total units sold for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus combined exceeded 222 million
- Produced a peak revenue of $74.6 billion in Q1 2015 for Apple
- Contains 1 GB of RAM (fixed)
- Model numbers include A1549, A1586, and A1589
- Features a three-axis gyro sensor
- Features an accelerometer sensor
- Features a proximity sensor
- Features an ambient light sensor
Software and Market Interpretation
While it rode the wave of being fashionably thin and broke sales records with over 222 million units sold, the iPhone 6’s legacy is that of a workhorse, patiently tracking your steps and running Apple Pay until its final iOS update in 2021.
Sources & References
- Reference 1SUPPORTsupport.apple.comVisit source
- Reference 2GSMARENAgsmarena.comVisit source
- Reference 3APPLEapple.comVisit source
- Reference 4DEVICESPECIFICATIONSdevicespecifications.comVisit source
- Reference 5THEVERGEtheverge.comVisit source
- Reference 6ANANDTECHanandtech.comVisit source
- Reference 7DISPLAYMATEdisplaymate.comVisit source
- Reference 8BROWSERbrowser.geekbench.comVisit source
- Reference 9DXOMARKdxomark.comVisit source
- Reference 10IFIXITifixit.comVisit source
- Reference 11MACRUMORSmacrumors.comVisit source
- Reference 12ARCHIVEarchive.fortune.comVisit source