Three days with the iPhone 6

iPhone 6 display color

The months leading to the announcement of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus seemed to drag on and on, but the week following flew by. Within seven short days of reserving my iPhone 6 at my local Apple Store, I had it in my hands. It’s here. And it’s lovely.

Backing up for a second, it’s worth noting that I wasn’t one of those people that was hankering for a new iPhone. I certainly wasn’t desperate for one that was a great deal larger than my iPhone 5. That phone had been with me for two years, day in and day out. It felt like part of the family, and I’ll almost miss it now it’s gone.

It’s gone because I took advantage of my two-year contract’s expiration in order to get a new iPhone. More specifically, a 64GB Space Grey iPhone 6.

This isn’t a review, by the way. It’s a largely incoherent collection of thoughts after a weekend with what will probably be Apple’s best selling iPhone ever. There are plenty of awesome reviews out there if that’s your cup of tea.

So let’s get started with my story.

After picking it up late on Friday night, I was already prepared for being uncertain about the new phone. After all, my hands are comparably sized to those of a small child. I’ve tried larger Android phones in the past and struggled. But this is an iPhone. I’ve got to at least give it a good college try, right?

Oh wow.

And look at it. It’s quite attractive, I’m sure you’ll agree.

The best endorsement I can give the iPhone 6 is to echo what a lot of people have been saying over the past few days: the iPhone 5/5s now feels small. Toy-like perhaps, though that’s being somewhat unfair to a device that just oozes quality. Still, it just feels… insignificant.

The iPhone 6 may be the same size or larger than some of the phones I’ve used in the past, but it honestly feels smaller. I’m going to lay the win squarely at the door of Jony Ive and his team here. Whether it’s the rounded edges or the slight curve towards the edge of the screen that causes it, this phone doesn’t feel 4.7-inches big, even to me. If you’re in possession of hands that fit your body, then you’re golden. The iPhone 6 Plus is a whole different ball game though, and I dare not go near one for fear of looking ridiculous as I fight valiantly to not drop it.

Now yes, I know it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. Most apps are in dire need of an update to take advantage of the new screen resolution, but those will come. And no, I don’t know why the camera sticks out other than Apple being obsessed with making its phones impossibly thin. I’m willing to forgive it though, and anyone who tells you the camera’s unfortunate protrusion is a deal breaker probably needs their head checking. It’s not ideal, but it’s fine. In truth, I’d forgotten all about it until I just started writing this piece.

Oh, and that camera is good. Very good. Much better than my iPhone 5 and the 5s that replaced it at the head of Apple’s product lineup.

When I set out 500 words or so ago, I said this wasn’t a review, and it’s not. What it is though, is an honest account of how I feel after 72-hours of iPhone 6 ownership. So how do I feel?

Well put it this way – remember my trusty iPhone 5, the one that was like a member of the family?

It’s up for adoption.