Bigger isn’t always better. Bigger things generally occupies more space, requires larger power sources, or may become difficult to handle. So it stands to reason why I felt some trepidation when smartphones first began hitting that +4.5 inch display size. Looking back, those earlier devices were noticeably thicker, wider, and heavier. Nonetheless, the thought of carrying around a phone large enough that essentially could be classified as a tablet still seemed a bit to much. It’s not to say that I don’t understand the reasoning behind them because I do. Battery life. Battery technology hasn’t changed in the past ten plus years. Leaving smartphone manufacturers with no other alternative but to build larger devices which has led us to where we are today.
Super sized phones like the 5.1 inch Samsung Galaxy S5, the 5.5 inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus, the 6 inch Nokia Lumia 1520, the 6 inch Motorola Nexus 6 and countless others bordering on the verge of being a tablet. These enormous devices makes it impossible to hold and operate one-handed by the average sized human being; let alone comfortably fit one into a standard pant pocket. Surprisingly, though, sales have still continued to climb year over year since their introduction.
So what could possibly compel me to embrace such a device? Well, for starters I’m not totally convinced about the idea yet. But as I told my buddy Jerry over Twitter when the iPhone 6 Plus was released, it’s go big or go home. It’s hard to pass up a product that has specific features and functions you’re looking for. Taking that into account switching to the 6 Plus will make for a good experiment to see if I use the device any differently than looking at it as just another upgrade.
The 6 Plus, looks like it offers users a good balance between phone and tablet functionality thanks to iOS 8. What Apple’s latest version of iOS brings to the 6 Plus that it doesn’t to the 6, are two features that were previously reserved only for the iPad but not in such a way that you forget it is still a phone first. The first is the landscape view that now extends to the home screen and the dual-pane view in Mail, Notes, Settings and other builtin applications. The latter is also available to third-party developers to incorporate into their own applications to make them even more functional. A very good and logical move that I hope developers implement over the next few months.
For my purposes this should make using the iPhone even more enjoyable because it brings it more in line with how I use my iPad. In doing so it may also allow me to reduce the amount of times I need to carry it. This is a key point, especially when it comes to work, when there are times it’s just not feasible to do so.
Battery life is another key point. Although, I’ve never had any battery life issues with previous iPhones there are times when I have to work a 16-hour or more day with no access to a power outlet. That extra battery life can be a godsend especially when those extra hours come unexpectedly. As far as personal use goes there isn’t much difference in my usage habits so basically the same points apply. Over the following month I’ll determine not only whether the 6 Plus is right for me but whether it is really worth the trade-offs.
Wyatt's Tech Corner 