Friday 23 January 2015

Why I took the iPhone 6 plus back (and why I’ll consider the next iPhone!)

I’ve been using an iPhone 5s and Nokia 1520 as my two main devices (with an android tablet). It works very well as a combination but the 5s is only 16gb and there are ongoing issues with apps on Windows Phone (specifically poor MS office functionality compared to iOS, reduced functionality with Wunderlist on the WP version, issues with Audible, a better range of apps on iOS and android, some apps I use that are only on iOS and could do with a larger screen…).

I tried several larger android devices but none of them hit the spot (including the Note 4, where the positioning of the capacitive buttons continue to disappoint me). The HTC m8 and Sony z3 are the best for my needs of the android devices I considered. However, when I thought about it, having the iPhone 6 plus as my larger device and something like the Sony z4 compact seemed like the ideal choice. Touchid is a winning feature for my needs (as well as apps I use that aren’t on android). So, I parted with my cash and got the iPhone 6 plus. 

The iPhone 6 plus is a beautiful bit of hardware. Using it for a few days I found it more enjoyable as a phablet than the Note 4 which I had ahad for a few days. Reading ebooks was a pleasure and audio and the camera were great. However, I missed the larger size and character of my Nokia 1520 and realised that I also missed the size of the iPhone 5s, which is great for quick, one handed use; helped by its size, touchid, the swipe up settings panel (including torch), the swipe down notifications with pedometer etc, and its low weight (112g).

So, after a few days I decided that I preferred using my Nokia 1520 and iPhone 5s rather than just using the iPhone 6 plus.  It’s a bit too big from one perspective and a bit too small from another perspective (as are most 5.5” phones for me).

I took the iphone 6 plus to the store. Not the slightest hassle with returning it for a refund. Polite, helpful etc (unlike some experiences I’ve had with other manufacturers and outlets!). 

For now, I’m happy with what I have: iPhone 5s and Nokia 1520. I’ll wait to see what the Sony z4’s are like (Compact, standard and ultra). The feature that would help sway me most would be a much improved audio quality (rather than carrying a dedicated audio player around). And some of the issues with WP might be ironed out over time.

The other phones I’ll look at will be the LG gflex 2 (I had the first 6” gflex and it was a pleasure to hold and use- the curve made it a lot more comfortable to hold than many smaller phones). But most likely, if the Sony z4’s don't  hit the spot then the 5s will be replaced (when it goes to my wife) by the iPhone 6s.

Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have and to try out a large number of smartphones: windows mobile, Symbian, Android (lots!), iOS, blackberry, Windows Phone…It got me thinking about the enjoyment and longevity of the various devices I’ve had. And looking back, I’ve never been disappointed by an Apple product that I’ve had. They’ve more than done the job I needed, been a pleasure to use and lasted the longest, by a very long way. I’ve enjoyed several android devices (HTC One and LG G Flex standing out especially) and with Windows Phone the one device that has stood out head and shoulders above the rest for me is the Nokia 1520- which also has a lot more character than various android and iOS devices I’ve used. 

If I just based my decision on my next smartphone on reliability, ability to do the job and longevity then the obvious candidate is another iPhone.