• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026

1

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
TechApple

Why I’m not upgrading to the iPhone 6s Plus

By
Rick Broida
Rick Broida
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Rick Broida
Rick Broida
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 25, 2015, 8:42 AM ET
Photo by Jason Cipriani

Another September, another new iPhone. As a tech writer and unabashed iPhone fan, I’ve upgraded models every time Apple (AAPL) trotted out a new one.

Every time, that is, until this year.

See, about a year ago I ponied up a staggering $849 for the iPhone 6 Plus (with 64GB). The outlay hurt, but I was dying for a bigger screen and eager to free myself from the shackles of the two-year carrier contract. For $849 I would own the iPhone outright, and because it came unlocked, I could take it to whatever carrier was offering the best deal on service.

One year later, I remain a mostly happy iPhone 6 Plus owner. I love the big screen and battery life, love the cameras, and love the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. I don’t love the ridiculous placement of the power button—which is exactly opposite the volume buttons—and sometimes I wish Apple would stop adding to the already bloated iOS, but overall it’s good.

Along comes the iPhone 6s Plus, which would cost me another $849. Here’s a rundown of the new model’s key selling points, and why they’re not worth the upgrade.

Camera

The iPhone 6 Plus already had “the best camera we’ve ever made,” Apple CEO Tim Cook gushed in 2014, but the 6s Plus apparently has an even better one. It’s equipped with a 12-megapixel sensor that can shoot 4K video. Oh, and there’s that Live Photos thing that captures “animated photos,” an utterly pointless feature I suspect most users will try once and then never use.

Like most folks, I have zero need for 4K video, and my current camera does a terrific job.

Faster processor

I roll my eyes every time Apple talks about 2x-faster this and 70%-faster that. I don’t play a ton of games, so I don’t particularly care about GPU performance. And every iPhone I’ve owned in the past several years has seemed plenty fast. Never, ever have I remarked, “gee, this phone is slow” to friends or family.

3D Touch

I’m all for convenience, for faster ways of accomplishing repetitive tasks, but 3D Touch —the Apple Watch-like feature that responds to “light” and “deep” presses of the screen —sounds like work. It literally adds a third dimension to the OS, so instead of just tapping and swiping, now I have to remember which features require a light press and which need more force. Whoops, wrong one. Now I go back? And press again? Wait, which one did I do the first time? I feel like somewhere Steve Jobs is throwing a major tantrum over this.

The 6s Plus also employs something called 7000 Series aluminum—ostensibly to keep the phone from bending if you sit down on it—but I don’t keep my 6 Plus in my back pocket, so I’m good.

Make no mistake: I wouldn’t turn down any of these features. If someone handed me an iPhone 6s Plus free of charge, I’d squeal with nerdy delight. However, there’s no way I’d pay $849 for it, especially considering that a growing number of Android phones—such as the Moto X Pure and OnePlus Two—offer comparable hardware for half the price. There just aren’t enough compelling features in Apple’s new phone to warrant the upgrade.

It’s not worth the upgrade

The deeper argument, the one that undoubtedly keeps Apple, Samsung (SSNLF), and other companies’ execs up at night, is that no one really needs a new phone anymore. We’ve reached a tipping point, where most of us have phones that are fast enough and have large enough screens. That’s why the last few iterations of the iPhone, Galaxy, Moto and the like have delivered only incremental improvements; there’s nowhere left to go.

In fact, the only real reason to upgrade any smartphone is to get a new battery, because after the one-year mark, most rechargeables start to lose some capacity. By the time you hit two years, you’ll be lucky if your battery can give you a full day. Of course, iPhone batteries are famously non-replaceable, though the same is also true of a lot of Android phones. Frankly, that sucks, and anyone seeking to squeeze the maximum value from their smartphone investment should choose a model that has an easily replaced battery.

For now, I’m hanging onto my iPhone 6 Plus and my $849. No doubt there’s an iPhone 7 in the works for next September, and I can only hope that Apple manages something more exciting than a faster processor and better camera.

Find out why writer Jason Cipriani thinks users should upgrade their iPhone.

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

For more about Apple, check out the following Fortune video:

About the Author
By Rick Broida
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Anthropic cofounder and CEO Dario Amodei pictured in profile.
AIAnthropic
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
By Jeremy KahnJune 13, 2026
2 hours ago
Courtney Robinson, head of policy and communications, at Akoya speaks on a panel at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026.
RetailBrainstorm Tech
AI shopping agents are coming. No one is ready for them
By Jeremy KahnJune 12, 2026
6 hours ago
AI can be a ‘secret sauce’ or a way of ‘democratizing mediocrity’—Here’s how business leaders are getting the best of the technology
C-SuiteBrainstorm Tech
AI can be a ‘secret sauce’ or a way of ‘democratizing mediocrity’—Here’s how business leaders are getting the best of the technology
By Amanda GerutJune 12, 2026
6 hours ago
Elon Musk stands behind the Nasdaq opening bell and in front of a "SpaceX" background.
Startups & VentureSpaceX
Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Valor, and the biggest VC winners from SpaceX’s IPO
By Allie GarfinkleJune 12, 2026
10 hours ago
Sven Gerjets, chief technology officer at Gap, speaks on stage on a panel at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026.
Future of WorkBrainstorm Tech
Why companies are treating AI as a strategic partner rather than a passive technology, and how to avoid an ‘AI hangover’
By Sebastian HerreraJune 12, 2026
10 hours ago
Elon Musk stands behind the Nasdaq opening bell and in front of a "SpaceX" background.
Future of WorkElon Musk
Despite his new trillionaire status, Elon Musk says money ‘will stop being relevant’ in the future because of AI
By Sasha RogelbergJune 12, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
Investing
When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
By Jim EdwardsJune 12, 2026
20 hours ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
18 hours ago
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
Success
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
By Catherina GioinoJune 11, 2026
1 day ago
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.