Sure, the new iPhone 6s boasts several groundbreaking features, like the 3D Touch and Live Photos, and a new high-definition camera. But aspect of the soon-to-be released device notably missing from the headlines though: its battery.
The iPhone’s battery life isn’t its strongest asset and even though Apple has released advisories on its website trying to help users, their efforts have done little to mitigate the long-held stigma. However, will the iPhone 6s finally break barriers and somehow have a longer battery life than its predecessors? The evidence is pointing to no, but let’s investigate.
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6s Battery
Apple has claimed iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s battery lives are identical: both offer 14 hours of talk time, 10 hours of Internet use, and a standby talk time of 10 days – this is according to a report by ZDnet. Meanwhile, their Plus models offer 24 hours of talk time, 12 hours of Internet use, and a standby talk time up to 16 days.
However, there is one notable change that would say otherwise: the new iPhone sports a smaller battery. In this product demonstration video, you have missed something a bit subtle (if you want to figure it out for yourself don’t read below!):
Pause at 2:51 and you’ll see the iPhone 6s battery size is at 1715 mAh, lower than iPhone 6’s 1810 mAh. There’s a reason why Apple reduced it: the space was allotted to the Taptic Engine, which is responsible for the 3D Touch feature.
Will the smaller battery last longer?
There’s reason to believe the iPhone 6s battery will be a letdown. Even if Apple claims it will be equal to its predecessor, there’s quite a pile of evidence suggesting it will be shorter. Here are the reasons why:
- The iPhone 6s will new features – especially 3D Touch and Live Photos – will drain extra energy.
- The new 12 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. Higher definition pictures and videos means draining more power. Note that the front camera has its own “flash”, which is the screen glowing three times brighter.
- And yes, size matters.
However, there is also proof – and insinuations – which suggest otherwise.
- The 3D Touch feature allows users to perform tasks and navigate around the iPhone 6s quicker and with ease, reducing the number of taps required. This in turn may mean people could be spending fewer minutes on their iPhone, thus making the battery seem to last longer.
- The iOS 9 has a few battery-saving options, like the Low Power mode which can give the iPhone an extra hour, along with sensors which can tell if the iPhone is face down on a surface (yes, it works – even my trusty iPhone 4s doesn’t light up when it’s face down on a table after installing iOS 9) which prevents the screen from lighting up every time it receives a notification.
It seems like Apple is banking on the iOS 9 to mitigate the iPhone 6s’ possible tendency to consume more power than usual. And yes, it could probably work.
Will the iPhone 6s battery disappoint you?
Honestly, I don’t think that the difference with the iPhone 6s battery life will be too impactful. Unless of course if it completely drains away after a 30-minute phone call, there isn’t too much of a cause for concern, as if the case for efficiency is actually true most people aren’t really going to notice the difference.
Remember there are ways to save battery power, like having your own power bank, turning it off when not in use, and by keeping brightness, audio, and other functions at a minimum.
