2015 Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus rumor round-up: specs, features, price and release date

In
2014, Apple made the biggest upgrade to its iPhone lineup: it finally
introduced a larger iPhone, and not just one, but two models, the iPhone
6 and iPhone 6 Plus.



This year, in 2015, we don’t expect another
major redesign. Instead, rumors agree that Apple will stick to its
tradition of focusing on internal hardware and software updates in the
second year after it introduces a new design.



Now, the first
rumors have started coming in from reputable sources, and it’s time to
round up the picture around the 2015 Apple iPhones: the iPhone 6s and
iPhone 6s Plus, as most analyst expects them to be called.

More capable, 12-megapixel camera, and maybe, 4K video (finally?)

Apple
first featured an 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 4s back in 2011, and
since then all iPhones have used 8-megapixel sensors with slight
variances in the size of the sensor itself. At the same time rivals like
Samsung, HTC and Sony have started using 16- and 20-megapixel main
cameras, which theoretically are capable of capturing more detail in
daylight but come with reduced pixels that make it harder to capture
great low-light images.



In 2015, it seems that it is time for
Apple to also make the jump to a higher-res camera, and rumors agree
that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will focus on the camera
experience with a brand new, 12-megapixel camera sensor.



A
12-megapixel sensor would also allow Apple to enable 4K video recording,
something that is not possible on an 8-megapixel camera.



We have
seen various rumors about this particular upgrade, including wild
theories about clip-on lenses introduced by Apple, and even a
mirror-like system that would allow using the rear camera also for
selfies, but so far, these seem like a far stretch. Having a
12-megapixel camera with some new shooting options and 4K video
recording, however, do seem possible and very likely.

Force Touch

Apple
first introduced Force Touch with the Apple Watch. A feature that
allows the device to know the difference between a slight tap and a
longer, more forceful touch on the display, this feat is already
available on the Apple wearable, and now rumors point out that it’s
coming to the new, 2015 edition of the iPhone.

We
find this rumor very credible for two reasons: it comes from various
sources, with reputable ones like KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo among
them, and it fits well in a tradition of synergies for Apple that we've
seen with the iPad mini design being adopted by others, as well as in
other occasions.



So far, though, it’s hard to say how will Force
Touch work on the iPhone. Also, having both a slight tap and ‘force
touch’ is not all that intuitive, and will take some getting used to.
Such a solution is also not a transparent one in many cases: what would
happen if you force touch in the Music app? what if you do the same in
the Photos application? and what about other places? We’re curious to
see how and if Apple implements Force Touch in the iPhone 6s.

Apple A9 expected to make the jump to 14nm, and - finally - an iPhone is coming with 2GB of RAM

Apple
has remained a leader in terms of benchmark performance (especially on
the CPU side) with the Apple A8 chip it introduced with the iPhone 6,
and the 2015 edition of the iPhone is practically certain to get the new
Apple A9.



Fine details about the Apple A9 chip are still under a
veil of secrecy, but there are some transitions that are very likely to
happen. First, we do expect the Apple A9 to be built by Samsung and not
TSMC due to the more advanced manufacturing that’s already available at
Samsung fabs. Apple chose TSMC as its supplier for the 20nm Apple A8,
and this year, Bloomberg has reported that it will make the jump to 14nm
with the Apple A9 with Samsung being the manufacturer.

Cross-section of Samsung's 14nm FinFETs in Exynos 7420, image courtesy of Chipworks

Most
importantly, this will also be a move from a planar design to FinFET
for the transistors in the chip. This is important as, at current
miniature nodes, planar architectures are affected by power leakage
issues due to the gate in planar architectures having a reduced control
over the source-drain channel, while FinFETs have their gate wrapping
around the channel (rather than just laying on top of the channel) and
are thus capable of keeping tighter electrostatic control over the
channel. And while Samsung is at its first generation of FinFETs, while
Intel is alread at the second one, it’s nonetheless remarkable how a
cheap mobile SoC will be edging closer to the expensive Intel chips,
using the same advanced technological process.

Speaking in
performance terms, we do expect this switch to a new node and
architecture to yield some substantial gains in performance. Last year,
Apple stated that the A8 brings 25% more CPU performance and 50% more
graphics performance while drawing only 50% of the power compared to the
Apple A7, and we’re curious to see what the numbers will be this year.

Improved design: sturdier, 7000 series aluminum, and a rose gold option

The
iPhone 6 Plus was widely accused of being prone to bending, even under
lighter pressure, and this bend-gate was quite the hot topic around the
launch of the phone late in 2014. Apple seems determined to put all
chances of such deformation occurring even under slight pressure to
rest, as rumors say that rather than using 6000 series aluminum, the
2015 generations of the iPhone might come with a sturdier 7000-series
aluminum alloy. If this change does indeed happen, it’s not certain
whether Apple will advertize the new material all that much - given all
the controversy around the issue - but this new alloy does seem like a
credible possibility.



Interestingly, rumors also speculate that
Apple is working on adding a fourth, ‘rose gold’ color option for
iPhones along with the current gold, space grey, and silver models.

A concept for a rose-gold iPhone

View As One Page »

Apple iOS 9: the big launch for Beats

One thing that seems
practically certain is that the new iPhones will run on iOS 9. Apple
hasn’t skipped a year since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007,
introducing new versions of iOS every year. This year, we expect to see
iOS 9 at WWDC 2015 on June 8th, and while the feature list for the new
version of the platform is not official yet, the big highlight is
expected to be the re-introduction of the Beats music subscription
service.



Apple seems to have built a lot of momentum in the music
industry, and with names like Taylor Swift and others leading what
looks like an open war with Spotify, the new Beats Music subscription
service could snatch some high-profile exclusive artists. So far,
expectations are that all-you-can-eat music with Beats will cost $10 a
month, just like Spotify.

Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus price and release date

Finally,
the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are not likely to surprise us when it
comes to their price and release date. Apple keeps a steady yearly
cadence with its iPhone announcement, and if this year is part of that
repetitive pattern, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus announcement should happen
on Tuesday, September 8th with a release date on Friday, September
18th.



The prices will also likely be unchanged at $200 for the iPhone 6s and $300 for the iPhone 6s Plus on a two-year contract.

What do you want to see in the next iPhones and are you happy with the rumored changes? Let us know in the comments below.

Purposely Bending an iPhone Doesn't Mean Bendgate Is Real, It Means You're an Assh*le

Opinion

Bendgate just won't go away. A week after reports of iPhone 6 Plus devices being a little too flexible went viral, the durability of Apple's biggest smartphone is still a growing topic of conversation.

For its part, Apple says that it's very rare for an iPhone 6 Plus to warp or bend, and the company even went so far as to open up its testing lab to some members of the press. Consumer Reports' own lab tests also refuted Bendgate — at least when pressure is applied in the center of the phone and not focused exclusively on the seam near the buttons.

See also: The Apple iPhone 6 Plus 'BendGate' Is Already Out of Control

Still, as we've said before, with enough pressure and effort, anything that is metal can bend. As a result, we're now seeing a disturbing phenomenon of individuals going into Apple or carrier stores with the express purpose of bending an iPhone 6 Plus.

Business Insider even republished a first-person account of one man's decision to purposefully break a store model iPhone 6 Plus.

To me, this is where Bendgate stops being a humorous aside and turns into pure vandalism.

Going into a store and purposely bending a phone doesn't show that there is a problem with the design, it just shows that you are an assh*le.

Going into a store and purposely bending a phone doesn't show that there is a problem with the design, it just shows that you are an assh*le.

If the first-person account wasn't enough, now it's time for first-person video accounts of Apple Store bend tests. On Monday, two teenagers in London published a YouTube video of their own adventure at an Apple Store, gleefully breaking a phone for the laughs. After the video (above) gained about 80,000 YouTube views and the possible attention of the police, one of the teenagers posted his own YouTube response, vowing not to break any more phones.

Let's be clear, these videos and accounts — just like the first viral video — are hardly indicative of a design problem. Again, we're talking about people purposely trying to break or bend a device.

It would be like me going to Kate Spade and intentionally trying to rip the seams on a dress, just to prove that the stitching wasn't that strong.

To be clear, if more reports surface of phones bending under normal wear and tear, then perhaps that is a reason to revisit the design decision, especially in the area with the button cut-outs. But this is just going too far.

Stop intentionally breaking phones for YouTube views.

Can't Go Back Now: Apple Stops Supporting iOS 7

With every new iOS update, there are bugs and glitches. Oh man, were there ever glitches with iOS 8. For a brief time, if you knew how, you could go back to the sane stability of iOS 7. Not anymore—Apple stopped signing iOS 7.1.2 on Friday afternoon.

This, of course, was bound to happen. Apple likes to nudge its users along to the latest OS as quickly as possible, and for the most part that's a good idea: The newest software has the newest security patches, even if you're running an older device that can't take advantage of all the new
software's bells and whistles.

But with iOS 8.0.1 breaking users' phones to the point where they couldn't make calls, and iOS 8.0 seriously bogging down some older hardware, it was nice to have an escape route back to iOS 7, even if it was a convoluted one.

No such luck any more. If you've got iOS 8, you're there for life—or at least until the next update rolls out. [AppleInsider via CultOfMac]

Our iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus battery life tests are done, both trail the competition

Both trail the competition

For most Apple fans, the iPhone, irrespective of the generation, is above
reproach. And in our experience, this is justified for a very big part.
But the latest iPhones, including the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus,
have a very specific and undeniable weakness when compared with what
competitors offer, and that weakness is battery life.

As usual, we
put the two aforementioned iPhones though our custom battery life test,
which attempts to estimate how long the average person will be able to
use a given device if he doesn't put it down at all. With that in mind,
the iPhone 6 battery life score of 5 hours and 22 minutes is
underwhelming, especially if you consider competitors from the Android
camp -- the Samsung Galaxy S5, for example, clocks in at 7 hours and 38
minutes, while the new Sony Xperia Z3 managed the whopping 9 hours 29
minutes. Both of these have larger-capacity batteries, but aren't as
thin as the iPhone 6 -- though that's one trade-off that not all would
agree with.

Looking at the iPhone 6 Plus battery life results,
things are better -- it scored 6 hours and 32 minutes, which is
actually better than competing 5.5-inchers like the LG G3 (6 hours 14
minutes) and Oppo Find 7a (6 hours 6 minutes), but still trails a number
of flagship Android devices from the last year or so. Still, the
significantly larger physical footprint of the iPhone 6 Plus has
obviously allowed for a more generous battery, and this shows. Check out
the results below.

Battery life

We measure battery life by running a custom web-script, designed to replicate the power consumption of typical real-life usage.

More worrying evidence of the iPhone 6 Plus' fragility: see it easily getting bent on video

Several hours ago, we told you that a few iPhone 6 Plus owners discovered that their devices had suffered slight deformation
from normal usage (i.e., just sitting inside a front pocket). Are these
isolated cases, or is Apple’s new and huge iPhone a bit too fragile?
Well, it seems that the latter is - unfortunately - the case.

The
guys from YouTube channel Unbox Therapy tested just how much pressure
the iPhone 6 Plus can take - using bare hands. As you’ll see in the
video below, the device can be quite easily bent. Unlike LG’s G Flex, which is literally flexible,
the iPhone 6 Plus obviously can’t regain its initial shape by itself.
Sure enough, no sane person will try to bend his or her phone
(regardless of its maker) like that. Still, this represents worrying
evidence that the iPhone 6 Plus isn’t as solid as it should have been.

As
you may know, the iPhone 6 Plus is made out of aluminum, and is Apple’s
largest smartphone ever, measuring 6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches (158.1 x
77.8 x 7.1 mm). It’s also Apple’s heaviest iPhone: 6.07 ounces (172
grams).

We’re looking forward to seeing what Apple has to say
about this problem - which has the potential to bother many current (or
future) iPhone 6 Plus users.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: specs comparison

The
unthinkable has finally become a reality - Apple answered to its main
rivals and unveiled an iPhone behemoth, which sports a 5.5-inch display -
the Apple iPhone 6 Plus.
This directly pits it against some of the larger smartphones Android
can throw at it. Apple's arguably biggest rival, Samsung, unveiled its
newest additions to the Galaxy Note series of devices just a few days
ago, at IFA 2014:  the Galaxy Note 4 powerhouse and the innovative Galaxy Note Edge,
which waves "Goodbye!" at the side bezels (well, at least at one of
these). These are not on the shelves just yet, but once they are being
sold, they'll undoubtedly clash against the Apple iPhone 6 Plus.



We've
often dreamt of being able to eliminate the size aspect and compare an
iPhone and a Samsung-made device. Thanks to Cupertino's first try at a
phone with a large, 5.5-inch display, we're finally able to do so and
make an almost perfect comparison between such devices. The Galaxy Note 4, with its 5.7" Quad HD display, and its curious Note Edge variation, with a 5.6-inch display in tow, are nothing but the fiercest rivals the largest iPhone ever might encounter.



That
said, let's not waste any more time and pit the three beasts against
one another and see which one's the clear winner in terms of raw
hardware power. Well, we'll have to wait for an in-depth comparison, but
currently we can compare these rivals at least on paper. Check the
specs sheets below and share your thoughts in the comments section.

6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches

158 x 77.7 x 7.1 mm

6.07 oz (172 g)

Apple iPhone 6 Plus

6.04 x 3.09 x 0.33 inches

153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm

6.21 oz (176 g)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

5.96 x 3.24 x 0.33 inches

151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm

6.14 oz (174 g)

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

To see the phones in real size or compare them with other models, visit our Visual Phone Size Comparison page.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Apple iPhone 6 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Design
OS	iOS (8.x)	Android (4.4)	Android (4.4)
Dimensions	6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches (158 x 77.7 x 7.1 mm)	6.04 x 3.09 x 0.33 inches (153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm)	5.96 x 3.24 x 0.33 inches (151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm)
Weight	6.07 oz (172 g) the average is 4.9 oz (139 g)	6.21 oz (176 g) the average is 4.9 oz (139 g)	6.14 oz (174 g) the average is 4.9 oz (139 g)
Body material	Aluminium
Design features		Stylus	Stylus

Display
Physical size	5.5 inches	5.7 inches	5.6 inches
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels	1440 x 2560 pixels	1440 x 2560 pixels
Pixel density	401 ppi	515 ppi	525 ppi
Technology	IPS LCD	Super AMOLED	Super AMOLED
Colors	16 777 216	16 777 216	16 777 216

Camera
Camera	8 megapixels	16 megapixels	16 megapixels
Flash	Dual LED	LED	LED
Aperture size	F2.2
Camcorder	1920x1080 (1080p HD) (60 fps), 1280x720 (720p HD) (240 fps)	3840x2160 (4K) (30 fps), 1920x1080 (1080p HD) (60 fps)	3840x2160 (4K), 1920x1080 (1080p HD)
Recording format	MPEG4, H.264, Motion JPG	MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV	MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV
Features	Continuous autofocus, Picture-taking during video recording, Video calling	Optical image stabilization, Continuous autofocus, Picture-taking during video recording	Optical image stabilization, Continuous autofocus
Front-facing camera	1.2 megapixels	3.7 megapixels	3.7 megapixels
Video capture	1280x720 (720p HD)

Hardware
System chip	Apple A8	Exynos 5433	Qualcomm Snapdragon
Processor	64-bit	8-core, 1900 MHz, ARM Cortex-A57 and ARM Cortex-A53	Quad core, 2700 MHz
Graphics processor	Yes	ARM Mali-T760	Yes
System memory		3072 MB RAM	3072 MB RAM
Built-in storage	128 GB	32 GB	64 GB
Storage expansion		microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC	microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC

Battery
Stand-by time	16.0 days (384 hours) the average is 21 days (493 h)
Talk time (3G)	24.00 hours the average is 15 h (909 min)
Music playback	80.00 hours
Video playback	14.00 hours
Capacity	2915 mAh	3220 mAh	3000 mAh
Type		Li - Ion	Li - Ion

Technology
	800, 1700/2100, 1900 MHz
GSM	850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz	850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz	850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
UMTS	850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz	850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
FDD LTE	700 (band 13), 700 (band 17), 700 (band 28), 800 (band 18), 800 (band 19), 800 (band 20), 850 (band 5), 850 (band 26), 900 (band 8), 1700/2100 (band 4), 1800 (band 3), 1900 (band 2), 1900 (band 25), 2100 (band 1), 2600 (band 7) MHz	800 (band 20), 850 (band 5), 900 (band 8), 1800 (band 3), 2100 (band 1), 2600 (band 7) MHz
Data	LTE Cat 4 (150/50 Mbit/s), HSPA (unspecified), HSUPA, EDGE, GPRS, EV-DO Rev.A, EV-DO Rev.B	LTE-A Cat 6 (300/50 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA, EDGE, GPRS	LTE-A Cat 6 (300/50 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS

Availability
Scheduled release	19 Sep 2014	10 Oct 2014	October 2014

Shopping information
MSRP price	$ 949

Apple iPhone 6 Plus

How to Upgrade to the Latest iPhone for Free

Upgrading to the newest iPhone hardware means shelling out $200-$400 on
contract. If you want to upgrade but don't have the cash, here's how to
sell your old iPhone to cover the cost of the new one and then some.

Blast from the past
is a weekly feature at Lifehacker in which we revive old, but still
relevant, posts for your reading and hacking pleasure. This week, in the
wake of Apple's iPhone 6 announcement, we're showing you how to upgrade
without spending a lot of cash.

Why It Works

There's no magic trick here. This is a guide to selling your existing
iPhone to cover the cost of a newer model, if not more—something I've
done with almost every iPhone release with great results.


The main reason you're able to earn your money back from the sale of a
year-old iPhone is because you're selling it without a contract. Buying a
new iPhone without a contract would cost upwards of $500, so it's easy
to sell your used device for the price you initially paid given that the
buyer gets that added bonus—easy as long as you've taken proper steps
ahead of time, that is.


That means
this only works if a) you're on contract and b) you're
eligible for an upgrade. That means you may not be able to upgrade for
free every year if you're on a 2-year contract, but you could do it
every two years.


The short version: keep it in good shape and sell it at the right time.
Beyond that, there are a lot of things you have to do to make sure your
iPhone retains its value for the time you'll have it. In this little
guide we'll take a look at the entire process, from when to buy your
iPhone to the final sale.

When to Buy

If you were buying a used iPhone from someone you've never met, off of
Craigslist or the like, wouldn't you want some sort of guarantee that
it's not going to break the next day? Because you're just a person
selling your phone online, you can't really offer a proper warranty, and
if you sell more than a year after you bought the phone, your iPhone
warranty will have expired. Because the iPhone 4S was released on
October 14th, Apple's provided you with a little extra time to sell
yours before the one year warranty expires. This is great news if you're
not encumbered by a contract.




So what are your options? If you have an older device (i.e. the iPhone
4) that's out of warranty because you didn't buy AppleCare, you
basically have two options. You can try to sell without the warranty,
which may work just fine or, during the price any negotiations you can
offer to split the cost of a third-party warranty (our favorite is
SquareTrade). If you've created your own extended warranty fund
you can use some of that money to cover the added cost of your new
iPhone in the event it doesn't sell for the exact amount you need. While
being out of warranty doesn't put you in an ideal situation, one way or
the other you should be able to earn enough to cover the cost of a new
one nonetheless. You probably won't be able to sell your 16GB iPhone 4S
for a 64GB iPhone 5, trading up for an equivalent model shouldn't be a
problem.


If you're still under warranty, you're in much better shape. Don't
worry if it's about to expire—even offering a few weeks is plenty. While
that's not much time for an actual warranty, it essentially gives your
buyer two important things: peace of mind that if it breaks the next day
they can get it fixed for free, and the ability to purchase an extended
warranty themselves. That added benefit goes a long way and comes at no
cost to you.

Proper Care for Your Phone

iPhones sell, in part, because of their looks. Whether or not you were
lured in by aesthetics, you should maintain your iPhone's appealing
looks or it won't sell as easily. If you get a small, mostly
unnoticeable nick or two you'll be okay. What you want to watch out for
are scratches and other ugly blemishes. And, of course, you don't want
to drop it and shatter the screen. Let's talk about how best to keep it
safe.

The Case and Protective Film Combo

Buying a case—really
anything from a slim, feather case to something bulky and
rubberized—goes a long way when paired with protective film. This is
generally the option I choose because it's cheap (around $20-25, total,
if you look in the right places) and doesn't require much work. You just
snap on the case and adhere the protective film. Protective film comes
with the added benefit of matte/anti-glare options, too. Films often
cause dust and air bubbles during application, but most packs come with
two so you can use one for practice. Alternatively, a Kioky perfect fit applicator
simplifies the process and, if possible, consider coercing an Apple
Store employee to help you with the application. They have more practice
and a repair room in the back of the store (meaning a location with
less dust to get under the film).


If you do decide to go the case-and-film route, a little maintenance is
necessary. Dust somehow finds its way into your tightly sealed case and
the phone moves around a bit (even if it doesn't seem like it), causing
minor scratches to occur. Rubberized cases minimize this. Plastic cases
don't—especially the snap-on, thin-framed "feather" types. The easy
fix: monthly or bi-monthly, take the case off and clean it and the back
of the phone. Any dust spray will do the trick, but you can just use a
damp paper towel when you're short on supplies. Once clean, put the case
back on and you're good for another month or two.


One last note: the great thing about using protective film is that you
can remove it before selling the phone. When you do, the screen looks
impossibly clean and unblemished, making the iPhone an easy sell.

Full-Body Protection

Full-body protection minimizes damage. The
ZAGG invisibleSHIELD,
for example, covers your entire iPhone in supposedly impenetrable film
making it a good bet for scratch resistance. That said, it's hard to
apply and it's pricier than most protective film you can find online
(since it's generally tougher and definitely more comprehensive). On the
plus side, ZAGG has a lot of mall carts that provide free application
if you buy it from them. While this isn't going to reduce the price,
it'll ensure that you get the film on properly (and without bubbles).
While protective film may set you back an extra $30 or so, you can
always use it as a selling point later. You can also go for a glass one, if you don't like the feel of the plastic ones.

Packaging and Accessories

Apple packaging looks good, and whether or not you care, a lot of
buyers will feel better about their purchase if you keep the box, the
manuals, and especially any Apple stickers. If you want to take it a
little further, include the unopened power adapter, cable, and headset
from your new iPhone with the old model. You can just use the
accessories you already have, and it's yet another step in making your
used iPhone feel like it's brand new. Photo by William Hook.

Don't Forget to Reset!

Chances are you don't want your precious data in the hands of your
buyer, so you have a couple of options. First, you can just do a restore
of your phone by plugging it into you computer, clicking Restore in
iTunes, and then preventing the phone from syncing back up when it's all
done. Alternatively—and this is my preference since it does the same
thing and it's faster—is resetting all your iPhone data directly from
the phone. To do this, go into
Settings on your iPhone, choose Reset, and then tap Reset All Content and Settings. This will fully wipe your phone while still retaining the standard apps (which is great for your buyer for testing purposes).

Making the Sale

Making the sale is easy if your iPhone's in good condition and you
kept all of the accessories. All you really have to do is find a buyer
and make the sale. While you can use sites like eBay to quickly sell
online, you pay a fee.
You could also trade it in,
but you can potentially get more money selling it yourself. I like
Craigslist. It costs you nothing to post and claims no fees for your
sale, plus you get paid in cash. While most sales on Craigslist will
result in less money for you, the iPhone is an exception. For a pristine
iPhone, you can expect to make back more than you paid for it—but don't
expect to get your set price. People on Craigslist like to haggle, so
be sure to set the price about $20-25 higher than what you expect to get
for the phone. Most people will lowball you, but they're often willing
to pay more. Generally people are willing to pay full price but want to
feel like they got a great deal. Price it higher than what you're hoping
to get and then you both get what you want.


When posting the ad, don't make it too long. Many Craigslisters won't
read it even if it's only a few sentences. Include the important
information first: the model of the iPhone, how much storage it has, its
body color, that it's in great condition, and that you're selling it
because you want to upgrade (as opposed to the buyer's imagined
scenario: "there's something wrong with it so they want a new one and
they're going to try to screw me over"). You can cover this information
in 2-3 sentences. Be sure to say thanks and leave your first name. If
you're comfortable providing a phone number, go ahead. If not, you
should still be prepared to handle most communication over the phone if
you find a buyer that you like.


You will have options, so don't be in a rush to sell. Trust me on
this—every time I've sold an old iPhone on Craigslist, I've received at
least five offers in the first few minutes. The last time I sold, I
posted at 2:00 AM and ended up with around 40 inquiries by morning. When
you have a product like this, you're in a good position to pick your
buyer. You want to try and pick someone you think you'll get along with.
It'll be a better experience for both of you, plus they're more likely
to buy from you if they like you. Even buyers you're going to like will
most likely email you with questions you've already answered in the
listing. Even if you find this frustrating, don't let that slip into
your reply. Often buyers did read the listing but want to hear directly
from you to them that your iPhone's in good condition.


The most important thing is that you're honest about the condition of
the phone. If there is any cosmetic damage that you know of, no matter
how minor, tell them. You do not have to include it in the listing but
tell them if they ask. Minor cosmetic damage can be hard to describe or
even photograph, and it's best to just say that. Let them know that you
want to show them. This makes you honest and encourages them to come see
the iPhone in person. When you're communicating over the phone or via
email, the buyer has to use his or her imagination to decide what the
damage looks like. You can be sure that what they imagine is the
worst-case scenario. If they come to look at the phone, it will
undoubtedly look better in person than it did in their head. That is, of
course, if you've been honest with them.


When the actual sale takes place, it's always prudent to count the
money. Don't worry about offending the buyer—they should expect you to
do this. They'd do this themselves if they were in your shoes. There are
nice ways to ask, too. Saying "do you mind if I count it?" allows them
to give you permission—which they always will—so there's no real tension
in that moment. Once you've made the exchange, you're all set. You've
just paid for your iPhone upgrade and maybe even made a little money in
the process.

---

This is just one strategy for one product that's always worked for me.
If you've got any great strategies for getting a good resale price on
your stuff, add to the discussions below!

iPhone 6 unveiling date to be September 9

The much anticipated official introduction of the next generation iPhone is bound to take place on Tuesday, September 9, according to some new information revealed today.

Previously, we were working with the assumption that the grand unveiling would come sometime in mid-September, based on a rumor from last month.

At its big gathering on September 9, Apple is widely expected to announce the incredibly oft-leaked iPhone 6. That said, it's still unclear whether we'll see both sizes of the smartphone getting unveiled then. Some recent mumblings have suggested that Apple could choose to make the bigger, 5.5-inch model official at a later point before the end of the year.

The latest iPhone-related rumor claims that the phablet version of the devicewill get a beefier processor than the smaller, 4.7-inch handset. In any case, both SKUs should feature the Apple A8 chipset, higher-res screens, as well as other small hardware improvements. The jury's still out on whether the much talked about sapphire display will be found in both smartphones, or just one of them.

For what it's worth, Apple has declined to comment on this new report.

Source

Week 35 in review: iPhone 6, Note 4, Nexus X, smartwatches

Two companies unveiled smartwatches this week, while HTC put out its
first 64-bit phone and LG revealed an affordable phablet with a stylus.

Apple iPhone 6 compared to iPhone 5 in live photos

Now we have a better idea of just how that will stack up to the
4-inch iPhone 5 thanks to a handful of live shots out of China. The
rounded sides and thinner design are among the other changes noticed,
but the larger screen diagonal will firmly move into a more modern era
of smartphones...

New iPhone 6 images emerge, September 9 mentioned again

The Apple iPhone 6 rumors are starting to pour in frantically as
the launch event nears. The latest one clings to the September 9
announcement date instead of the September 19 one and complements the
statement with a list of the specs and a ton of pictures of the phone
itself and the retail box...

Official Samsung Galaxy Note 4 wallpaper leaks out

The official Samsung Galaxy Note 4 wallpaper made the rounds
online. The colorful image confirms the QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels)
resolution of the upcoming phablet's display. The original size of the
image is 2560 x 2560 pixels. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will debut at a
global Unpacked event next week, on September 3...

Leaked iPhone 6 manual shows brand new design

The previous iPhone 6 box we saw proved to be fake but here's
something that may be more plausible. What you see here is a small card
that allegedly will come inside the new iPhone boxes – it serves as a
sort of manual for the iPhone. The card shows a diagram of all buttons
on the Apple iPhone 6, including the Power button...

Nexus X specs and Android version confirmed in benchmark

The yet to be revealed Nexus X smartphone made yet another
appearance in AnTuTu. Made by Motorola, the device is expected to debut
at some point this fall with proper flagship specs on board. The leaked
AnTuTu screenshots confirm the device’s previously leaked specs...

Apple iPhone 6 to come with Phosphorus co-processor

Codenamed Phosphorus the M8 co-processor is said to be able to
collect more information than the M7 in the Apple A7 chip currently does
- that is more than the accelerometer, gyrscope and GPS. Phosphorus is
said to be able to gather information from various wearables and
built-in sensors regarding heart rate...

HTC confirms Desire 820 to pack 64-bit Snapdragon 615 chipset

64-bit smartphones are already a reality with the iPhone 5s while
several manufacturers are competing to be the first to bring a 64-bit
Android to market. HTC might claim that title with the mid-range Desire
820. The short text accompanying the second teaser image claims this is
the "world's first octa-core 64-bit phone"...

Two more Samsung Galaxy Note 4 teasers are now out

Samsung released two more Galaxy Note 4 teaser videos. The phablet
is set to debut in less than two weeks, on September 3. The new videos
feature the same “Ready to note?” theme like the previous two, but focus
on long-time Samsung Galaxy Note users. The latter talk about their
life with Samsung’s phablet...

LG G Watch R gets unveiled with round P-OLED display

LG took the wraps off the decidedly premium G Watch R. The Android
Wear device will be showcased at the company’s booth during the upcoming
IFA convention in Berlin. The main feature of the LG G Watch is its
display. As the R letter in the name kindly suggests, the screen is a
1.3" fully circular Plastic OLED display...

Samsung Gear S smartwatch goes official with Tizen and 3G

Samsung officially announced the Gear S smartwatch with 3G
connectivity on board. The Tizen-based wearable device will begin
rolling out in markets around the globe starting in October. Samsung
Gear S features a 2” curved Super AMOLED display with a resolution of
480 x 360 pixels...

Sony Xperia Z3 gets disassembled before its official unveiling

The yet to be revealed Sony Xperia Z3 got fully disassembled before
its official announcement. Sony’s next flagship is going to debut at
the manufacturer’s IFA press conference next week, on September 3. The
upcoming flagship will pack a 3,100mAh battery – down from 3,200mAh in
the Sony Xperia Z2...

LG G3 Stylus goes official with 5.5" display and 13MP camera

LG officially took the wraps off the affordable G3 Stylus ahead of
IFA. The previously leaked, 3G-only smartphone will be showcased at the
company’s booth in Berlin next week. Despite sporting similar name and
design as the company’s flagship, the G3 Stylus is far removed from the
D855 in terms of specs...

HTC Desire 510 goes official with mid-range specs and LTE

HTC announced the Desire 510 smartphone. The newcomer combines
mid-range specs and LTE connectivity. HTC Desire 510 features a Qualcomm
Snapdragon 410 chipset with 1.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Adreno
306 GPU. That's the first 64-bit Snapdragon chipset to make it to an
actual device...

• 
  

- GSMArena.com news

Our annual iPhone trade-in guide, ‘iPhone 6’ release date and more

Summer
doesn’t officially end until Sept. 22 in the northern
hemisphere. Nonetheless, folks in the United States unofficially
celebrate (or mourn) summer’s end on Labor Day, which is Monday, Sept. 1
this year. As any true Apple fan knows, this means that a new
iPhone can’t be far behind.


This year, we expect Apple to unveil its new iPhone lineup on Tuesday, Sept. 9. With this in mind, we’d like to offer our loyal readers some important dates in the coming weeks.


On Thursday, Sept. 4, AppAdvice will publish our
annual iPhone trade-in guide. Here, we’ll highlight the best places to
get some serious cash (or gift cards) for your older handsets, including
the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s. We’ll also be
offering some special promotions just for AppAdvice readers.


Pencil in Wednesday, Sept. 17 as the day Apple
releases iOS 8 to the public — at least for iPhone. A version for iPad
might not happen until October, when Apple’s next-generation tablets are
likely to be announced.


Since 2008, iPhones have been announced and released according to a fairly consistent schedule. Therefore, Friday, Sept. 19 is
the day Apple is most likely to release the “iPhone 6.” The big unknown
is whether Apple will release both the rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch
iPhone 6 models on the same day.

• 2008, iPhone 3G, announced Monday, June 9, released Friday, July 11.
• 2009, iPhone 3GS, announced Monday, June 8, released Friday, June 19.
• 2010, iPhone 4, announced Monday, June 7, released Thursday, June 24.
• 2011, iPhone 4s, announced Tuesday, Oct. 4, available Friday, Oct. 14.
• 2012, iPhone 5, announced Wednesday, Sept. 12, available Friday, Sept. 21.
• 2013, iPhone 5s/5c, announced Tuesday, Sept. 10, available Friday, Sept. 20.

We can’t wait to cover the iPhone announcement and its aftermath. We hope you can join us for all of the big announcements.


For recent iPhone news (and rumors), see: Just in time for iOS 8 and the ‘iPhone 6,’ Verizon will soon be rolling out Voice-over-LTE technology, Verizon ‘retires’ the 32 GB iPhone 5c ahead of Apple’s ‘iPhone 6’ launch, A key analyst sees ‘no impact’ to any ‘iPhone 6′ display shortage.

 -- AppAdvice

Leaked iPhone 6 Guide Appears to Confirm Launch Date, Other Details

Expand
iPhone rumor season is just days away from becoming iPhone reality season, and a new leak from a usually reliable source appears to confirm some basic details.

The French tech blog Nowhere Else just published images of an iPhone 6 Quick Start guide.
The document includes the rumored iPhone 6 name as well as the location
of the sleep/wake button on the righthand side of the device, instead
of the top where it's historically been on the iPhone. The rumored
announcement date of September 9 is also displayed on the screen, which
is consistent with guides from past releases. Aside from the apparently
larger screen, everything else pretty much matches the existing iPhone
design.

It would be easy to write this off as a quick and dirty Photoshop job,
but Nowhere Else has a decent track record. Last year, the blog
published a similar Quick Start guide for the iPhone 5S
just hours before the official announcement. That guide, which
apparently came from the same source as the iPhone 6 guide, correctly
identified the existence and name of the Touch ID home button. It's also
worth noting that that guide looked more complete, whereas this one
appears to be some sort of draft.

So, either way, there's reason to believe that this leak is legit.
We'll have to wait another 15 days (or so) to know for sure. But in the
meantime, you can check out our rumor round up and take a full look at what we're expecting. [nowhereelse.fr]

Apple iPhone 6 compared to iPhone 5 in live photos

The Apple iPhone 6 has undoubtedly had its fair share of leaks. So much so that it's virtually guaranteed that a larger-screen smartphone is finally on its way from Apple. Now we have a better idea of just how that will stack up to the 4-inch iPhone 5 thanks to a handful of live shots out of China.

The rounded sides and thinner design are among the other changes noticed, but the larger screen diagonal will firmly move into a more modern era of smartphones.

One rather odd design choice is the protruding camera lens, which moves away from the previous design that was flusher with the chassis. Hopefully Apple will change this in the final design, as it would undoubtedly make the camera lens easier to scratch.

Rumored production issues aside, the iPhone 6 is slated to get announced next month, in line with Apple device announcements in September. There's also word of an even larger 5.5-inch model slated for a December release.

 - GSMArena.com news

The Long Anticipated Apple iPhone 6 leaked by China Telecom

The Apple iPhone 6 is hardly the best kept secret in the world with rumors about the
upcoming flooding the internet lately. And while we have already accepted the fact that the Cupertino giant’s security measures aren’t what they once were, it’s still interesting to see a high-profile leak
such as this one.

China Telecom, one of the Apple’s largest partners, jumped the gun and announced the iPhone 6 through its official Weibo account. The posthas since been deleted, but the delay was still enough for it to be copied and shared all over the web.

The post gave us a photo of the Apple iPhone 6 in its three color versions, along with a few bits about its cellular specifications. The smartphone will be available unlocked and will support LTE, 3G, CDMA and GSM networks. China Telecom didn’t sell unlocked iPhones until now, so that’s going to be a first for the carrier.

The Apple event that should see the iPhone 6 make its debut is scheduled for September 9 so there’s not long left until we find out all about the upcoming smartphone.

Source | Via - GSMArena.com news