MacRumors

One of the brand new features for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus is Live Photos, which captures an additional 3 seconds of video around a still image and plays it through when a user 3D Touches the photo. We went hands on with the new feature and experimented with it.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

To use Live Photos, a user just has to take a normal photo when the "live" icon in the upper center of the screen is lit up. The iPhone automatically captures 1.5 seconds of video before and after the photo and stitches it all together. Because Live Photos combines video and still images, the new format takes up double the space a regular photo would.

While reviewers were largely positive on Live Photos, first impressions from users haven't been as kind. MacRumors forum member kungxpao said that he turned the feature off after a few test shots. However, some users see potential in the feature, like fellow forum member Conan86.

Live Photo is a great feature when you create them intentionally. I hope Apple would allow us to remove accidental "live" portions of a photo as I probably wouldn't hold 3 seconds to take a photo every single time.

Only the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus can create Live Photos, but they are viewable on all iOS 9 devices and Macs running OS X El Capitan. Eventually, Live Photos will also be shareable on social media services like Facebook and Instagram.

Related Forum: iPhone

With the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, one well-known hardware feature got a substantial upgrade: Touch ID. Apple improved the Touch ID sensor, allowing it to recognize fingerprints faster than it could previously. We went hands-on with the brand new iPhone 6s Plus and compared its improved Touch ID sensor to the one in the iPhone 6 Plus.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

The 6s Plus' Touch ID unlocks the phone almost instantaneously, taking a user straight to their Home Screen when they rest their finger on it. Comparatively, the speed of the 6 Plus' Touch ID makes it seem like a two-step feature, first waking up the display and then taking a user to the Home Screen.

On first impression, some users think the new Touch ID is too fast, however. Reddit user MasterofLuiz notes that it's so fast it affects how he usually uses his phone.

I can't even click the home button to check the clock without it automatically unlocking the phone. It's crazy

MacRumors forum member mykaluk has attempted to best the speed of the new Touch ID, attempting to tap the Home Button so quickly that it doesn't read his fingerprint. However, he notes that the Touch ID is able to read the fingerprint every time.

Be sure to check out the iPhone forum to join the discussion about the two new phones and their new features, or visit the iPhone accessories forum to see how the new cases look on the new devices, or whether existing cases fit the new devices. If you'd like to find out which apps take advantage of 3D Touch, make sure to check out the iOS Apps forum.

Related Forum: iPhone

Luxury modified iPhone manufacturer Feld & Volk and French fashion boutique Colette are partnering on new devices based on Apple's iPhone 6s, launching the new products on the same day Apple begins shipping out its latest devices.

Feld & Volk previously partnered with Colette to show off some of the Russian firm's modified iPhone 6 designs, and Apple itself worked with Colette for the first public preview of the Apple Watch nearly a year ago.

feld_iphone_6s_carbon

iPhone 6s Double Carbon Limited Edition

The new two new iPhone 6s models from Feld & Volk and Colette include a customized limited-edition Double Carbon version and a Dark Graphite version from Feld & Volk's WOOD collection. The company uses premium materials such as carbon fiber, titanium, and wood to build custom rear shells with lighted Apple logos for the various iPhone models, with prices starting at several thousand dollars.

feld_iphone_6s_wood

iPhone 6s WOOD Graphite

Deliveries of the two new iPhone 6s models begin on September 30, and additional iPhone 6s-based models will be coming soon from Feld & Volk.

Related Forum: iPhone

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with WaterField Designs to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Bolt Briefcase for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro. For those unfamiliar with WaterField Designs, it's a small San Francisco-based company that specializes in high-quality bags and sleeves for Apple devices.

The Bolt Briefcase comes in Small, Medium, and Large, to fit up to a 17-inch laptop, and it comes in six different color combinations in either ballistic nylon or waxed canvas, both of which feature leather accents and splash-proof zippers. Ballistic is more professional and lighter in weight, while the waxed canvas is more casual and will become better looking as it ages.

boltbriefcase
The Briefcase has a padded laptop compartment to keep a notebook safe from drops and damage, along with two deep interior pockets for holding things like hard drives and power supplies, and a bunch of exterior pockets.

There are two quick access pockets at the front for things that are used frequently, like a smartphone or earphones. Above that, there's a zippered iPad-sized pocket that can hold a tablet or paper documents, and at the back, there's a pocket to allow it to fit over a suitcase handle and another to hold newspapers or magazines.

boltbriefcase1
WaterField's Bolt Briefcase can be purchased from the company's website for $249 for the Small (13-inch laptops), $259 for the Medium (15-inch laptops), and $279 for the Large (17-inch laptops).

We're giving one of the Bolt Briefcases designed for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro to one lucky reader, with the winner picking the color and material. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize.

You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter.

The contest will run from today (September 25) at 1:15 p.m. Pacific Time through 1:15 p.m. Pacific Time on October 2. The winner will be chosen randomly on October 2 and will be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen. The prize will be shipped to the winner for free.

Earlier this month, Tim Cook sat down for an interview with Stephen Colbert, where discussion turned to Aaron Sorkin's upcoming "Steve Jobs" film and Alex Gibney's "Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine" documentary.

Though Cook has not seen either film, he called Jobs an "amazing human being" and suggested he hated the movies being made about Jobs. "I think a lot of people are trying to be opportunistic and I hate this," he said. "It's not a great part of our world."


Aaron Sorkin gave a scathing response to Tim Cook's comment in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter calling out Apple's Chinese factories and telling the interviewer that he and other top executives on the project had taken pay cuts to get the film made.

"Nobody did this movie to get rich," he said. "Secondly, Tim Cook should really see the movie before he decides what it is."

"Third, if you've got a factory full of children in China assembling phones for 17 cents an hour you've got a lot of nerve calling someone else opportunistic."

Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs film, which stars Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs and Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, is set to premiere next month. It's already been screened at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, where it received rave reviews and led to buzz about a possible Oscar nomination for Fassbender's performance.

The movie is based on Walter Isaacson's best-selling biography and follows Jobs at three product launches, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the way Steve Jobs interacted with friends, colleagues, and family, including his daughter Lisa. In the past, Tim Cook has said the biography was a "tremendous disservice" to the Steve that he knew because it focused on "small parts of his personality." "The person I read about there is somebody I would never have wanted to work with over all this time," he said.

Apple launched its iPhone Upgrade Program today in the U.S., enabling customers to purchase the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus with AppleCare+ coverage included for 24 equal payments of between around $30 and $45 per month depending on the model. After at least 12 monthly payments, the customer can upgrade to a new iPhone and restart the 24-month payment cycle.

apple iphone upgrade program
Apple stipulates that the iPhone Upgrade Program is available to qualified customers only with a valid U.S. personal credit card, since the program is based on a 24-month installment loan with a 0% APR from Citizens Bank. For customers with good credit, most did not expect this requirement to be an issue. But, as launch day unfolds, some customers have had frustrating experiences.

MacRumors user onujpt writes that he was declined from the program, despite having good credit and an Apple Barclaycard with a $4,000 available balance, in the iPhone Upgrade Program Experience Thread in our discussion forums. Many other users shared similar experiences in the thread.

Signed up for a reservation. Got there. Front of the line quickly. Got the phone and began the checkout process and notified them I wanted to do the iPhone Upgrade Program.

I have a 724 credit score, a Barclaycard through Apple, and a $4,000 available balance on that card with a combined household income of over $80,000.

I was declined. At first everyone was getting declined. Then some started to work. Mine didn't. They attempted 3 or 4 times with absolutely no luck.

It immediately added a hard inquiry to my credit score. Although we attempted four times, for now it appears that it only hit my credit score once.

I'm beyond upset and will anxiously be awaiting my letter from the bank to find out why I was declined. I personally believe it was a system communication error. And that maybe I was approved but the system just didn't show it. I'm tempted to go back and try again tomorrow just to see if it was a launch-day-8-am issue or not.

MacRumors user inkyoto echoed similar frustration in his thread Nightmarish Experience With Apple Upgrade Program in our discussion forums, noting that he was denied approval for the iPhone Upgrade Program with both Chase and Bank of America credit cards despite having "flawless credit."

Chase call #1 — Chase said they didn't even receive an authorization for the purchase, but put on a high spending note anyway. Tried it again, no dice - same error message.

Trying another card — Okay, trying another credit card, this time from Bank of America. Went through the entire process again. Same error message.

Chase call #2 — This rep has no idea what is going on and is confused about why I'm financing a purchase on my credit card. Tells me to contact Citizens One (the bank financing the iPhone upgrade program) because the error isn't on their side – they aren't even seeing an authorization.

Citizens One — Rep says I have 3 tries per card before I have to wait 30 days. Says that their financing limit is $4000 so as long as I'm under that, and my credit can accommodate the next 3 months of payments, it should go through. Tells me to contact Apple. Gives me a phone number for Apple Financing that goes to "not in service". Nice.

Trying again — Decided to give it another shot with my Bank of America card so we could get another look at the error message. This time it changed. Now it says "Customer ineligible for Apple Offers."

Apple — Enter the twilight zone. Apple rep has no idea what is going on. When I ask to be transferred to whoever is responsible for Apple financing, they say it's the person in the store. Oh yeah, brilliant! I ask again to be transferred and they say they don't have anyone to transfer me to and that I need to contact Citizens One about why it's not going through.

It is possible that iPhone Upgrade Program approvals have been experiencing problems due to the high volume of traffic today in Apple Stores, but in the meantime some customers with good credit may be forced to pay upfront or walk away empty handed. Alternatively, some customers may opt for a carrier financing plan from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or T-Mobile.

Enrolling in the iPhone Upgrade Program requires visiting an Apple Store. Apple states you must be at least 18 years old and bring your current iPhone, a valid personal credit card, your personal information and two forms of identification and your carrier information, such as your wireless account password. The full terms and conditions are posted on Apple's website.

Related Forum: iPhone

We're well into the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch day, which means people all over the world are receiving their devices either via delivery or from Apple retail locations. On the MacRumors forums, customers who have an iPhone in hand have started sharing their first impressions of the device, giving us a look at release reactions from the general public.

We're highlighting some interesting tidbits and thoughts on the iPhones below, and we'll link to a number of forum threads that are well worth checking out.

iphone6sbox

Image via SmoveAL01

Initial reactions from customers receiving their devices are similar to the thoughts we saw in the first reviews. Customers are liking the new flagship feature, 3D Touch, and say Touch ID is a whole lot faster than it was on the iPhone 6. Some even think it's too fast. From MacRumors forum member Conan86:

Touch ID is so fast that just tapping the Home Button to access shortcuts such as the Control Center or Swipe up for Camera would just unlock the device.

On the slight size increase, MacRumors readers feel that it's definitely a noticeable change, with the iPhone 6s Plus and the iPhone 6s feeling heavier. With the addition of 3D Touch, the weight of the two devices jumped to 143 grams (iPhone 6s) and 192 grams (iPhone 6s Plus), up from 129 grams and 172 grams, respectively, in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

iphone6s

Image via tgwaste

A lot of new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus owners are unimpressed with Live Photos, and several have called the feature a "gimmick." The new always on "Hey Siri" feature works great according to AppleRobert, PedCrossing says the Taptic Engine "feels fantastic" and "makes much less noise," and JD2015 says the iPhone 6s Plus is "noticeably faster" than the iPhone 6 Plus. From forum member yep-sure:

Live Photos are a terrible gimmick. I just don't understand the point. If you want a photo, you take a photo, if you want video, you shoot some video. All recent iPhones do this very well. Live Photo looks like a great high quality image, then it goes to a lower quality, choppy/low frame rate video for a few seconds. This is a feature that I would turn off immediately/never use.

In a thread on the Rose Gold iPhone 6s, readers are sharing their thoughts on the new color. Most people think the Rose Gold iPhone is less pink than they expected.

rosegoldiphone

Image via Bako-MacAddict

Of course, there's still debate over its color, with reader asleep calling saying "It's 'no doubt about it' pink in daylight." From forum member Nazifur:

I don't know what all these people were talking about earlier.
The rose gold colour is veryyy nice.

It's definitely not that light pink pink... it has a copper look when you hold it in certain angle.

Over all it's diffidently a mix of gold and pink which looks awesome.

New iPhone owners are also discussing which existing iPhone 6s and 6s Plus cases fit the new thicker, taller devices. The iPhone 6 Plus Silicone case fits the iPhone 6s Plus "perfectly," and the Leather iPhone 6 case fits the iPhone 6s. Westcoastcyc helpfully points out that Best Buy has relabeled most cases as suitable for the iPhone 6 and 6s, so most cases will fit both devices despite the small size difference.

iphone6splusseidio

iPhone 6s Plus in a Seidio Surface Case via Wangta

A full list of the threads cited above is included below, along with some additional threads that include interesting information on the two new devices.

- iPhone 6s and 6s Plus First Impressions - Share Your Photos
- Rose Gold iPhone 6s and 6s Plus Impressions
- iPhone 6s Plus - First Thoughts
- Will Old iPhone Cases Fit the iPhone 6s/6s Plus?
- Cases for the Rose Gold iPhone 6s
- Full Price AT&T Phone Comes Unlocked
- Tim Cook Visits Georgetown Apple Store for iPhone 6s Launch
- iPhone 6s Yellow Tint?
- iPhone 6s and 6s Plus Dock Impressions

Make sure to check out the iPhone Forum to join in on the discussion about the two new iPhones, or visit the iPhone Accessories Forum for advice on which cases might look best with the new devices and which existing cases fit. For apps that take advantage of the new 3D Touch feature, make sure to check out the iOS Apps Forum.

Related Forum: iPhone

As customers begin receiving the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus around the world, the smartphones have quickly been subjected to unboxings, drop tests, teardowns, bend tests and camera comparisons. The latest is a speed test between the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6 Plus that confirms the former is faster than its predecessor.

A9-iPhone6s
YouTube channel Mad Matt TV tested the speed of the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6 Plus side by side based on opening apps and loading websites in Safari on each device at the same time. The results show the iPhone 6s Plus is faster than the iPhone 6 Plus, but the difference was minimal for most tasks and equal for others.


iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are powered by a 64-bit Apple A9 chip and embedded M9 motion coprocessor that deliver up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to 90% faster graphics compared to the A8 chip inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The new iPhones also have 2GB of RAM, compared to 1GB for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

While this video provides an early speed comparison between the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 6 Plus, more in-depth testing should provide more conclusive results. Geekbench processor benchmarks show the iPhone 6s has approximately 1.5x to 1.6x faster single-core and multi-core performance over the iPhone 6.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are now available at Apple Stores and authorized resellers.

Related Forum: iPhone

iPad-Pro-Smart-KeyboardMicrosoft will require an Office 365 subscription to use Office apps on an iPad Pro, reports Ars Technica. The reason is that the tablet's 12.9-inch screen size exceeds Microsoft's 10.1-inch threshold for free access to viewing and editing features.

Comparatively, the Office suite of apps on the iPad Air and iPad mini allow viewing and editing documents for free, since their screen sizes are 9.7" and 7.9" respectively. iPhones also have access to viewing and editing features at no cost.

The Office apps on the current iPads offer both viewing and editing documents for free. A handful of features require Office 365 subscriptions, available as in-app purchases, but the core editing capabilities are all zero cost.

Install those same apps on the iPad Pro once it arrives in November, however, and all those editing features will go away. Office on the iPad Pro will require an Office 365 subscription for any and all editing.

Office 365 Home costs $99.99 per year, or $9.99 per month, and includes access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access on 5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 smartphones. Up to five subscribers also get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage and 60 Skype minutes of calling per month to mobile phones and landlines.

Office 365 Personal is also available for $69.99 per year, or $6.99 per month, and includes access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access on 1 PC or Mac, 1 tablet and 1 smartphone. One subscriber also gets 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage and 60 Skype minutes of calling per month to mobile phones and landlines.

iPad Pro launches in November starting at $799 in the United States.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

BlackBerry AndroidBlackBerry today confirmed that the company will be making an Android-based smartphone, with a launch date aimed for the end of 2015, even as it reported a greater-than-expected annual loss (via Re/code).

The company reported that its latest quarterly loss was 13 cents per share on revenue of approximately $490 million, with analysts expecting 9 cents per share loss on revenue reaching closer to $600 million. Still, BlackBerry believes that its new handset, called the Priv, will boost its quarterly earnings as it heads into 2016.

“We are focused on making faster progress to achieve profitability in our handset business,” Chen said. The company also announced plans earlier this month to acquire rival Good Technology for $425 million. “From these initiatives, we anticipate modest sequential revenue growth in each of the remaining quarters of fiscal 2016.”

Confirming a previous rumor from June, the smartphone will have a slide-out keyboard and will combine "the best of BlackBerry security and productivity" with Android's robust mobile platform applications, according to BlackBerry CEO John Chen. The company confirmed Priv will launch by the end of 2015, and that the BlackBerry 10 OS will still be supported, getting a software update around March.

Chen also mentioned that he has been aware of the company's steady decline, and that he'll stay in the business as long as there's money to be made. “If I can’t make money on the phone, I will be out of that telephone handset business,” Chen said. “There is a timeline; I won’t tell you when.” BlackBerry hopes Priv will fill a niche in the smartphone market with a device that can work as an enterprise-ready work machine, but be fueled by Android's "expansive mobile application ecosystem."

(Image: evleaks)

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus launch day has officially arrived in the United States and Canada as Apple Stores in eastern cities such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington D.C. have now opened at 8:00 am local time. The launch will continue westward across the U.S. and Canada over the next three hours.

Apple Stores will now begin fulfilling in-store reservations for the new iPhones and accepting walk-in purchases from the long queues that have formed at some locations. UPS and FedEx will also be making pre-order deliveries generally between the hours of 9:00 am and 8:00 pm to residential addresses.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus first arrived in New Zealand last night, and the new devices were quickly subjected to an early unboxing, drop test, teardown, bend test and camera comparison. The devices have now launched in all first wave countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the U.K.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple has updated its regional websites for Belgium, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg and Poland to announce the Apple Watch will be available on October 9.

apple-watch-trio-new
Belgium, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg and Poland will be part of the sixth Apple Watch launch wave:

  • April 24: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, U.K. and U.S.
  • June 26: Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan
  • July 17: The Netherlands, Sweden and Thailand
  • July 31: New Zealand, Russia and Turkey
  • September 25: Austria, Denmark and Ireland
  • October 9: Belgium, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg and Poland

Apple Watch sales have also expanded to dozens of Apple Premium Resellers this month.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Last year, the iPhone 6 Plus had one camera feature the iPhone 6 did not: optical image stabilization for photos, which automatically adjusts the camera sensor to make up for any shakiness the camera may endure. With the iPhone 6s Plus, Apple has added optical image stabilization for video as well as still images. Tonight, Giga Tech has uploaded a new video that shows off the 6s Plus' optical image stabilization versus the iPhone 6s.


While the iPhone 6s doesn't have optical image stabilization, it does have digital image stabilization, which is the camera's software accounting for any shakiness. Giga Tech notes that digital image stabilization works well when the iPhone 6s is shooting in Full HD 1920x1080, but that it's not as effective when shooting in 4K, as shown in the video.

The video, which takes place in an old, abandoned airplane, offers a striking comparison of the two device's video capabilities. While the iPhone 6s footage looks fine on its own, the contrast to the smoother iPhone 6s Plus footage makes its shakiness seem more pronounced.

Related Forum: iPhone

Adobe today released new versions of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, its lower-cost photo and video editing software aimed at consumers. In this year's update, both Photoshop Elements 14 and Premiere Elements 14 have gained several new features and refinements to existing tools, making it easier than ever to use Adobe's software for improving photos and videos.

Photoshop Elements 14, Adobe's image editing software, has gained tools for removing camera shake and for removing haze. Adobe first introduced haze removing tools with its 2015 Creative Cloud update, and has now brought that capability to Photoshop Elements 14. While the haze removal tool is useful for improving the look of outdoor shots, it can also be used to clean up old photos and improve the lighting in backlit shots.

elementshazereduction
Adobe's shake removing tool introduces auto shake reduction. It's able to analyze a photo and fix it to remove blur caused by camera movement, with tools for fine tuning the final look of the image.

elementscamerashake
In addition to these two new tools, Adobe has also included new capabilities for several existing features. Guided Edits, the built-in tutorial tool in Photoshop Elements has been updated with new options that walk customers through adding motion blur and resizing photos to specific frame sizes. Guided Edits also include new before and after effects to make it clearer what each one does.

There are enhanced auto correct tools that provide five correction options after subject, color, composition, and lighting for each image have been analyzed, and there are much improved tools for selecting fine details in like hair and pet fur in a photo.

elementsautoanalyze
Facial recognition capabilities have been improved and faces are now recognized faster and more accurately, and there's a map that shows where photos with GPS included were taken.

Premiere Elements 14, Adobe's video editing software, now includes support for importing and editing 4K video from a range of different cameras, which is this year's biggest addition. As with Photoshop Elements 14, Premiere Elements 14 has gained improved Guided Edits for adding dramatic effects to videos.

elementsguidededitspremiere
Audio enhancement tools have been moved front and center in the app, making them more accessible, and motion titles have also been improved. It's easier to manage video clips with improved organizational tools and better facial recognition to sort by people, place, and event, and both photos and videos with GPS information embedded will be displayed on a map.

Both Photoshop Elements 14 and Premiere Elements 14 for Mac and Windows can be purchased from Adobe's website for $99.99 each. Bundles are available for $149.99, and existing users can upgrade for $79.99 for one product for $119 for the bundle.

iFixit is in the process of taking apart the brand new iPhone 6s. While the internals aren't arranged too differently from the iPhone 6, there are some major visual differences worth noting. These include the new Taptic Engine, a smaller battery and the 3D Touch display.

iphone6steardownr
The most instantly recognizable difference is the smaller battery. While Apple's 3D Touch video previously confirmed that the iPhone 6s would carry a 1715 mAh batter, which is smaller than the iPhone 6's 1810 mAh battery, iFixit's teardown provides further confirmation.

Another major visual difference comes in the presence of the new Taptic Engine, which takes up a large amount of space below the battery and is likely to account for the smaller size of the iPhone 6s' battery. iFixit blasted the Taptic Engine with x-rays, providing a peek into the oscillating mechanism under the aluminum shell.

tapticenginexrayrThe new 3D Touch display weighs 60 grams, making it 15 grams heavier than the iPhone 6's display. Much of the weight comes from the additional capacitive sensors Apple installed into the display backlight. Additional changes to the display include a reduction in cables and a slightly different LCD plate design. Other than that, iFixit notes the 3D Touch display and previous displays "seem pretty similar".

iFixit's iPhone 6s teardown is ongoing and this post will be updated if significant discoveries are made.

Related Forum: iPhone

Last year, iPhone 6 Plus users began noticing that their phones were bent after carrying the devices in their pockets for a few days. The issue, known as "BendGate", became widespread after a video test revealed that it didn't take much pressure for the 6 Plus to bend near the volume buttons. Apple strengthened the weaker points of the 6s Plus and added a new, stronger 7000 series aluminum to the device. Today, YouTube channel FoneFox subjected the iPhone 6s Plus to a bend test to see if Apple's improvements help.


In the video, the phone is given the same bend test it was given a year ago. FoneFox's Christian simply wraps his hands around the device and attempts to bend it in the middle. While the phone starts to bend under more and more pressure it snaps back to its normal shape once the test is over. Christian notes that he can feel his thumb sink into the back of the device, but that the phone doesn't stay bent.

FoneFox then adds a second person to the test, getting each person to pull one side of the phone. In this situation, the iPhone 6s Plus does bend. However, FoneFox notes that the pressure exerted with two people is unlikely to occur in situations where the phone is in a user's pocket.

For comparison, the iPhone 6 Plus bent in just a couple seconds in the original bend test video, available to watch below.

Related Forum: iPhone

It's September 25 in Australia, which means the first customers who pre-ordered the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are now beginning to receive their shipments or are getting home from purchasing one at an Apple Store. Australians and those who went to Australia to receive their phones have now taken to YouTube to show off the device in unboxing videos, drop tests and more.


YouTube user Lachlan Likes A Thing unboxes a Rose Gold iPhone 6. The video was a part of Lachlan's live stream of iPhone 6s coverage, and features him answering questions from his viewers. He also shows off the standard in-box iPhone accessories, which include the EarPods, wall charger and Lightning cable. Lachlan also unboxes a pink iPhone 6s silicone case, showing off what the phone looks like in the case.


YouTube channel TechSmartt got their hands on both the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus and subjected them to drop tests on a marble floor. The drop tests occur at three levels: from pocket height, from around 6 feet and from around 10 feet. Both phones hold up well, with host Keaton Keller noting the new 7000 series aluminum only suffered minor scratches. However, the iPhone 6s had its display shatter when it landed display down. The iPhone 6s Plus, which also fell on its display, did not shatter.


Franz Pirkl, another YouTube user, unboxed his Space Gray iPhone 6s and then proceeded to do a video teardown of the device. While the video doesn't provide in-depth explanation of the insides of the new device, it does provide a look inside the device as well as individual parts like the new Taptic Engine.


Update: TechSmartt also conducted a water test with the iPhone 6s Plus, pitting it against the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Both phones are placed in water to see how long they last, with Keller noting the 6s Plus lasts far longer than the previous iPhone.

Related Forum: iPhone

Netflix today announced that it's adding the ability for users to subscribe to the video streaming service within its iPhone and iPad apps. The announcement was made in a new ad featuring two characters from Netflix show Orange is the New Black who discover and talk to Siri.


Like Hulu, Netflix is opting to not raise its subscription price for in-app subscribers to make up for the App Store's 30/70 revenue split, with Apple getting 30 percent and developers getting 70. Other streaming services, like Spotify, pass the loss onto subscribers, raising the price for their service within the app.

However, it was reported in June that Apple was considering changing the 30/70 revenue split to benefit streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Instead, Apple would discuss new commercial terms with media companies. On Apple TV, Apple is offering a more generous revenue split, with the Cupertino company taking 15 percent of revenue generated from HBO Now and other Apple TV apps.

Netflix is a universal app that's available in the App Store for free. [Direct Link]