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iPhone 6s: The 6 most exciting new features hitting Apple’s next iPhone

Published Jul 10th, 2015 9:55AM EDT
iPhone 6s Specs
Image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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Apple’s next-generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are set to be released later this year. While the handsets are expected to look very similar to their predecessors, we all know that Apple’s “S” updates are all about huge internal upgrades and big performance improvements.

While nothing is certain until Apple introduces its new iPhones on stage this coming fall, history has taught us that there are some sources who can definitely be trusted to dish all the details about Apple’s unreleased iPhones with near-perfect accuracy.

With that in mind, let’s run through the six best and most exciting new features we can expect to see on Apple’s upcoming new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

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Some analysts are pretty good when it comes to digging up details on unreleased Apple products, and some are just terrible at it. Most of them, however, just rehash reports issued by one man in particular: Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.

He’s practically always right.

Kuo’s track record speaks for itself, and he has issued a number of reports on the next-generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. We’ve covered them all here on BGR, but now it’s time to round up the six top features Kuo says we can expect to see on Apple’s next iPhones.

Force Touch

Like Apple’s new Apple Watch, the next-generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will reportedly support Force Touch. This great new technology, which we can expect to see Apple’s rivals rip off in the near future, allows mobile devices to register different amounts of pressure and respond appropriately.

On the Apple Watch, for example, tapping normally on a notification will open the appropriate app, while pressing and holding firmly on the notification panel will give you an option to dismiss all notifications.

We’re not sure exactly how Apple will implement Force Touch in the iPhone 6s or where it will work in the software, but it will definitely add a nifty new dimension of control.

Camera improvements

Apple doesn’t mess around with megapixels very often, choosing instead to focus on improving its camera components and camera software. You can’t argue with results, and the camera on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is easily among the best in the business.

With the iPhone 6s, however, Apple is finally increasing its megapixel count.

Kuo says the next-gen iPhone camera will be a 12-megapixel unit. But far more important is the claim that overall quality will be vastly improved, possibly approaching DSLR levels.

We’ll have to see it to believe it, but we’re definitely excited.

A9

This is a no-brainer: Apple’s next iPhone will be powered by an all-new Apple A9 processor. Details are still coming in, but it’s expected to use a 14nm process and it will feature new architecture. Expect big performance improvements will even less power consumption.

2GB of RAM

Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus only pack 1GB of RAM each, and they still manage to outperform the competition where it counts — and by a sizable margin, no less. Upping the RAM to 2GB is going to have a huge impact, especially considering the new faster RAM chips that are now hitting mobile phones.

You can expect to see some serious performance improvements in this year’s iPhones.

Stronger aluminum

So long, Bendgate. Apple’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will reportedly be constructed from stronger 7000 series aluminum, making them more sturdy than ever. It’s the same aluminum Apple uses in its entry-level Apple Watches, and it’s definitely stronger than the aluminum used in Apple’s iPhone 6 housings.

Battery life

By all accounts, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus won’t include significantly larger batteries than the current-generation models. But thanks to the new A9 processor, optimizations in iOS 9, more efficient components and iOS’s new low power mode, you can expect to see a decent improvement where battery life is concerned.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.