Along with the iPad Pro, Apple also unveiled two new iPhones during its September 9, 2015 event – the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Both look exactly the same as their predecessor but with 3D Touch technology, faster processor, better camera and stronger materials.

Apple is obviously aware of the bending problems with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. That’s why the company emphasized a stronger custom made Aluminum alloy for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. There’s also an Ion-X glass layer protecting the display.

However, the biggest feature of these new iPhones is 3D Touch. It means their screen is now sensitive to pressure. It can be pressed harder for a ‘peek’ of an app’s functions or pressed even harder for more options. It’s basically a ‘right-click for phones’.

3D Touch app icon
A 3D Touch on an app icon lets users “peek” its functions.

The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus now run on a faster Apple A9 chipset. As usual, specific hardware details haven’t been revealed. All we know is it’s a 64-bit processor and an M9 Motion Coprocessor is present too.

Another improved area for the new iPhones is photography. The two come with a 12MP rear camera and 5MP snapper on the front. While there’s no LED flash on the front, the screen can be used instead with up to 3 times its normal brightness.

Photos are automatically turned into short videos. Whenever the user use 3D Touch on the photos, it will then ‘turn to life’.

3D Touch pop
3D Touch on a link “pops” a preview of the website.

Just like previous iPhones, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have improved connectivity such as 4G LTE-Advanced but there’s no word on battery life.

The TouchID finger print sensor is said to be twice as fast while a new color options has been introduced – rose gold.

International pricing starts $199 for the 16GB iPhone 6s while the entry level iPhone 6s Plus costs $299. Local pricing and availability here in the Philippines will be announced soon.

Specs:

  • 5.5-Inch Display (1080 x 1920 Pixels, 401 ppi) – 6s Plus
  • 4.7-Inch Display (750 x 1334 Pixels, 326 ppi) – 6s
  • 3D Touch Pressure Sensitive
  • Ion-X Scratch Resistant Glass
  • Apple A9 64-bit Processor
  • M9 Motion Coprocessor
  • 12.0 Megapixel Autofocus Main Camera with OIS (6s Plus Only) and Two-Tone LED Flash
  • 5.0 Megapixel Front Camera with Retina (Display) Flash
  • 16GB/64GB/128GB Internal Storage
  • Single SIM (Nano)
  • 4G LTE-A, 3G HSPA+, 2G EDGE and GPRS Networks
  • Dual Band Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot
  • NFC Support
  • Bluetooth 4.2 
  • A-GPS with GLONASS
  • Lightning Port
  • 3.5mm Audio Jack
  • TouchID Finger Print Sensor
  • Digital Compass
  • Barometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity Sensor
  • Ambient Light Sensor
  • Li-ion Battery (Non-removable)
  • 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm @ 192 g – 6s Plus
  • 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm @ 143 g – 6s
  • $199 for 16GB iPhone 6s
  • $299 for 64GB iPhone 6s
  • $399 for 128GB iPhone 6s
  • $299 for 16GB iPhone 6s Plus
  • $399 for 64GB iPhone 6s Plus
  • $499 for 128GB iPhone 6s Plus
Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus