Reflecting on the iPhone 6s

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When a new iPhone is coming out, I always spend some time using my old iPhone without the case. It’s dangerous, I know, one drop could shatter the screen, meaning I’d be out hundreds of dollars when I try to trade it in to Gazelle or Apple, but it’s something I have to do. I want to really get to know the device one more time, before I give it up. This is the phone that got me countless dates through OKCupid and Tinder, the phone that I used to talk to the girls I loved this year, the phone that connected me to my friends. It’s where I followed election results, then tweeted angrily about the electoral college undermining democracy, and a new president undermining American freedoms. I’ve written blog posts, even portions of books on this phone. It’s the phone were I found the apartment I hope to move into in a few weeks. And, also in a few weeks, I’m going to wipe this phone clean of any of that, deleting those memories from its storage permanently, and ship it off to a recycling facility, where it will be dismantled and either sold for parts or cleaned up, sold as refurbished, and enter the home of someone else, to become an integral part of their life, as it once was a part of mine. Really, I just want to give myself one last chance to get to know this phone, remember what it was like, before I give it up. Because the truth is, despite everything I’ve been through with this phone, I kind of hate it. 

Yes, it’s true, I’m a sentimental person. I miss things, places, and people when I move on. For example, I look back fondly on my first job working in a video store (yes, I’m that old). However, I also don’t have trouble moving on, for example, I try not to look back at all on my second job, which was at a Target (I try not to, but the nightmares keep coming). When it comes to iPhones, I miss the way the iPhone 4 looked, how it felt in your hand, but I don’t miss it’s tiny screen (fun fact: if the iPhone 4 had a bezelless display, it would be just under 5 inches, about the screen size of the iPhone 8). I miss the fact that the iPhone 5 was easy to hold, though I never liked the mismatched glass and aluminum on the back very much (which Google took to an extreme that actually looks good with the Pixel). The iPhone 6s, however, will be largely forgettable. 

My first experience with the design of the iPhone 6s was actually with the iPhone 6. I got a silver iPhone 6. I loved the look for a little while, but grew to hate the white faceplate. Perhaps that’s why I wasn’t emotionally devastated when it got water damage. and I replaced it with the iPhone 6s. The iPhone 6s cost me nearly $1,000, as I was upgrading out of contract and couldn’t trade the iPhone 6 in for more than $50, thanks to the damage. The iPhone 6s and I were off on a bad foot. I was already used to the screen size from the iPhone 6, which I like, especially with Reachability, which allowed me to use it one handed comfortably (the iPhone X will not have this, something I’m very displeased about). I got to switch back to a black faceplate, which I find looks much better, and isn’t as distracting. The camera was slightly improved over the iPhone 6, but it wasn’t a vast improvement, and it was a bit faster. It’s biggest claim to fame was 2GB of memory, which allowed it to run iOS without crashing, something the iPhone 6 struggled with. 3D Touch is still pretty great, but unfortunately, it’s still underused, years after introduction. That was about it. Largely, I didn’t notice a difference. The best improvement over the iPhone 6, the most lasting and memberable, is the fact that it was more water resistant. Apple didn’t advertise this, but it survived a few drinks being spilled on it without issue. 

However, when it comes to the problems I’ve had with this phone, the list is longer. In fact, a budget Android phone once made me consider switching, as the iPhone had become so stale and disappointing. Using the iPhone 6s without the case reminded me that Apple’s strange obsession with camera bulges means it can’t sit flat on a table. It rocks back and forth when poked. The iPhone X will make this worse. Furthermore, Apple had a strange obsession with curved edges and smooth aluminum, which was just matte enough to be incredibly slippery. The rounded edges meant it was like a bar of soap. The phone somehow always feels uncomfortable in the hand, as though it’s alive and trying to escape your grasp. I’ve heard the Jet Black iPhone 7 was easier to grip, and that the glass back of the iPhone 8 does the same, providing additional grip and weight on the back, making it stay put in your hand more easily. The double panes of glass may convince people to buy cases for their smartphones anyway, however, as repairs could cost hundreds of dollars. Besides the form factor, the battery in my iPhone 6s had to be replaced for dying any time the phone was around 50% power. Even after this was replaced, battery life remained abysmal, made far worse by iOS 11. iOS 11, by the way, is buggy on the iPhone 6s, often causing apps to freeze. My battery can’t last a whole day of use, in fact, it’s often down below 40% by the time I get to the office in the morning. This is also, in part, due to how difficult it is now to turn off WiFi since iOS 11 made the control center toggle useless. I’m charging my iPhone 6s right now, simply because I know I’m going out tonight, and I know it can’t last very long. I’m also taking a small battery pack with me, for just this reason. Bringing a battery pack in my purse has become as vital as packing my wallet, keys, and lip balm. 

So no, I won’t miss my iPhone 6s. I won’t miss its slippery frame, large top and bottom bezels, ugly antenna lines, abysmal battery life, or sluggish speed on iOS 11. I will, however, miss the headphone jack dearly.