Apple iPhone 6s: Key Features and Upgrades Explained

iPhone 6s

Product Overview

The iPhone 6s is a smartphone designed and manufactured by Apple Inc., unveiled on September 9, 2015, and released on September 25, 2015, as the successor to the iPhone 6. It retained the iPhone 6’s iconic design but introduced transformative hardware upgrades, including the 3D Touch pressure-sensitive display, the powerful A9 chip, and an enhanced 12 MP iSight camera. The device also marked the debut of the rose gold color option, expanding Apple’s consumer appeal, and delivered improved performance, camera capabilities, and interactive functionality that solidified its position as a flagship model in Apple’s smartphone lineup.

Key Hardware Specifications

Component	Details
Display	4.7-inch Retina HD display; 1334×750 resolution (326 ppi); LED-backlit IPS LCD; 3D Touch (pressure-sensitive input); oleophobic coating; 500 cd/m² max brightness
Processor	Apple A9 chip (64-bit dual-core ARMv8 architecture; 1.85 GHz); 2x faster CPU and 3x faster GPU than iPhone 6’s A8 chip; manufactured on 14nm/16nm dual-process nodes
Motion Coprocessor	Apple M9 motion coprocessor (integrated into A9 chip); supports always-on “Hey Siri” voice activation
Memory & Storage	2GB LPDDR4 RAM; storage options: 16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB (non-expandable flash storage)
Camera System	Rear Camera: 12 MP iSight camera; 1.22 µm pixels; f/2.2 aperture; phase-detection autofocus (PDAF); True Tone dual-LED flash; 4K video recording (30 fps); 1080p HD video (60 fps); slow-motion video (120 fps at 1080p, 240 fps at 720p)Front Camera: 5 MP FaceTime HD camera; f/2.2 aperture; Retina Flash (screen acts as flash for selfies); 720p video recording (30 fps)
Biometric Security	Touch ID 2.0 fingerprint sensor (faster recognition than iPhone 5s/6); encrypted data storage in Secure Enclave
Battery	Non-removable lithium-ion battery (1715 mAh); up to 14 hours of talk time (3G); up to 10 days of standby time
Connectivity	GSM/CDMA/LTE (4G Cat. 6, up to 300 Mbps download); Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz/5 GHz); Bluetooth 4.2; NFC (for Apple Pay); GPS/GLONASS/Beidou; 3.5 mm headphone jack
Operating System	Initially shipped with iOS 9; upgradable to iOS 15 (final supported version, released in 2021)
Form Factor & Design	7000-series aluminum unibody (more durable than iPhone 6’s 6000-series); dimensions: 138.3 × 67.1 × 7.1 mm; weight: 143 g; color options: Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold (new addition)
Sensors	3D Touch pressure sensor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, barometer, digital compass

Core Innovations & Key Features

1. 3D Touch: Pressure-Sensitive Interactive Display

The iPhone 6s introduced 3D Touch, a groundbreaking display technology that detects varying levels of pressure to enable new interaction modes:

Peek: Lightly press an app icon, email, or link to preview content without opening it (e.g., preview a text message or webpage snippet).
Pop: Press harder to fully open the previewed content.
Quick Actions: Press app icons on the home screen to access context-specific shortcuts (e.g., “Take Photo” or “Record Video” for the Camera app, “Send Message” for Contacts).
3D Touch was integrated into system apps and supported by third-party developers, adding a new dimension to mobile user interfaces.

2. Apple A9 Chip & M9 Motion Coprocessor

The A9 chip delivered a 70% faster CPU and 90% faster GPU compared to the iPhone 6’s A8 chip, enabling smoother multitasking, more immersive gaming, and faster app launches.
The M9 motion coprocessor was integrated directly into the A9 chip (vs. a separate chip in previous models), reducing power consumption and enabling always-on “Hey Siri”—users could activate Siri with voice commands without pressing a button, even when the device was locked.
The dual-process node manufacturing (14nm from Samsung, 16nm from TSMC) ensured efficient power usage, balancing performance and battery life.

3. Enhanced Camera System

The 12 MP rear camera was a significant upgrade from the iPhone 6’s 8 MP sensor, doubling the resolution and enabling 4K video recording for the first time on an iPhone.
Phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) reduced focus time to just 0.1 seconds, making it ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects.
The front camera was upgraded to 5 MP with a wider f/2.2 aperture, and the Retina Flash used the display’s high brightness to illuminate selfies in low-light conditions (brighter and more natural than traditional LED flash).
Slow-motion video capabilities were expanded to 240 fps at 720p, allowing for ultra-slow-motion cinematic clips.

4. Durable Design & New Color Option

The iPhone 6s used a stronger 7000-series aluminum alloy (same material as Apple Watch bands), addressing the “bendgate” issues that affected some iPhone 6 units.
The introduction of Rose Gold became a cultural phenomenon, driving strong consumer demand and setting a trend for smartphone color options in the following years.

5. iOS 9 Software Experience

Shipped with iOS 9, which focused on performance optimizations, battery life improvements, and new features like:
- Split View & Slide Over: Multitasking features for iPad, adapted for iPhone with Slide Over (access secondary apps without leaving the current one).
- Notes App Overhaul: Added rich media support (photos, sketches, checklists).
- Proactive Assistant: Anticipated user needs (e.g., suggested apps, calendar events, navigation) based on context.
The iPhone 6s received 6 major iOS updates (from iOS 9 to iOS 15), supporting the device for 6 years—a testament to its hardware longevity.

Market Impact & Legacy

The iPhone 6s and its larger counterpart (iPhone 6s Plus) sold over 13 million units in the first weekend of release, setting a new Apple sales record at the time.
3D Touch pioneered pressure-sensitive mobile interaction, inspiring competitors to develop similar technologies (e.g., Huawei’s Force Touch, Samsung’s Pressure Sensitivity).
The 12 MP camera and 4K video support elevated iPhone photography standards, making it a viable alternative to entry-level digital cameras for casual users.
The device’s long software support cycle (6 years) established a new benchmark for smartphone longevity, a feature now emphasized by Apple for all its flagship models.
The iPhone 6s is widely considered one of Apple’s most reliable and beloved models, with many units remaining in use for years after its discontinuation due to its balanced performance and durable design.

Discontinuation & Post-Support Status

The final iOS update for the iPhone 6s was iOS 15.7.9 (released in July 2023), ending security patch support. While it can still run basic apps, newer applications requiring iOS 16 or later are incompatible.

Apple officially discontinued the iPhone 6s in September 2018, replacing it with the iPhone XR and iPhone XS series.