Why The iPhone 6 Will Be The Device Of The Year

Apple, a technology giant, launched an impressive product back on September 9, pretty much confirming speculations that it would be the new iPhone. Dubbed the iPhone 6 by the media, it introduced significant shifts from its predecessor, the iPhone 5s, which had only seen modest enhancements from the iPhone 5. At the time, it was one of the most crucial device launches from Apple, considering the length of the interval since the company last unwrapped a novel, flagship product.

In typical fashion, the rumor mill had generated reasonably accurate predictions before the launch, picturing the updates that iPhone 6 was about to release. As speculated, a version with a larger 4.7-inch screen came out first, followed by the 5.5-inch model. The 5.5-inch version also saw some constraints in availability or was expected to have delayed delivery.

The value of the big screen for Apple was highly significant. Back then, Samsung had dropped a commercial in an attempt to mock Apple for their delay in delivering a larger display screen. However, this only highlighted the growing preference for larger displays on Apple smartphones, rather than reflecting a readiness among consumers to switch brands for larger screens.

However, the story doesn’t end with just a larger screen. Apple is also believed to have employed a more robust material to ensure better durability of its display. Early assumptions suggested that it might be a sapphire composite, traces of which were found in leaked videos of endurance tests. These tests showcased greater resistance to shattering and scratching, which would provide Apple a notable edge over its competitors, still mostly reliant on Gorilla Glass – a material Apple has been first to introduce but now appears ready to transcend.

In incorporating both the larger display size and superior display durability, Apple responded to two major demands from then existing and potential iPhone consumers. The company also significantly upgraded the camera on its devices, and it was speculated that they might finally incorporate NFC, opening up a broad range of possibilities for mobile payments.

Apple successfully delivered the upgrades that consistently attract both the dedicated customer base and new users, such as better processor power and performance. But, if they also managed to turn some long-held hopes of iPhone enthusiasts into reality, we likely witnessed a launch that surpassed any predecessors. With the launch of iPhone 6, Apple displayed a late-cycle vigor rarely seen before. Any notion that implementing a larger screen onto their primary device would not significantly enhance its prospects was summarily dismissed. Plus, being Apple, they did a whole lot more besides enhancing screen size.

Source: Darrell Etherington /TechCrunch

Minor enhancements were applied in 2025 for readability.