We walked you through the release event for the iPhone 6, held over a month ago and following that was the consequent consumer release that made the phone available to the general public.  Now that the phone has had a little over a month to circulate the early results are in.  Today  we’re going to walk you through some of the gripes and some of the acclaim the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have received.

Popular Tech Specs and Design

At the forefront of the new iPhone release has been the larger size of the screen and thinner design.  The large screen follows a movement that has been lead by Samsung, with its Galaxy, focusing on presentation, graphics and visibility.  Apple answered with 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch display respectively for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.  Both phones also come equipped with Apple’s signature “Retina HD” display that has been taking the breath away from users and has been the source of much critical acclaim since its release. The glass used to cover the display has also been a point of some minor hype, rumored to be sapphire glass but ended up as “ion-strengthened” glass and sports improved polarization for glare reduction.

The devices have also taken on a much sleeker design, moving away from the style of the previous new releases of the iPhone 5 series, with the 6.9mm 6 and slightly thicker 7.1mm 6 Plus.  They follow the Apple standard with a sleek look but are moving back to a more rounded and ergonomic style that feels good in the hand, differing from the previous 4 and 5 series that were boxier.  The power button is also located on the side of the phone, as opposed to the top, for easier dexterity while performing one-handed operation.

The new models also boast longer battery life which has been a point of contention for Apple users in the past.  According to an AnandTech comprehensive test of the functionality of the new models that included a battery life test, the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6 both ranked in the top five coming in at numbers 2 and 5 respectively.  Both have a single cycle battery life of over a day with the 6 Plus exhibiting up to 2 days of battery without a charge.

The performance reviews have also been a positive for Apple, with acclaim for the smooth iOS 8 operating system, fluidity across any other Apple devices a user may have such as an iPad or Macbook,  and faster Wi-Fi and LTE speeds than the previous iPhone 5 series and leading competitor Android phones.  One of the most exciting new features is, of course,  near-field communications or ApplePay.  This feature allows users to store their credit card information securely on their phone and use their device to conduct transactions in stores equipped with NFC terminals.

For the photographers out there the camera has also been improved with the “Focus Pixels” feature that accompanies the 8 megapixel camera.  The new feature assists with auto-focus and aims to correct problems with blur and lighting that may have been lacking in previous products.  The new models  have also improved on existing features such as the slow-motion camera, higher quality FaceTime resolution, as well as a new rapid-fire function on the forward camera enabling users to take several “selfies” in quick succession.

Not All Rainbows and Balloons

Though the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have new features that have earned critical and user acclaim it’s not all good news for Apple.  You may have seen complaints in the news about the thinner design being problematic.  Apple has received complaints from users about the new phones being so thin that they bend while in users pockets.  Though the internet has rumors swirling about the number of cases for the bent phones, Apple has confirmed only nine cases and replaced the phones of the consumers.  In addition to bending there has even been one case of a man’s phone bursting into flames in his pocket.  Though only a small number of these cases have been confirmed by Apple the media has grabbed hold and the issue has become prominent.

Another issue with the design that is being raised by consumers is the protrusion of the rear camera.  Unlike previous models, the lens for the rear camera is raised on both the 6 and the 6 Plus.  This has caused issues with the smoothness of the back of the phone and lead to fears of scratching the rear camera lens.  Along with the raised rear camera, the new models still only have 8 megapixel cameras which is the same as the previous models.  Some users have been disappointed with the lack of camera improvement with many of the leading smartphone cameras have at least double the amount of megapixels as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Aside from the beef users have had with the new design also comes the common argument associated with any new smartphone release-pricing.  Customers getting the new phones in conjunction with a new wireless plan will see pricing starting at $199 for a 16GB iPhone 6 with a standard 2 year contract with a major wireless provider.  The pricing will increase pending upon the memory and model, with prices for the 6 Plus and higher memory models being more expensive.

Early Standings

We’re still early in the saga of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and these are just some of the results on performance, design, and consumer rating.  Moving forward we’re sure to see further issues and acclaim as the bugs or perks become apparent through persistent usage.  Overall the feel seems to be positive but like any other smartphone or new tech release, the new Apple releases are not without their drawbacks.