iPhone 6s vs iPhone 7: Should you upgrade or not?

With the upcoming release of the iPhone 7, rumor mills are at top great trying to speculate on what features are likely to be added to the next series of iPhone. Consumers are not left out of this confusion, as they too try to weigh in on whether or not it will be a good decision to upgrade to the new iPhone 7.

However, it would be imprudent to decide to upgrade simply because of the desire to own the new gadget and without checking on the features on the current iPhone 6 vis-a-vis what the new iPhone is likely to offer. In this article, we highlight the major differences in features and functionalities so that you are rightly informed on the need of lack of to upgrade:

Part 1Specs comparison

The major specs for these two iPhones are as follows:

-	iPhone 6s	iPhone 7
Price	$649(16GB),$749(64GB);$849(128GB)	$791(32GB),$911(128GB),1060(256GB)
Baterry	2750 mAh (for Plus)	2910mAh (for Plus)
Display	4.7-inch and 5.5-inch 3D Touch, max res of 1920x1080	4.7-inch and 5.5-inch 3D Touch, but likely with a QHD display of 2560 x 1440 resolution
Design	Aluminum body with antenna bands on back	Relatively same design of the iPhone 6s, though the antenna bands on the back are expected to be shifted up towards the top of the device.
Storage	16GB, 64GB, 128GB	32GB, 128GB, 256GB
CPU	A9	A10
RAM	2GM	3GB
Front camera	5MP	5MP with wide angle lens
Rear camera	12MP, 4K video recording	Dual lens 12MP (for the Plus model), 4K video recording, optical image stabilization.
Ports	headphone jack, Lightning port	NO headphone jack, Lightning port, Smart Connector

It is clear from the specs above that the iPhone 7 comes with additional admirable capabilities as well as some elegance in design such as the powerful processor and the Smart Connectors to replace the headphones jack and the lightning ports. It is also worth noting the difference it the storage capacities of the two phones and the enhanced camera and video recording capabilities of the iPhone 7. But to compensate for all these additional features, convenience and luxuries, the new iPhone 7 will cost relatively much higher than its predecessor, iPhone 6s. Below is a more comprehensive look at the differences in features and functionalities of iPhone 6s and iPhone 7.

Part 2Complete comparison for iPhone 6s and iPhone 7

iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: The Design

In terms of design, iPhone 7 will look almost similar to iPhone 6s, with the slight difference in the shifting of the position of the antenna bands towards the top of the gadget. The lack of a new design is rather disappointing since Apple had already established a tradition of coming up with a new design following each release.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: Ports

It is highly rumored that there will be no headphone jack in iPhone 7. To use headphones, the users will have to use either Bluetooth headphones or plug them in using the lightning port. But with absence of the headphone jack, a Smart Connector is likely to be used.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: Waterproofing

iPhone 7 will officially be certified as waterproof, thought it is suspected that iPhone 6s can also survive under water for close to thirty minutes. It is also rumored that Apple might ditch the use of aluminum casing and replace it with a new plastic material to ensure that iPhone 7 is fully waterproof.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: Software

iPhone 6s is currently running on LTE chipset by Qualcomm, and rumors are flying high that Intel is working on an LTE chipset that will be compatible with iPhone and it is suspected the new chipset is what will power iPhone 7. If the rumors are anything to go by, then Apple is likely to use the newly developed chip by Intel so as to keep the cost of the iPhone down.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: Camera

iPhone 6s had a major camera upgrade with the inclusion of a 12MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The camera upgrade for the iPhone 7 is not expected to be as major, though it is said that it will have additional enhancements such as optical image stabilization and 4K video recording capabilities for the rear camera. Despite the fact that the cameras haven’t had a major overhaul, the subtle additions are in accordance with Apple’s continuous efforts to refine its imaging technology.

Conclusion

Evidently, the iPhone 7 sounds to be a greater phone, but even in the face of the additional features and capabilities, it will not be easy to give strong justifications why someone should upgrade to the new phone. If the rumors are true, the phones will don the same looks, and whereas the internal specs may have improved, the average user doesn’t really need them for normal iPhone usage.

The inclusion of the dual lens camera, however, would be a game changer for the iPhone 7, and that alone would justify an upgrade, especially for those who like the 5.5 inch plus model. But if you prefer the smaller 4.7inch model, then the iPhone 7 will be extremely enticing.