iPhone 6s Plus vs. iPhone 6 Plus: 5 Things We Learned in June

iPhone 6s Plus vs. iPhone 6 Plus: 5 Things We Learned in June is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Rumor has it, Apple’s got at least two new iPhones cooked up for 2015 including a successor to last year’s 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. With June wrapping up and iPhone 6s rumors swirling, we want to take a look at what we learned about the rumored iPhone 6s Plus vs. iPhone 6 Plus matchup this month.

Last year, Apple released not one but two new iPhone models including an iPhone 6 and an iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 Plus, a device aimed squarely at the Samsung Galaxy Note series, features some unique features including a 5.5-inch Retina HD display capable of 1080p resolution and a camera that features Optical Image Stabilization.

The iPhone 6 Plus isn’t getting any younger but it will remain a top smartphone option, even after it’s replaced with something new. That something new is rumored to be an iPhone 6s, a device that might come in a few different flavors including an iPhone 6s Plus.

iPhone 6s Plus rumors have been swirling around for weeks now and we’ve seen everything from its specs to its release date seep to the surface as we push onward towards Apple’s well-known fall iPhone release window and the confirmed iOS 9 release date.

Apple’s iPhone 6s Plus isn’t confirmed just yet but thanks to the rumors and Apple’s new iOS 9 release timeline, we have some idea about what we’ll see later this year when Tim Cook and company take the stage. That’s huge for those of you in the hunt for a new smartphone, particularly one with a big screen.

We saw a number of new details emerge this month and today we want to take a look at how the iPhone 6s is currently shaping up next to the current model. Remember, nothing is confirmed until Apple takes the stage but this will help set your expectations as we push deeper into the summer.

The iPhone 6 Plus Is Still a Solid Buy

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The first thing that you need to know is that the iPhone 6 Plus is still a very solid buy as we enter into the summer and push toward Apple's usual iPhone release window.  Earlier this month, we took an updated look at the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and outlined some of the reasons they're still worth buying. The iPhone 6 Plus' hardware has held up well over the past year and it also stands to improve in the future.  The iPhone 6 Plus will be getting iOS 9 later this year. It also should get four years of iOS updates which means that you can confidently invest your money in the phone knowing it's not going to be dropped by Apple anytime soon. That's huge and something you don't get from a phone like the Samsung Galaxy Note.  We recommend taking a look our reasons why the iPhone 6 Plus is still a great buy if you are getting antsy. Who knows, you might talk yourself into buying an iPhone 6 Plus right now or sometime ahead of the iPhone 6s Plus release date.

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iPhone 6s Plus vs. iPhone 6 Plus: 5 Things We Learned in June is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

iPhone 6s Plus vs. iPhone 6 Plus: 5 Things We Learned in June

Moto G 2015 Release: What We Know So Far

Moto G 2015 Release: What We Know So Far is a post by Cory Gunther from Gotta Be Mobile.

More details and leaks continue to surface about the rumored Moto G for 2015, but a release has yet to be confirmed. As we move deeper into the summer and closer to the rumored September release date, here we want to take a look at everything we know so far about the new Moto G 3rd Gen for 2015.

The original Moto G was released in November of 2013 and shocked the market offering a great device for only $179, and went on to be Motorola’s most successful smartphone ever. The 2nd model arrived in September of last year, and now a 3rd generation Moto G for 2015 is in the works, and we know plenty about the wallet-friendly little phone already.

Read: Moto G Leak Reveals All the Details

Recently all the leaks and rumors have been about the new Moto X for later this year, but last week out of the blue the Moto G 3rd Gen was completely revealed on video, ahead of any leaks or announcements. Since then we’ve received a few more details, and some official press photos arrived this week as well. Here’s what buyers should know.

Last year the Moto G was a great mid-range smartphone that consistently made our Best Cheap Smartphones list. However, in 2015 Motorola looks to change things up by offering a slightly different design, but an overall similar device for the same low price. Something smartphone shoppers on a budget will be interested in.

Moto G 2015 Release Date

Over the past few years Motorola has announced a new Moto G near the end of the summer, and released it in September. Most likely the same will hold true in 2015, and back in March that was basically confirmed by a Motorola rep on Twitter.

In March Rick Osterloh, President at Motorola posted to Twitter in an effort to answer some customers questions and confirmed they’ll look to stick to the same annual release cycle as prior years. It was in response to a question about the Moto X, but his reply states all of Motorola’s products are trying to stick to the same annual release cycle, including the Moto G.

.@northead we try to stay on a roughly annual cycle for all of our products including Moto X. #AskRickO

— Rick Osterloh (@rosterloh) March 25, 2015

If the above comment is accurate, not to mention some recent leaks and rumors, a new Moto G is currently under final development stages and will be revealed later this summer, and likely released in September. This is later than most other manufacturers, but the Moto G is in a mid-range segment all by itself. It does have competition from the new ASUS Zenfone 2, and a few other cheaper devices, but it should offer a better overall experience.

Moto G 2015 Details

If all the leaks we’ve seen thus far are accurate, Motorola will be delivering a device extremely similar to last years Moto G, which is kind of a let-down, but it will still be an extremely capable and affordable smartphone for millions of prospective buyers.

The video below is the first leak of the new Moto G for 2015, and it reveals all kinds of important information about the device. The screen size, specs and more are being detailed for the first time.

As you can see above the leak suggests Motorola will be improving the Moto G 2015 in terms of design, but sticking to a familiar yet successful set of specs under the hood in order to make this a powerful phone while keeping the price as low as possible. It isn’t seeing the jump in specs many hoped for, and below is what we’re hearing will be on board.

Moto G Specs (Rumored)

• 5-inch 1280 x 720p HD Display
• Quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with 1GB of RAM (same as last year)
• 13 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front camera
• Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
• Dual front facing speakers
• 4G LTE
• more

So far that’s all we know so far, which isn’t much. The photos and video above reveal a slightly redesigned look with a plastic or aluminum bar on back, which could double as some sort of button. That was a rumor with the Motorola logo on the back of the Moto X last year, but it ended up just being aesthetics, and served no function.

We are seeing a better set of dual front facing speakers, and both the front and rear camera should be much improved this year. We’re expecting the same removable back with up to eight different colors, like previous releases, but that’s yet to be confirmed at this point.

For now this is all the details we have, which aren’t much, but we can expect to see more details start to surface as the summer progresses. Last year the Moto G leaked a few times ahead of the August announcement, and was released in September unlocked, pre-paid, and on Verizon Wireless. If previous years are any indication we’ll get a few more leaks, confirmation of the specs and accessories, and then an announcement in the next 45-60 days followed shortly by the release date. This should come in around the same $179 price point as previous years, making it one of the most affordable and capable budget smartphones on the market.

Moto G 2015 Release: What We Know So Far is a post by Cory Gunther from Gotta Be Mobile.

Moto G 2015 Release: What We Know So Far

iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5: Impressions & Performance

iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5: Impressions & Performance is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Earlier today, Apple released iOS 8.4 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update is now available for all iOS 8 powered devices including the iPhone 5, Apple’s aging former flagship. We’ve been using iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5 since release and we now want to offer some feedback about the iPhone 5’s latest iOS 8 upgrade.

It’s been several weeks since Apple first confirmed iOS 8.4 for iPhone 5. The first confirmation came in the form of a beta release for those in the paid developers. That happened back in April. And up until a few days ago, we didn’t know when the final iOS 8.4 update would land for the iPhone 5 and other iOS 8 devices.

This week, Apple confirmed an iOS 8.4 release date for today, June 30th, to coincide with the release of its new Apple Music platform. The company also surprisingly confirmed an iOS 8.4 release time for 8AM PST. 8AM is a little earlier than its usual 9-10AM release window.

As promised, Apple delivered the iOS 8.4 update to the iPhone 5 and others around 8AM PST bringing Apple Music, iBooks tweaks and bug fixes to its mobile devices.

And as promised, I took the plunge right at 8AM to go hands-on with the iOS 8.4 update so that I can provide feedback to all of you iPhone and iPad users out there. Remember, there are some very valid reasons to avoid Apple’s new iOS 8.4 update today and perhaps this week.

My initial iPhone 5 iOS 8.4 update impressions don’t serve as a final review but they should help those of you who are struggling with the decision to download iOS 8.4 right now or wait a few days for the smoke around the release to subside. Here are my early impressions of iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5.

iOS 8.4 Installation

I’ll admit, I was a little nervous as we approached the iOS 8.4 release time. This had all the hallmarks of a perfect storm. A confirmed release date. A confirmed release time. A tons of publicity thanks to Apple Music and WWDC. Typically when this happens, Apple’s servers melt under the pressure. Not this time.

My fears quickly dissipated as the iOS 8.4 update for the iPhone 5 downloaded quickly and without any abnormalities. My download and installation process, at peak hours, took around 20 minutes or so. The update is smaller than the iPhone 6’s 200MB+ update but it’s still a hefty 171MB so be sure you install it over a fast connection.

If you run into installation problems and you’re coming from the public iOS 8.4 beta, we have a quick fix for those problems. It’s an easy process.

If you’re coming from a public version of iOS 8, and you need to jumpstart the download or installation process, you can simply hold down the power button and home button until the phone resets itself. Once the phone reboots, trying downloading iOS 8.4 again.

iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5 Performance

While the microscope has been on the Apple Music and the new Music features in iOS 8.4, these impressions don’t focus on those. If you want to read about Apple Music, have a look at our initial impressions here. Instead, these impressions are going to focus on the iOS 8.4 update’s performance on the iPhone 5.

When I download a new iOS update, I focus in on five key areas. They include the overall speed of the UI/software, app performance, battery life, connectivity, and random bugs and issues.

As a reminder, mileage with iOS 8.4 is going to vary. I am one man with one iPhone 5. I also probably don’t use the same apps that you do or use my phone the same way you do. So keep that in mind. I always encourage people to gather feedback from other users so go seek out feedback from other iPhone 5 owners before you decide to install iOS 8.4 or downgrade back to iOS 8.3.

iOS 8.4 Apps

While I was worried about the iOS 8.4 installation on the iPhone 5, I wasn’t worried about app performance. iOS 8.3 and the updates that came before it laid a solid foundation for iOS 8.4. And let’s not forget that the update just went through a multi-week beta process with developers and public testers poking and prodding it.

iOS 8.4 hasn’t let me down yet. My core applications (Asana, Slack, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, Hangouts, Chrome, Dark Sky, Amazon, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Xbox One Smartglass) are all working fine as are my secondary applications. I have about 70 apps on my iPhone 5, a lot I know, and I haven’t noticed any major problems with any of them.

I still haven’t been able to spend a whole lot of time with Apple Music so I’m going to reserve judgement until I can sit down and dive in deep.

Now this is a good sign. App problems typically pop up in the hours following an iOS update. That doesn’t mean that problems won’t pop up in the future though. I’ve seen app issues pop up weeks after an iOS release date.

As I’ve noted before, the only thing you can really do is make sure your apps are updated and that you report any bugs you see to the developer. You can also uninstall the problem app if it’s giving you too much grief.

iOS 8.4 Battery Life

I’ve already heard and seen complaints about bad iOS 8.4 battery life. This doesn’t surprise me and it shouldn’t surprise you either. Battery life problems are common right after an update rolls out.

Often times, battery life doesn’t have anything to do with the update itself though it does look like Apple Music is causing severe battery drain for some users.

If your problems don’t subside after a few days, then you’ll want to take a look at this list of fixes. Battery life sometimes takes a few days to settle so you’ll want to give it a few days before you try some crazy fix or take it into an Apple Store.

As for me and my iPhone 5, I’m not seeing any problems yet. My iPhone 5’s battery has been holding up extremely well and it delivers incredible battery life for a phone that’s now going on three years old.

iOS 8.4 Wi-Fi, Cellular Data & Bluetooth

Connectivity problems are also common right after an iOS release and we’re already hearing complaints about Wi-Fi, LTE and Bluetooth.

I’m not seeing them on my iPhone 6, iPhone 5 or any of my iPads, all of which are running iOS 8.4. That doesn’t mean that they don’t exist though.

As many of you know, connectivity problems can pop up at any time so you’ll want to take a look at our list of fixes so that you’re prepared if something does impact your iPhone 5’s connectivity in the future. It’s impossible to predict so you’ll want to be safe rather than sorry.

iOS 8.4 Bugs & Issues on iPhone 5

I’ve seen complaints about iOS 8.4 problems but thankfully those problems appear to be isolated to a few users. They also appear to be small in nature. We could see a widespread problem emerge later this week but so far, it looks like iOS 8.4 is stable for most devices.

I haven’t run into anything on my iPhone 5 just yet. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any iOS 8.4 problems, it just means I haven’t noticed any. Smaller issues are extremely hard to spot and it could be weeks before I track down any bugs plaguing iOS 8.4 and my iPhone 5.

The fact that iOS 8.4 is stable isn’t shocking at all. Again, this is an update that followed several bug fixers including iOS 8.3 and it’s one that spent a ton of time in the beta process. I just hope it stays this way.

iOS 8.4 Speed

If you’re familiar with my iPhone 5 experience, you know that I started having issues with speed after Apple’s iOS 8.1 update. Those problems continued to plague my device up until the release of iOS 8.3.

iOS 8.3 wasn’t perfect. I still saw occasional slow down and animations and transitions would sometimes feel jagged and bumpy. Still, it was far and away better than anything I downloaded between iOS 8.1 and iOS 8.3.

iOS 8.4 feels very much the same. All-around, it’s pretty fast on a phone that’s almost three years old though there are still bouts of sluggishness. I’ve seen a little bit of lag today but I am hoping that the software settles down in the days and weeks ahead.

What I can tell you is that iOS 8.4 isn’t a disaster on the iPhone 5. It’s still usable and I’d be alright using this as a daily driver if I didn’t have an iPhone 6.

Should You Install iOS 8.4 Right Now?

While it appears to be stable, my advice to you iPhone 5 users is to wait a few days if you can. I realize Apple Music is exciting but it can wait. I think most of you would rather have a working phone.

Wait a few days and poke around for additional feedback before making a decision about iOS 8.4. iOS 8.4 and Apple Music aren’t going anywhere and you should take your time with new software on an old phone like the iPhone 5.

I’ll be back later this week with a full review after I’ve spent more time with iOS 8.4 for iPhone 5.

iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5: Impressions & Performance is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

iOS 8.4 on iPhone 5: Impressions & Performance

DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Arrives

DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Arrives is a post by Cory Gunther from Gotta Be Mobile.

The Motorola DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop update rumors have been floating around since way back in December of last year, and this afternoon we’re happy to announce it’s finally here and will begin rolling out to all owners starting tomorrow, July 1st.

Currently the Motorola DROID Turbo is running a nearly stock version of Android 4.4 KitKat, and has seen a few updates from Verizon already. For months we’ve been hearing the DROID Turbo Lollipop update is coming soon, and earlier today Motorola teased it was in the testing phase, and now we have all the details.

Read: DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update: What You Need to Know

Android 5.1 Lollipop, the successor to Android 4.4 KitKat, was released in November of last year just a few weeks after Verizon debuted the DROID Turbo. For months the update has been delayed due to Google releasing Android 5.1, then Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and now after months of waiting it’s finally ready.

Last week we confirmed that Motorola was finally reaching the point where they were ready to push Android 5.1 Lollipop out to the DROID Turbo for millions of owners, and the company started a software soak test for select few users. This is the last round of testing done by real users, members of the Motorola Feedback network, before the official update rolls out by carriers like Verizon.

Motorola’s own David Schuster took a moment to post on Google+ recently and confirmed it was coming soon. Stating the DROID Turbo will be updated straight to Android 5.1 Lollipop, and that testing was almost finished.

Today though, Motorola has officially announced the DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop update, as well as released a full changelog over at their website. This confirms the testing has been completed, and Verizon is giving the okay to release the latest software.

Read: Android 5.0 vs Android 4.4 KitKat: What’s New in Lollipop

The link above is a general outline of everything that’s new in Android 5.0 Lollipop, but on top of that there are even more changes in Android 5.1, which is what’s arriving for DROID Turbo owners. The entire look and feel will be completely different thanks to Lollipop. Owners can expect a complete visual overhaul with neat visual effects and animations, a much improved notification pulldown bar, better quick setting controls, improved lockscreen information and much more. Google fixed the memory leak problem, the notification bar is even more advanced in Android 5.1 Lollipop, and Verizon has integrated VoLTE HD voice calling with the DROID Turbo.

According to Droid-Life the Verizon DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop update will start rolling out to all owners tomorrow, July 1st, but may take up to 5-7 days before all owners see it arrive. As usual owners can wait for the over the air notification, or head into settings > about phone > check for updates and pull the software as soon as possible.

Everything from animations, smart lock, screen pinning, quick launching the camera and more is included. For an idea of what to expect, check out our Moto X Android 5.0 Lollipop review, as they run very similar software.

Again, the Verizon DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop is finally rolling out starting tomorrow, and it will be a huge file so we’d recommend owners use WiFi to complete the download, and backup their devices prior to updating just in case the software upgrade causes problems. The Android 5.1 update for the DROID Turbo has lots of changes, so stay tuned for more details and let us know if you receive the update tomorrow.

DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Arrives is a post by Cory Gunther from Gotta Be Mobile.

DROID Turbo Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Arrives