Is iPhone 6 Still Good in 2020?
The release of the iPhone 6 (and 6 Plus) was a big moment in Apple’s conquest of the high-end smartphone market.
Released in September 2014, these phones were Apple’s response to repeated calls for larger screens, which at the time were only available on Android phones.
The iPhone 6 came with a 4.7” retina display (5.5” on the 6 Plus), which was a big jump over the 4” screen on the iPhone 5S.
In the first 3 months, Apple sold 74 million devices, more than 40% more than the iPhone 5S!
That’s enough to make the 6 Apple’s best-selling device ever (well not quite, the iPhone 6S just barely outsold it, but we’ll call it a draw).
So not surprisingly, you can still find plenty of used iPhone 6’s for sale online, including at marketplaces like Orchard.
As a 5 year old device, you stand to save a ton versus buying a new iPhone. But the question is – will the iPhone 6 stand the test of time?
Why is the iPhone 6 Still a Good Phone?
Screen Size
This is a touchy subject, but we’re confident saying that the 4.7” screen on this model is the perfect screen size.
Apple kept this screen size for a record four generations (iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and 8) so clearly it was something their customers loved!
Being the oldest of those phones, the 6 is the most affordable device with that 4.7” screen.
It can handle all of your day-to-day needs
The 6 was released with the A8 chip, which is 25% faster than the A7 chip used in the 5S, while using half of the power.
That means the iPhone 6 will breeze through smartphone basics like calling, texting, emails, browsing the internet, or FaceTime.
Pictures and video
The camera is one feature that smartphone manufacturers have kept improving over the years.
That being said, the iPhone 6 camera’s specs are nothing to scoff at. An 8-megapixel iSight back camera that delivers sharper images and better low-light performance than the camera on the iPhone 5S.
When it comes to video, the iPhone 6 offers 240 frame-per-second (FPS) super Slo-mo shooting at 720 pixels. That’s double the FPS on the iPhone 5S!
The front-facing (selfie) camera has the same 1.2 megapixel front camera, but aperture all the way down to f/2.2 for better low light performance.
This camera isn’t going to knock anyone’s socks off, but you’ll be able to snap photos that you won’t hesitate to share with your friends.
All the apps you could ever want
Apple likes to say “There’s an app for that” and it’s true. There seems to be an app for everything and anything that you could dream up.
And the iPhone 6 has them all.
The only limitations that you’ll run into in terms of apps is that the hardcore gaming apps could overwhelm that A7 chip. Otherwise, you have nothing to worry about.
Downsides of Using an iPhone 6 in 2019
No more iOS updates
Apple *just* announced the models of phones that will run iOS 13, and unfortunately the 6 was left off the list.
There are a few ways that will affect iPhone 6 owners.
First, the new privacy and organization features in iOS 13 will not be available for iPhone 6 users.
Second, since iOS updates occasionally include security fixes, 6’s could be more vulnerable than other phones.
Finally, over the next couple years, some apps may stop supporting the iPhone 6.
It’s complicated and the timelines are a bit unpredictable, but we expect the 6 to be supported by *almost all* apps at least until late-2020, if not well into 2021.
Limited features
The 6 has most of the great features Apple customers are used to. But there are a few that are missing:
- 3D Touch (introduced with the iPhone 6S)
- Water resistance (introduced with the iPhone 7)
- Wireless charging (introduced with the iPhone 8)
- Face ID (introduced with the iPhone X)
We don’t consider any of these features essential, but if you do, then perhaps consider buying a more recent device.
The Verdict: iPhone 6 is Still a Great Device
If screen size and price matter to you, the 6 is probably the best phone for you. You can’t get that 4.7” screen for less.
You also won’t be giving up much in the way of speed, unless you’re planning on doing some pretty heavy-duty gaming on the device.
All told, this device offers *great* value in 2019.
So what are you waiting for? Pick one up for as low as $155 at Orchard.
Having lots of charging problems with phone recently. Anyone else having problems. Really don’t want to buy a new phone
Hi Pam, sorry to hear about your charging problems. Have you tried cleaning out the charge port on your phone? If your phone only charges sometimes (or when the charger is at a certain angle) then lint or dirt clogging your charge port is always the answer. I suggest using a toothpick and digging around there a bit. Keep running it back and forth until something comes out. Good luck!
My Apple 6S is hacked
I have an iPhone 6 and I’m not happy with the slowness and battery life. The quiz told me my ideal replacement phone is a 6!
Now what? I’m open to other options
Hi Annie, we’ve followed up by email :). If you don’t hear from us, please reach out at support@getorchard.com
Will the iPhone 6 support the Alexa app?
Hi Jeannette, yes it will!
I’m having trouble when I take pictures! My iPhone 6 Plus has started to jiggle! Is there any thing I can do
I CANT ANSWER MY 6 IT JUAT RING AND GOES TO MESSAGE THEN PLAYS NOTIFICATIONS
Hi Carol, I’m sorry to hear about your phone :/ Have you considered getting that looked at by a phone repair shop?
How much is the iphone 6 cost now 12/6/20
Hi Jimmy, while we are temporarily out of stock on the iPhone 6, our current pricing for that model starts at $119 — if you’d like, you can sign up for an email alert at the following link to be notified as soon as we’re back in stock on that product! Thanks for reaching out. 🙂
Set an alert here: https://www.getorchard.com/set-an-alert/.
Why won’t Apple admit that we are all hanging on to the iphone 6 because it still has the headphone jack which is super handy for connecting to cars, headphones with dead batteries, speakers, etc? They refuse to admit they were wrong though sales have dropped significantly. They will blame everything and everyone else (including Trump!). Why won’t they admit that the headphone jack is here to stay. They tried to fix what was not broken and we refuse to be controlled by them!
Warm Greetings from Queensland, Australia,
Thank you for your interesting articles on iPhones. My wife has a 6S Plus and is very pleased with it’s performance , I have an older 4S which has worked flawlessly but, I am aware that it is getting left behind in capability of upgrades, I am considering upgrading to an iPhone 8 with 64 or 128Mb. May I ask “What would you suggest please”? I am an active senior and enjoy using modern forms of communication.
Hi Brian, thank you for reaching out from Queensland! 🙂 Regarding your upgrade to an iPhone 8, the storage capacity that you should consider really comes down to how many files and what type of files you tend to store on your device. For example, if you store a lot of video/movie files on your device, I’d recommend going for the 128 GB model. However, if you rarely store video files on your phone and just use the device for relatively basic functionalities, you should be okay with the 64 GB option. Hopefully that helps! 🙂
Ifirget my password
Hi Hariraya, if you forgot your password please refer to this support article published by Apple for information on how to resolve the issue. Hopefully that helps! 🙂
My fiancee has iPhone 6s and he just loves the performance it gives. He has gifted my iPhone X back at the time of its release. We both are loving our phone although Apple won’t be giving any more updates to the iPhone 6 and I guess even my iPhone X would stop getting the iOS updates this year or the upcoming year. Would you recommend us wait till Apple launches a new iPhone or iPhone 11 would be good choice?
Hi Fiona! It depends if you need the *absolute* latest and greatest, or if you’re willing to forego having the most cutting-edge iPhone model in exchange for a more affordable price tag… based on your comment, it seems like the iPhone 11 may be a good choice? 🙂
If you’re interested, Orchard sells gently used iPhone 11’s here. Feel free to browse our selection and reach out if you have any questions! 🙂
I’m a grandfather, not techie. i have an iphone 6s plus and would like to be able to put my name and number on the home screen when the phone is locked so if i lose it some good samaratin can call me and return it.
anybody out there know if this is possible? i did it to my android which i no longer have.
I have an iPhone 6 and have had no issues until the last month. Battery wouldn’t hold a charge and game apps started crashing. Replaced battery and it seems to be fine. However, games are still crashing – Hay Day, Slotomania, etc. – and now the CW app is stalling out. I know the phone doesn’t have much storage 16G compared to other iPhones. Is it time to replace with a newer model? Any other suggestions?
Hi Brenda, those apps should still be working with the iPhone 6 so long as you are on iOS 10 or later. So it is probably the storage. Try to clear some out by deleting old photos maybe? It can be hard with 16 GB since the operating system takes up half of that memory.
Might be worth upgrading to a newer device. Generally these days I am recommending the iPhone 7 as a phone that is cost-effective but will last for at least a couple of years.