### Adieu to the iPhone 6 Aesthetics: A Decade of Change and Frustration
This past weekend, I said goodbye to a design that has been a staple in my life for the last ten years: Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone 6 design. Launched in 2014, the iPhone 6 represented a pivotal change in Apple’s smartphone offerings, introducing a larger display size that many users had eagerly awaited. Over time, this design has been modified and reintroduced in multiple versions, including the iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and even the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generations). However, after a decade, it’s time to look back on the highs and lows of this remarkable design.
What follows is more of a heartfelt farewell to the iPhone 6 design’s endurance rather than a celebratory account. Although the design fulfilled its role and had its peaks, the frustrations that have built up over the years make it evident that it’s time for a change. If you are still using an iPhone 8 or SE, this might resonate with you as well.
### The Battery Conundrum
One of the most enduring challenges with the iPhone 6 design has consistently been battery performance. From the outset, the battery capacity was a drawback. The phone’s slender profile meant that the battery had to share space with other components, leading to a device that had difficulty lasting an entire day on just one charge. Power-hungry features like Personal Hotspot only intensified the issue.
As the years progressed, battery performance diminished even further. Regular charge cycles deteriorated the battery more quickly, and by the time I moved to an iPhone XR in 2018, the contrast was astonishing. The XR’s battery life was astonishing, and models that followed, such as the iPhone 13 Pro and 15 Pro, have only enhanced this aspect. In comparison, the iPhone 6 design feels like a remnant from an era where battery anxiety was a daily struggle.
### The Curved Borders: A Bittersweet Experience
Among the most notable characteristics of the iPhone 6 design were its curved borders. At launch, these curves presented a sleek, contemporary appearance. However, over the years, I have come to loathe them. The curved edges complicated the application of screen protectors. Either the protector would fail to stick around the edges, creating frustrating air bubbles, or it would cover only the flat area of the screen, leaving the curved edges unprotected and susceptible to damage.
Eventually, Apple reverted to a flat-edge design with the iPhone 12, a refreshing change that made the application of screen protectors significantly simpler. The flat edges also made the phone easier to grip and less prone to slipping, a major upgrade from the iPhone 6 design, which could easily slide out of your hands or pockets.
### Farewell, Lightning Connector
When Apple launched the Lightning connector with the iPhone 5 in 2012, it revolutionized the experience. The compact, versatile port was a significant step forward compared to the old 30-pin connector. However, as USB-C has become the norm for most contemporary devices, the Lightning connector has begun to seem antiquated.
Apple acted promptly to incorporate USB-C in its MacBook lineup, but the iPhone clung to Lightning for too long. It wasn’t until regulatory pressure compelled Apple to adapt that the company finally started shifting to USB-C for its iPhones. Personally, I am relieved to be retiring the last of the Lightning-equipped devices in my home. USB-C is more robust, and the cables tend to resist fraying compared to Lightning cables. Standardizing all my devices on a single connector is a small yet meaningful enhancement in everyday life.
### The Constraints of One Camera
The iPhone 6 and its variants all boasted a single rear camera, which was typical at the time. However, as smartphone photography has advanced, the drawbacks of a single-lens camera have become increasingly evident. Modern iPhones, even the non-Pro versions, feature dual or triple camera systems that provide a variety of options, from ultra-wide to telephoto lenses.
The versatility of these multi-lens systems is a primary factor in my decision to upgrade to a Pro model. Even the standard iPhone 14, 15, and 16 models deliver considerably more flexibility than the single-lens iPhone SE. Capabilities like Portrait Mode, wide-angle photography, and 2x zoom are either unachievable or significantly less effective with a single camera. In a world where our phones often serve as our main cameras, the iPhone 6 design feels increasingly obsolete.
### The Small Display: Once Large, Now Diminutive
When the iPhone 6 made its debut, its 4.7-inch screen seemed like a
