Mobile Technology

iPhone 7 Plus vs. iPhone 6s Plus

iPhone 7 Plus vs. iPhone 6s Plus
New Atlas compares the features and specs of the new iPhone 7 Plus (left) and iPhone 6s Plus
New Atlas compares the features and specs of the new iPhone 7 Plus (left) and iPhone 6s Plus
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3D Touch
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3D Touch
Camera aperture (rear)
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Camera aperture (rear)
Apple Pay
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Apple Pay
Battery
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Battery
Build
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Build
Camera megapixels
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Camera megapixels
Capacitive home button
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Capacitive home button
Color options
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Color options
Processor
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Processor
Dimensions
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Dimensions
Display resolution
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Display resolution
Display size
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Display size
Display type
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Display type
Dual rear camera
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Dual rear camera
Fast charging
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Fast charging
Fingerprint sensor
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Fingerprint sensor
Headphone jack
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Headphone jack
New Atlas compares the features and specs of the new iPhone 7 Plus (left) and iPhone 6s Plus
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New Atlas compares the features and specs of the new iPhone 7 Plus (left) and iPhone 6s Plus
Optical Image Stabilization
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Optical Image Stabilization
Optical zoom
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Optical zoom
Starting price (full retail)
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Starting price (full retail)
RAM
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RAM
Release
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Release
Software
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Software
Storage
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Storage
Water resistance
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Water resistance
Weight
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Weight
View gallery - 27 images

What's in a year between Plus-sized iPhones? Nothing too dramatic, but, as Apple has a way of doing, there may end up being just enough newness to tempt upgraders. Let's help you make that call, as we compare last year's iPhone 6s Plus to the new iPhone 7 Plus.

Size

Dimensions
Dimensions

Don't expect any size changes, as the iPhone 7 Plus has identical measurements to last year's 6s Plus.

Weight

Weight
Weight

The iPhone 7 Plus only shaved a few grams off its predecessor's weight. And both are heavier than the iPhone 6 Plus from two years ago.

Build

Build
Build

iPhones have had aluminum unibody designs for the last five generations.

Water resistance

Water resistance
Water resistance

This is one of the few major changes in this year's iPhone: Rated IP67, it's protected against immersion in water up to 1 m (3.3 ft).

Colors

Color options
Color options

With the new models, space gray is out, and black (both matte and jet) are in.

Just keep in mind that the jet black option is limited to 128 GB and 256 GB storage options. Apple isn't above using a fancy new color to upsell some customers on a more expensive phone.

Display size

Display size
Display size

No differences here, as the iPhone keeps its 5.5-inch screen – and larger "chin" and "forehead" than many of its Android rivals have.

Display resolution

Display resolution
Display resolution

Pixel count also stands pat.

Display type

Display type
Display type

Leaks are pointing to next year's iPhone switching to AMOLED (perhaps to power an iPhone VR headset?), but Apple is sticking with IPS this year.

3D Touch

3D Touch
3D Touch

Apple's pressure-sensitive display, which gives you right-click-style shortcuts on your iPhone, has yet to become the must-have feature Apple was hoping it would.

Capacitive home button

Capacitive home button
Capacitive home button

Similar to Force Touch in new MacBook trackpads, the new iPhones have a capacitive home button that doesn't physically move, but uses some haptic feedback to make it feel like it is being clicked.

It isn't yet clear what advantage this provides – other than "neat!" – but we'll reserve judgment for our review.

Touch ID

Fingerprint sensor
Fingerprint sensor

Of course Apple's fingerprint sensor is back, also living inside that home button.

Storage

Storage
Storage

Finally: Apple has officially received the memo that 16 GB of internal storage is cruel and unusual punishment to inflict on customers in 2016. It's a long-overdue move, but apparently Apple has fully realized the urgency, as it even updated the older models, including the 6s Plus, to remove the 16 GB option.

Chip

Processor
Processor

We don't yet have the full specs on Apple's new A10 Fusion chip, but it's a pretty safe bet it will be a screamer.

RAM

RAM
RAM

Also no official word yet on RAM in the 7 Plus, though some unconfirmed benchmarks have suggested it will jump up to 3 GB.

Dual camera

Dual rear camera
Dual rear camera

The 7 Plus has a second camera on its backside.

In addition to the next category, that second camera also lets the new iPhone phablet simulate the bokeh (blurred background) effect found in more expensive DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

HTC tried something similar a few years ago, but we suspect the iPhone's results will fare better than some of the hilariously off-key results that camera's bokeh shots often created.

Optical zoom

Optical zoom
Optical zoom

That second camera gives the iPhone 7 Plus a 2x optical zoom option (if you weren't already aware, zooming on other phones is just a glorified crop).

Camera megapixels

Camera megapixels
Camera megapixels

The new iPhones get a higher-res front camera, to give you clearer selfies.

Camera aperture (rear)

Camera aperture (rear)
Camera aperture (rear)

The main camera in the new iPhone gets a wider aperture, which should help out in low-lit conditions.

OIS

Optical Image Stabilization
Optical Image Stabilization

Optical Image Stabilization is back this year.

Battery

Battery
Battery

No official word yet on the iPhone 7 Plus' battery capacity, but Apple is estimating "up to one hour longer" battery life compared to the 6s Plus.

We can dream about a flagship where we get much less "meh" promises like, oh, "twice as long," but that would mean sacrificing slim and sexy builds that help them sell in the first place.

Fast charging

Fast charging
Fast charging

Apple has still yet to add any kind of fast charging tech to the iPhone. Apple has fallen two years behind the Android competition on this front.

Headphone jack

Headphone jack
Headphone jack

Apple decided to kill the headphone jack this year, instead asking you to use the iPhone's Lightning port (or just wireless headphones) to jam out to Spotify or Apple Music.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay
Apple Pay

Both phones support Apple's mobile payments service.

Software

Software
Software

Starting tomorrow, the iPhone 6s Plus will run the new iOS 10 update (stay tuned for our review).

Release

Release
Release

Apple has been launching iPhones in this Fall (Northern hemisphere) slot since 2011.

Starting price (full retail)

Starting price (full retail)
Starting price (full retail)

The iPhone 7 Plus did get a $20 price hike over the $749 launch price of the 2014-15 Plus-sized iPhones. The 6s Plus, meanwhile, got the annual $100 price drop that last year's models always get.

For more, you can hit up our reviews of the iPhone 7 Plus and the 2015 6s iPhones.

View gallery - 27 images
2 comments
2 comments
RichDavis
And the 7+ has these features over the 6+ that weren't mentioned.
1. Stereo Speakers 2. 25% brighter 3. Wide Color
Nicolas Zart
It fails to spark my interest. It feels more like a 6S+, then a new phone. I'm considering a Samsung next. Apple has become a bit stale for me.