Apple is taking the fight to Samsung with its first large screen smartphone, the inimitable iPhone 6 Plus. It brings Apple’s famed iOS 8 software to a vibrant 5.5-inch screen, but we fear somewhere along the way the iPhone lost its magic.

An iPhone that is uncomfortable to use contradicts what the iPhone is all about. This is a niche smartphone intended for a tiny group of multimedia junkies. And even then, the smaller 4.7in iPhone 6 should appease even the most demanding content users.

High resolution screen; Great software; Finger scanner; Strong battery performance;

Uncomfortable to hold and use daily; Apple's strict governance;

It is unusually big, but still an iPhone. We miss the familiar perfection of Apple in the case of the iPhone 6 Plus. The poor stability of the case is just one issue. You should not be able to twist the case when you buy a device that can cost up to 1,000 Euros (~$1250).

Great display; Very good battery runtimes; Great GPS module; Great performance; Decent camera; Very good voice quality; Good headphones; The display; the fast performance and the great GPS module collect a lot of points

NFC can only be used for Apple Pay, Complicated one-hand use, Flash overexposes pictures, Storage cannot be expanded, No LTE Cat; 6, Power adaptor too weak, Price, Mediocre case stability, OIS makes it hard to use the iPhone on a tripod, More stability! For the chassis, the OIS and the software

Half a year after its arrival, it's clear the effect the iPhone 6 Plus has had: It's not just a smartphone , it's the iPad Mini Mini. Yes, some people use the 6 Plus as a large iPhone; it's especially favored for its long battery life.

Works on all four U.S; networks; Excellent camera, especially in low light; Premium feel; Terrific third-party apps

It's really big; especially if you're coming from an older iPhone

Here's the best way to start an iPhone review: Goddamn do I love Android. I love its flexibility and efficiency. I love the way it bends to my will. And I've spent the past couple years loving that I can get a phone that isn't made for someone with doll hands .

Excellent camera quality produces amazing images; Almost impossible to shoot blurry video, even of uncooperative toddlers; Battery life will keep you going all day and well into the night; Glorious, vivid, roomy display will make you want to throw out your iPad.

You call these widgets, iOS 8? I want to be able to read my email right on my home screen; It scratches; It bends

The iPhone 6 Plus is the biggest iPhone ever, with the sharpest screen of any iOS device in history. It's a record breaker, but is it worth the money? And is it too big for its own good, or too big for the average person to use one-handed?

Clever Reachability feature may solve one-handed use problems; Superb high-res screen; Beautiful design

Expensive; Apple Pay feature not available in UK yet; Could still be too big for the small-handed; Rear camera sticks out a tiny bit

I jumped and purchased a 128gb version a few months ago, it is amazing. I have heard lots of my friends who purchased the smaller version say that they wished they had bought the bigger one, but no-one the other way round.

BIGGER and then some, we test out Apple's phablet-sized iPhone 6 Plus. But is it a better choice than the iPhone 6?

Excellent camera; Insane processing power; Premium build materials; Brilliant battery life; Great Ecosystem; Gorgeous Display

Might be too large for some users; Curved edges make it slippy in the hand; Aluminium finish means case is a MUST

While the iPhone 6 Plus isn't the cheapest smartphone out there, you get a high-quality large display, great battery life and speedy performance. But the large format won't suit all users.

Impressive battery life; high-quality and large display; user-friendly; speedy performance

Too large for typing and using one-handed; some key features not out in UK; quite pricey

If size is everything, the iPhone 6 Plus has a lot going for it, but it'll be too big for many

Full HD screen with great colours; Lots of screen real estate; Optical image stabilisation on camera; Superb battery life

Way too big for some hands; Like the iPhone 6 there's no 4K video

Apple has steered clear of tablet-sized phones for a while now, leaving it to Samsung and other manufacturers, but now Apple is here with a phablet of its own. Is the iPhone 6 Plus the best big phone of the lot?

A phablet from Apple for those who want big phones; Exudes that Apple well-built quality; Great screen that is actually better than Apple's own "Retina" screens; High-speed 802.11ac WiFi is appreciated; Works with Apple's "Continuity" features and hands messages to computers with Mac OS X Yosemite,...

Next to impossible to use with one hand; Slippery; NFC can't be used by conventional NFC gadgets like headphones or speakers; Battery could be better; Fixed storage with no way of upgrading; Front-facing camera could have a little more oomph; No 4K video support