Last year's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus introduced a larger, slimmer form factor housing higher resolution Retina HD screens and improvements in processors, cameras and wireless. While Apple's latest 6s and 6s Plus models look virtually identical, the company has significantly improved nearly every key...

3D Touch adds a cool new layer of interactivity; navigation and shortcuts; Great battery life even when using LTE 4G; A9 processor blows the pants off of the other SoCs; Improved cameras deliver better photos; Live Photo novelty and crisp 4K video; Price competitive with lessor alternatives

No optical zoom or external lens features; No weather proofing options

The battery life took a hit, but Apple's iPhone 6S Plus is the best iPhone to buy.

Same gorgeous look and quality build; Big camera upgrades make a difference; 3D Touch livens up iOS 9; Stronger aluminum construction

Smaller battery; Entry-level 16GB storage is insufficient

Everyone expected a lot and then they didn't. They said everything would change and also said nothing would. People were ready to joke about how it being a tock year of the tick tock pattern that Apple follow, we would just see a very very tiny upgrade from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus from last year.

iOS 9 great; 3D Touch; Brilliant battery life; upscaled camera; Selfie camera is pin sharp; Live Photos great touch

Too big for some; expensive

I've been using the iPhone 6S Plus since its release in September and my opinion of Apple's most expensive phone has changed very little. This is the best ‘S' version phone the company's ever made. Let's start with everything it's great at… The camera is a joy.

3D Touch is awesome; Stupendous performance; Two great new cameras; Solid battery life

Still too big; No fast-charging; 16GB version isn't big enough

It's September, the kids have gone back to school, Starbucks has started selling Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and Apple has released two new iPhones : the iPhone 6S Plus being the larger 5.5-inch screen device than the standard 4.7-inch 6S .

Big screen size; great battery life; improved camera with optical stabilisation; slick operation from 3D Touch

It's big and heavy which simply won't be suitable for everyone; screen resolution behind the flagship curve

If you're in the market for a big phone, Apple is ready with a new phone, and if you want it to come with all the features everyone else has plus that lovely Apple touch, the news is very good.

Very well built; Performance is top notch; Battery can get two days; Camera upgrades are worth checking out and make the phone highly competitive against other flagships; 3D Touch adds an extra level of control; allowing one handed operation; Fingerprint scanner is even faster than before

Expensive; No way of getting 4K video off the phone and over to a 4K TV easily; No upgradeable storage; as is typical with Apple

3D Touch is especially useful with a larger device like the iPhone 6S Plus since one finger can suddenly access myriad options decided on simply by force. When I'm scanning messages, I can ‘peek' to get a bigger picture of what Is behind the message and if I need to act on it (i.e.

In terms of which iPhone you should choose, I think the size differences between the 6s and the 6s Plus outweighs the minor feature differences. Buy the size that feels most comfortable.

Excellent optical video stabilization; Big screen is ideal for gaming and video playback; Improved network performance over iPhone 6 Plus

Expensive; Average battery life

Editors' note (Sept. 12, 2018): The iPhone 6S Plus reviewed here is no longer being sold by Apple, but the iPhone 8 is now available in its place at a reduced price of $599. See all of the new iPhones and new products that Apple just announced.

The iPhone 6S Plus has a few key advantages that give it an edge for serious iPhone users, but its big body still may not fit for a lot of people.

Improved speed, better cameras, always-on Siri, and pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display compared to last year's 6 Plus; And it has slightly better battery life, a bigger higher resolution screen, and optical image stabilization for photos and video that can make a difference.

It's really big; It costs more than the smaller iPhone; Other phablet-sized phones offer longer battery life.

The iPhone 6s keeps the same design as the iPhone 6, but packs better cameras, a snappier processor and 3D Touch, a smart new way to get things done in fewer steps. Beyond that, the combination of iOS 9 and some well-built hardware help makes the 6s one of the best iPhones ever made...