New iPhones 'Not Groundbreaking, Just Excellent'

Tech experts are applauding the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, noting the bigger screens and improved features. But the critics aren't without their reservations about the new devices, which, they say, aren't exactly revolutionary:

• "It's clear that Apple spent the last year tweaking and improving every square inch of the iPhone," writes David Pierce at the Verge, reviewing the 6. For instance, it "takes better pictures than any smartphone I've ever used." But it's "not terribly exciting, or groundbreaking. It’s just excellent." As for the 6 Plus, Nilay Patel at the Verge notes an "absolutely stunning display," but acknowledges that "there's nothing here that competitors aren't doing with their big phones."

• "Are the bigger iPhones worth all this big time attention? The answer is a resounding yes," writes Edward C. Baig in USA Today. But he has some complaints, particularly about the "buggy" 6 Plus, which, he found, has issues with freezing and rotation and is tough to use with one hand.
• In keeping with others, Brad Molen notes a camera lens that "sticks out" on the phones; the devices are also easily scratched. Still, he gives both phones high marks at Engadget, adding that the more comfortable 6 is "the better choice for most people." Still, the 6 Plus offers "more of an iPad-like user experience on a much smaller device."
• In the New York Times, Molly Wood writes that Apple has released "one phone that is actually a little too small and one that's a little too big." But the new operating system, iOS 8, "combines some of the advanced features of Android with Apple's ease of use and reliability." Overall, Apple remains "just in front of their competitors."

(More iPhone 6 stories.)