As we zero in on the launch date of the iPhone 8 — Apple’s commemorative handset of the 10th anniversary of the very first iPhone — a lot of facts and figures are getting thrown around. For the most part, these predictions relate to the 8’s unofficial features and specs. Yet every once in a while, something totally unexpected (and unrelated) comes through the avalanche of leaks— the latest of which questions the survival of the S-series of iPhones.
According to Phil Schiller, the S that follows so many generations stands for ‘speed.’ A pessimistic group of Apple fans, on the other hand, say it stands for ‘same’ as the S model typically shares the majority of its features with the original. With only minor variances, it’s a kind of half-step in the world of upgrading, as most of the glitches and bugs of the original have been ironed out by the time it reaches the S stage.
Well-known Apple writer, John Gruber, thinks the S model’s days are numbered thanks to the iPhone 7s Plus dummy model—a generation that Apple claims it’s releasing alongside the 8. In his opinion, the dummy model’s design is too different from being considered an S-series.
Instead, he claims Apple has plans to kill the S model line and replace it with a no-nonsense naming scheme. Alongside the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and 8 Pro, Gruber thinks we could see an iPhone, iPhone Plus, and iPhone Pro released simultaneously.
If you like the sound of that at the end of your iPhone 6 (it does sound an awful lot like Success), then this prediction—if true—is bittersweet. On the one hand, you have the very last S model released by Apple. On the other, you’ll never again reap the benefits of waiting out a new generation’s technical improvements.
If the news makes you want to hang on to your 6s for as long as possible, you’ll need to do everything in your power to maintain your handset for the years to come.
Update your iOS
Both the 6S and the 6S Plus are compatible with iOS 11. First announced by Tim Cook at this year’s WWDC, iOS 11 will debut this fall as the mint operating system of its flagship iPhone 8. The improvements promised in the update will likely embrace a growing emphasis on machine learning in technology.
Since the creation of Alexa and Google Assistant, two capable artificial assistants provided by Amazon and Google, Siri has let down many iPhone users. It’s failed to match these other assistants in speed, reliability, or relevancy.
Anyone who’s received “Sorry, I cannot take requests right now” as a reply to a simple request like “call mom” knows Siri needs some work. With iOS 11, Apple hopes to create a more competent assistant—and processor at large—that’s capable of reading contextual clues to better understand and adjust to your immediate actions and long-term habits as well as its own processes.
Updating to iOS 11 will also fix any security vulnerabilities and bugs that threaten or slow down its performance. It won’t just level the playing field when it comes to artificial assistants. It should improve your experience at the screen of your 6s.
Get a skin
As the latest iOS works to preserve its functionality, applying a vinyl skin will keep the outside of your 6s looking good no matter how old it gets. Stick with a skin designer that can guarantee quality made materials and precision-cut decals. Only the designers at dbrand use genuine 3M vinyl in all of their iPhone skins. This superior material is known worldwide for its smooth, reliable application, and the brand’s engineers cut it to fit the dimensions of the 6s perfectly.
Since they have an exclusive partnership with 3M, they can offer new iPhone 6s skins that you can’t find anywhere else. These special colors and textures can transform a tired-looking gadget and breathe new life with a unique personality.
If you protect your phone and maintain it well, you may update these looks several times over the years. If Gruber’s predictions become a reality, it looks like these steps are the only way you’ll keep an S-series in your hand for that long.
