iPhone 6 models unveiled

In 2014 almost everyone carries around a gaming platform in their bag or pocket. We can play games on the train, at a bar, while walking down the street (not recommended) and even in the office. It's amazing that any of us still manage to get work done and have social lives, with the world of gaming perpetually within arms reach.

Some PC and console gaming purists may dismiss mobile gaming as being strictly casual, but with revenue from mobile gaming hitting $17.5 billion in 2013 and classic titles like Final Fantasy VI and BioShock, as well as recent hits like The Walking Dead, now available to play on iOS devices, it's hard to ignore the part that smartphones play in the modern gaming landscape. With that in mind, it's worth paying attention to today's unveiling of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus at a special Apple event in Cupertino, California.

In terms of processing power, the iPhone 6 comes with the new A8 chip, which Apple claims is 50% more efficient than the A7, as well as the new M8 motion coprocessor. Although the A8 is dual-core and 64-bit, the iPhone 6 is reported to boast just 1GB of RAM. Both new phones are slimmer than their predecessor, with the iPhone 6 coming in at 6.9mm and the iPhone 6 Plus measuring 7.1mm compared to the 7.6mm iPhone 5s. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch 1334 x 750 display, while the iPhone 6 Plus goes even bigger with a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 screen. There are no prizes for guessing that the new iPhones will run on iOS 8, and they will also include an upgraded LTE modem that will allow for faster upload and download speeds.

iphone 6 iphone 5 comparison

The iPhone 6 will ship on September 19th with pre-orders available from September 12th, but it doesn't come cheap. Prices start at $199 for the 16GB model with a two-year contract, with contract-free prices starting at $649. The 64GB model will cost $299 with a two year contract, and the 128GB model will cost $399. As a gaming platform that makes it more expensive than both the PS4 and the Xbox One, but obviously the iPhone 6 will be a lot more versatile than a console. You can even use it as a phone!

Although the iPhone was once at the very cutting edge of phone technology, Apple has since acquired some fierce competition from Android phones, and until today the company had not dipped into the latest trend of smart watches that other tech companies have been pushing as one of the next big breakthroughs. This has now been remedied, however, as Apple has also announced a range of Apple Watches that will work on conjunction with iPhones to run a number of different apps right from the wearer's wrist.

Do you like what you've seen of Apple's new products so far, or are you going to wait for a bigger leap forward in technology before making your next big gadget investment? Tell us if you've been convinced to buy an iPhone 6 in the comments.

The iPhone 6 ships on September 19th, 2014.