What are all the differences between the iPhone 6 Plus models?

Please note that the iPhone 6 Plus has been discontinued. However, this Q&A has been updated with the latest on iOS support and more for anyone considering one of these models on the used market.

If you were expecting this EveryiPhone.com Q&A to just enumerate the color, capacity, and price differences for iPhone 6 Plus configurations, you might be surprised that there actually are four different iPhone 6 Plus models.

To make differentiation simpler, EveryiPhone.com documents each iPhone 6 Plus -- which users sometimes also refer to as "iPhone 6+" even though Apple's official nomenclature spells out the "Plus" -- as the iPhone 6 Plus (GSM/North America), 6 Plus (CDMA/Verizon), 6 Plus (Global/Sprint), and 6 Plus (China Mobile).

The iPhone 6 Plus models are quite similar to one another, but there are important official and unofficial differences in network support. Consequently, it is critical to know which models support which networks and how to identify each. It is useful to know what the four models have in common, too.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 6 Plus - Front, Back & Side)

External Similarities & Differences

Each iPhone 6 Plus model uses the same 5.5" multitouch IPS LED-backlit "Retina HD" display with 1920x1080 resolution at 401 ppi with a 1300:1 contrast ratio and 500 cd/m2 typical maximum brightness as well as "dual-domain pixels" for an improved viewing angle.

Each iPhone 6 Plus shares the same 6.22" x 3.06" x 0.28" aluminum case design with softly rounded sides like the earlier iPod touch 5th Gen. However, unlike the iPod touch 5th Gen, which has a flat display, the iPhone 6 Plus has a glass display that curves toward the also rounded sides for a "completely smooth and continuous surface."

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 6 Plus - Curved Display Edge & Rounded Sides)

All iPhone 6 Plus models originally were offered in three color options -- silver, gold, and "Space" gray, although Apple discontinued the gold option on September 9, 2015. Silver has a white glass front and a silver colored aluminum back, Gold has a white glass front and a gold colored aluminum back, and Space Gray has a black glass front and a gray aluminum back.

All iPhone 6 Plus models also have an embedded "Touch ID" fingerprint sensor in the home button, a bottom mounted headphone jack, microphone, Lighting connector, and a single built-in speaker as well as an on/off switch and Nano SIM access panel on the righthand side.

The iPhone 6 Plus models ship with "EarPod" headphones that include the integrated Remote and Mic, also.

Camera Similarities

The iPhone 6 Plus models all have the same front-mounted "FaceTime HD" and rear-mounted "iSight" camera.

The FaceTime HD camera has a 1.2 megapixel sensor (1280x960), an f/2.2 aperture, and is capable of recording 720p video.

The iSight camera has an 8 megapixel sensor with 1.5µm pixels, an f/2.2 aperture, and is capable of recording 1080p video at 30 fps or 60 fps (as well as 240 fps for slo-mo). It also has a new sensor "featuring Focus Pixels for faster autofocus" and "continuous autofocus, cinematic video stabilization, and time-lapse video" capabilities in addition to a five-element lens, a dual LED "True Tone" flash, backside illumination sensor, and a hybrid IR filter.

Most notably, though, the iPhone 6 Plus iSight camera also has optical image stabilization, which uses the gyroscope to accommodate for shaky hands and deliver more stable video and better low light photography than early iPhone models.

Identification Differences

Two of the four iPhone 6 Plus models can be uniquely identified by Model Number, which is provided on the back of each device in small print. The other two iPhone 6 Plus models are a bit trickier to narrow down, though.

Nevertheless, the model numbers for each iPhone 6 Plus are:

iPhone	Model Number
iPhone 6 Plus (GSM/North America)	A1522
iPhone 6 Plus (CDMA/Verizon)	A1522
iPhone 6 Plus (Global/Sprint)	A1524
iPhone 6 Plus (China Mobile)	A1593

As specified above, two iPhone 6 Plus models use the A1522 model number and are more challenging to identify as a result. These models both are distributed in the United States, so precise identification is particularly important.

If the iPhone 6 Plus will boot, the most convenient way to conclusively identify a specific A1522 model is with the Order Number -- which Apple refers to as the "Model" within the iOS -- or its Serial Number listed in software.

To find the "Model" and Serial Number, click the "Settings" icon on the homescreen and select General > About and then scroll until "Model" or "Serial Number" is visible. The "Model" identifier looks like MGC02LL/A, which specifically refers to the GSM version of the A1522 iPhone 6 Plus in silver with 16 GB of storage and that is contract free but bundled with a T-Mobile Nano SIM.

Once you have located the "Model" or the device serial number, EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature can identify it precisely.

Network Connectivity & Carrier Support Differences

All iPhone 6 Plus devices support 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (and notably 802.11ac with speeds up to 433 Mbps), as well as Bluetooth 4.0 and GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).

Other connectivity varies by model:

iPhone Model	Model No.	UMTS/HSPA+ DC-HSDPA	CDMA EV-DO	TD-SCDMA	LTE Bands (4G)
6 Plus (GSM/North America)	A1522	850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	Unofficial*	None	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29
6 Plus (CDMA/Verizon)	A1522	850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	None	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29
6 Plus (Global/Sprint)	A1524	850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	1900 (F), 2000 (A)	FDD-LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29); TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41)
6 Plus (China Mobile)	A1593	850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz	None	1900 (F), 2000 (A)	FDD-LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29); TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41)†

*In the US, the GSM version of the A1522 iPhone 6 Plus is sold unlocked and without a contract on T-Mobile and it does not officially support CDMA networks. Apple refers to this model as the "T-Mobile" iPhone 6 Plus. However, users have discovered that it actually does work properly with a Verizon CDMA SIM card, so it does support CDMA after all.

Starting on January 6, 2015, Apple also began selling an unlocked version of the A1524 "Global" iPhone 6 Plus in the United States which Apple calls the "Unlocked" iPhone 6 Plus. Although Apple does not mention it, and it is bound by a two-year contract, the iPhone 6 Plus is offered unlocked on Verizon, too.

The China Mobile iPhone 6 Plus model supports the WCDMA variant of UMTS on the same frequencies as the other models and the same FDD-LTE and TD-LTE bands as the "global" model, but UMTS and FDD-LTE officially are "only for international roaming" rather than for use within mainland China.

For complete details regarding specific LTE support in a given location, it will be necessary to check with the available carrier(s).

Internal & Battery Life Similarities

The iPhone 6 Plus models all are powered by a dual core 1.4 GHz Apple A8 processor, have an M8 motion coprocessor that "continuously measures data from the [six-axis] accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, and a new barometer," and as first determined by AnandTech, the graphics processor is a four core PowerVR GX6450.

The iPhone 6 Plus models also all are available with either 16 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of flash memory storage (128 GB option discontinued September 9, 2015), have 1 GB of RAM, and have an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip that allows digital payments in conjunction with the "Apple Pay" app, too.

Apple formally reports that the iPhone 6 Plus models provide "up to" 24 hours of talk time over 3G; 12 hours of 3G, 4G/LTE, or Wi-Fi Internet use; 14 hours of HD video playback; 80 hours of music playback; and 16 days (384 hours) of standby time.

iOS Support Similarities

All iPhone 6 Plus models originally had iOS 8 pre-installed, subsequently were pre-installed with iOS 9, and also support iOS 10, iOS 11, and iOS 12, with the exception of the minor "Memoji" feature.

The iPhone 6 Plus models do not support iOS 13 or later versions of the iOS, including the current version.

iPhone 6 Plus Comparison Chart

The iPhone 6 Plus differences -- identifiers, network support, and target countries -- along with pricing details are summarized below:

	GSM North America	CDMA Verizon	Global/Sprint	China Mobile
Model No:	A1522	A1522	A1524	A1593
FDD-LTE:	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29
TD-LTE:	No	No	38, 39, 40, 41	38, 39, 40, 41
TD-SCDMA:	No	No	1900 (F), 2000 (A)	1900 (F), 2000 (A)
GSM/EDGE:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
UMTS:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HSPA+:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
DC-HSDPA:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
EV-DO:	Unofficial	Yes	Yes	No
Region:	US/Canada	US (Verizon)	US/Global	China
Intro. Price:	US$299* US$399* US$499*	US$299† US$399† US$499†	US$299§ US$399§ US$499§	RMB 6,088** RMB 6,888** RMB 7,788**

* These introductory prices are for the A1522 GSM/North America model with 16 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of storage, respectively, and are locked to AT&T and require a two-year contract. On September 9, 2015, Apple discontinued the 128 GB capacity (and gold color option), and dropped the price of the remaining 16 GB and 64 GB options to US$199 and US$299, respectively. Contract free on T-Mobile, the GSM/North America model originally was available for US$749, US$849, or US$949, and this was dropped to US$649 and US$749 unlocked and contract free.

† These introductory prices are for the A1522 CDMA/Verizon model with 16 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of storage, respectively, unlocked, but with a two-year contract on Verizon. On September 9, 2015, Apple discontinued the 128 GB capacity (and gold color option), and dropped the price of the remaining 16 GB and 64 GB options to US$199 and US$299, respectively.

§ These introductory prices are for the A1524 Global/Sprint model with 16, GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB with a two-year contract and locked to Sprint. Starting January 6, 2015, the Global model also was available in the US, contract free and factory unlocked, for US$749, US$849, or US$949. On September 9, 2015, Apple discontinued the 128 GB capacity (and gold color option), and dropped the price of the remaining 16 GB and 64 GB options to US$199 and US$299, respectively, on Sprint. The unlocked and contract free options dropped to US$649 and US$749, respectively. The price varies in other countries around the world.

** These introductory prices are for the A1593 China Mobile model with 16 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of storage, unlocked and contract-free, but intended for use on China Mobile's network in mainland China. On September 9, 2015, Apple discontinued the 128 GB capacity (and gold color option), and dropped the price of the remaining 16 GB and 64 GB options to RMB 5,288 and RMB 6,088, respectively.

For introductory pricing in dozens of other countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section.

iPhone Purchase & Sale Options

There are many websites that sell new and used iPhone models. However, buying your iPhone from an established company with a good reputation -- and quality after sales support -- will provide the best experience and save you money and time, too.

In the US, site sponsor Other World Computing sells used and refurbished iPhone models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used iPhone models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.

Also see: What are all the differences between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus models? Which should I buy?