iPhone 6s, 6s Plus Australian pricing

Australian pricing for Apple's iPhone 6s and 6s Plus has been unveiled by telecommunications carriers Telstra, Optus, Virgin, and Vodafone Australia, which all released their varying plan tiers over the weekend and began accepting pre-orders from Saturday.

Buying the iPhone 6s outright from Apple will cost AU$1,079 for 16GB of storage, AU$1,229 for 64GB, and AU$1,379 for 128GB. The iPhone 6s Plus costs AU$1,229 for 16GB, AU$1,379 for 64GB, and AU$1,529 for 128GB.

Both prepaid and post-paid pricing is outlined below for the four telcos, along with a table comparing all entry-level plans.

Telstra

Telstra has revealed that its post-paid customers can choose from four 24-month plans. Including monthly handset repayments, the iPhone 6s is available for:

• AU$87 for 16GB; AU$95 for 64GB; and AU$102 for 128GB: Includes AU$550 in calls, unlimited SMS and MMS, and 1GB of data
• AU$92 for 16GB; AU$102 for 64GB; and AU$109 for 128GB: Includes AU$1,000 in calls, unlimited SMS and MMS, and 2.5GB of data
• AU$99 for 16GB; AU$112 for 64GB; and AU$122 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS, and 7GB of data
• AU$135 for 16GB; AU$147 for 64GB; and AU$157 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS, and 15GB of data

The iPhone 6s Plus is available for:

• AU$95 for 16GB; AU$102 for 64GB; AU$112 for 128GB: Includes AU$550 in calls, unlimited SMS and MMS, and 1GB of data
• AU$102 for 16GB; AU$109 for 64GB; AU$118 for 128GB: Includes AU$1,000 in calls, unlimited SMS and MMS, and 2.5GB of data
• AU$118 for 16GB; AU$125 for 64GB; AU$135 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS, and 7GB of data
• AU$150 for 16GB; AU$157 for 64GB; AU$165 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS, and 15GB of data

Should customers choose to buy the handset outright from Apple, Telstra's Prepaid Freedom Plus monthly plans, announced on September 1, grant customers with 1.3GB and AU$250 worth of calls for AU$30; its AU$40 plan provides 3GB of data and AU$750 of calls; and the top-tier AU$50 plan sees customers given 4GB of data and AU$1,500 of call credit.

Call credit and data can be rolled over for an additional 28 days, provided customers top up their account by at least AU$30 before the period's expiry date is reached.

Vodafone

Vodafone Australia has the iPhone 6s on its 24-month Red plans plus handset repayments, with the following options:

• AU$79 for 16GB; AU$87 for 64GB; AU$93 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 1GB of data, and AU$5 global roaming
• AU$82 for 16GB; AU$90 for 64GB; AU$96 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 3GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, and a 6-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription
• AU$89 for 16GB; AU$95 for 64GB; AU$103 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 8GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, infinite international calling to 10 countries (the US, the UK, China, India, New Zealand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore), and a 6-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription
• AU$103 for 16GB; AU$108 for 64GB; AU$115 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 12GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, infinite international calling to 10 countries, and a 12-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription
• AU$130 for 16GB; AU$130 for 64GB; AU$134 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 20GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, infinite international calling to 10 countries, and a 12-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription

Vodafone is offering the iPhone 6s Plus on its Red plans, which also include handset repayments:

• AU$87 for 16GB; AU$93 for 64GB; AU$98 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 1GB of data, AU$5 global roaming
• AU$93 for 16GB; AU$98 for 64GB; AU$109 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 3GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, and a 6-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription
• AU$97 for 16GB; AU$103 for 64GB; AU$110 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 8GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, infinite international calling to 10 countries, and a 6-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription
• AU$110 for 16GB; AU$115 for 64GB; AU$121 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 12GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, infinite international calling to 10 countries, and a 12-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription
• AU$130 for 16GB; AU$134 for 64GB; AU$140 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 20GB of data, AU$5 global roaming, 120 minutes of international calling, infinite international calling to 10 countries, and a 12-month Spotify or Stan streaming subscription

Vodafone has three prepaid recharge options: AU$40, which buys 28 days to use 3GB of data, infinite calls and texts, and 90 minutes of international calling; AU$50, which buys 4GB of data, infinite calls and texts, infinite calls to 10 international countries, and 90 minutes of other international calls; and AU$60, which provides 6GB of data, infinite calls and texts, infinite calls to 10 international countries, and 120 minutes of other international calls.

Optus

Optus has detailed five 24-month plans for the new iPhone 6s, which include handset repayments:

• AU$73 for 16GB; AU$79 for 64GB; and AU$85 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, and 500MB of data
• AU$79 for 16GB; AU$88 for 64GB; and AU$94 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 3GB of data, and 150 minutes of international calls
• AU$86 for 16GB; AU$93 for 64GB; and AU$101 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 6GB of data, and 300 minutes of international calls
• AU$100 for 16GB; AU$107 for 64GB; and AU$113 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 12GB of data, and 400 minutes of international calls
• AU$135 for 16GB; AU$135 for 64GB; and AU$141 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 20GB of data, and 500 minutes of international calls

The iPhone 6s Plus, including handset repayments, is available for the following:

• AU$79 for 16GB; AU$85 for 64GB; and AU$91 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, and 500MB of data
• AU$88 for 16GB; AU$94 for 64GB; and AU$100 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 3GB of data, and 150 minutes of international calls
• AU$94 for 16GB; AU$100 for 64GB; and AU$107 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 6GB of data, and 300 minutes of international calls
• AU$108 for 16GB; AU$115 for 64GB; and AU$122 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 12GB of data, and 400 minutes of international calls
• AU$135 for 16GB; AU$142 for 64GB; and AU$149 for 128GB: Includes unlimited calls and texts, 20GB of data, and 500 minutes of international calls

Optus' monthly prepaid offerings of AU$30, AU$45, and AU$60 recharge include unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS; 1.5GB, 3.5GB, and 6GB of data, respectively; and AU$5, AU$10, and AU$15 of international calling, respectively.

Virgin

Virgin has seven tiered plans on 24-month contracts for the iPhone 6s, which have handset repayments built in:

• AU$61 for 16GB; AU$67 for 64GB; AU$73 for 128GB: Includes 300MB of data, and AU$300 worth of calls and texts
• AU$73 for 16GB; AU$79 for 64GB; AU$85 for 128GB: Includes 1GB of data, and AU$450 worth of calls and texts
• AU$73 for 16GB; AU$80 for 64GB; AU$86 for 128GB: Includes 2GB of data, and AU$500 worth of calls and texts
• AU$79 for 16GB; AU$88 for 64GB; AU$94 for 128GB: Includes 4GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts
• AU$83 for 16GB; AU$90 for 64GB; AU$96 for 128GB: Includes 6GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts
• AU$86 for 16GB; AU$93 for 64GB; AU$99 for 128GB: Includes 9GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts
• AU$100 for 16GB; AU$100 for 64GB; AU$106 for 128GB: Includes 13GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts

The iPhone 6s Plus, including handset repayments, is available for:

• AU$67 for 16GB; AU$73 for 64GB; AU$79 for 128GB: Includes 300MB of data, and AU$300 worth of calls and texts
• AU$79 for 16GB; AU$85 for 64GB; AU$91 for 128GB: Includes 1GB of data, and AU$450 worth of calls and texts
• AU$79 for 16GB; AU$86 for 64GB; AU$92 for 128GB: Includes 2GB of data, and AU$500 worth of calls and texts
• AU$88 for 16GB; AU$94 for 64GB; AU$100 for 128GB: Includes 4GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts
• AU$89 for 16GB; AU$96 for 64GB; AU$102 for 128GB: Includes 6GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts
• AU$93 for 16GB; AU$99 for 64GB; AU$105 for 128GB: Includes 9GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts
• AU$100 for 16GB; AU$106 for 64GB; AU$112 for 128GB: Includes 13GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts

Virgin has five prepaid plan options, starting at AU$19 for 250MB of data, unlimited calls and texts between mobiles on the Virgin network, and AU$100 worth of calls and texts to other networks. Its highest tier is AU$99 for 1GB of data, unlimited calls and texts between mobiles on the Virgin network, and AU$1,850 worth of calls and texts to other networks.

Post-paid plan comparison

Including handset repayments, the minimum spend for the new iPhones on each telco are:

Despite the iPhones only being marginally updated to the incremental "s" models, Apple CEO Tim Cook claimed "everything" has changed, arguing that they are the "most advanced smartphones in the world".

The biggest upgrade to the smartphones is the addition of 3D Touch, which Apple has touted as being a more responsive and pressure-sensitive touchscreen. The iPhone 6s comes with a 12-megapixel iSight camera; a 5MP front-facing camera; a 4.7-inch, 1,334x750, 326ppi Retina HD display; a 64-bit A9X processor; an embedded M9 motion coprocessor; double Ion-X process glass; 4K video recording; 1080p HD video recording; VoLTE support; NFC capabilities; talk time of up to 14 hours on 3G; and battery life of up to 10 hours of internet usage on 4G.

The iPhone 6s Plus features the same specs, but with a 5.5-inch, 1,920x1,080, 401ppi Retina HD display; optical image stabilisation; talk time of up to 24 hours on 3G; and battery life of up to 12 hours of internet usage on 4G.

The new iPhones are available in silver, gold, rose gold, and space grey, and will be launched in Australia on September 25.

Apple also used its event on Tuesday to take the wraps off its new iPad Pro aimed at the enterprise sector, which is currently primarily served by Microsoft's Surface Pro. It has an optional stylus, named the Apple Pencil, and a keyboard.

In regards to specs, the tablet comes in Wi-Fi-only and LTE options, with a 12.9-inch 2,732x2,048, 264ppi Retina display; a 10-hour battery life; an 8-megapixel iSight camera; and Touch ID. It is available in silver, space grey, and rose gold, and is only 6.9mm thick.

It also supports Adobe and Windows applications.

"We want to extend this richness with the new iPad Pro with Ink to allow anyone to markup documents," Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for Microsoft Office, said at the Apple event. "Just like Word, just like Excel, PowerPoint has excellent support for the Apple Pencil."

The iPad Pro will launch in November, with prices yet to be revealed by Apple for Australia.

Apple iPhone-and-more event in pictures

The tech giant also said that the Apple Watch now has more than 10,000 apps available, with Watch OS 2 launching on September 16. Earlier this week, industry analyst firm Telsyte had revealed that only 205,000 wearable devices were sold during the first six months of 2015, with the Apple Watch priced too high and with too few apps to gain market traction.

"The Apple watch remains a luxury gadget, with its sales price typically more than twice the average of rival Android-compatible smartwatches," Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said on Tuesday.

"It is difficult to see mass market consumers paying as much as premium tablets or smartphones for wearable technology that does not have significant new or unique features."

Fadaghi added that the Apple Watch should be priced around "AU$200 to AU$300" in order to see any sales growth.