It's no easy task reviewing an iPhone. Apple isn't like other phone makers and doesn't create and launch several smartphone models throughout the year. Instead, once per annum, Apple announces the new devices that it's going to sell for the entire next 12 months. That's it.

It's January of 2012 and I'm in Las Vegas to cover the annual Consumer Electronics Show. I'm stuck in traffic with a colleague of mine when our taxi driver points to an advertisement for a new smartphone and asks if we know anything about it.

Beautiful, bright and color-accurate HD display; A8 SoC performs on par or faster than competing chips; Improvements to the camera hardware and battery life; Finally makes iOS an option for anyone interested in a phablet; Thin body and the tapered edges of the front panel glass look stunning

Protruding camera lens takes away from the overall design; Few iOS apps are optimized for the new form factor (though this will change over time); Price -- Apple added a new 'premium' tier to the iPhone lineup

Apple's 5.5in giant isn't for everyone, but for some it may prove the perfect mid-point between an iPad and iPhone

Apple's 5.5in giant isn't for everyone, but for some the iPhone 6 Plus may be the perfect midpoint between an iPad and iPhone. Read the review.

The iPhone 6 Plus is perhaps the iPhone as a phablet. But the iPhone 6 is better being an iPhone. As with all things Apple, though it may not matter for most people taking a glimpse at the iPhone 6 Plus, because the 6 Plus is simpler.

Excellent camera, especially in low light; Super premium feel, and easy to use OS

It's really big; Phone calling performance is just okay

That Apple makes superlative smartphones is nothing new; the Cupertino-based company has set the gold standard for mobile design ever since it debuted the iPhone in 2007. But in the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple is walking a path it's never trodden before.

This is the most capable iPhone ever made; It blew away the competition in our benchmark tests, its battery lasts forever, and its camera sets a new standard for excellence

Thanks to a thick bezel; the phone is bigger than other devices with comparable; 5.5-inch screens.

But using a smartphone with a huge screen, like the iPhone 6 Plus, forces you to constantly consider the size of your hands.

Beautiful display; Terrific camera; Great battery life

Probably needs a case; iOS can be glitchy; Apps need to be updated to take better advantage of the display; Seriously; what is this paste icon on the landscape keyboard

This year, Apple has launched almost -- but not quite -- identical handsets apart from the screen size. We've already evaluated Apple's new 4.7-inch iPhone 6 , and now it's the turn of the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.

Elegant slimline chassis with 5.5-inch screen; Solid build quality; Performance boost over iPhone 5s; Good battery life; Optical image stabilisation on iSight camera

Some users will find the large screen hard to navigate; Expensive; No storage expansion; No NFC-enabled Apple Pay support outside the US

If you've avoided previous iPhones because of their diminutive stature, take another look. The iPhone 6 Plus feels smoother than any other phone, sports a top-notch camera, and has the best app selection.

Industry-leading design; build quality; Reachability feature makes size manageable; Fantastic camera; iOS 8 remains a fluid; beautiful OS; Large battery

16GB storage on base model is not enough; Large size is too big for some hands; Specs aren't much better than iPhone 5S; No water resistance

I've owned a lot of Android phones and two iPhone 6s. I am also responsible for my daughters' iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. ALL iPHONES ARE ALL PIECES OF JUNK. My Android phones had a few minor issues here and there, but nothing like the iPhones running iOS 7 and 8.

sleek; good looks

bug-ridden OS; Apple holier-than-thou service; expensive