Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus today to much fanfare. These handsets are the devices that will shape Apple's future for the next year or two. Both devices are powered by iOS 8, and they look quite beautiful when in hands, and quite large on the side of the iPhone 6 Plus.

It took Apple a long time to get in on the large-screen smartphone game. The company made its first attempt with the iPhone 5 and 5S, but those devices only had a 4-inch screen, and by that time smartphone display sizes were hitting the 5-inch mark.

Now with the announcement of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple has increased the screen real-estate tremendously, though still managing to keep the 16:9 ratio to make sure that apps that were made for previous iPhone devices, will work on the new handsets without a distorted look. It's a good move from Apple, and developers should be very happy about this.

The smallest iPhone of the two devices is the iPhone 6 with its 4.7-inch display. The screen supports HD, and the resolution is 1334 x 750 pixels. The glass doesn't appear to be made of sapphire, instead; it is ion strengthened so it should be able to withstand a few scratches in the pocket.

The design is rounded, which is similar to that of the new iPad and iPad mini.

On the aspect of the camera, the iPhone 6 is rocking an 8-megapixel shooter at the back with digital image stabilization. While the resolution is similar to the iPhone 4s, 5, and 5s, the big difference here is the improved sensor, according to Apple.

Apple also says the iPhone 6 is capable of shooting videos at 1080p 30fps or at 60fps. That's impressive, and is likely made possible by the new A8 processor that is said to deliver 25 percent more performance.

On the matter of the iPhone 6 Plus

Compared to the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus is almost similar, except for one key ingredient, the display. This beautiful handset is rocking a 5.5-inch display that is capable of delivering content at full 1080p HD. When it comes down to the camera, it has the same lens as the iPhone 6, but what makes the iPhone 6 Plus stand apart, is optical image stabilization. This is far more effective than digital image stabilization, so for folks who are big on having the best quality image with an iPhone, the 6 Plus is likely the way to go.

Both devices are pretty impressive, and will be available come Sept. 19. However, folks can pre-order on Sept. 12 if they lack the will to wait it out until launch day.

Pricing

The iPhone 6 will cost consumers $199 on a two-year contract for the 16GB model, while 64GB and 128GB models will costs $299 and $399, respectively. The iPhone 6 Plus, on the other hand, will cost an extra $100 across all models.