Almost two weeks ago I held my breath while I unwrapped my new iPhone 6 Plus. I was incredibly excited to replace my sickly iPhone 4S, which was all but destroyed with the update to iOS 8. But I was fearful that I had gone phone crazy by buying a phone that would be too large for my small hands and too fragile for my (non-skinny) jeans pockets.

 The Overview

Coming from the teensy 4S, the iPhone 6 Plus is simply beautiful. It’s crisp, clean and elegant. Mine is gold, but I quickly realized I’d never see the real color because I would have to buy a cover. Perhaps it’s because of all the “Bendgate” news about the phone’s tendency to bend if, well, you bend it, but the device feels a little fragile to me. It’s quite thin, and until I bought the cover, I was petrified about the smooth shell slipping through my fingers.

(On a side note, the cover I bought has a super-secret compartment for a credit card and ID! Perfect for travel.)

The Software

The iPhone 6 Plus brings together all of Apple’s newest toys. It has the fingerprint reader for security to unlock, plus incredible cameras (both front and back) and a formidable battery life. My old phone died out so quickly that I traveled with power packs at all times. Now I feel confident that I’ll be able to call my husband at an airport after a full day of travel without having to pray that the phone wouldn’t die.

The screen makes the most of the iOS 8 updates, as you might expect. The apps fill the screen for the most part, and the extra real estate is easier on these old nerd eyes. I find myself reaching for the new phone more than my old iPad 2 to watch movies or play games. I hated doing either of those tasks on the 4S.

The Size

Oh, and then there’s the size. Yes, it’s quite a bit larger than the 4S, but I don’t find the size a huge problem. I can hold it in one hand to check TripIt as I’m rushing through an airport. I did find it challenging to unlock it with one hand because I used my right index finder for the touch ID, but then I programmed my thumbprints as well, so I can unlock on the go. I don’t really struggle with the one-handed typing, but a new keyboard makes it even easier.

So Should You Get an iPhone 6?

We consumers are definitely benefitting from the iOS vs. Android wars in terms of improvements in both hardware and software. With the iPhone 6, Apple takes a very large step forward, catching up to device makers such as Galaxy and perhaps moving beyond. This product has excited app developers to make the most of the extra features and space, and I think we’ll see a huge rush in innovative designs for the App Store. If you were waiting for a flagship Apple product, this is it. I’m has happy as I can be. But I’m sure the Android world will pull an amazing innovation out of a hat before Google has time to index this blog post.