Actor Chris Evans has revealed his iPhone 6S finally died, tweeting a tiny obituary to his loyal phone.
“RIP iPhone 6s,” the Lightyear voice actor tweeted on Thursday. “We had a good run. I’ll miss your home button. I won’t miss the nightly battle of trying to get you to charge. Or your grainy pictures. Or your sudden drops from 100% battery, to 15%, to completely dead all within minutes. It was a wild ride. Rest easy, pal.”
It’s easy to understand why Evans might have been experiencing issues with his iPhone in the lead up to its untimely demise. Released Sept. 25, 2015, the iPhone 6S was part of Apple’s 9th generation of phones, which was more than a few iterations ago now. The iPhone 6S is geriatric by smartphone standards, having been discontinued when Apple released its 12th generation of phones in 2018. We’re currently in the 15th generation.
The iPhone 6S did have a few unexpected power issues when it was still fairly new, with Apple offering battery replacements in 2016. It’s unclear whether Evans was among those that took up this offer. But even if his iPhone 6S had worked perfectly at the time, seven years of problem-free operation is asking a lot from any smartphone.
Despite the iPhone 6S’ age, news that Evans hadn’t upgraded his phone before now is unsurprising. While he may be an internationally famous actor who could probably afford to buy a new phone, Evans has never portrayed himself as someone who loves having the latest tech.
“Dear All Technology, Remember the 90’s when you just WORKED???” Evans tweeted in 2019. “I don’t need a ‘smart’ feature on my TV, thermostat, lights, music, refrigerator, security cameras, and f-ing car. You’re a major pain in all of our asses. You’re not worth it.”
Some tech enthusiasts will literally queue up to be among the first to buy the latest new phone. In contrast, it seems Evans is a member of the cohort who sensibly choose to get the most out of their gadgetry before seeking an upgrade, and aren’t bothered about using a phone that was discontinued four years ago.
Evans also gave a nod to his iPhone 6S’s home button in his fond farewell. This feature was removed from Apple’s flagship phones with the iPhone X in 2017, which may have been one influencing factor in the actor’s decision not to upgrade.
Fortunately for the MCU’s first Captain America, Apple hasn’t completely abandoned the home button. While the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro rely on Face ID for their biometric unlock, the third generation iPhone SE still uses the home button, and was released just this year as part of the current generation of phones.
The iPhone SE also shares a form factor with the iPhone 8, which is just a hair bigger than the iPhone 6S, while its internal hardware is more on par with the iPhone 13. Assuming Evans wants to stick with Apple’s ecosystem, the iPhone SE seems like it’d be a pretty good pick for him, offering more power inside a familiar build.
Whatever he decides to go for, he might not have to decide straight away. Unless Evans has already dashed out to grab a new iPhone, there’s a chance his faithful old 6S might have had a few last dying gasps in it: Evans’ tribute tweet was sent via iPhone.
UPDATE: Jun. 24, 2022, 2:27 p.m. It seems Evans has indeed bought himself a new phone already, sharing a photo of the device on Instagram. It appears to be an iPhone 13 or 13 Pro, which makes sense. He’s already proven he isn’t much of a tech head, so it’s reasonable that he’d simply reach for Apple’s flagship phone. It’s sad to think he could have kept his home button, but maybe he really is finally ready to move on.
