By William Molls

Here at REM, it’s difficult to ignore the trend of mobile devices replacing desktop computers for ordinary, every-day tasks. Up to half our audience now visits our website and reads our email newsletter from a smartphone or tablet device.

So it should come as no surprise that even Apple is getting in on the trend of making “phablets”. After all, if you’re using your mobile device for more and more things that you used to do on a computer, it helps to have a bigger screen.

Is the iPhone 6 a must have for real estate agents? Will the iPhone 6 make you more productive? Well, there’s a lot to consider.

Undeniably, the most noticeable new feature is its size. When it comes to showing off a listing, or writing and sending emails to clients, a bigger screen is definitely better and the iPhone 6 – as well as its even larger variant, the iPhone 6 Plus – delivers. With a screen size of 4.7 inches – 5.5 inches on the Plus – the iPhone 6 boasts a display resolution of 1334 by 750 pixels. The iPhone 6 Plus, meanwhile, has full 1080 HD resolution, a vast improvement over the iPhone 5’s four-inch, 1136 by 640 pixel display. All of this is to say images, text and video are more clear and precise than on previous models, which makes a difference when, for example, showing off photos of a new listing to clients, or reading the fine print on a contract.

The iPhone 6’s eight mega-pixel iSight camera is better than ever, offering automatic HDR, optical image stabilization and an improved panorama mode. While on the front-facing side of the device, a 1.2 megapixel camera offers improved face detection and a back-side illumination sensor that can sense how bright or dark your surroundings are and adjust the aperture as necessary. And as for recording video, the improved iSight camera offers full 1080p HD video capture, now including the ability to record in slow motion (up to 240 frames-per-second).

So what does that mean for real estate agents? Imagine being able to give a live virtual tour of a listing in HD video, then flipping to the front-facing camera to have a one-on-one video call with the client over FaceTime. You can do all of these things more seamlessly than ever with Apple’s newest phone.

Bigger also means more powerful. The iPhone 6 boasts an A8 chip and quad-core mobile processor, so running large, data-heavy applications can happen more smoothly than ever. Early tests by cnet.com indicate that battery life is on par with the previous iPhone 5 model, meaning that under average conditions, the battery should hold a charge throughout the day, though two days or more without a charge may be pushing it.

But what’s really exciting is what’s on the horizon for Apple’s signature product. ApplePay, a wireless payment system that uses Touch ID fingerprint verification and near field communication (NFC), will soon allow you to quickly and securely pay for everyday purchases without ever reaching for your wallet. The Apple Watch, Apple’s foray into the “smart watch” product line, can be linked with your phone and allow you to do basic tasks like answering calls and responding to texts without needing to reach into your pocket for the phone itself.

What should be the most exciting new feature for real estate professionals, though, is Handoff, which will allow you to start tasks on one device and finish them on another. For example, you could start a text document on your iPhone, pick up an iPad and edit it there, and then proofread and email it away on a Mac or MacBook, transitioning between devices seamlessly. Being able to switch back and forth between devices while working on, for example, a contract or disclosure agreement, promises to greatly increase the efficiency of a typical agents’ workflow.

Still, all of these exciting new possibilities are just that – possibilities. It remains to be seen how practical these new features will end up being in the real world.

So while it may not excel in any one category over offerings from Samsung and others, it’s certainly the most impressive all-around mobile phone on the market. If you’re up for a new contract with your wireless provider, it should be the first device you consider buying. But it’s not quite a “must-have” for real estate agents. Not yet, at least.

William Molls has been REM’s digital media manager since 2009. He has also worked freelance in media production for Bell Media, CityTV, and Rogers Communications, and is a graduate of Ryerson University’s RTA School of Media.  [email protected]