Tim Cook knew the brand needed to do something, and quickly - and that's just what's happened, with the iPhone 6 representing one of the most comprehensive overhauls of the iPhone range since the iPhone 4 - and actually going one step further in a lot of ways.
The processor is obviously uprated, the camera quicker and more capable than ever before, and the battery has been enlarged significantly to quell the disquiet at the power use of previous models.
But there's so much more here that represents a seismic shift for Apple: the increased resolution on the screen is really helpful (and badly needed) and the payments mechanism, while limited to the US only at the moment, will be the boost that the smartphone payment industry needed.
And of course the larger screen will stop admiring glances from those locked into the iOS ecosystem to phones such as the HTC One M8 and Sony Xperia Z3.
Design
Apple's design overhaul is much-needed and as much as many could have hoped for - taking a number of cues from the iPad Air to bring a metallic, almost ceramic, shell that feels simply brilliant in the hand.
Say what you like about Apple, it's a brand that's always put design at the forefront of its new handsets. Even the iPhone 5S, probably the most unimaginative of all of Cupertino's handsets, had a strong build that screamed quality in the hand, giving the user the instant feeling of something worth spending a lot on.
Say what you like about Apple, it's a brand that's always put design at the forefront of its new handsets. Even the iPhone 5S, probably the most unimaginative of all of Cupertino's handsets, had a strong build that screamed quality in the hand, giving the user the instant feeling of something worth spending a lot on.
The iPhone 6 pushes that idea to the next level, losing the sharp edges in favour of sleek and rounded sides that make the device much more pleasing in the palm. It just feels so thin, but doesn't have the overly-lightweight feeling of the iPhone 5S.
There is a worry that this is a slippier handset than before thanks to the more rounded nature of the design, but then again with Apple (apparently) upgrading the glass in the screen to something that can withstand many, many more bumps and bruises before shattering, that might not be the horrid experience it might once have been.
There is a worry that this is a slippier handset than before thanks to the more rounded nature of the design, but then again with Apple (apparently) upgrading the glass in the screen to something that can withstand many, many more bumps and bruises before shattering, that might not be the horrid experience it might once have been.
The larger screen is certainly an improvement on the previous models - while I think 4.7-inches is going to be a tiny bit small for those that have lusted after their friends' Galaxy S5 devices with the 5.2-inch screen, it's still a very good size for one hand.
Camera
The camera on the iPhone 6 isn't much of a change... from the outside. It's still 8MP, and still doesn't record in 4K.
But that would miss some of the big changes: the f/2.2 aperture, the new iSight camera with superfast autofocus thanks to 'Focus Pixels' and the same trick repeated with the video, for smooth shooting even if you're moving around.
Early verdict
The iPhone 6 is a really rather good handset indeed. While I can't bring myself to say 'it's the best iPhone ever made' again (it is, but I promised I wouldn't write that again after saying the same thing for three reviews in a row), in the pantheon of Apple handsets the iPhone 6 will go down as a pivotal moment.
The new payment mechanisms, the increased screen and battery size and the overhauled design come from a phone that is finally following, at least partly, the path laid out by the competition rather than steadfastly refusing to acknowledge that consumers are looking for something else.
It will still command the same eye-watering price tag as before, but this time it certainly warrants it - if you're after a new phone and are toying with leaving Apple's ecosystem, don't.
This is very likely the phone for you, offering all the simplicity and power of iOS combined with hardware that rivals some of the best the Android army has to offer
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