iPhone 6(S)/Plus Issues with Airdrop, Icloud, Mail, Storage!

[LukaLee]

Can someone please explain the following to me! I have a 2+ year Iphone 6S only 16GB (which I realise now is completely redundant unless you only want to use your phone to make phone calls). My issues:

1. Airdrop - only works sometimes when trying to transfer photos from iphone to MacBook - no idea why it transfers sometimes and other times it does nothing. Would be okay if icloud worked!
2. ICloud Photos - huge delay in being able to access photos on icloud - some go up and others don't. Last available photos showing in icloud photos are from last Sunday (today is Saturday)!!
3. I deleted the Mail app from my phone about 3 months ago since it was showing as taking up 3-4GB of memory. It is still showing as taking up memory - even more on the storage bar and it's no even on the phone! This 4GB would make a big difference.

Any ideas greatly welcome. of course I know I could get a new phone but it's frustrating to have to spend $1000++ every 1-2 years just to have a phone that does what it says it should do.

Thanks

 

[jpn]

hi

i dont think there is any need at all to get a new iPhone from the problems you list.
i have a 6s as well.
the issues you have are likely due to settings problems.

here are a few things to look for.
one by one.

1 you probably understand the basics (iOS device and mac device: both same network, with both having bluetooth turned on).
most people have issues due to the No One/Contacts Only/Everyone: to get it to work, first set it to Everyone on both yr mac and iPhone as that setting causes the least problem and eliminates Contact naming differences as a problem.
but, even with setting it to Everyone, it still has a high likelihood that it may not work, until you possibly log out of iCloud on the iPhone (and/or) mac, then log back in to iCloud.
doing this seems to get it going. but it is labour intensive sometimes to get logged back in if apple Music and iCloud Drive is involved.

2 do you subscribe to iCloud Drive? If so, my recommendation is to only choose iCloud Photos and Shared Albums (and possibly Optimize Storage) but not choose My Photo Stream as it does nothing that iCloud Photos won't do automatically and better.
On yr mac look at the All Photos end: it will show you the status of what's still uploading or not.
to get it to upload over WiFi you need to be connected to WiFi and the iPhone plugged in to a power source and with screen off/asleep.
Since you only have 16GB storage, its best to Optimize Photos....

3 Mail still taking up space after you have deleted the app:
hmmm....maybe look at (on iPhone) Settings/General/iPhone Storage/Mail and see if you can delete the stored content that still might there. Just disappearing the icon from the screen may not have removed the stored data (?).

there is no need to buy an iPhone 8, or X, or Xs.
your 6s is still a great device.

i am assuming you have updated to iOS 12...if not, do it first.
everyone has their own preferences, but on a 16GB device, my own goal would be to have maximum 10-11GB of space used with 5-6GB as free, as its easy to run into all sorts of problems between iCloud, Photos, Music, Files on one hand, and, System Updates on the other.

good luck.