Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. iPhone 6 Rumor Breakdown

In just a few short weeks, consumers looking for a new smartphone are going to have another option on shelves. iPhone 6 rumors continue to put the device inside of the month of September and with just a few weeks to go, we’re starting to match up those rumors next to current flagship smartphones. Today, we take a look at the iPhone 6 vs the Samsung Galaxy S4, a device that’s still on sale and in the hands of millions of people around the globe.

Last year, Samsung took the stage at an event in New York City and announced the all new Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4, one of the most anticipated smartphones of all time, delivered a number of upgrades including a larger Full HD display, faster processor, brand new camera, polished design, improved TouchWiz software, and more.

It did not sell as well as Samsung had hoped but it still was one of the best smartphones of the year and a device that was scooped up by millions of consumers worldwide. Thanks to those users and thanks to its spec sheet and a declining price tag, the Samsung Galaxy S4 remains a fixture in the smartphone world, more than a year after its release.

We’ve heard from consumers who are thinking about picking the Galaxy S4 up. We’ve also heard from Galaxy S4 users, some of whom were on one year contracts, that are thinking about ditching the device for something new in the weeks ahead.

From where we’re sitting, the rumored iPhone 6 is a smartphone that’s going to be hard for owners and prospective Galaxy S4 buyers to dismiss. In fact, in the past few weeks, we’ve been inundated with questions concerning the iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S4. Consumers want to know which device to buy.

We can’t answer that question just yet as we’ve only been able to go hands on with iPhone 6 cases and models, not the iPhone 6 itself. What we can do is outline the important things to know right now about the relationship between the rumored iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S4. Here, we breakdown the latest and more credible iPhone 6 rumors and compare them to Samsung’s aging flagship smartphone.

Design

The Galaxy S4 design was an improvement over the Galaxy S3’s but it wasn’t near the top of our list in terms of quality. Samsung’s plastic polycarbonate designs may have resonated with consumers back in 2012 and 2011 but in 2013 and 2014, consumers are looking for more.

Apple’s iPhone has never had a problem keeping up with design trends. The Galaxy S4’s top two competitors, the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, both featured industrial designs that blew its design out of the water. The Galaxy S4’s microSD card slot and removable back are pluses but the overall look and feel of the current iPhones puts the Galaxy S4 to shame. And we could see the iPhone 6 extend that gap even further.

iPhone 6 design rumors have become very specific in the past few months. At this point, virtually all design rumors point to a brand new design that’s made out of metal.

The key ingredients to the iPhone 6 design appear to be a thinner frame, perhaps as thin as 7mm, a taller and wider footprint to accommodate a larger display, an aluminum back, and Sapphire in the front to protect the display from harm. Sources are still back and forth on the use of sapphire but they agree on the big change to the device’s overall look and feel.

Apple’s new iPhone Apple’s is rumored to have the Touch ID fingerprint sensor that came with the iPhone 5s. While Samsung’s Galaxy S5 does come with a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button, the Galaxy S4 does not and it features a standard physical home button that is used strictly for navigation purposes.

Unfortunately, the iPhone 6 itself has yet to leak and there is a good chance that Apple will clamp down on full blown leaks until its announcement. We’ve been able to go hands on with Spigen’s upcoming iPhone 6 case and the video below will give you a pretty good idea about what to expect from the iPhone 6 design. The mockup is based on rumors but there is a good chance that Spigen is armed with inside info.

To get a better idea about how the iPhone 6 might look, take a look at the iPhone 6 concept video below. This iPhone 6 concept is based on recent iPhone 6 rumors and it offers a glimpse at what the real version could look like when it arrives later on this year.

With that in mind, here are the key design takeaways, thus far, for Galaxy S4 users and prospective Galaxy S4 buyers:

• iPhone 6 will undoubtedly feature a more premium design. The Galaxy S4’s glossy polycarbonate plastic can’t even compete with the iPhone 5’s design.
• Apple’s iPhone 6 will likely feature Touch ID. The Galaxy S4 doesn’t come with the same kind of security.
• The iPhone 6 could be thinner than the Galaxy S4.
• While iPhone 6 rumors suggest Apple will include a more water-friendly design, they stop short of a waterproof iPhone. The Galaxy S4 does not however have the same IP67 water and dust resistant certification that the Galaxy S5 has.
• The Galaxy S4 features a removable back and microSD card slot for expanded storage beyond the internals and the cloud. There’s a good chance that the iPhone 6 won’t.

Display

When the Galaxy S4 arrived on the scene back in April of last year, it had one of the best full HD displays on the market. And while the 5-inches of real estate still provides a ton of space for gaming and watching content, companies are starting to up the ante in the resolution game.

iPhone 6 rumors continue to suggest that Apple will increase the size of the iPhone display even further while tacking on improved resolution to better compete with Android smartphones.

Rumors point to a brand new higher-resolution Retina Display that measures 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. Apple’s iPhone 6 will reportedly deliver a 4.7-inch screen with a 1704 x 960 resolution that delivers a 416 ppi experience. This, if true, would make for better looking content and a better looking iOS 8 experience. It could also trump the looks of the Galaxy S4 display.

The increase in display size will likely mean an increase in the overall size of the iPhone though it may not be as significant as you’d think. Leaks continue to point to a wider, taller iPhone though the 4.7-inch model may not be that much bigger than the iPhone 5s. In the video below, we take a look at how the device could compare to the current iPhone design.

By thinning out the bezels and making a few other tweaks, Apple could limit the overall size difference and keep the iPhone compact and easy to use with one hand.

The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 appears to be much larger than the 4.7-inch model and thus, it could be bigger than the 5-inch Samsung Galaxy S4. How much bigger? It’s hard to say at this point.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Galaxy S4 display is big and beautiful and it’s still great for watching movies and playing games.
• Just remember, higher resolution with same 16:9 aspect ratio for iPhone 6 is possible and if it happens, the Galaxy S4 display could take a backseat.
• iPhone 6 will likely come with at least one large screen size, possibly two. One smaller than Galaxy S4, the other larger.
• Larger screen means larger iPhone, but maybe not by much.

Specs

While the display and design will likely be in focus on the iPhone 6, Apple’s brand new iPhone release will come equipped with a number of other specifications to help bolster its spec sheet.

Here, we put the latest rumors together. Keep in mind, this is a partial spec sheet but it should give you an idea about what to expect from the iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S4.

iPhone 6

• Apple A8 64-bit Processor
• iOS 8
• 4.7-inch/5.5-inch Sapphire displays
• 16GB / 32GB/ 64GB / 128GB storage options
• 3.2MP front-facing camera
• 8-13MP rear-facing camera with image stabilization
• 1,800 mAh battery
• 802.11ac WiFi
• Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor
• NFC

Samsung Galaxy S4

• Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor (U.S.)
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• 5-inch FHD display
• 16GB / 32GB storage options
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 13MP rear-facing camera
• 2,600 mAh battery
• 802.11ac WiFi
• NFC

So here’s the gist of it all:

• The iPhone 6’s camera will likely trump the Galaxy S4’s and if anything, will be more on par with the Galaxy S5’s. Rumors point to a camera between 8MP and 13MP with Optical Image Stabilization.
• Samsung’s Galaxy S4 does not come with a 64-bit chip though the Snapdragon 600 is a solid processor and delivers excellent performance. Apple’s A8 chip with M8 co-processor will likely do the same though given that the chip is newer, we imagine there will be a distinct difference between the two in favor of the iPhone 6.

• Don’t be fooled by the difference in battery size. Apple’s iPhones always deliver high-quality battery life and thanks to the new processor and other tweaks, the iPhone 6 could be on par with the Galaxy S4 in terms of battery performance.
• NFC is a feature that’s been on Android phones for years but never on the iPhone. NFC on the Phone 6 would enable mobile payments but this feature is still far from confirmed.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy S4 runs Google’s Android 4.4.2 KitKat update but as is the case with most of Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones and tablets, it runs a heavily modified version of it.

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 utilizes a UI called TouchWiz. TouchWiz is a skin that Samsung puts over its smartphones. It offers a different look and it offers features that are only found on Samsung devices.

To get an idea about what TouchWiz looks and feels like on the Galaxy S4, have a look at the video below.

Apple’s iPhone will not run Android. Instead, the device should come with the iOS 8 update that Apple promised to iPhone and iPad owners back at WWDC 2014 in June.

iOS 8, currently available to developers in beta form, doesn’t look a whole lot different than iOS 7 but it will come with a number of notable changes including improved Notifications and improvements to photos. The video below shares one of the key features coming inside the iOS 8 update. Apple has packed over 100 new features inside of iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 should get all of them.

Here’s the skinny:

• iOS and Android offer different looks and feature sets though both are extremely powerful. Software is an extremely personal decision and while some people love iOS, others prefer Android. Take a deep dive into both before settling.
• The Galaxy S4 is now a year old. Samsung tends to offer 24 months of Android software support before pulling the plug. The iPhone 6 should get three years of support at least.

Price

Last year, the Galaxy S4 was available for $199.99 on-contract. These days, the device commands a much cheaper price and can be had for close to nothing at various retailers including Amazon.

As for the new iPhone release it will almost certainly be more expensive. Rumors tell us that if Apple does release two iPhone models, the larger iPhone 6 will be more expensive than the 4.7-inch model. Analysts continue to point to a $100 price difference between the two with rumors hinting at $199.99 and $299.99 price points.

Release Date

Those weighing the Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 6 are going to have to wait a few more weeks (at least) to make a decision on an upgrade.

iPhone 6 release date rumors center around the month of September. The latest iPhone 6 release rumors once again put the larger 5.5-inch model outside of the initial launch date with a launch potentially coming in 2015 rather than in 2014. This differs from most rumors which put both devices inside the current year, ahead of the holidays.

While the 5.5-inch model could be delayed, sources agree that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will be out ahead of the holiday shopping season. September 19th has been thrown around as a possible release date as has September 25th. These will likely be some of the final dominoes that fall into place ahead of the device’s launch later this year.

As we’ve pointed out several times, right now is a perfect time for consumers to start preparing for the iPhone 6 release date.

Quick Advice

If you’re thinking about upgrading from the Galaxy S4 to something else, hold off for a few weeks. If you’re trying to come to a decision between the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 6, you’re going to want to wait a few weeks for the iPhone 6 launch as well.

Should the iPhone 6 not live up to your standards, the Galaxy S4 won’t be too hard to find. In fact, it’s almost certainly going to be cheaper once the iPhone 6 arrives on shelves.