iPhone 6 vs. Nexus 6 Rumor Breakdown

As we move deeper into the year, we’re starting to get a good read on the few remaining high-end devices yet to launch. In recent weeks, we’ve seen iPhone 6 rumors and Nexus 6 rumors both start to pick up and here, we want to breakdown those rumors and compare them to one another ahead of the iPhone 6 release in September.

Over the past seven months, we’ve heard quite a bit about Apple’s plans for the fall and a product pipeline that Apple executive Eddy Cue calls the best in his 25 years at the company.

We already know that Apple will release iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite for Mac this fall. The company confirmed those products at WWDC 2014. And while nothing else is confirmed, rumors point to a number of big time new products including an iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iWatch, new MacBook Air with Retina Display, and two new iPhones that are currently dubbed iPhone 6.

iPhone 6 rumors, in particular, have been rampant in recent weeks as Apple gears up for its usual fall launch. iPhone 6 specs, iPhone 6 launch details and the iPhone 6 release date have all been rumored and many of those rumors have firmed up in the past two weeks. In other words, we’re starting to get a clear view of Apple’s plans for the iPhone.

Ahead of the iPhone 6 launch, we’ve been taking a look at how it might compare to some of the top competitors on the market. Devices like the Galaxy S5, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 5. Today we want to do something a little bit different and take a look at how the rumored iPhone 6 is matching up with the rumored Nexus 6, Google’s yearly smartphone.

Nexus 6 rumors, like iPhone 6 rumors, have started to pick up as of late and while its picture is much more blurry, we want to compare the rumors in an effort to better prepare consumers for the fall. Here, we take a look at the rumored iPhone 6 vs Nexus 6 and offer some analysis of our own.

Release Date

Apple still isn’t talking about the iPhone 6 but that doesn’t mean that we don’t know when to expect it. After months and months of rumors, it’s clear the company has something up its sleeve for September.

The iPhone 6 launch has been repeatedly rumored for September and a new, credible rumor puts the iPhone 6 launch date on September 9th. While the date itself isn’t confirmed, Recode’s John Paczkowski is a solid source and we expect Apple to confirm that date sometime between now and early September. We would not be surprised if Apple tried to take some steam out of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 4 launch on September 3rd.

A specific Apple iPhone 6 release date is still out of reach and there’s a good chance that it will stay in the shadows until Apple takes the stage on September 9th. There’s no guarantee rumors will be able to pinpoint the exact date, or dates, ahead of time That said, we’re expecting an iPhone 6 release date that takes place inside the same iPhone launch window that Apple historically uses for iPhone launch.

Apple almost always releases iPhones in and around two weeks after launch. It’s a pattern it has used for many years now. It’s also known for releasing new iPhones on Friday. September 19th fits that criteria perfectly and unsurprisingly, the date is rumored to actually be the first of what could be two iPhone 6 release dates.

iPhone 6 release date rumors have continued to point to two different release dates. The latest rumor comes from VentureBeat who claims that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 release date will happen in September while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 release date could arrive up to a month after the initial release. This lines up with early iPhone 6 rumors including details from respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Here’s Apple’s potential iPhone 6 release timeline:

• iPhone 6 announcement on September 9th.
• iPhone 6 release date on September 19th. (Or September 26th, another Friday in late September.)
• iOS 8 release somewhere between September 9th and September 26th.

The Information and Android Police, both solid sources, agree that Google is working on a new smartphone called “shamu.” As we’ve pointed out many times in the past, Google likes to name its Nexus products after creatures that live in the sea. For instance, the Nexus 5 is called hammerhead and the Nexus 4 is mako after the mako shark. In other words, there’s a good chance that this device, made by Motorola, is going to be the company’s new Nexus.

Google, like Apple, tends to favor a very specific launch and release window for its yearly Nexus smartphone. In the past, the company has used a launch date in October followed by a release in November ahead of Black Friday and the holidays. Nexus 6 rumors fit that mold.

Nexus 6 release date rumors put the device’s arrival inside of November. This fits in perfectly with the window and it mirrors what we’ve heard about the Android L release. Android L, Google’s next Android update, is rumored to be coming out alongside the Nexus 8 tablet in the fourth quarter. (October, November and December.) New Android updates are always accompanied by new Nexus hardware.

For the moment, it looks like the iPhone 6 will arrive well before the Nexus 6, if there is a Nexus 6. Nexus 6 or not, it’s certainly something to keep in mind as we head towards the month of September.

Design

We know a lot about the iPhone 6 design and we know very little about the Nexus 6’s design. We’ll start with what we know about Apple’s iPhone and then take a look at what we know and what we think we know about this Motorola Nexus 6.

iPhone 6 rumors have continually pointed to a redesign and recently, we’ve seen rumors and leaks align around some very specific iPhone 6 design details. Apple’s new iPhone 6 design is rumored to feature more metal than the iPhone 5s, ditching the glass top and bottom parts on the back of the phone for a full metal back cover. It’s also rumored to be thin, perhaps as thin as 7mm, and feature a front panel that’s protected by sapphire material.

It’s also believed to have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a feature that arrived on the iPhone 5s. VentureBeat claims that Apple will introduce improvements that will speed up read times and improve accuracy.

While we haven’t been able to go hands on with the iPhone 6, we have gone hands on with a purported iPhone 6 case from Spigen. The video below will give you a pretty good idea about what to expect from the iPhone 6 design.

If you want a little more realism, take a look at these iPhone 6 concept photos below. These photos, from our friend Martin Hajek, bring the latest iPhone 6 design rumors to life and offer a glimpse at what the real iPhone 6 could look like when it arrives.

Nexus 6 design rumors are almost non-existent at this point. We’ve heard  that it could feature a fingerprint sensor for added security and convenience. Motorola was one of the first smartphone manufacturers to incorporate a fingerprint sensor into a smartphone, the Motorola Atrix 4G from 2011 has one on board, so it’s possible that we’ll see it slap another one onto its first Nexus smartphone.

Now, for some good ole fashioned speculation:

1. We know that Google likes to change up its Nexus design every year. What this means is that there is a good chance the Nexus 6 won’t share a design with the Nexus 5.
2. We also know that Google doesn’t like to put microSD card slots on its Nexus devices.
3. Motorola is known for its designs. The Droid series incorporated Kevlar for added protection and the Moto X allows buyers to customize their design. We also know that Google might be making a jump into the high-end with a metal Nexus 8. We wouldn’t be surprised if Google tried to up the ante in its fight against the iPhone 6.

For now, the Nexus 6 design remains a mystery though we have a sneaking suspicion that Google will leak something in and around the time that the iPhone 6 comes out if there is indeed a Nexus 6 smartphone on the way.

Display

iPhone 6 rumors continue to point to a brand new higher-resolution Retina Display that measures both 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 416 pixels-per-inch. The best part is that it looks like the company might be able to accomplish that without blowing up the size of the iPhone.

 

The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 could be much larger than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and could perhaps rival the Samsung Galaxy Note series in size. We’ve only seen that device leak out a few times though in each photo, it’s been noticeably larger than the 4.7-inch model. The photo below shows a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 next to a larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6.

 

Nexus 6 rumors took an odd twist this week. Both Android Police and The Information claim that the device will be a “phablet” with a screen as large as 5.9-inches. It’s a rumor but it’s something that certainly would allow for Google to get away with calling the device Nexus 6. At the time, we did not hear about the device’s screen resolution.

This week, two supposed “Motorola Shamu” benchmarks surfaced. Both the GFXBenchmark and the AnTuTu benchmark point to a much smaller 5.2-inch display with 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD Display. QHD resolution recently emerged on board the LG G3 flagship but it has yet to appear on any Motorola smartphones.

A QHD display makes sense given that Nexus smartphones and tablets are known as “reference devices” or devices that Google uses to show off the power of Android. QHD resolution would certainly make content and Android itself look beautiful so there’s certainly a chance that we could see Google tack on a high-res display to counter the iPhone 6’s advancements.

At this point, we’d put more stock in the reports that state 5.9-inches but it’s possible that Google is testing several prototypes behind the scenes. At this point, the only thing that we’re fairly sure of is that both of these devices, the Nexus 6 and the iPhone 6, will come with larger high-resolution displays.

Specs

Here’s a breakdown of the latest iPhone 6 specs:

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

And here’s a look at what we know about the Nexus 6 so far:

• 2.6 GHz Snapdragon 805 Quad-core Processor with 3GB of RAM
• 5.2-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD Display
• 32GB storage
• 12-13MP rear-facing camera
• 2.1MP front-facing camera
• Android L
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and more

Apple’s new A8 64-bit processor has been rumored many times throughout the year and it appears to be a lock for the new iPhone. Rumors also suggest that the 5.5-inch model could even be clocked faster than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. We still don’t have any benchmarks but there’s a good chance that the iPhone 6 will be one of the more powerful smartphones of 2014.

As for the Nexus 6, it outperformed several top devices in the AnTuTu benchmark including the Galaxy S5 and HTC One so we could be looking at an equally as powerful Android smartphone.

We’re also expecting the usual upgrade to the iPhone camera though rumors are still a bit blurry. Rumors point to a better iPhone 6 camera in 2014, but it isn’t clear what Apple plans to do. Rumors currently focus on several upgrade options including;

• 8MP sensor with bigger pixels
• 13MP sensor from Sony
• Optical Image Stabilization or Electronic Image Stabilization

NFC, or Near-Field Communication, would allow iPhone 6 users to use their phone like a mobile wallet. It’s a feature that comes stock on most Android smartphones and should emerge on the Nexus 6.

Software

When the iPhone 6 arrives in September, it will be running Apple’s new iOS 8 update. To get a feel for the new iOS 8 update, we suggest taking a look at our iOS 8 vs iOS 7 walkthrough. It will bring you up to speed on the changes Apple has made to iOS in iOS 8. It looks like iOS 7 but it delivers a number of big time new features.

As for the Nexus 6, if it arrives, it will almost certainly be running Android L rather than Android 4.4.4 KitKat. Android L, like Nexus 8, is a major update and will deliver a number of changes including design tweaks, new features and more.

To get a sense of the Nexus 6’s software, take a look at our video walk through below. Keep in mind, this is the Android L beta update and now the final release so things could change between now and the Nexus 6’s arrival.