iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note Edge: 5 Things You Must Know Now

With the iPhone 6 Plus now out on shelves and the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge release date heating up, consumers in the United States and around the world are weighing the iPhone 6 Plus vs. Galaxy Note Edge. In this comparison, we take an updated look at the key details buyers should focus in on ahead of the Galaxy Note Edge release later this year.

Earlier this month, Samsung and Apple took to the stage to announce their brand new smartphone releases. First, it was Samsung and the Galaxy Note Edge, its high-end flagship that will join the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 later on this year. The Galaxy Note Edge and its high end features make it an appealing device and a device that’s worthy of consideration this fall.

This year, Apple did not let the Galaxy Note series go unchecked. At its event on September 9th, the company unveiled two new iPhone 6 models including the iPhone 6 Plus, a 5.5-inch iPhone that joined the iPhone 6 on shelves on September 19th. The iPhone 6 Plus, its big screen, and its powerful features make it one of the more intriguing smartphones on the market and a true competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge.

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge release date is inching closer and with a few weeks to go before its arrival, we want to help consumers prepare for its release. Here, we focus in on the Galaxy Note Edge vs. iPhone 6 Plus and take a look at the key things buyers need to know about as we prepare for the Galaxy Note Edge’s arrival.

S Pen & Curved Screen

There are two features in particular that we think you absolutely must focus in on as we get closer to the Galaxy Note Edge’s release date later on this year. The first is the device’s S Pen. The other, the Galaxy Note Edge’s bent display.

Both the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note Edge come with big, beautiful screens but the S Pen and the Galaxy Note Edge’s unique curve are two features worth singling out. The S Pen is the Galaxy Note series’ bread and butter and one of the features that helps to separate it from other big name smartphones.

It’s a feature that many people love but it’s also a feature that some Galaxy Note users end up neglecting in the long run. You’ll need to figure out which one you’re going to be before buying in.

Samsung’s made some significant improvements to this year’s S Pen including increased sensitivity to make the note taking experience on the Galaxy Note Edge feel more like writing on paper. More sensitivity also leads to better looking text from handwriting. Samsung’s also made some significant improvements to the S Pen’s applications including, Air Command, S Note and Voice Memo, and more. These features are great but they’re not going to be for everyone.

The other feature is its unique display. The Galaxy Note Edge comes with a screen that curves down over the edge of the device. Thus the name. The Galaxy Note Edge and its screen can be seen in the video below.

The bent display offers some advantages. The bent part of the Galaxy Note Edge’s display not only offers better viewing angles for content, it also provides users with an extremely quick way to access their most used applications, settings and more. All it takes is the swipe of a thumb.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge bent display can also display notifications on the side without pausing or interrupting content that’s running on the main screen. So if you’re watching a movie and you get a text or an email, it will appear on the side as opposed to on the main screen. This is only the beginning as Samsung will deliver a Galaxy Note Edge SDK that will allow developers to take full advantage of the new display type.

The question is, do you need all of these features, features that are central to the Galaxy Note Edge experience and the device’s presumed high-end price point? You’ll want to be sure before you make a commitment.

Galaxy Note Edge Release Date MIA

Problem is, we still don’t know when the Galaxy Note Edge release date is. It’s clear that Korea and the United States will get it before the years over but all we have are comments from a Samsung exec who says the company is targeting late October for a release in Korea. The U.S. release date appears destined for the fall but we still don’t have specifics.

What this means is that you’ll likely need to wait a few weeks to go hands on if you live in the U.S. or Korea. Other countries like the UK (delay) and Canada (release confirmed for 2015) will probably need to wait longer to compare the two together. We highly recommend comparing the two, physically, before making a commitment. You’ll just need to decide if the Galaxy Note Edge will be worth the price.

Limited Galaxy Note Release

Another Galaxy Note Edge release detail that we should note. The iPhone 6 Plus is a device that’s available in a number of different regions around the world. It’s a widespread smartphone and one that should be available where you live. The Galaxy Note Edge is probably not going to be available everywhere.

Right now, by our count, it’s confirmed for Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. We’re expecting it to hit China and other European nations though we are expecting a very limited release.

The Galaxy Note Edge been touted as a high-end device aimed at the high-end market. Samsung made this explicitly clear in several controlled leaks including one from Bloomberg earlier this year.

Earlier this month, a Samsung executive said that the Galaxy Note Edge would be a “limited edition concept.” In other words, it’s not expected to be a mass produced device like the Galaxy Note 4. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is expected to hit 140 countries by the end of October.

Samsung also recently said that “the Galaxy Note Edge will be released in selected markets” which points to a very controlled release in a limited amount of markets around the world. In other words, unless you live in a key battleground, there’s a chance that you’ll be unable to score a Galaxy Note Edge on your favorite carrier.

iPhone 6 Plus Carriers vs. Galaxy Note Edge Carriers

The iPhone 6 Plus comes with far more carrier options than the Galaxy Note Edge. The Galaxy Note Edge comes with only four current options (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon) while the iPhone 6 Plus comes with an absolute ton.

This might not seem important to many of you but it is. What this means is that you’re going to have a lot more flexibility when it comes to choosing your iPhone 6 Plus network and iPhone 6 Plus data plan. The up front costs will be relatively similar but network size, customer service and data plans are going to be huge factors in your upcoming purchase.

iPhone 6 Plus vs. Galaxy Note Edge Price

We still don’t know the exact Galaxy Note Edge price but all signs point to an extremely expensive price point.

The iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299.99 on-contract and goes up to $499.99 on-contract for the 128GB model. The Galaxy Note Edge is expected to be more expensive than the $299.99 Galaxy Note 4. We don’t know how much the 32GB model will cost consumers but every single price leak we’ve seen hints at a premium price point.

What this means is that there will be some added pressure to do your homework ahead of time. In other words, you’re really going to have to buckle down and decide if the curved display, the S Pen and the Galaxy Note Edge’s software are worth the price of admission. That’s something we can’t decide for you though we will be able to make some recommendations in the weeks ahead.