iPhone 6 vs. Galaxy S6: 10 Things to Expect

Apple’s iPhone 6 is one of the best smartphones on the market and that won’t change once the new Samsung Galaxy S6 arrives in the weeks ahead. While Samsung’s flagship isn’t official, plenty of people are starting to entertain the idea of buying one or the other. With those people in mind, we want to relay our own Galaxy S6 expectations and today we’ll examine what we expect from the Galaxy S6 vs. iPhone 6.

In September, Apple took the stage in California and debuted a brand new 4.7-inch iPhone dubbed iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 takes over the flagship role from the iPhone 5s and it does so with a number of enticing features including the large display. The iPhone 6 (and iPhone 6 Plus) quickly took their place among the smartphone elite and their arrival helped Apple bring in record iPhone sales last quarter.

Apple’s iPhone 6 is a top smartphone and it’s a device that we highly recommend. That said, if you’re in the market for a new phone, it’s probably best to wait a few weeks. Both HTC and Samsung have launch dates scheduled for March 1st and it’s there that we expect to learn all about Samsung’s iPhone 6 competitor, a device that’s currently being called the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors have been swirling for a number of weeks now. And as we’ve started to approach March 1st, the Galaxy S6 rumor cycle has started to mature to the point that we’ve finally got a pretty good read on what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S6 release date, Galaxy S6 specifications and the Galaxy S6 design.

We’ve started to get a ton of questions about the Samsung Galaxy S6. Many people want to know how it will compare to the top smartphones on the market. We still can’t answer those questions with 100 percent certainty, the Galaxy S6 is still just a rumor, but there is enough information, enough evidence out there, to start putting together some early expectations. Today, we want to offer our own set of expectations for those comparing the Galaxy S6 vs. iPhone 6.

This early look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. iPhone 6 will take you through 10 things we expect from this big smartphone battle. It covers specs but it will also take a look at some of the finer details that will become important once the Samsung Galaxy S6 arrives later this year.

Galaxy S6 Release Date

We always recommend going hands-on with smartphones before buying them. The problem here is that the Samsung Galaxy S6 isn’t out on shelves yet which means that you can’t physically compare the two. If you’re the impatient type, note that we don’t expect you to have to wait long to compare Samsung’s new flagship to the iPhone 6.

Galaxy S6 release date rumors suggest that the device will arrive shortly after its launch date on March 1st. The latest intel points to an arrival in and around March 22nd. A specific date hasn’t been rumored just yet but it’s looking like we’ll see the start of the Galaxy S6 release take place in late March which is a little earlier than last year’s Galaxy S5 release in April.

We expect there to be a way to go hands-on with the Galaxy S6 ahead of its release. Shortly after last year’s Galaxy Note 4 release, Samsung put the device on display in Best Buy stores ahead of launch. We could definitely see the company getting the Galaxy S6 into stores ahead of the release so that consumers can compare it to top rivals like the iPhone 6.

Either way, we expect the Samsung Galaxy S6 release date to land a few weeks after Samsung announces the device on March 1st. Late March and early April seem like the best bets at this point.

Display Size

With the iPhone 6, Apple finally made the jump past the 4-inch mark. The iPhone 6 comes with a beautiful 4.7-inch display that’s not quite as large as the 5.5-inch display on the iPhone 6 Plus but is comparable to many flagship Android smartphones.

 

Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors are all pointing to a 5.1-inch display on board. If true, and we think that it probably is, the Galaxy S6’s display will probably be a little bit larger than the iPhone 6’s. This could perhaps make the overall footprint of the phone a little bit larger than the iPhone 6’s footprint as well. We would not expect a massive difference though.

We also are expecting the company to release a Galaxy Note Edge competitor with a curved display. Rumors have hinted at the arrival of a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge with two bent edges. The Galaxy Note Edge only uses one. If true, and we think it is, it would give Samsung another intriguing iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus competitor in 2015.

Screen Resolution

Samsung Galaxy S6 display rumors also continue to hint at a Quad HD display. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 also uses 2K resolution so we’re expecting the Galaxy S6 to at least match the quality found on Samsung’s Galaxy Note flagship. Anything less would be weird. We could see the company make some tweaks to its display panel but we wouldn’t expect the resolution to be different.

This means the Galaxy S6 will deliver a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution at 575 pixels per inch. The iPhone 6’s Retina Plus display features 1334 x 750 resolution at 326 pixels per inch. As we’ve noted in our reviews of the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Quad HD resolution isn’t just a gimmick. It delivers crisp looking content.

Apple’s Retina Display is solid but we expect the Galaxy S6’s panel to be able to display more detail in videos and photos. If you want to get a feel for what to expect, go into a store and compare the iPhone 6 to the Galaxy Note 4’s display.

Design

For many years, Apple’s metal iPhone designs put Samsung’s plastic Galaxy S designs to shame. Samsung improved upon them over the years but they still couldn’t compete with the beautiful aluminum. The iPhone 6 and its 6.9mm frame is about as premium as it gets. This phone is thin, lightweight, and absolutely stunning to look at.

Last year, Samsung finally added metal to a flagship smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is mostly plastic but it does come with a metal rim around the edges. To us, the inclusion of metal in the device’s design language hinted at future designs. Unsurprisingly, it’s looking like that’s exactly what we’re going to see.

Samsung Galaxy S6 design rumor after Samsung Galaxy S6 design rumor all point to the same exact thing. A shift from the usual plastic designs to a new all-metal design that’s in line with the iPhone 6.

These design rumors prompted us to put together a Samsung Galaxy S6 concept, based on recent Galaxy S6 rumors, that shows what the device could look like next to the real iPhone 6. The Samsung Galaxy S6 dimensions in our concept are 143.30 x 70.81 x 6.91 mm which are in line with rumors. The exact measurements could be a bit different but we’re expecting metal and we’re expecting thin.

Fingerprint Sensor

Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor embedded in the device’s home button brings added convenience for downloads, payments and accessing the home screen. We’ve found Apple’s touch-based sensor to be far more accurate, far more reliable, than the swipe-based technology found in the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4. So it should come as no surprise to learn that Samsung’s apparently planning to make the switch this year.

We expect Samsung to upgrade the Galaxy S with a touch-based sensor that’s similar to the Touch ID sensor found inside the iPhone 6. The move makes sense given the failures of the Galaxy S5. It also makes sense to lock in something more accurate if Samsung really does have an Apple Pay competitor on tap for the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Cameras

The iPhone 6’s 8MP camera may not win any megapixel battles but it’s certainly one of the best smartphones cameras money can buy. As we noted in our review, the iPhone 6 shoots excellent photos and video, even in low light environments. There’s certainly room to grow but this is a top of the line smartphone camera.

Samsung, like Apple, offers yearly camera upgrades. This year, Samsung’s promoting its Galaxy S camera like never before with blog posts and teasers. We definitely expect to see some improvements.

Rumors suggest that those changes will include a new sensor, possibly a 16MP or 20MP, Optical Image Stabilization, and a 5MP camera in the front. The Galaxy S6’s new camera module should deliver better photos in low light and the switch to a larger sensor on the front should come with support for wider angles, something that will benefit selfie lovers.

We do not expect the Galaxy S6 camera to blow the iPhone 6 camera out of the water though. Apple’s got an excellent track record and we expect the iPhone 6 camera to hold its own, even without the presence of Optical Image Stabilization technology.

Software

Apple’s iPhone 6 currently runs iOS 8.1.3 and soon, it will run the company’s new iOS 8.2 operating system. iOS 8.2 will bring support for Apple’s new Apple Watch. As many of you know, iOS looks and feels a whole lot different than Android and we expect Samsung’s Galaxy S6 software to look and feel a whole lot different than the software on the iPhone.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 will almost certainly run Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google’s new operating system, though we expect it to also have Samsung’s TouchWiz on board. Before you run out to compare the iPhone 6’s software to the software on the Samsung Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Note 4, know this.

 

Current Galaxy S6 rumors point to a toned down version of TouchWiz. Samsung began stripping down its user interface with last year’s Galaxy S5 but we expect it to take it to another level with the Galaxy S6. From what we’re hearing, it looks like the device could be void of pre-loaded Samsung applications. It’s also expected to deliver some other changes including more themes, changes to the default keyboard (it supposedly has some iOS elements to it) and more.

Point is, this could be Samsung’s most impressive software in years and we certainly expect it to be as attractive and feature-rich as Apple’s current mobile operating system. With all of the iOS 8 problems going around, Samsung has a real chance to capitalize here.

Lots of Storage

The iPhone 6 comes in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB form. It does not feature a microSD card slot though it does come with iCloud storage for photos, videos and more.

It’s not clear if the Samsung Galaxy S6 will come with a microSD card slot but even if it doesn’t, we expect it to offer a ton of storage. 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models are rumored for arrival. If it doesn’t have a microSD card slot, we’d expect carriers to offer at least a few different options to make up for that loss. If it does have one, we’d expect the 32GB model at the very least.

Carriers

The iPhone 6 is available on all five major carriers in the United States, a list that includes AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon. It’s also available on several regional and pre-paid carriers. We expect the Galaxy S6 release to include a number of different carriers in the United States and in regions around the world.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 is rumored to be coming to AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon at the very least. We expect it to debut on smaller carriers as well.

We haven’t seen the Galaxy S6 rumored for any smaller carriers though we always see regional and pre-paid providers latch on. We don’t blame them. The Galaxy S is one of the more popular smartphones on planet earth.

Galaxy S6 Price

The Samsung Galaxy S typically matches the iPhone in price. We don’t expect anything different this time around, even if Samsung does opt for a more premium design.

Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are killing it right now. Apple sold over 74 million iPhones in the first quarter alone, a new record for a company that’s used to setting records. Samsung’s mobile business is struggling right now and we can’t see it pricing the Galaxy S6 too much higher than the iPhone 6. Metal designs and new cameras are nice but price is king.

We expect the Galaxy S6 price to stay in and around $199.99 at most carriers. If Samsung does release a Galaxy S6 Edge, we’d expect it to be $100 more expensive than the base model of the regular Galaxy S6.