iPhone 6 vs. LG G3: Everything We Know So Far

The iPhone 6 and LG G3 are two of the biggest names of the year and consumers likely have their eye on both of these top tier devices. With those consumers in mind, we take a look at how the rumored iPhone 6 compares to the LG G3, a device that is expected to be one of the top Android smartphones of 2014.

A month before last year’s iPhone 5s debut, LG took the stage at an event in New York City and showed off its LG Optimus G successor. As expected, the device was the LG G2, a smartphone that had been floating around in the rumor mill for months and a device that touched down to take on the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5.

We found the LG G2 to be a very credible challenger to the Samsung Galaxy S4 and we rated it amongst many of the best smartphones on the market. In fact, we still love the LG G2 and we think it, along with devices like the new Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5s, is among the best devices available to consumers.

It’s time will soon come to an end though as LG looks to replace it with something new, something better. That something new, something better is the LG G3, a device that has already been confirmed by LG and a device that should be touching down in just a few short weeks to battle the current market.

One of its rivals will be the iPhone 5s, last year’s iPhone. However, rumors indicate that Apple has another iPhone up its sleeve for later this year. The device is currently being called iPhone 6 and we’ve already seen a host of rumors and leaks emerge pointing to everything from its release date to its processor to its display.

The LG G3 and iPhone 6 are likely on the minds of many consumers and here, we want to give buyers a bit of a head start by comparing the two rumored smartphones. While we can’t profess to know everything about these two smartphones, they’re still rumored after all, there is enough credible evidence to warrant an early comparison.

This comparison aims to help set the expectations of current smartphone owners as we head deeper into the year and closer to the LG G3 launch date and the iPhone 6 launch date.

Display

For years, Android smartphones have dwarfed the iPhone thanks to their screen real estate. The LG G2, for instance, sports a 5.2-inch display compared to the 4-inch Retina Display that’s on the iPhone 5s. That’s a huge size difference. Both displays offer beautiful resolution so the size difference is the most notable difference.

Both LG and Apple look like they will be taking some big steps in 2014 with LG tacking on a larger display with higher resolution and Apple doing the same.

While we haven’t seen LG announce the LG G3 on stage quite yet, we know about most of its features thanks to an avalanche of credible rumors and leaks. We’ve consistently heard about the presence of a QHD display and last week, LG confirmed that it would be putting a 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD display with over 530 pixels per inch on its next flagship, the LG G3.

The size of the display is expected to make a jump from the LG G2 and measure 5.5-inches. That’s .3-inches bigger than the LG G2’s display and almost a full inch larger than the display that is expected to debut on the iPhone 6.

Rumor has it, the iPhone 6 may close the gap on these flagship Androids with a sharp increase in display size. Rumors suggest that Apple could be coming out with two different display sizes for its brand new flagship.

One iPhone 6 model is rumored to have a display that’s between 4.5-inches and 4.8-inches in size. A majority of rumors point to a 4.7-inch display and the general consensus at this point is that this will be the size of one of Apple’s new iPhones. The 4.7-inch model is rumored to have full HD resolution display that’s on par with the top Android devices on the market including the Galaxy S5. It doesn’t look like QHD will be on board but rumors could shift later in the year.

Rumors also point to a larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 that would help compete against the likes of the LG G3 and Samsung’s Galaxy Note models. Unfortunately, it’s still not clear if both of these iPhones will launch this year. Rumors suggest that the 5.5-inch model could debut in late 2014 or, perhaps, 2015. More on that below.

Apple will also reportedly utilize sapphire for the iPhone 6 display. A Sapphire display would mean a more scratch-resistant display. If true, we could wind up seeing a iPhone 6 that not only comes with a bigger sized, higher-resolution screen but a display with improved battery efficiency and image quality. LG G3 rumors do not point to the inclusion of a sapphire display.

Design

Thanks to a slew of pre-launch leaks, we have a pretty good idea about what the LG G3 will look like when it arrives in just a few weeks. It’s not going to have a metal design like the HTC One M8 or the iPhone 6 but LG’s design is certainly going to come with a few key features that are worth pointing out.

Last year’s LG G2 ditched the traditional side power and volume rocker control layout. Instead, LG mounted the volume up and down rocker on the back with a dedicated power button in the middle. The buttons are located where many smartphone users hold their index finger. We found it difficult to adjust to.

The LG G3 appears that it will keep a similar design. The device is expected to feature an aluminum power button surrounded by the volume keys. There are also rumors that suggest that the device will include a fingerprint sensor for added convenience and security, something that would mirror the sensors found on the iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S5.

It also looks like the front of the LG G3 will be dominated by the massive display thanks to extremely thin bezels. This near edge-to-edge display will likely be one of the features that LG trumps up when it announces the LG G3 later on this month.

If the iPhone 6 comes with a larger display than the iPhone 5s, it will almost certainly come with a larger overall footprint. And while it may be larger, the LG G3 will likely be larger than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. The 5.5-inch model would likely be on par with its size. The photo below will give consumers an idea about how a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 would stack up with Android smartphones on the market right now.

The image below shows a supposed iPhone 6 mockup next to the Samsung Galaxy S5. While the 5.1-inch Galaxy S5 will probably be smaller than the 5.5-inch LG G3, the image will give consumers a good idea of the iPhone 6’s possible size.

A recent Macotakara report shared two possible sets of iPhone 6 dimensions for both the 4.7-inch model and 5+inch model. Here is how those rumors stack up with the measurements of the LG G2′s design. Exact dimensions for the LG G3 remain out of reach at the moment.

• iPhone 6 (4.7) -140 x 70 x 7mm
• iPhone 6 (5.7) – 160 x 80 x 7mm
• LG G2 – 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm

Well known leakster Sonny Dickson claims that the iPhone 6 may be as thin as 5.5mm. This smaller size could come in part from new display technology that reduces the thickness needed for display backlighting, as shared in a report on LEDInside of TrendForce.

iPhone 6 design rumors suggest that Apple may be able to deliver a new iPhone that is up to 26% thinner than the iPhone 5s. A recent leak from Ukrainian website suggests Apple is aiming for a smartphone as thin as 6mm, but Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities believes a 6.5 – 7mm thickness is easier for Apple to achieve.

In a note shared by MacRumors, Kuo says that he believes that the iPhone 6 will come with a power button on right and narrower bezels. The thinner bezels could potentially lead to an edge-to-edge display, something that we’ve seen pop up in rumors as of late. Alleged iPhone 6 photos and mockups claim to show the exact look of the upcoming iPhone but thus far, they are inconclusive given that they could be based on rumors rather than inside information.

As for the rest of the design, iPhone 6 rumors point to Apple including Touch ID fingerprint technology on the iPhone 6 and on an array of rumored upcoming Apple products.

Specs

The iPhone 6 will likely come with more than just a new display, new design and a new camera. Apple should perform its yearly hardware maintenance and offer some improvements over the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5. In fact, rumors are already pointing to a number of potential upgrades over last year’s model.

Here, we take a look at how the iPhone 6′s rumored specifications compare to the specifications rumored to be coming on board the LG G3.

iPhone 6

• Apple A8 64-bit processor
• iOS 8
• 4.5-4.8-inch and 5 -5.5-inch Sapphire displays
• 1GB/ 2GB RAM
• 16GB / 32GB/ 64GB / 128GB storage options
• 3.2MP HD front-facing camera
• 8-10MP rear-facing camera
• 1,800 mAh battery
• 802.11 ac Wi-Fi
• Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor
• NFC

LG G3 Specs

• 2.5 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 805 (or Snapdragon 801)
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 2k QHD display
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB Storage with MicroSD card slot
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 13 Megapixel camera with OIS+
• 3,200 mAh battery
• Fingerprint Sensor

Software

A leak from DigitalTrends shows a brand new software interface over the top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat. We’re seeing a newly redesigned interface with a more flat look, simplified icons, similar to the software that arrived on the Galaxy S5.

These early leaks suggest a virtual assistant (like the take an umbrella popup on the left of the image above) will give visual and even audible notification for weather, alerts, traffic and more with a new system in place from LG, not to mention all the companies neat Knock features. KnockON debuted with the LG G2 which allowed a double tap to turn on or off the display, since the buttons were on the back.

As for the iPhone 6, it will not come with Google’s Android software or LG’s new skin. Rumors suggest that it will come with Apple’s brand new iOS operating system, currently known as iOS 8.

The current version of iOS is iOS 7.1 but the iPhone 6 will more than likely run the next version of Apple’s software. iOS 8 is widely expected to debut on June 2nd at Apple’s WWDC 2014 conference in San Francisco though that remains unconfirmed.

iOS 8 is expected to be an extensive upgrade to iOS 7 and those that haven’t been following the iOS 8 update on its journey to WWDC can get caught up by watching the video below.

Price

The LG G3’s price is still not clear though we expect it to be in the range of the Samsung Galaxy S5 which starts at $199.99 on-contract. This is the base price for most flagship smartphones and it would be strange to see LG offer its device for much more than that.

When the iPhone 6 arrives later this year, the LG G3 will almost certainly be cheaper than its starting price tag. Android smartphones, even flagships, get cheaper as time goes on. The only thing is, we’re not sure how much of a price difference there will be.

In November, shortly after the iPhone 5s release, Chris Caso of Susquehanna Financial Group said that he believed that the price of the iPhone 6 could jump up as much as $100. Caso’s prediction was recently backed up by well known Jefferies analyst Peter Misek who says that he also believes that there is a potential for a $100 price jump. Others believe that the iPhone 6 might stay at $199.99.

In our opinion, if Apple releases two iPhone models, we’d expect the larger 5.5-inch model to the be the device that is priced at $299.99 on-contract. Why? Because that’s where the Galaxy Note series is priced and it’s a potential price point for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, one of the devices it would be attempting to dethrone.

Release Date

The LG G3 will be announced and confirmed to the world on May 27th in an event in London, NY, and California. The company sent invites out teasing the next “G release” which means that we should see it debut before the month is over. That isn’t all though. Last week the company confirmed the LG G3 will be released in the United States and around the globe before the end of June. It stated that it will arrive before the end of Q2, which is the end of June.

This is likely going to be much earlier than the iPhone 6. Several weeks ago, the CEO of a company that partnered with Apple to sell the iPhone in Russia claimed that the iPhone 6 release would land in September. This is the second Apple partner to point to a fall iPhone 6 release date.

His comments follow a long line of iPhone 6 release date rumors that point to the fall. Here are a few of the more recent reports that point to an iPhone 6 release sometime this fall:

• iPhone 6 release date as early as September – Nikkei
• iPhone 6 release date in August or September – Steve Milunovich UBS via Barrons
• iPhone 6 release in the fall – Andy Hargreaves at Pacific Crest via Business Insider
• iPhone 6 scheduled for third quarter 2014 – ZDNet Korea
• iPhone 6 scheduled for the fall in September – Industrial Commercial Times

Rumors suggest that Apple may have two iPhone release dates up its sleeve. A report from Reuters claims that while Apple is planning a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 release for this fall, the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may be delayed. In fact, rumors are starting to point to two possible release dates.

EMSOne, Reuters, Ming-Chi Kuo, Steve Milunovich from UBS, and a new report from The Commercial Times all point to a delayed release for the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6. The Commercial Times suggests that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 could have been pushed into 2015.

A more recent report from The India Times suggests that we could see it arrive in September, just a month after the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 arrives on shelves.