iPhone 6s vs. LG G3: What We Know So Far

As we push deeper into the year, we continue to see iPhone 6s rumors tease consumers in the United States and around the world. With these early iPhone 6s details in mind, we want to take an early look at how the device is stacking up against the LG G3, LG’s flagship from last year. This is our way too early iPhone 6s vs. LG G3 comparison.

In 2013, LG released its LG G2 flagship. After years of playing second fiddle to top manufacturers like Samsung and HTC, the LG G2 brought the company back to the conversation. LG’s G2 accomplished this thanks to its unique design, excellent camera, and outstanding battery life. It was one of our favorite smartphones of the year.

Last year, LG replaced the LG G2 with an LG G3, a device that built on the successes of the LG G2. The LG G3 was one of our favorite smartphones of the year and it’s a device that is still an option thanks to its outstanding hardware, updated software, and budget price point. Some retailers are offering the LG G3 for free.

It has been nearly a year since the LG G3 release and some LG G3 users are probably thinking about ditching the phone for something new. Others are thinking about making the device their next phone. If you fall into one of those two camps, you probably have your eyes on a number of potential suitors including the rumored iPhone 6s.

The iPhone 6s isn’t official but we’ve started to hear whispers about the iPhone 6s specs and the iPhone 6s release date . There are still plenty of details that remain shrouded in mystery but we have enough to make an early comparison to the LG G3.

This early iPhone 6s vs. LG G3 comparison will run down the latest iPhone 6s rumors and show you how they currently compare to the LG G3. Here’s what you need to know as we push into May.

iPhone 6s Release Date

If you’re looking to physically compare the LG G3 to the iPhone 6s, know that you’re probably going to have to wait awhile to do so.

iPhone 6s release rumors have been scarce though we’ve seen a couple emerge in recent weeks including one that comes out of left field.

One of those rumors comes from the hit-or-miss Digitimes who says that Apple will release an iPhone 6s in the second half of the year. That’s a broad assessment but it makes sense given Apple’s release history.

Another rumor comes from the very credible KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who claims that iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus production will start in mid-to-late August. This points to a release in September, the same month that Apple launched and released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Earlier this week, the United Daily News in Taipei issued a report that outlines possible plans for an early iPhone 6s release. The publication specifically mentions a chance of the iPhone 6s release date in August.

UDN cites industry sources for the information and mentions the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus as the names for two new iPhone models that will arrive in 2015. Although there is some interest from consumers in an iPhone 7 release, Apple typically announces an “S” model before a major upgrade. While this is possible, we’re not putting our eggs in one basket just yet. Apple likes its patterns.

Display

The LG G3 comes with a large 5.5-inch Quad HD display that’s beautiful and perfectly sized. The overall size of the phone is in line with 5-inch devices. What this means is that you get the screen real estate without the massive footprint. It’s one of the reasons why we loved, and still love, the LG G3. For more on the LG G3 display, please look at our full review.

Apple might not have a Quad HD display panel ready for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus but that doesn’t mean that the iPhone 6s display will be the same as the Retina HD displays found on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

The company is rumored to have two iPhone 6s models in development, an iPhone 6s and an iPhone 6s Plus. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the display sizes will remain at 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches respectively. While the size might stay the same, Kuo believes that Apple will implement its Force Touch technology into the new iPhone.

The company’s new Force Touch technology can determine the action a user wants to perform based on the strength of a tap. Apple built this into the Apple Watch, the new MacBook and the MacBook Pro Retina. One iPhone 6s rumor indicates this will appear on the iPhone 6s display and another suggests it will be exclusive to the iPhone 6s Plus.

The video above highlights Force Touch actions inside OS X and shows how the new hard press works. On the iPhone 6s, the technology could make it easier to use many apps where users want to see information with a hard tap instead of using multiple taps.

Design

While the LG G3 design looks like it was crafted out of metal, it’s actually plastic that features a faux metal pattern. While it’s plastic, we liked the device’s form factor more than most 2014 flagship designs.

It’s also worth mentioning that the back plate is curved, making it easier to hold in hand. It also comes with a microSD card slot for expandable storage and a removable battery, two things that the iPhone has never had.

We’re in an iPhone “S” year and unsurprisingly, Apple iPhone 6s design rumors have pointed to some modest upgrades for the two rumored flagships.

According to respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the biggest changes could come to the iPhone 6s’ Touch ID fingerprint sensor:

We think the new iPhone,expected to launch in 3Q15, will be equipped with an upgraded Touch ID module, with which Apple (US) intends to offer a better and safer Apple Pay user experience with reduced reading errors. We therefore raise our 2015F shipments of Touch ID module by 12.4% to 262mn sets, boosted by Apple Pay and new iPhone models.

The LG G3 does not feature a fingerprint sensor.

That’s not all either. According to Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, Apple might use the same custom Series 7000 aluminum alloy that it uses in its Apple Watch Sport. The alloy is designed to be 60% stronger than most aluminum without any additional weight. Apple says the material is very lightweight.

While this publication is generally hit-or-miss, the credible Kuo claims that Apple will indeed rectify the “Bendgate” problem with different casing materials and some changes to the internal mechanical design. He also believes that Apple will add another microphone near the speaker grille for enhanced voice quality.

Like The Wall Street Journal, Kuo believes that Apple is considering a brand new color for the iPhone 6s. In addition to the white, gray and gold color options that come standard with the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6s might include a rose gold option. It’s not clear if this will push the price tag into the territory occupied by the rose gold Apple Watch Edition.

The LG G3 comes in a variety of colors including Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Burgundy Red and Moon Violet.

Camera

As we noted in our review, the LG G3’s rear 13MP camera is extremely solid and it comes with a ton of software options that help to enhance photos and videos. While the LG G3 camera is still excellent a year after its release, camera technology moves quickly and 2015 should play host to a number of upgrades for top flagship phones. Just look at the LG G4’s camera specs.

Earlier this year, we heard about iPhone 6s camera upgrades and now we may know more about what Apple could do to deliver better iPhone cameras.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple acquired LinX, an Israeli Camera technology company that develops cameras for smartphones. While there are some cool features that this tech can bring out in the iPhone 6s camera, the really exciting part is that it could dramatically improve the quality of iPhone photos.

LinX previously described the camera technology as enabling better low light performance, faster exposure. It also said that it can deliver the same image quality as a big DSLR camera.

Kuo believes Apple will shift from its 8MP sensor to a larger 12MP camera sensor.

Processor

The LG G3 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Quad-Core Processor 2.5 GHz. It delivers enough horsepower for most people and it helps the device deliver quality battery life.

The iPhone 6s is also rumored to have some CPU improvements on board. In a report outlining a special division within Samsung that will focus on developing displays for Apple, Bloomberg says that Samsung will deliver a brand new iPhone processor for 2015.

This will likely be the Apple A9 processor which will likely include more power than the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both of which sport A8 chips. Early reports also indicate Apple will boost the RAM from 1GB to 2GB. Kuo also believes that Apple will add 2GB of RAM to the new iPhone. The LG G3 also uses 2GB of RAM.

Software

LG’s G3 runs on Google’s latest Android operating system. Specifically, it uses Android Lollipop, a piece of software that’s still unavailable for some Android smartphones. LG’s version of Android Lollipop is skinned in that it runs LG’s custom UI. For more on the software, take a look at our review.

Apple’s iPhone 6s obviously won’t run Android Lollipop or any other version of Android. Instead, it will likely run Apple’s new iOS 9. The iOS 9 update is all but confirmed for arrival at WWDC 2015 and it’s expected to deliver new features, enhancements and more.

The latest iOS 9 release rumors suggest that the update will be focused on improving the stability of the operating system. Many iPhone users have been plagued by a number of bugs since the arrival of iOS 8 back in September.

According to a new leak, Apple is working on a new look for Siri that mirrors the colorful look found on the Apple Watch. The update is also expected to feature a new background that features blue and green as well as a major round of security enhancements.

Apple is known for adding software exclusives to “S” iPhone models so there’s a very good chance that the iPhone 6s will feature something that’s unique, something that Apple uses to promote the phone against rivals like the LG G4 and LG G3.

iOS 9 Launch at WWDC 2015

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Apple hasn't confirmed the iOS 9 update just yet but you can count on an announcement at WWDC 2015 during its keynote address on June 8th. There, Tim Cook and company will take the stage, probably to talk about OS X and iOS 9. For several years now, Apple’s introduced its yearly iOS and OS X updates during its WWDC keynote. And while the company hasn’t come right out and announced a new iOS update for WWDC 2015, there are some clues. In its press release for WWDC 2015, Apple states that “at WWDC, Apple’s renowned developer community will come together to learn about the future of iOS.” The statement doesn’t mention iOS 9 by name but it’s a sign that we’ll probably see more than an iOS 8.4 update announced on stage. iOS 8.4 is a big update but it's not that big. In the WWDC 2015 information section, Apple outlines what developers can and cannot do with pre-release information disclosed at the event. This is further proof that we will likely see the iOS 9 update arrive during the keynote and WWDC 2015.  We also have a collection of iOS 9 rumors that point to an arrival at WWDC 2015 in June. If Apple doesn't announce an iOS 9 update at WWDC we, like many others, will be in complete shock.

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