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Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. iPhone 6 Rumor Breakdown

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In just a few short weeks, consumers looking for a new smartphone are going to have another option on shelves. iPhone 6 rumors continue to put the device inside of the month of September and with just a few weeks to go, we’re starting to match up those rumors next to current flagship smartphones. Today, we take a look at the iPhone 6 vs the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Back in February, Samsung announced the all new Samsung Galaxy S5, its fifth-generation Galaxy S smartphone. For much of the year, the Galaxy S has taken on the iPhone from last year, Apple’s iPhone 5s. And while that continues to be the case in late July, we’re starting to see signs point to an iPhone 6 release that could be just weeks away.

For years, the Galaxy S and the iPhone have been among the top smartphone options on the market. This year is no different. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is one of the best smartphones that money can buy though in just a few weeks it’s going to face some of its toughest opposition yet in the form of Apple’s brand new iPhone release.

From where we’re sitting, the iPhone 6 appears to be a formidable opponent. It appears that Samsung feels the same way. A week ago, Samsung threw the first punch and released a brand new ad that mocks the iPhone 6, a device that isn’t even official. The ad, which can be seen below, touts the Samsung Galaxy S5’s beautiful display.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QSDAjwKI8Wo

The iPhone 6 is clearly on Samsung’s mind and unsurprisingly, it’s on the mind of consumers as well. In the past few weeks, we’ve been inundated with questions about the iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5. Consumers want to know which device is going to better. We don’t blame them. These are two well known smartphones.

We can’t answer that question just yet, we’ve only been able to go hands on with iPhone 6 cases and models, not the iPhone 6 itself, but what we can do is outline the important things to know right now about the relationship between the rumored iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S5. Here, we breakdown the latest and more credible iPhone 6 rumors and compare them to Samsung’s current flagship smartphone.

Design

Samsung’s Galaxy S5 design is an improvement from the polycarbonate plastic design on the Galaxy S4 but it’s still not on par with Apple’s iPhone 5s. For those that need a reminder.

The Galaxy S5 design includes a soft touch dimpled back.

The Galaxy S5 design includes a soft touch dimpled back.

Here is a description from our Galaxy S5 review, in case you haven’t been hands on or if the photos here aren’t enough.

A removable dimpled back cover made of soft touch material seals the internals of the phone so that it can survive for up to 30 minutes in three feet of water. This doesn’t sound like much, but it means the sink, a toilet or a puddle will not break the Galaxy S5 like other smartphones.

Silver trim on the edge of the Galaxy S5 looks like metal, but it is actually plastic that can scratch and scuff. The Galaxy Note 3 features the same style silver band and after 9 months there is a chip out of it from a bump against keys or a rough surface.

The front of the Galaxy S5 looks beautiful with a slight etched design hidden behind a large span of strengthened glass. Thin bezels flank the sides and there are an array of sensors at the top of the device near a Samsung logo. There is a physical home button and two capacitive touch buttons on the bottom edge. The home button includes a fingerprint scanner that can unlock the phone, but it is not as reliable as the iPhone 5s’ Touch ID feature…

A small plug covers the charging port to keep water out.

A small plug covers the charging port to keep water out.

iPhone 6 design rumors have become very specific over the past few months and as of right now, it’s looking like there are going to be some key differences between the two designs.

The big changes to the iPhone 6 are said to include a new thinner frame, perhaps as thin as 7mm, a taller and wider footprint to accommodate a larger display, an aluminum back, and Sapphire in the front to protect the display from harm. The device is almost certainly going to come with the Touch ID fingerprint sensor that came with the iPhone 5s and with the improvements found in iOS 8, it could pose a serious threat to the sensor on the Galaxy S5.

Expect a collection of new iPhone 6 features and a new design this fall.

Expect a collection of new iPhone 6 features and a new design this fall.

The iPhone 6 itself has yet to leak but to get an idea about how it might look, take a look at the iPhone 6 concept video below. This iPhone 6 concept is based on recent iPhone 6 rumors and it offers a glimpse at what the real iPhone 6 could look like when it arrives later on this year.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s important about the designs of these devices:

  • The iPhone 6’s build quality should once again trump the Galaxy S. The plastic on the Galaxy S5 is nice but a combination of Sapphire and aluminum might be hard to pass up.
  • Apple’s new iPhone could be extremely thin. The Galaxy S5 is 8.1mm thin but the iPhone 6 could be as thin as 6.5mm.
  • The Galaxy S5 design is dust and water resistant and while iPhone 6 rumors suggest Apple will include a more water-friendly design, they stop short of a waterproof iPhone.
  • The iPhone 6 should match the Galaxy S5 when it comes to fingerprint-aided security.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S5’s 5.1-inch display is one of the best that we’ve ever used.

Galaxy S5 Review - 5

Its size is perfect for gaming, browsing the web, reading, and taking calls and its 1920 x 1080 resolution makes sure that all of that looks and feels outstanding. And while we like it better than the 4-inch Retina Display on the iPhone 5s, the Galaxy S5’s advantage might not be an advantage for much longer.

Samsung-Galaxy-S5-vs-iPhone-5s-Displays-620x456

iPhone 6 rumors continue to point to a brand new higher-resolution Retina Display measuring 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 a 416 ppi experience. This, if true, would make for better looking content and a better looking iOS 8.

Of course, the increase in size will likely mean an increase in the overall size of the iPhone. Leaks continue to point to a wider, taller iPhone though as we’ve learned, the 4.7-inch model may not be that much bigger than the iPhone 5s. In the video below, we take a look at how the device could compare to the current iPhone design.

By thinning out the bezels and making incremental changes to its dimensions, Apple could limit the overall size difference and thus, keep the iPhone more compact than the 5.1-inch Galaxy S5. The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 appears to be much larger than the 4.7-inch model and it could perhaps be larger than the Galaxy S5.

Key takeaways here:

  • Galaxy S5 display is beautiful and perfect for watching movies and gaming.
  • iPhone 6 will likely come with at least one large screen size, possibly two. One smaller than Galaxy S5, the other larger.
  • Higher resolution with same 16:9 aspect ratio for iPhone 6 possible.
  • Larger screen means larger device, but maybe not by much.

Specs

While the display and design will likely be in focus on the iPhone 6, Apple’s brand new iPhone release will come equipped with a number of other specifications to help bolster its spec sheet.

Apple may deliver an iPhone 6 that you can use with gloves on or water on the display.

Apple may deliver an iPhone 6 that you can use with gloves on or water on the display.

Here, we put the latest rumors together. Keep in mind, this is a partial spec sheet but it should give you an idea about what to expect from the iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S5.

iPhone 6

Samsung Galaxy S5

  • Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor (U.S.)
  • Android 4.4.2 KitKat
  • 5.1-inch FHD display
  • 16GB storage option
  • 2.1MP front-facing camera
  • 16MP rear-facing camera
  • 2,800 mAh battery
  • 802.11ac WiFi
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • NFC
  • Heart rate sensor

Here’s the breakdown:

  • The iPhone 6’s camera will likely match, if not trump the Galaxy S5’s. Rumors point to a camera between 8MP and 13MP with Optical Image Stabilization. The Galaxy S5 camera is fantastic but it’s also comparable to the iPhone 5s’.
  • Samsung’s Galaxy S5 does not come with a 64-bit chip though the Snapdragon 801 does deliver awesome performance. Apple’s A8 chip with M8 co-processor will likely do the same.
Users can remove the back for access to a battery and Micro SD card slot.

Users can remove the back for access to a battery and Micro SD card slot.

  • Don’t be fooled by the difference in battery size. Apple’s iPhones always deliver high-quality battery life and thanks to the new processor and other tweaks, the iPhone 6 could be on par with Samsung’s flagship.
  • The Galaxy S5 comes with a microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB cards. Leaks and Apple’s history tell us that the iPhone 6 probably won’t have a microSD card slot for expanded storage.
  • One thing of note. The Galaxy S5 comes with a heart rate sensor embedded near its camera. The iPhone 6 could be packing health-related features that tie into HealthKit but it’s not clear if a heart rate sensor will be one of those. The Galaxy S5’s ties into the device’s S Health 3.0 experience.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy S5 runs Google’s Android 4.4.2 KitKat update but as is the case with most of Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones and tablets, it runs a heavily modified version of it. From our review:

The bright overlay includes Magazine, a new notification drawer, a new look for settings and a collection of added apps and features.

TouchWiz on the Galaxy S5 is much nicer than previous versions, although some users will want to quickly turn off My Magazine on the Galaxy S5 to prevent wasting time sliding to that screen by accident.

To get an idea about how the software on the Galaxy S5 looks and feels, take a look at the breakdown below. These videos will take you through the device’s main software features and better prepare you for your upcoming decision.

The iPhone 6 will almost certainly debut with Apple’s new iOS 8 update on board. iOS 8, currently available to developers in beta form, doesn’t look a whole lot different than iOS 7 but it will come with a number of notable changes including improved Notifications and improvements to photos.

The video below shares one of the key features coming inside the iOS 8 update. Apple has packed over 100 new features inside of iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 should get all of them.

Here’s what to takeaway from all of this:

  • Both operating systems are loaded with features. It’s going to be up to you to decide which you like better. Many people prefer TouchWiz, many others prefer Apple’s iOS.
  • Samsung typically offers 24 months of software support, Apple tends to offer three years. This isn’t guaranteed for either device but it’s something to keep in mind as we get closer to launch.

Price

At one point, the Galaxy S5 was available for $199.99 on-contract. These days, the device commands a much cheaper price and we should see deals continue to emerge in and around the iPhone 6 release.

Right now, for instance, the AT&T Galaxy S5 is available for free through Amazon. Typically, Amazon offers it for $99 on-contract or $100 off the retail price, which makes this offer a steal. It might be a temporary offer but we expect Amazon to offer steep discounts as we push into the fall.

iPhone 6 Cases - Design -  6

As for the iPhone 6, it will almost certainly be more expensive. Rumors tell us that if Apple does release two iPhone models, the larger iPhone 6 will be more expensive than the 4.7-inch model. Analysts continue to point to a $100 price difference between the two with rumors hinting at $199.99 and $299.99 price points.

This isn’t set in stone but the takeaway here is this: You’re almost certainly going to pay a premium for the iPhone 6 and if you’re interested in the larger model, there is a chance that that premium could be in Galaxy Note territory.

iPhone 6 Release Date

Those weighing the Galaxy S5 vs iPhone 6 are going to have to wait a few more weeks (at least) to make a decision on an upgrade.

iPhone 6 release date rumors center around the month of September. The latest iPhone 6 release rumors once again put the larger 5.5-inch model outside of the initial launch date with a launch potentially coming in 2015 rather than in 2014. This differs from most rumors which put both devices inside the current year, ahead of the holidays.

New iPhone 6 leaks firm up rumors as the release approaches.

New iPhone 6 leaks firm up rumors as the release approaches.

While the 5.5-inch model could be delayed, sources agree that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will be out ahead of the holiday shopping season. September 19th has been thrown around as a possible release date as has September 25th. Apple tends to release its devices on Friday and both of those dates fall on Fridays in late September.

Right now is a perfect time for consumers to start preparing for the iPhone 6 release date.

Quick Advice

At this point, we’re advising that you wait for the iPhone 6 to arrive before buying either device. Both come with some charming characteristics and the iPhone 6 in particular could be the massive overhaul that many people have been waiting for.

Should the iPhone 6 not live up to your standards, the Galaxy S5 won’t be too hard to find. In fact, it’s almost certainly going to be cheaper once the iPhone 6 arrives on shelves.

So if you can, hold off. The iPhone 6 looks like a solid competitor for the Galaxy S5.

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