iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy S6: 10 Things to Expect

The iPhone 6 Plus is one of the most popular big-screen smartphones you can buy and it will likely remain popular after the Samsung Galaxy S6 release date that will arrive in the coming weeks. We are still waiting for the official Samsung Galaxy S6 details, but there are already many people thinking of buying Samsung’s next big thing.

Just a week before the Galaxy S6 announcement we are ready to share our Galaxy S6 expectations to help users understand what to expect from the iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy S6.

Apple launched the iPhone 6 Plus in September with a 5.5-inch 1080P display. This made it the largest iPhone to date and it came with a big price tag. The iPhone 6 Plus did not replace the iPhone 5s on its own. Apple also announced the iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display that is the go to iPhone for many shoppers. Combined the two new iPhones helped Apple deliver record-breaking iPhone sales in the last quarter.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is on the way with exciting upgrades and a screen that will likely put it right between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in size, which means many shoppers will need to pick which smartphone fits their needs best.

With only a week before the Samsung Galaxy S6 announcement we have a very good idea of what to expect from the Galaxy S6 and after months of use we know what the iPhone 6 Plus does well and how it compares to the most likely Galaxy S6 rumors.

To help users who are already excited about the Galaxy S6, and are thinking about buying this phone or the iPhone 6 Plus in the next month or two we are able to offer a good look at what to expect from the Galaxy S6 specifications, Galaxy S6 release date and Galaxy S6 design.

Some of these rumors may change, as rumors are never completely accurate, but at this stage in time there is a lot of detailed information from enough sources that we can offer our iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy S6 expectations with a degree of certainty.

Our early look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6 Plus will walk through 10 things Gotta Be Mobile expects from the match up that will play out on store shelves and Samsung ads for the rest of 2015.

Galaxy S6 Release Date

We expect a fast Galaxy S6 release date, even in the U.S. this year. You can already go to any carrier and many retailers to go hands on with the iPhone 6 Plus, but you can’t perform a direct comparison of the Galaxy S6 yet.

Rumors point to a Galaxy S6 release date near March 22nd. There is no specific date, but Samsung is restricting time off for some employees during a period that starts on March 22nd. If Samsung is able to pull this off, the Galaxy S6 release date will come earlier than the Galaxy S5, which didn’t take place until April. Speed is important with the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6 already on sale and the HTC One M9 release potentially coming quick after a March 1st announcement.

Shoppers will likely be able to go to a Best Buy location with a Samsung Experience store inside to go hands on with the Galaxy S6 before the release date. Last year the Galaxy Note 4 arrived in Best Buy Samsung Experience locations well ahead of the official release.

We expect the Galaxy S6 release date will arrive in late March or early April on U.S. carriers. You can expect to see a Galaxy S6 pre-order on most U.S. carriers, but we don’t typically see long lines to buy the device.

Display Size & Resolution

Apple delivered a big & beautiful display on the iPhone 6 Plus. This 5.5-inch display is bigger than what we expect to see on the Samsung Galaxy S6, but Samsung will likely pack in a higher resolution screen with more pixels per inch.

All signs point to a Samsung Galaxy S6 with a 5.1-inch display and a Quad HD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. The iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch display with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. The Galaxy S6 display will likely be noticeably smaller than the iPhone 6 Plus, right in between the 5.5-inch display and the iPhone 6’s 4.7-inch display.

The smaller display should translate to a device that is smaller than the iPhone 6 Plus, with the Galaxy S6 potentially arriving just slightly larger than the iPhone 6.

With a higher Quad HD resolution the Galaxy S6 may pack 575 pixels per inch into the 5.1-inch display. The iPhone 6 Plus only delivers 401 pixels-per inch. With more pixels in a smaller screen the Galaxy S6 should be able to show more detail than the iPhone 6 Plus screen.

The Retina HD display in the iPhone 6 Plus is excellent, but Samsung’s Galaxy S6 display should show crisp images with more detail than the iPhone 6 Plus can show, even with a bigger screen.

Design

Plastic or Metal? That used to be the only real question you needed to answer to decide which design you liked better. In 2015, the Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6 Plus comparison makes it a little tougher to decide. All signs point to a metal Galaxy S6 frame and we may see a glass back that delivers an upgraded design compared to the plastic Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S4 of earlier years.

The iPhone 6 Plus features an aluminum body with beautiful curves that sweep from front to back and with a 7.1mm thick body it is still a slim device even with everything Apple packs inside. Some users may not like the visible bands on the back of the iPhone 6 Plus body, but overall the design is one that turns heads.

We expect the Galaxy S6 design will borrow the metal edges from the Galaxy Note 4 and rumors point to a metal back or a glass back that delivers a high-end look and feel for the Galaxy S6. We created a Galaxy S6 concept to show what this could look like with the potential for a Galaxy S6 that is 6.91mm thick.

• Galaxy S6 Dimensions (Rumored) -143.30 x 70.81 x 6.91 mm
• iPhone 6 Plus Dimensions – 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm

The dimensions above show how the size of the Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6 Plus could compare.

Fingerprint Sensor

The iPhone 6 Plus features Touch ID, which is arguably the best form of fingerprint technology on a smartphone today. Unlike the sensors on the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4, which require users to swipe at the right speed and angle, Touch ID lets users place a finger on the home button to read the fingerprint.

For 2015 it looks like Samsung will use a similar technology that will let a user place a finger on the Galaxy S6 home button to unlock the phone and for other fingerprint reader based activities. This type of technology is easier to use and much more reliable. This will likely play into the rumored LoopPay mobile payments, similar to the Apple Pay Touch ID integration on the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6.

Cameras

Many consumers will look at the iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy S6 specs comparison and wonder how Apple can compete with a 8MP camera on the iPhone 6 Plus when Samsung will deliver a 16MP or 20MP camera, but there is more to a great camera than megapixels.

The iPhone 6 Plus takes amazing photos with a 8MP sensor, focusing fast and offering a simple, but well-appointed camera app. The iPhone 6 Plus also adds Optical Image Stabilization that helps with low light photos and focus pixels to help focus faster and deliver better looking photos.

You can count on Samsung to deliver a better camera with the Galaxy S6 this year. Every year Samsung offers an upgrade to the camera on the Galaxy S line and the company is teasing better low light performance and talking about mobile phone cameras in blog posts.

Great vision inspires me. I am #TheNextGalaxy pic.twitter.com/U7uObffx2g

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) February 13, 2015

We expect an upgraded Galaxy S6 camera on the front and the back of this smartphone. The rear-facing camera should offer a 16MP or 20MP sensor with optical image stabilization. We also expect similar software for taking photos as the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 4.

On the front of the Galaxy S6 count on a 5MP sensor that can take better looking selfies with the potential for a wide-selfie option in the default camera app.

Software

The iPhone 6 Plus debuted with iOS 8 on board and will likely run iOS 8.2 by the time the Galaxy S6 hits store shelves. iOS 8 looks a lot like iOS 7, but it added a number of new features that delivers better connectivity between the iPhone and Mac computers. The iOS 8.2 update should bring Apple Watch support to the iPhone.

The Galaxy S6 will run Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Android from Google. This may be Android 5.0.1 or Android 5.0.2, bit either way you can count on Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay on board to change the look and some of the features.

You can compare iOS 8 on the iPhone 6 Plus to the Galaxy S5 with Android Lollipop, but keep in mind that Samsung is likely to remove some bloat and tone down the amount of changes with this software release. The iOS 8 release and multiple updates through iOS 8.1.3 continue to come with problems and bugs, and Samsung could win over some users with a stunning software option.

Storage

The Samsung Galaxy S6 should offer more storage at the enter-level model than the iPhone 6 Plus does. We expect to see the Samsung Galaxy S6 with 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options. Many times U.S. carriers only offer one option, so there is a chance the 32GB Galaxy S6 will be the only one on shelves in the U.S. Even if that is that case we expect a Micro SD card slot that will allow users to  add up to 128GB of storage with a small, affordable card.

The iPhone 6 Plus is available with 16GB, 64GB and 128GB options on all major U.S. carriers, and there is no way to add storage to the iPhone after you purchase it.

Carriers

The iPhone 6 Plus is available on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular in the U.S. There are also options to buy it on smaller regional carriers and some pre-paid carriers. We expect to see the Galaxy S6 release bring the new phone to the same five carriers to start, and then likely to others as the release progresses.

Smaller carriers will likely wait a while after the Galaxy S6 release date, but count on many to offer a version of the Galaxy S6 at some point in 2015.

Galaxy S6 Price

The Galaxy S6 price should be close to the iPhone 6 price on contract and off. The Galaxy S6 Edge price could be closer to the iPhone 6 Plus price, as there should be a premium for the curved edge of the screen.

Although some carriers try to charge more for the Galaxy S smartphones, we typically see the new Galaxy S for $199 on contract and $649 to $679 off contract. We expect that will be the Galaxy S6 price.

The iPhone 6 Plus price is $299 for 16GB on a two-year contract and $749 off contract. There is a $100 price jump for each bump in storage on the iPhone 6 Plus.

You can count on a number of deals soon after the Galaxy S6 release date with Walmart likely offering around $30 off on contract, Best Buy trade-in promotions and a big push for Jump, Edge, Next and leasing from carriers.

Apple Pay vs LoopPay

The iPhone 6 Plus supports Apple Pay, a method of making payments in stores and in apps using the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6. This uses NFC technology to communicate with the cash register. Not all cash registers support this technology yet. Banks also need to opt in to the service and while there is a growing list of  Apple Pay banks, many smaller banks are not on board.

https://youtu.be/bw1l149Rb1k

Samsung just announced that the company is acquiring LoopPay, an Apple Pay rival that uses a different type of technology. We expect to see LoopPay built-in to the Galaxy S6, which could help Samsung compete with Apple Pay. LoopPay wirelessly sends a magnetic card signal to most standard card readers so it works in more places than Apple Pay and you don’t need to use a special bank to add the card to LoopPay.

More Choice with Android

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Apple offers more choice than we've seen from them before with the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone SE as well as older models -- but you still only have three screen sizes and two designs to pick from.  Android delivers more options with waterproof phones, different screen sizes, more colors, different materials and other differentiating factors.  With Android smartphones users can choose a waterproof option like the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge or go with a modular design like the LG G5. 2017 brings newer designs and options. There is also support for a huge screen with a built-in stylus with the Note 6. In addition to these big names, there are many other options from Motorola, Huawei and if you include last year's releases a number of other interesting options.  There are also options to buy an Android phone with wireless charging or a replaceable battery, neither of which is available without adding a case to the iPhone. Users can pick the phone size and design they want, and they can also pick a phone that offers a replaceable battery, a great camera or another feature without limiting to just two phones for the latest features and user experience.

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