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iPhone 6s vs. Galaxy S6: What We Know So Far

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As make our way toward the summer and the fall, we’re finally begun to see iPhone 6s rumors emerge. The new iPhone for 2015 is still shrouded in mystery but we have to start making some early comparisons to other devices. Today, we want to compare iPhone 6s rumors to the Samsung Galaxy S6. This is our way too early iPhone 6s vs. Galaxy S6 comparison.

In the weeks leading up to Samsung’s Unpacked launch event in March, we saw a ton of Galaxy S6 rumors emerge outlining specs, release date details, and more. On March 1st, Samsung took the stage and confirmed many of these rumors with its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge announcement.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is Samsung’s brand new flagship and it takes over for the Galaxy S5. The device comes with a number of bells and whistles including a curved variant called Galaxy S6 Edge. Both devices have garnered excellent reviews and they will remain Samsung’s top flagship models until later this year when they’re joined by a Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

iPhone-6-Plus-vs-Galaxy-S6-3

Samsung’s new Galaxy S flagships currently face stiff opposition from a number of devices including the HTC One M9, Nexus 6, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. As the year goes on, we’re going to see a number of other smartphones emerge including the LG G4 and perhaps, a new iPhone from Apple.

Apple’s iPhone 6s isn’t official but iPhone 6s rumors continue to heat up. As the year’s progressed, we’ve started to hear whispers about the iPhone 6s specs, iPhone 6s design and more. There are still plenty of details that remain shrouded in mystery but we have enough to make an early comparison to Samsung’s Galaxy S6.

This early iPhone 6s vs. Galaxy S6 comparison will run down the latest iPhone 6s rumors and show you how they currently compare to a device that many people will think about replacing later this year. Here’s what you need to know as we push into May.

iPhone 6s Release Date

If you’re trying to decide between the Samsung Galaxy S6/Galaxy S6 Edge and the iPhone 6s, you’re probably going to have to endure several months of iPhone 6s rumors before the device appears in the flesh.

Last month, Apple confirmed dates for its annual WWDC developers conference in San Francisco. WWDC 2015 kicks off on June 8th and it’s there that the company will talk to developers (and the public) about the future of iOS and OS X. The company’s announcement did not mention anything about hardware.

While the company has used WWDC to announce iPhones, it has since shifted its iPhone releases into the fall ahead of the holiday season. The company recently produced a record second quarter for iPhone sales so it’s difficult to see the company shifting its cycle or rushing a new iPhone out onto shelves. The iPhone 6s rumor cycle isn’t mature either, a sign that a release is probably far off in the distance.

Speck CandyShell Grip Galaxy S6 Edge Case Review - 7

Apple’s WWDC 2015 will likely focus on iOS 9, the iPhone’s operating system. If you’re at all familiar with Apple, you’d know that the company likes to dump its software into beta before releasing it to the public. An iOS 9 beta is, unsurprisingly, rumored for June with a public release rumored for the fall. Apple doesn’t pull software out of beta after a day. It takes months.

The one iPhone 6s release date rumor we have seen comes from the hit-or-miss Digitimes. The publication says that Apple will release an iPhone 6s in the second half of the year. Not surprising. Apple’s released the last three iPhones in September and there’s a very good chance that we’ll see the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus release date land in late September.

Design

After years of trotting out plastic designs, Samsung finally made a big change to its design language. The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge both feature a design that combines metal and glass. The designs look a whole lot like another smartphone, the iPhone 6, though there are certainly some differences.

The Galaxy S6 Edge sports a premium design that delivers a great tactile feel.

The Galaxy S6 Edge sports a premium design that delivers a great tactile feel.

Samsung’s new design language comes with some trade-offs. Like the iPhone, the Galaxy S6 models don’t come with a removable battery or a microSD card slot for additional storage. If iPhone 6s rumors hold up, we could see the new iPhone models match the Galaxy S6 design in several key areas.

While some people are hoping for an iPhone 6c or a smaller 4-inch iPhone 6s, those rumors have stalled. Instead, it looks like Apple will release two new iPhone 6s models that are similar to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung likes to issue new designs ever year. Apple doesn’t. Instead of a redesign, Apple typically releases an iPhone “S” immediately after a redesign. iPhone 6s rumors suggest that Apple will release iPhone 6s models and not an overhauled iPhone 7.

Apple’s “S” models typically looks a lot like their predecessors but don’t let that fool you. The company usually tweaks the design with improvements. For instance, the iPhone 5s added the Touch ID fingerprint technology. The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus could also feature some changes from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

According to respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 6s could feature an improved Touch ID fingerprint sensor embedded in its home button:

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.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge feature improved touch-based fingerprint sensors that are very similar to Apple’s TouchID. If Apple does make a change, we could see the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus come with an edge.

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.

Don't expect major iPhone 6s design changes.

Don’t expect major iPhone 6s design changes.

The alloy is designed to be 60% stronger than most aluminum without any additional weight. Apple describes it as being extremely light. The publication is extremely hit-or-miss and while the iPhone 6 Plus bendgate problems got a ton of attention, they were overblown. So we’d take the rumor with a grain of salt.

Finally, The Wall Street Journal claims that Apple is considering a brand new color. In addition to the white, gray and gold color options that come standard with the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6s might include a pink option. Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge come in white, black and gold. Green and blue variants remain unreleased in the US.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge 5.1-inch displays are, in a word, stunning. Samsung’s AMOLED panels are two of the best available right now and they should remain two of the best in the months to come.

Learn how to use the Galaxy S6 Easy Mode for larger icons, simpler options and easier use.

For those that are unaware, the Galaxy S6 Edge comes with a unique display that wraps over the two sides of the phone. This comes with some benefits not found on the flat Galaxy S6. It also comes with a $100 price difference. The Galaxy S6 starts at the iPhone 6’s $199.99 price point while the Galaxy S6 Edge starts at $299.99 on-contract.

Apple isn’t rumored to have a flexible display up its sleeve but it could make some changes to its Retina Display with the release of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

The company’s rumored to have two iPhone 6s models, an iPhone 6s and an iPhone 6s Plus. This makes sense given how well both models have sold. The display sizes are expected to remain at 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches respectively. In addition to the extra screen real estate, the devices could sport some other changes.

Apple’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.

While there have been whispers about a new sapphire display, Digitimes claims that Apple will use Gorilla Glass to protect the display from damage. The Galaxy S6 models use Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4.

Processor

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge feature Samsung’s latest Exynos 7 octa-core chip. Both are powerful and help to deliver solid battery life to both phones.

While we can’t compare Apple’s iPhone 6s chip to the Exynos 7 just yet we can tell you that Apple is rumored to have a new chip up its sleeve, one that could definitely give the Exynos 7 octa some competition.

Galaxy S6 Avengers Age of Ultron - 4

Every year, Apple introduces an improved chip and this year should be no different. In a report outlining a special division within Samsung that will focus on developing displays for Apple, Bloomberg says that Samsung will deliver the new iPhone processor for 2015.

This will likely be the Apple A9 processor which will likely include more power than the A8 chip found inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Early reports also indicate Apple will boost the RAM from 1GB to 2GB. The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge sport 3GB of RAM.

Camera

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge come with a solid 16MP camera sensor that features a fantastic camera application and Optical Image Stabilization. We’ve been impressed by the quality of photos and videos, especially shots taken in low light environments.

We can’t offer sample photos but iPhone 6s rumors suggest that one of the device’s biggest features could be its camera. 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.

iPhone 6s Camera

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.

iOS 9 vs. Android

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge both run a modified version of Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Samsung’s new TouchWiz UI comes with some big changes, many of which can be seen in the video below.

Apple’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s will not run Android. Instead, they’ll probably run a new version of iOS dubbed iOS 9.

The iOS 9 update is all but confirmed for arrival at WWDC 2015. iOS 9 release rumors have suggested that the update will be focused on improving the stability of the operating system though there could be new features as well.

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 other iPhone models will never get.

11 iPhone 6s Features We Want in 2015

Wireless Charging

Wireless Charging

It would be amazing to finally get wireless charging in the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus so that charging would no longer require a Lightning cable. There are adapters and cases to add wireless charging to the iPhone, but the real benefit comes from integrated wireless charging.

Yes, there is still a need for a cable connected to power, but you would no longer need to plug the iPhone in, just set it on a charging mat on your nightstand, on a coffee table at Starbucks or in a wireless charging dock in your car that can deliver power without the need to fumble with a cable.

The wireless charging iPhone 6s feature is all about the convenience of using the iPhone without a cable tethered to it -- and charging remains the only reason you absolutely need a cable with the iPhone.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Carl

    05/11/2015 at 4:00 pm

    Stop with this everything and everyone copied the iphone 6. Now go to google search people and type in galaxy note 1 from 2011 have a look at it, a big 5.3 inch rounded corner phone that looks just like a iphone 6 plus. In 2011 apple had that little brick of a phone called the iphone 4s. Riddle me this batman how did Samsung in 2011 copy a 2014 phone when their 2014 iphone looks like a 2011 note 1. Idiots everwhere

  2. Larry

    05/11/2015 at 7:02 pm

    Hey there Carl I agree with you on that!! Funny thing is apple makes parts for Samsung and Samsung makes parts for Apple but they are like the dog v/s the mailman lol I have both iPhone 6 plus and Galaxy 6 edge both are great devices there it is best of both I’m the iPhone user my wife the Galaxy funny thing is android and apple users will never end fighting lol just get both!! Problems solved!! Both have features os and iOS

  3. Larry

    05/11/2015 at 7:06 pm

    And I don’t need the newest one every 6 months maybe every year since I use t mobile I can every 6 months but why?? Android every year iPhone every 2 years I never go with the S iPhone models they are just slight upgrades

  4. Neville

    05/12/2015 at 7:22 am

    I have the iPhone 6 plus. It’s the best iPhone I have ever owned. Can’t wait for iPhone 6s

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