With the iPhone 6 release, the smartphone market is abuzz. Can the new iPhone topple the reigning king of smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S5? This article tries to find out by comparing these two fierce rivals.
Did You know?
According to market researchers, Samsung and Apple together manufacture more than 50% of the smartphones that are sold worldwide.
It happened once again! September came, and in all the major cities across the world, including London, New York, Sydney, Tokyo etc., people were seen lining up outside a few select stores. They brought their supplies and put up tents, for they knew that the weather gods were unlikely to smile upon their endeavor. Some were genuine fans who wished to be the first to bathe in the glory. Others were only eager to sell out their spots in the line for a few thousand dollars. There were even those who just wanted to beat the previous record for the longest time spent queuing outside the stores! But what was the ruckus all about?
The long wait finally came to an end, and Apple’s latest installment to its smartphone lineup finally made its debut on the 19th of September 2014. As was expected, the smartphone market is in an uproar. But this time around, the Apple newbie faces some stiff competition from its Android competitors. Most notably, the Samsung Galaxy S5, which has been creating waves since April this year. Also, the HTC One M8 and LG G3, both pack enough firepower to blow away the competition. So how does the best of Apple fare against the best of Android? Let’s find out―it’s the iPhone 6 vs. Galaxy S5.
Apple iPhone 6
Apple iPhone 6
Apple iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy S5
Samsung Galaxy S5
Samsung Galaxy S5
Image Source:
apple.com
samsungmobilepress.com
Brand Value
Apple iPhone 6
With Apple, it’s all in the name! From a little seedling, first sown back in 1976 in founder Steve Job’s parents’ garage, Apple Inc. has ripened into one of the most well-known and respected multinational companies of our times. With a focus on consumer satisfaction and an ‘i ‘ for innovation, their lineup of iPhones, iPads, iPods, etc., are truly the technological marvels of today.
Samsung Galaxy S5
Samsung is now a household name. This multinational Korean giant has established itself as the leader in consumer electronics, especially in the smartphones sector. Many consider them to be the pioneers of big screen mobile phones. Over the years, the company has earned the public’s trust by making cost-effective, yet reliable smartphones, and thanks to the overwhelming and well-deserved success of its previous flagship models, it is now one of the most sought after brands of our times.
Gadget Size and Build Quality
Apple iPhone 6
Now, the previous Apple ducklings were far from what one would call ugly, but the iPhone 6 is certainly the swan of the lot! It’s bigger and curvier, making it feel much more attractive to look at, and the metallic Apple logo on the back plate gives it that premium appeal. It’s got the same metal body of the iPhone 5S, but has shed the angular edges. Holding it in one’s hands is certainly a treat. Not only is the iPhone 6 taller than the previous models, it’s also slimmer, measuring in at only 6.8 mm. They have gone for a streamlined design with a full glass front face merging seamlessly with the anodized aluminum rear body. On the whole, it looks and feels pretty solid, and thanks to the ‘ion strengthened glass’, it seems less susceptible to scratches and cracks from accidental drops.
Albeit the Galaxy S5 is larger, the iPhone 6 is slimmer. They have even released a ‘plus’ model which is bigger than the Galaxy, but is also pricier at the same time. Truth be told, iPhone 6 plus is more a phablet than a phone, so its real competitor is the Note. Samsung however are the inventors of phablets, so a match-up between the two would certainly be quite interesting.
Dimensions: 138.1 mm × 67 mm × 6.9 mm (5.44 in × 2.64 in × 0.27 in)
Samsung Galaxy S5
They say you cannot improve on perfection. Well, the designers at Samsung certainly seem to think so. They perfected the design of the first Galaxy smartphone back in 2010, and since then, have continued to retain it in almost all of their models that have followed. Owing to that, they have had to face a lot of criticism, and with the Galaxy S5, they seem to have finally decided to do something about it.
Though the phone still retains the basic frame, it looks significantly different than its predecessor. The body is plastic, but it has a more premium feel to it. Unlike the capacitive one seen in the recent smartphones, the front side of the S5 still sports the physical Home button. The rear however, looks completely different, with Samsung going for a new perforated/dotted kind of a look. This, apart from making it more visually appealing, also adds to the ergonomics of the phone. It feels more grippy and sturdier in the hands.
The Galaxy S5 is also IP67 certified, making it resistant to sweat, rain, liquids, dust, and sand. Though it’s thicker and heavier than the iPhone, a lot of small, yet significant changes have been incorporated in the design. Like for instance, the addition of a flap to cover the Micro USB 3.0 slot, all in an effort to give their customers a more ‘well-rounded’ product.
Dimensions: 142 mm × 72.5 mm × 8.1 mm (5.59 in × 2.85 in × 0.32 in)
Ergonomics
Apple iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy S5
Weight
Apple iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy S5
The S5 might be the heavyweight amongst the Androids, but it certainly won’t weigh your pockets down (nor will your wallet after you buy one!). At 145 gm, it is significantly lighter than its competitors, including the Sony Xperia Z3 (162 gm), HTC One m8 (160 gm), and even the LG G3 (149 gm). Looks like having a plastic body has some benefits after all!
Colors
Apple iPhone 6
Apple has adopted the unibody concept, which has become popular lately. As such, you cannot remove or replace any part of the iPhone 6. It is available in 3 colors: gray, gold, and silver, of which, we believe the gray looks the best.
Samsung Galaxy S5
The Galaxy S5 is available in four colors: gold, blue, white, and black, all of which look fantastic, especially the blue one. For the more picky ones, there’s the option of changing the back-cover, which is removable (a rarity these days). A quick search on the Internet reveals a myriad of back-cover options, both in terms of colors and patterns.
Display Size and Quality
Apple iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy S5
Applications
Apple iPhone 6
Samsung Galaxy S5
Processor, Memory, and Storage
Apple iPhone 6
Memory wise, it falls short of the competition. It has only 1GB of RAM. For data storage too, you are stuck with whatever internal memory your particular model offers, as there is no expansion slot. The phone comes with 16GB/64GB/128GB of internal storage, with each model being pricier than the previous one.
Samsung Galaxy S5
At the heart of the S5 is a Quad Core 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU (MSM8974AC). It’s blazingly fast, scoring high on several benchmarking software tests, including Quadrant. In normal everyday usage, the performance is hardly noticeable, as most everyday applications don’t stress the pro