An Apple Employee Waves A Rainbow Flag Before Marching In The San Francisco.
An Apple employee waves a rainbow flag before marching in the San Francisco Gay Pride Festival in California June 29, 2014. Thousands of Apple employees donned specially designed T shirts at the festival and marched in unison. This year's turnout was largest in the company's history, several Apple employees told Reuters. Reuters

Apple unveiled iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices on Sept. 9 and the pre-orders started on Sept. 12. On the other hand, the unannounced Android counterpart Google Nexus 6 will reportedly be launched in October. Readers who are interested in the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus or the Nexus 6 should check out this (early) specification, features, release date and price comparison.

Display

Apple has entered the screen size war with its iPhone 6 Plus phablet flaunting a 5.5-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD (Retina HD) display, whereas the Nexus 6 will reportedly feature a relatively bigger 5.9-inch True HD IPS+ display. While the Google device is expected to come with a 2K resolution and pixel density of 1,440 x 2,560 pixels and 497 ppi, the Apple handset settles for 1,080 x 1,920 pixels and 401 ppi respectively.

When it comes to the exterior, Apple has taken a leaf or two out of the iPad Air to get the iPhone 6 design right. The handset comes with a brilliant metallic exterior that looks more like ceramic and the rear panel feels very comfortable on the hands. Also, the smartphone has curved edges and the overall design makes it look sleeker, says Tech Radar. The improved screen resolution in the iPhone 6 Plus provides great viewing experience especially when watching graphic content. Thus, Apple has proved that the iPhone 6 Plus is not just a device with a bigger screen but even the slightest of the details have been worked on. Nonetheless, the information on the exterior of Nexus 6 is unavailable at this point. However it is important to note that its predecessor Nexus 5 comes with a plastic body. Even though the plastic material does not provide the premium look, it keeps the weight of the device to a minimum, says Tech Radar.

Under The Hood

Reportedly, the Nexus 6 will be powered by the latest quad-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 805) Krait 450 processor, clocked at 2.7 GHz. The iPhone 6 Plus, on the other hand, is powered by a dual-core (Cyclone ARM v8-based) Apple A8 processor, clocked at 1.4 GHz. Also, the Google device is expected to come with a solid 3 GB of RAM, while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus settles for 2 GB of RAM.

In addition, the Nexus 6 will run on the latest Android OS v5.0 (L) out of the box, whereas the iPhone 6 runs on the latest iOS 8. Speaking of memory, the Google handset will offer 32 GB of in-built storage, while the Apple handset provides 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB of internal storage options. Expectedly, both the phones do not support expandable storage.

Camera And Battery

The Nexus 6 will reportedly sport a 13 MP primary unit with LED flash, whereas the Apple iPhone 6 houses an 8 MP iSight rear-facing camera unit with dual-LED flash. Also, the iPhone 6 and the Nexus 6 house 1.2 MP and 2.1 MP front-facing shooters respectively. And both the handsets support optical image stabilization. It is worth noting that, Apple has improved the frontal FaceTime camera. The Google handset is expected to come with 4K video recording capability, while the Apple device doesn't.

During the Apple event, the company said the battery unit has been improved in its latest offering, however the actual specification was not revealed. Nonetheless, Apple says the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 can provide up to 24 hours of 3G talk time and 384 hours of 3G stand-by time. However, Google Nexus 6 specs are unknown at this point. Notably, the predecessor Nexus 5 comes with a modest 2,300 mAh battery unit.

Additional Features

1. The Apple iPhone 6 Plus comes with a new iPad-like landscape mode. This mode can be used on specific apps, says CNet.

2. The iPhone 6 houses an improved fingerprint scanner for unlocking the handset and also for making mobile-based payments. Moreover, Apple has introduced a new program called Apple Pay. Apple Pay utilises integrated hardware, software and other services to facilitate mobile-based payments. Specifically, it uses NFC antenna, Touch ID, Secure Element and Apple Passbook to aid mobile payments.

At this point, American Express, MasterCard and Visa users can enjoy Apple Pay service upon release. The company is also working out plans to include other majors shortly. Nevertheless, Apple Pay will be available only to the U.S customers starting October. Potential buyers need not lose hope because this payment program will be introduced in other countries eventually.

3. Both the devices do not come with water or dust resistant exterior.

4. Apart from the standard connectivity options, both the devices support NFC.

Price And Release Date

Outright price: Apple iPhone 6 (16 GB) model is priced at $649 and the 16 GB iPhone 6 Plus (16 GB) variant can be purchased for $749 without a contract. Note: The quoted price does not include tax.

In the U.S., the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus (16 GB) variant is priced at $299 under 2-year contract. And the 64 GB and 128 GB models are priced at $399 and $499 respectively. Meanwhile, the 16 GB iPhone 6 (4.7-inch) model is priced at $199 under 2-year contract. The 64 GB and 128 GB iPhone 6 models come for $299 and $399 respectively, according to Apple.

In Australia, the iPhone 6 16 GB variant can be purchased for AU$869 outright, whereas the 64 GB and the 128 GB models come for AU$999 and AU$1129 respectively. Furthermore, the iPhone 6 Plus 16 GB variant is priced at AU$999, while the 64 GB and the 128 GB models can be purchased for AU$1129 and AU$1249 respectively, reports The Australian. To get more information on the Australian pricing of the iPhone 6 models click here.

It is worth noting that, Apple iPhone 6 models can be pre-ordered starting Sept. 12. Also, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be released on Sept. 19 in 9 countries. This includes the U.S, the UK, Australia, France, Hong Kong, Canada, Germany, Singapore and Japan.

The Google Nexus 6, meanwhile, could likely be priced at $499.99 in the U.S. and the European pricing could be €419.99, opines BGR. Also, the Nexus 6 release date is pegged for fall. Nonetheless, the above details have not been confirmed by Google thus far.

Also Read

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2. Apple iPhone 6 vs. iPhone 6 Plus vs. iPhone 5S -- Specifications, Features, Release Date And Price Comparison - [Read]

3. Sony Xperia Z3 vs. OnePlus One - Specifications, Features And Price Comparison - [Read]

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