Introduction

We have a good one for you today – the new Google Nexus 6 versus the Apple iPhone 6 – the flagship devices from archrivals, Google and Apple.  Both devices are premium and there is no denying that, but each company approaches the design of a device so differently.  Google plucked Motorola to produce their smartphone this year so they started with a basic Moto X and increased the size and specs, which also increased the pricing structure and shocked the usual Nexus faithful.  Talk about a shock, Apple finally crawled out from under their rock and joined the rest of civilization by announcing a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.  This is coming from a company that preached that big displays were not necessary and now all of a sudden, Apple hints to their loyal followers that they developed the big display…sad enough, but what is really sad is that their customers seem to actually believe it!

With the Nexus 6 coming from Google/Motorola and the iPhone 6 coming from Apple, there are very few similarities between these two devices besides being smartphones and being able to make a phone call.  Their displays, processors, memory, cameras, batteries, physical size and operating systems are just totally different.  They both have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and they are both available on all major carriers in the U.S, but from that point on, they are as different as an Apple and an orange.

Please take a close look at the detailed specifications list below and compare them closely, then we will take a closer look at the individual devices, list their pros and cons, and hopefully be able to pick a winner of this comparison.

Specifications

Google Nexus 6

Google surprised everybody with their new Nexus 6 – it was a BIG surprise…in terms of size, specs and pricing, however, Google and Motorola have given to us a true flagship smartphone this time around.  It is large, but still quite comfortable to hold thanks to its curved back and matte finish.  It is well built with a metal frame and a stripe of metal that gracefully wraps around the entire edge to bring the glass display (with small bezels) and back together.

It packs a 6-inch AMOLED Quad HD (QHD) display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and a whopping 493 pixels-per-inch (PPI) compared to the 326 PPI on the iPhone 6.  Motorola chose the best processor available, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core clocked at 2.7GHz, coupled with 3GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of internal memory – neither device has room for expansion.

Google really upped the camera specs in their new Nexus 6 – a 13MP sensor with auto-focus, a dual-tone LED flash ring that actually encompasses the lens and they added Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) – not found on the 8MP shooter on the iPhone 6.  The Nexus 6 also added a 2MP front-facing camera (FFC) for selfies and video chatting compared to the 1.2MP FFC on the iPhone 6.  Motorola threw in a huge 3220mAh battery for all day power and a Turbo Charger that will give you up to 60-percent on your battery with only a 15-minute charge.  The iPhone 6, in Apple’s quest for the thinnest device, only included an 1810mAh battery and a fast charge feature that will give you up to 31-percent charge in 30 minutes – this win goes to the Nexus 6.

As far as extra features go on the Nexus 6 – it does have the standard microUSB 2.0 port for easy charging and data transfers – no proprietary cables are needed.  It has dual front-facing stereo speakers, a nano-coating for water resistance, wireless charging and the Moto Turbo charger that works with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0.  Most importantly, it is the showcase for Android 5.0 Lollipop and all the features that it brings to the Android experience, as well as a few Motorola software favorites.  It is available for the first time on all major U.S. networks and in the Google Play Store.  It is priced about $200 – $250 on a two-year contract and about $650 – $683 off-contract.

Apple iPhone 6

The new iPhones mark the boldest move by Apple in years – larger displays…the same ones that Android users have enjoyed for years.  The iPhone 6 employs a 4.7-inch display, while the iPhone 6 Plus goes all the way up to 5.5-inches.  The looks of the new iPhones are unmistakably Apple – curved metal back, wide bezels and a premium look and feel that one reviewer described as something that is more akin to a museum piece rather than a smartphone…luckily I hadn’t eaten recently…seriously, a museum piece?

Let us explore the technical wizardry that makes an Apple iPhone 6 so special.  It comes with a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1334 x 750 pixels and only 326 PPI compared to the 493 PPI on the Nexus 6.  Now, if you do not care for larger displays, like the 6-inch one on the Nexus 6, than you may consider the 4.7-inch display the winner, but strictly from a specification standpoint, the 493 PPI wins out over the 326 PPI on the iPhone 6.

Next, the processor – the iPhone 6 uses a 64-bit Apple A8 dual-core clocked at 1.4GHz…yes, you read that correctly, 64-bit.  But Apple connected that 64-bit processor to only 1GB of RAM, hardly enough to take full advantage of the 64-bit, making it more of a marketing scheme than an actual benefit.  The Nexus 6 has a 32-bit quad-core processor clocked at 2.7GHz with 3GB of RAM and Motorola’s optimization.  The iPhone 6 comes in three non-expandable memory configurations – 16GB, 64GB and 128GB, while the non-expandable memory in the Nexus 6 offers either 32GB or a 64GB model for only $50 more.

The iPhone 6 uses an improved 8MP sensor over the iPhone 5s, uses the same dual-tone LED flash and auto-focus, but still has no OIS (only in the iPhone 6 Plus).  This is compared to the 13MP shooter in the Nexus 6, whose dual-tone flash encircles the lens and adds OIS and even the iPhone 6’s FFC is only 1.2MP for social media selfies and video chatting (or Face Time as Apple calls it).  Even the battery is only 1810mAh compared to the huge 3220mAh found in the Nexus 6 – which would need more power due to its larger QHD display, but Apple would rather claim the thinnest device at the expense of the battery size.  It does okay, but could certainly benefit from a larger battery and Apple claims it does charge fast – you can get 31-percent from a 30-minute charge, which is not up to the 60-percent charge in 15-minutes on the Nexus 6.

As far as any extra features, the iPhone 6 does have VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling capabilities, a bottom mounted speaker and a finger scanner (Touch ID) and is available in three colors – gray, silver and gold.  It uses iOS 8.1, is available on all major U.S. carriers for $199/$649 for the 16GB model, up to $399/$849 for the 128GB model.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

Really, I know that Apple lovers will say that we only picked the Google Nexus 6 over the Apple iPhone 6 because it is an Android device running the latest 5.0 Lollipop and the Apple is running iOS 8.1…and you would be partially correct.  For the most part, we honestly believe that the freedom, openness and customization that Android provides its users is a better experience than the closed iOS that Apple uses.  We also recognize that some users want and need the simpler experience that iOS provides, and that is okay…if that is the case, then check yourself to the nursery on an Apple website.

The specifications also back up my decision – better display, just as good processor, more RAM, better camera with OIS, larger battery, front-facing stereo speakers, the water resistant nano-coating, wireless charging and Turbo Charging.  Let us not forget all of the flexibility and power that Android 5.0 Lollipop provides…and all this, at a slightly cheaper price.

Please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know if you agree or disagree with our decision and WHY…as always, we would love to hear from you.