iPhone 6: Find Out What We Liked, What We Didn’t, and How Apple’s Newest Device Stacks Up Against the Samsung Galaxy S5

Friday, September 19 was the day. Shortly after noon, a FedEx delivery driver strode through the door, and into Conversion Pipeline’s lobby, box in hand. Careful to not let this iPhone 6 meet the same fate as Jack Cooksey’s, I opened one box gingerly, and then another, revealing first a gorgeous 4.7-inch screen that rounds and gives way to a durable, metal frame.

What We Like

Touch ID Sensor: Set up using a repetitive place / lift motion of the finger — any finger — the Touch ID sensor can be used to unlock the new device, and also to authorize purchases from the app and iTunes stores. There are still a few kinks in the software (The sensor failed to recognize my print thrice over the weekend.), but these will almost certainly be worked out by the time of the Apple Pay rollout next month.

Camera: The iPhone 6’s new Focus Pixels detect light at faster speeds, and increase the iSight camera’s autofocus capabilities. Shooting on the iPhone 6 (left) offers a vast improvement over the iPhone 5 (right) in terms of color and clarity.

Keyboard: QuickType, iOS 8’s predictive text feature, displays an ever-changing strip of word suggestions. Autocorrect also seems to have taken a step forward; with just a few days’ use, the software’s ability to comprehend my gibberish is impressive. The keyboard’s buttons themselves are larger, which also cuts down on the likelihood of entering errant characters.

Pedometer++ / Widgets: iOS 8 supports Notification Center widgets. Having upgraded from the iPhone 4S to the iPhone 6, this is the feature I was most excited about. I promptly downloaded the Pedometer++ app, added the widget (done by scrolling to the bottom of the Notification Center screen, and clicking “Edit.”), and set about the business of a six-mile walk. The iPhone 6 rode on my hip, and the built-in motion sensor recorded number of steps, distance, and elevation.

What We Didn’t Like

Truthfully, not much.

It’s slippery. The anodized aluminum is slick, so the purchase of a protective case is advised.

How does it stack up against the Samsung Galaxy S5?

In terms of design, the cast metal of the iPhone 6 looks and feels much higher-end than the faux leather that backs the Galaxy S5. Neither the Apple nor the Samsung device feature major design differences from their previous iterations.

In terms of displaySamsung’s Galaxy S5 is still clearly superior. Apple’s 4.7-inch display is diminished by Samsung’s 5.1. The same can be said for the devices’ resolution: Samsung comes in at 1920 x 1080 pixels, while the iPhone 6 falls short at 750 x 1334.

In terms of processing speed, Samsung wins again. In terms of memory, yep, the story is the same. Apple’s 1 gigabyte of RAM is no match for Samsung’s three. Spec for spec, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is superior, as much as this Apple fangirl might be loathe to admit it.

Conclusions

Apple announced this morning that opening weekend sales topped 10 million; and that’s in addition to the four million pre-sale orders recorded the week before. With an ultra-thin body and rounded corners, the 6 is nothing like iPhone users have seen before, and this early adopter is impressed. Naysayers will continue to naysay, but with options like an iOS 8-equipped Apple device and an Android-based Samsung, there is no wrong choice.