iPhone 6 Plus vs Nexus 6 Specs Comparison

The Nexus 6 is finally available for purchase through several US carriers, so we thought we should compare it with one of its main rivals, the iPhone 6 Plus. Both are no doubt two of the most powerful smartphones currently on the market, so we are expecting the iPhone 6 Plus vs. Nexus 6 specs battle to be hard-fought.

While the iPhone 6 Plus is the first Apple phablet ever made, the Nexus 6 is the first Nexus device to come with a display larger than 5 inches. As you may know already, the latter one is co-developed by Google and Motorola.

iPhone 6 Plus versus Nexus 6 specs battle will be divided into ten rounds where we will be judging the performance of the two devices based on Dimensions, Display, Processor, Memory, Connectivity, Operating System, Camera, Design, Battery Life, and Price. Each round is worth one point and the smartphone that manages to score most points is declared winner.

Dimensions

We are dealing with two phablets here, so forget about being able to use either of them with only one hand. Let’s have a look at their dimensions.

The iPhone 6 Plus measures 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm and has a weigh of 172 grams. Despite having to accommodate a significantly larger display, the Nexus 6 is similar in size to Apple’s smartphone. It’s 159.3 mm tall, 83 mm wide, and 10.1 mm thin, while weighing in at 184 grams.

The iPhone 6 Plus is more compact, lighter, and considerably thinner than the Nexus 6, that’s why it wins the Dimensions round. The iOS-powered device wins the first round of the battle.

Display

Even though few have thought that Apple would launch a 5.5-inch smartphone, the Cupertino-based company is finally having a phablet in its portfolio. Because the display is the main selling point of a phablet, let’s have a look at the displays our competitors.

The iPhone 6 Plus sports a 5.5-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD display with Full HD resolution, 401 ppi pixel density, shatter proof glass, and oleo phobic coating. This is Apple’s first Full HD smartphone.

Nexus 6 boasts about a massive 5.96-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Despite being considerably larger, Nexus 6’s screen brings higher pixel density: 493 ppi.

The AMOLED screen of the Nexus 6 brings higher resolution and higher pixel density than iPhone 6 Plus’ 5.5-inch unit. Nexus 6 wins this round.

Processor

The processor is the brain of the phone, so you would probably want to have a powerful unit hidden inside your phone’s case. Let’s have a look at the processing solutions of iPhone 6 Plus and Nexus 6.

iPhone 6 Plus is powered by a 64-bit Apple A8 chipset with dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based) CPU and PowerVR GX6450 GPU. On the other hand, Nexus 6 is underpinned by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC based on four Krait 450 cores clocked at 2.7 GHz and an Adreno 420 GPU.

Even though iPhone 6 Plus’ processor is 64-bit enabled, the benchmarks have shown that Nexus 6’s unit is slightly more powerful. The point allocated to the Processor round goes to Google’s flagship.

Memory

Your photos, your music collection, your favorite TV shoes, the videos you record with your smartphone, and lots of apps. All these require quite a large amount of storage.

iPhone 6 Plus is available in three storage options: 16, 64, and 128 GB. Nexus 6 comes with either 32 or 64 GB of native storage. Neither one has support for microSD expansion.

In terms of RAM, the iPhone 6 Plus brings 1 GB RAM, while Nexus 6 has 3 GB RAM. Even though the latter one has considerably more RAM, the iPhone 6 Plus will do just fine to handle iOS’ multitasking, while both will be able to do deliver a decent multitasking experience.

Because the iPhone 6 Plus is available with up to 128 GB of storage, it wins the Memory round. Another point for Apple’s phablet.

Connectivity

Over the past couple of years, most smartphone makers have aligned to the same standard when it comes to connectivity features. Let’s look how our competitors perform.

The iPhone 6 Plus arrives with HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, NFC, and USB 2.0 (Lightning port). Nexus 6 brings HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat6 300/50 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy, NFC, and microUSB 2.0.

Compared to the iPhone 6 Plus, Nexus 6 brings LTE Cat6 (LTE Cat4 for iPhone) and Bluetooth 4.1 (Bluetooth 4.0 for iPhone). Because LTE Cat6 is not so widespread and because there’s not a significant difference between BT 4.1 and 4.0, the Connectivity round ends as tie.

Operating System

When it comes to mobile operating systems it’s always Apple vs. Android. Each platform has its fans and its critics, but in the end it’s only a matter of choice.

Nexus 6 comes pre-loaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is the biggest update Google’s mobile operating system has received since birth. The first thing you will probably notice about Lollipop is the new Material Design interface which relays on vivid colors, more animations, and realistic 3D effects and shadows. The Android 5.0 list of changes is very long, but just to name a few: lockscreen notifications with the ability to personalize notifications behavior, multi-user support for phones, revamped notifications bar and quick settings, battery saver, Priority Mode (some sort of iOS Do Not Disturb), Screen Pinning, revamped recent menu with document-centric multitasking, smart lock, and more.

iPhone 6 Plus is the first device in the world to run iOS 8. As you may know already, iOS 8 is the latest iteration of Apple’s mobile platform and it continues the design philosophy of iOS 7. Because we’re talking about an update we’re also talking about new features. iOS 8 brings an improved notifications bar that now features some kind of widgets, improved Siri personal assistant, better TouchID integration, swipe gestures in the mailing app, better and new sources for Spotlight search, smarter keyboard, improved Camera and Gallery apps, and the new Health fitness tracking app. White I really like about iOS 8 is the double-tap Home button for one-hand usage feature. Even though this feature is also present on Samsung or LG phones, Apple’s implementation is the best yet. Cool, but not cool enough.

In our opinion, Nexus 6 wins the Operating System round. Android is smoother than ever, it brings tons of useful new features, and it’s finally looking better than its main rival, iOS. Another point goes to the Moto-made Nexus.

Camera

I’m not a great photographer myself, but I know how to appreciate a good camera or photo. In the same time, I believe that the best camera is the camera you’re always carrying with you and that’s why I like my phones to pack above-average primary shooters.

iPhone 6 Plus features an 8 MP rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual-tone) flash, F2.2 aperture, geo-tagging, simultaneous HD video and image recording, touch focus, face/smile detection, HDR (photo/panorama), and Full HD video recording and slow-motion video capture. It also has a 1.2 MP user-facing camera.

Nexus 6 sports a 13 MP main shooter with autofocus, optical image stabilization, dual-LED (ring) flash, F2.0 aperture, Dual recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, photo sphere, panorama, HDR, and 4K video recording support. The front-facing camera has a 2 MP sensor.

Even though Nexus 6 has a higher-resolution sensor, early tests have shown that Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus is actually superior when it comes to snapping photos. The Camera round is won by iPhone 6 Plus.

Design

We all like good-looking smartphones and premium quality. Apple is known for building such smartphones and we are glad to see that other phone makers are hot on their tracks.

iPhone 6 Plus departs from the design language introduced by the iPhone 4 and continued until last year by the iPhone 5S. The new Apple flagship has more rounded corners and a new color scheme for the back panel. It also brings a new shape for the volume buttons, while the power button has been relocated on one side for better reach. What I don’t like about the iPhone 6 Plus is the wide bezels and the wasted space at the top and bottom of the front panel. You probably heard about the Bendgate scandal, with users reporting that the device has bent in their pockets. Unfortunately, that’s not what we were expecting from apple.

On the other side, the Nexus 6 looks like a Moto X 2014 on steroids, and, fortunately, it brings the same built quality. Even though it’s not all-aluminum like the iPhone 6 Plus, Nexus 6’s feels premium when held in hand and the soft touch back and metallic frame surely help delivering that feeling. Nexus 6 has a great screen-to-body ratio while the front panel accommodates the dual stereo speakers. It has rounded corners and a curved back which offers great grip. Furthermore, Nexus 6 is splash resistant, so one less reason to worry about.

In my opinion, the Nexus 6 is the better-looking smartphone here. The Design point goes to the Android-powered device.

Battery Life

Battery life is probably one of the biggest issues of modern smartphones. Anyway, over the past year or so, the smartphone manufacturers worked hard to address this annoyance.

iPhone 6 Plus features a non-removable Li-Po 2,915 mAh battery which, according to apple, can deliver up to 24 hours of talk time and 384 hours of standby time. In our tests, the iPhone 6 Plus managed stay awake around the clock on a single charge.

Nexus 6 is kept alive by a non-removable Li-Po 3,220 mAh battery which should offer about 24 hours of talk time and up to 330 hours of stand-by time. In our tests, the battery was capable of getting through about a day of moderate-usage on a single charge. It’s also worth noting that Nexus 6 is compatible with Motorola’s Turbo charger which promises up to 8 hours of autonomy after only 15 minutes of charging.

Even though Nexus 6 has a slightly bigger battery cell, the two devices are similar in terms of autonomy. The Battery Life ends as tie.

Price

I will try to keep it simple in the Price round. The cheapest smartphone wins.

In the US, Nexus 6 is currently available at both Sprint and AT&T. While Sprint is selling the 32 GB model at $249 with a two-year contract, AT&T asks $299 on-contract. You also have the option to buy the unlocked Nexus 6 from Play Store. The 32 GB variant costs $649, while the 64 GB model is $699.

Both AT&T and Sprint are selling the 16 GB iPhone 6 Plus at a price of $299 with a two-year agreement. If you want an unlocked iPhone 6 Plus you can order one from Apple’s website with a price tag of $749 for the 16 GB model. The 64 GB variant costs $849, while the 128 GB variant is $100 more.

It’s obvious that Nexus 6 is the cheaper smartphone here. Another point for Google’s flagship.

Conclusions

Here we are at the end of the iPhone 6 Plus vs. Nexus 6 specs battle. It’s time to do a recap and see which smartphone managed to score most points.

We’ve had two rounds that ended as tie. The two devices where similar in terms Connectivity and Battery Life.

Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus managed to score three points after it outmatched its rival in Dimensions, Memory, and Camera rounds. The biggest iPhone yet is more compact, has more internal storage, and a better camera than Nexus 6.

The smartphone co-developed by Google and Motorola, Nexus 6, has won five rounds, therefore scoring five points. It proved to be better than the iPhone 6 Plus when it came to Display, Processor, Operating System, Design, and Price, because it has a higher-resolution screen, more powerful CPU, is running Android Lollipop, it has better build quality and is splash-proof, and because it’s cheaper.

In our opinion the Nexus 6 is the better smartphone. Of course, some of you may agree, others may disagree, that’s why we are inviting you to share your opinions in the comments section below.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus 128GB: Restarting Bugs Fix Update Anticipated

Previously, we reported that those with a 128GB model of the Apple iPhone 6 Plus have faced issues where the device is incessantly restarting or freezing, and there have not been any fixes for this whatsoever. These problems were recently found to be caused by a bug with the hardware. Apple is apparently not using a stable internal storage unit, and instead, has opted for a triple level cell NAND flash to be used within the iPhone 6 Plus’ 128GB model. While these triple level cells can easily store more information that a single level cell or a multi level solid-state flash, they are more prone to errors than anything else.

However, sources have now come out and claimed that Apple has said to them that these freezing errors and constant device restarts are extremely rare, and that they will not be recalling any devices due to faulty hardware. Supposedly, there is absolutely no defect that is found within the components on the device. For now, users should be reporting these issues to Apple, but according to these reports, there’s no need for a replacement device, as it’s likely something to do with the software.

According to Business Korea, some have found that their 64GB iPhone 6 models have also faced issues similar to that of the iPhone 6 Plus’ incessant restarting, making it more believable that it is in fact software related.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see iOS 8.1.1 addressing these issues and solving many users’ problems, making their fancy Apple devices useable once again. While some have had luck obtaining replacement devices, it’s unlikely that a replacement is the best fix for these issues, as previously stated.

Hopefully, this is truly software related and will be fixed by iOS 8.1.1. The new update to iOS 8 is due to be the most stable one yet, with the changelog consisting of bug fixes specifically. This update is due to fix the ever-annoying landscape mode bug, as well as some iMessage bugs that have recently appeared in iOS 8.1.0. Currently, the software is in beta testing to ensure that there are no further issues with this latest update. You can expect the update to hit your device at some point within the upcoming weeks.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus Plagued with Crashing Bugs

The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus had record-breaking pre-orders, and are still flying off shelves even after all the issues regarding #Bendgate and the plethora of software issues that came with iOS 8.0.1 and iOS 8.0.2. It seems the controversy is far from over, though. According to a thread on Apple’s support forums, many iPhone 6 Plus users are having quite the difficult time with their devices after the iOS 8.1 update.

iPhone 6 Plus 128GB plagued with bugs

The thread has over 12,000 views and over 80 replies so far, meaning it’s not just a few people facing this problem. The problem seems to specifically affect 128GB models of the iPhone 6 Plus with over 700 apps installed. Apparently, these devices have been crashing non-stop, even without user interaction.

One user recommended doing a fresh restore on the devices, as well as attempting to open all apps, then closing them all manually by going to the background app page and swiping up. This user also recommended that users do a reset on their devices by holding the power and home buttons down at the same time. However, it doesn’t seem any of these suggestions have worked for more than a handful of people.

Apple has yet to make an official comment on this issue, but it appears some have had success bringing their devices to the Apple Store when it comes to getting it replaced. The issues don’t stop with a replacement, though, as some of those devices have had issues with crashing and freezing as well.

Those that haven’t been able to replace their devices are in constant back-and-forth phone calls with Apple’s tech support department, and that in itself can be more frustrating than a crashing smartphone.

As previously mentioned, it’s assumed that this problem only affects the 128GB model of the iPhone 6 Plus, but it may affect other devices. We’ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, a fix comes out for this sooner than later.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus Leading in Total iPhone 6 Production by 60%[Report]

A new report is out from Digitimes regarding the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. According to the report, 60% of all production output is coming from the iPhone6 Plus – over half of all iPhone 6 production. Digitimes also states the production of the two devices is split between Foxconn and Pegatron, with Foxconn taking over iPhone 6 Plus production and Pegatron taking over the other.

This information should definitely be taken with a pinch of salt simply because Digitimes doesn’t have the best track record. Another thing to keep in mind is that high production doesn’t always mean high sales. This report doesn’t indicate which iPhone is selling better.

Aside from that, other web analytics show the iPhone 6 is the more popular device amongst consumers. Mixpanel’s reports claim the iPhone 6 has 5% of all iPhone usage, while the iPhone 6 Plus has around 1.1%. Both models remain sold out in most places, and the production ratios should be much more even, so Digitimes’ report seems a tad fishy.

The only other explanation for the report is that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be released in China later this month. In China, the 5.5-inch device will likely be the more popular of the two, which is why production may currently be higher for the iPhone 6 Plus. So far, over two million people have pre-ordered one of the two new iPhones in China, meaning there’ll need to be many phones ready to go for the release.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, previously stated that supply reports tend to be untrue, and this may very well be the fact in this case. It’s therefore a report to take with some skepticism, and not something to go by.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus Has the Best LCD Display Out of All Smartphones

To get away from all the negativity surrounding the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iOS 8, we have some good news to report about the iPhone 6 Plus. According to new tests by DisplayMate, the iPhone 6 Plus has the best LCD display out of all smartphones available on the market currently. This is due to its amazing results in sharpness, color depth, color accuracy, overall display calibration, and many more aspects. Of course, its smaller brother, the iPhone 6, got great reviews as well, but was still beaten by the iPhone 6 Plus, because the iPhone 6 has a lower resolution.

iPhone 6 Plus’s display gets put to test

The iPhone 6 Plus only wins in the LCD display category. If you’re looking for the best display out of any smartphone, check out the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which features a Super AMOLED display and a QHD resolution with brilliant color accuracy.

Comparing the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to the iPhone 6 Plus, you’ll find that the Galaxy Note 4 has 515 pixels per inch and the iPhone 6 Plus only has 401 pixels per inch. What’s interesting about this is that despite Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus having such a low pixel density, it still beat out all other LCD smartphones.

The only area where the iPhone 6 Plus didn’t get great results was in the viewing angles category. This is extremely common for LCD displays and is why many smartphones don’t use LCDs anymore – but Apple has continued to stick with them.

The iPhone 6 Plus features a 1080 x 1920 5.5-inch LCD display with an oleophobic coating on top, an Apple 64-bit A8 processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera with optical image stabilization, a 1.2MP front camera, and a 2,915mAh battery.

Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Nowhere to be Found on T-Mobile

Every year when Apple releases another version of their flagship, the same story repeats itself: stocks running empty in mere hours, fans camping outside Apple stores for weeks, and huge profits reported by Apple. Right now, it appears T-Mobile is having some problems keeping stocks replenished as fans are complaining that they can’t find any Apple iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus devices in their carrier stores.

iPhone 6 not found in T-Mobile stores

This comes as a big letdown for T-Mobile customers because Verizon, Sprint and AT&T are still well stocked, in spite of the huge demand – so it appears T-Mobile is the only one having trouble. According to Apple.com, the T-Mobile iPhone 6 wasn’t available for purchase in the 20 Apple Stores closest to San Francisco.

They called 10 T-Mobile retail stores in and around San Francisco and none had any iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus devices in stock, nor did they know when stocks would be filled again.

Part of the reason why T-Mobile has run out of stock is because of the huge amount of sales they’ve been promoting lately, as well as some incredible deals. In addition, T-Mobile offers those switching from other carriers up to $350 to take care of competitors’ early termination fees.

Verizon iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Users Get “Advanced Calling”

Verizon iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Users Get “Advanced Calling”

Verizon Wireless has finally allowed customers the ability to use data while on the phone, but there’s a catch. For the moment, only iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are available to use data while on a call. This is due to the fact that the two new Apple flagship smartphones have VoLTE support.

Verizon adds VoLTE to Apple iPhone 6 on its network

VoLTE stands for voice over LTE. It means what it says – instead of using the typical 2G or 3G network to make a call, you’re on the 4G LTE network.

Verizon users haven’t ever been able to make phone calls and use data, which is something many AT&T users have been able to do for ages. This is great news, especially if you’re looking to pick up a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus on Verizon Wireless, or switch your iPhone 6’s carrier.

Verizon’s support of VoLTE now gives consumers “Advanced Calling” on top of being able to use data on the phone. This new feature allows consumers to have better sounding phone and video calls.

This won’t automatically be available on your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus though – you’ll have to manually enable it. In order to do so, you’ll first have to go to Verizon’s website, and then add the feature to your account (which is free, by the way). From there, you’ll have to go to Settings>Cellular>Enable LTE>Turn on Voice & Data. Finally, you can enjoy HD phone and video calls.

You’ll soon see these features available on other high-end Android devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the LG G3, but for now, it’s only available for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users. There’s no word on when Android devices will be seeing the update, but it’s likely sooner than later.

Bend it Like Apple: iPhone 6 Plus Is Ridiculously Easy to Bend

Bend it Like Apple: iPhone 6 Plus Is Ridiculously Easy to Bend

It looks like Apple is learning about the challenges of building large phones the hard way. Several iPhone 6 Plus owners are reporting that they have accidentally bent their devices while carrying them in their pockets. Oh, and this isn’t a feature.

Even though I was initially tempted to believe that the iPhone 6 Plus bending was an isolated case, the number of users complaining about this issue is growing. I was expecting to hear stories about people who put the iPhone 6 Plus in their back pocket and sat on it. But no, it has bent while in the front pocket of the pants.

This is the price Apple is paying for wanting to make their new iPhones thinner. It’s pretty obvious that they have sailed past the dimensions at which an aluminum phone is feasible. When I’m paying $900 on a phone I would expect to at least put it in my pocket without worrying about it. The even sadder news is that a bent enclosure is not covered under the limited warranty anymore, like the 5 and 5s was. So Apple is aware of the risks? I would incline to say they are. What will they tell us this time? That we’re pocketing it wrong?

I never understood why people cared so much about metallic phones and bashed the plastic ones. I mean, just look at the back of a Nexus 5, or an LG G3, or a Note 4. That thing feels great in your hand and bending it in your pocket is the last thing you have to worry about.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but every time Apple introduces a major iPhone update major design flows come with it. The iPhone 4 had that annoying antenna problem; the iPhone 5 had paint chipping issues, and now this. I would expect more from a company that boasts about the design of its phones each time it has the occasion. Apple has lost the last thing that put them in front of their Android rivals: the design.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 US Availability: Pre-orders Begin on Verizon, AT&T, Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 US Availability: Pre-orders Begin on Verizon, AT&T, Amazon

Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have taken up plenty of media attention when it comes to their pre-orders and release. But Apple isn’t the only tech giant releasing a new smartphone. As of today, consumers will be able to start pre-ordering a new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from AT&T or Verizon Wireless. There probably won’t be the hype or quick sell-outs and server overloads, so you’ll be able to order your device cool and calmly.

Note 4 pre-orders start in United States

Both carriers have their pre-orders on their official websites, as well as on Amazon. The new Galaxy Note 4 is available in charcoal black and frosted white in a 32GB model on all websites.

On the AT&T page, you can either pay $299.99 upfront with a two-year contract, $34.42 monthly for 18 months through their Next program, $41.30 monthly for 12 months through their Next program, or $829.99. The device will apparently ship out on October 14th and should arrive on your doorstep the day of the release. The Amazon AT&T page shows the same information, but does not give out the shipping date.

On the Verizon Wireless page, you can either pay $299.99 upfront with a two-year contract, $34.99 for 20 months through their EDGE program, or $699.99 off-contract. Neither the Amazon page nor the Verizon Wireless page gives you a shipping date, but once purchased, it likely will.

Currently, you aren’t able to make use of the EDGE program or the Next program while pre-ordering through Amazon, so if you’re looking to do so, we recommend you pre-order through the official carrier website.

We’re not quite sure why there’s such a heavy price difference in the off-contract models between carriers at this moment, but it’s listed the same on both Amazon and the carrier websites.

If you’d like to get your device on T-Mobile or Sprint, sadly you’ll have to wait until September 24th or September 26th.

Apple iPhone 6, 6 Plus: Overheating Issues Not to Be Worried About

Apple iPhone 6, 6 Plus: Overheating Issues Not to Be Worried About

The Apple iPhone 6 Plus has been the more popular of the two new iPhones, with pre-orders selling out hours before iPhone 6 pre-orders sold out. Sadly, it seems quite a few people are experiencing a significant issue with their new iPhone 6 Plus. The new device seems to be getting “extremely” hot according to many tweets and Reddit posts - but there’s absolutely no need to worry just yet.

Apple iPhone 6 overheating complaints pile up

This is extremely common while downloading your apps and heavily using your device, especially in the first few hours that you’ve picked it up. A fresh phone means the software has yet to index everything in your e-mail account, previous text messages, etc. This tends to happen after finishing a restore on your phone.

A few users have noticed the iPhone 6 getting hot while restoring as well, but once again, the phone is just uploading all of your information and software and there is no need to worry just yet.

What’s strange is that not as many 4.7in iPhone 6 owners have reported overheating issues, but then again, some folks haven’t specified which device they’re using. The chances are very slim that anything’s actually wrong with the devices, so don’t freak out too much.

Although many people have reported the device is getting much hotter than their previous devices have, with Reddit user, runningfromthevoid, saying it’s nearly “uncomfortable to hold”, it may just be people being paranoid and noticing every little thing about their new smartphones.

Apple iPhone 6 Fetches $1,300 on eBay

Apple iPhone 6 Fetches $1,300 on eBay

This year marks the release of Apple’s iconic flagship, the iPhone 6 and its bigger brother, the iPhone 6 Plus (which is the same phone with a larger display). Pre-orders are already available. However, some eBay pre-orders have been known to double the normal price. Well, this news is a little bizarre but not totally surprising: a customer paid $1,300 to pre-order an Apple iPhone 6, plus $10.06 delivery costs.

Customer pays $1300 for an iPhone 6

We’re used to this sort of news. Every year, when a new flagship iPhone gets released, thousands of fans go through challenges to get their hands on the new gadget. We must admit there are certainly extravagant customers out there, and their numbers aren’t small at all, considering Apple is going to release a golden iPad Air soon.

eBay has been offering its own pre-orders for the device, which, as mentioned above, could probably reach up to two times the initial price of the iPhone 6. Customers have been bidding premium prices that disregard the off-contract price of Apple’s original iPhone 6; so naturally, some people will fall for fake prices or buy overpriced products. The device ordered for $1,300 has an initial cost of $399.00 for a two-year contract, or $949.00 without a contract.

We expect some sales to show up pretty soon, so if you’re on a budget but want to purchase an iPhone 6, wait a couple of weeks or months, and you’re sure to catch a good deal.

Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint [US Pre-order]

Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint [US Pre-order]

Many people prefer to pre-order their new iPhones before they’re released in stores, because they tend to sell out quickly. Today we have some news regarding pre-orders for the iPhone 6. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless have all released details about the pre-order. Unlike Apple, they included the exact time you’ll be able to grab a phone.

It seems that you’ll be able to pre-order the device on September 12th at 12:01 am (Pacific Time).

iPhone 6 pre-orders begin on Sept 12

T-Mobile doesn’t appear to be part of these plans, as they’re still yet to release a statement. The Apple website still lists the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders as ‘coming soon’, but they’ve previously stated the device will be available to order starting from September 12th, so we can expect Apple to follow the same time as the three major U.S. carriers.

Don’t be surprised if the carrier sites and Apple’s site crash for a few minutes when midnight strikes on the 12th. There will be a huge load on their servers with millions of other people trying to get the latest iPhone, so be patient.

Verizon Wireless is allowing in-store pickup, but there’s a catch. They will have to have enough iPhone 6 units in stock to meet the needs of walk-ins, so once that number is met, you’ll be able to pick up your pre-ordered iPhone. Apple also offers in-store pickup, but details regarding that don’t seem to exist just yet.

If you’re not looking to pre-order, you’ll be able to get the device on September 19th by visiting your local Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, or Apple store.

iPhone 6 And 6 Plus: Apple Finally Admits It's Playing Catch-Up, Does Mostly Right By Users

iPhone 6 And 6 Plus: Apple Finally Admits It's Playing Catch-Up, Does Mostly Right By Users

As with every iPhone release over the past four years, your average Android fan is probably summing up today's announcement with a big "so what?" In truth, it's an understandable, if predictable, reaction: Apple has quickly gained a reputation in the smartphone community for turning last year's (or the year before that) features into this year's thing you totally won't believe.

As a lumbering multi-hundred-billion dollar consumer product giant, though, Apple has lost the luxury of disrupting a market it took into the mainstream, and has in recent years moved more and more to the conservative side of the smartphone market, calibrating and refining on a basic hardware premise we've all been familiar with since the iPhone 4: one phone, one size, three storage options, and a dogged refusal to give in to market "trends" it didn't agree with.

If iOS 8 was a nod to the continued refinements and evolution Android has allowed in smartphones, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are open concessions to the fact that the smartphone market has broken the mold Apple pioneered 8 years ago. When the iPhone finally made the move to a full 4" display in the iPhone 5, critics immediately looked to the trends being set by Android - probably correctly. Though at the time, at 3.5", the iPhone 4S was already laughably small, and a move to 4" was badly needed as the richness of mobile apps continued to grow.

But as Android phones continued to get larger, gain cores, megapixels, milliamp hours, and LTE, Apple did sort of rest on its laurels. The 5 and 5S were more of a "greatest hits" nod to iPhone legacy, introducing some modern features (Bluetooth LE, LTE, more RAM, HD front-facing camera, updated CPU), but largely saw Apple putting its foot down in regard to major shifts in hardware. To be blunt, they were as Jobsian as any iPhone Apple released, clinging to Appleness oftentimes merely for its own sake.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, though, are an acknowledgement that the smartphone world has changed, and that Apple has been left behind. Even your mom knows that iPhones aren't as cool as they used to be, let's get real: they've rapidly become a pop culture joke more tired than hipsters. Can screen size really bring Apple back to the forefront, though? Of course not: and that's by no means the only thing the iPhone 6 has to offer, but the display is the one place where Apple's strategic course-change is most obvious.

The Inches Game

Apple has long avoided making the iPhone "too big," and there's little doubt that Steve Jobs' regular comments on the size of Android phones being a turn-off for consumers kept it dimensionally challenged even years after his death. Apple, though, cannot hold fast to the utterings of a man four years removed from the marketplace (and earthly existence): big phones have caught on like wildfire in Asia, and 4.7"+ devices are commonplace in the US and Europe.

The very fact that Apple is selling the iPhone 6 in two different dimensions is kowtowing to the fact that one size does not fit all in the smartphone world. From the iPad to the MacBook - and now the Apple Watch - Apple has generally sought to give consumers options in regard to size, while the iPhone has remained weirdly stuck at a proscribed diagonal. This already gives the iPhone 6 a boost in the marketplace: more sizes mean a wider audience. While I don't think this is in itself something interesting to someone on Android, where options in regard to display technology and size are staggeringly vast, it puts Apple on a much more even footing with the most mainstream Android phones out there, like the Galaxy S5, Note 4, LG G3, HTC One M8, and Sony Xperia Z3 / Z3 Compact. This is especially true in the very-big-phone space, where Android has generally been able to conquer without competition - Apple's horning in on that territory now, and they aren't messing around.

Apple has also generally managed to acquire some of the very best LCD panels for the iPhone, though in the last year or two Android OEMs have started to gain traction on things like color gamut and brightness, so it'll be interesting to see if Apple pulls ahead here again or if the larger panels are going to lead to compromises.

I sincerely doubt you'll find hordes of loyal Android users who only stick with the platform because there isn't a big iPhone. I don't doubt that you'll find many people Apple is putting out of the reach of Samsung, LG, Motorola, and HTC by making a larger iPhone, though - it puts Apple on much more even footing with first-time buyers and compulsive upgraders. Android isn't the only big-phone game in town anymore (I mean, there's Windows Phone, but let's be serious).

The fact is that the larger displays make Apple more competitive, and that this is a real threat to Android OEMs. It doesn't mean it's innovative, magical, or Apple's best-ever: it's just the facts. It's like when Porsche started building a big luxury SUV (the Cayenne): it sold like crazy, because there was demand for big SUVs, and there was demand for Porsches. There's demand for big phones, and there's demand for Apple - you do the math.

The Rest Of The [Hardware] Gang

Apple has long had a reputation for delivering industry-leading mobile camera experiences. With a brand-new sensor, optical image stabilization (in the iPhone 6 Plus), a new image signal processor, 240FPS video, 60FPS 1080p, and phase detect AF (like on the Galaxy S5, just hopefully not sucky like on the Galaxy S5), the iPhone 6 has the tools to live up to that creed. But with Sony, Samsung, and LG all pushing forward at full speed ahead on camera tech (and with a near-guarantee that Apple's sensor is, like everyone else's, a Sony anyway), it's hard to know if Apple will really pull away here like it has in years past. With the 5S, it was already struggling to make waves in a deeply competitive mobile imaging market - the 6 has a fair share of ground to make up. While it's only 8MP, for a really good mobile camera that should be enough in most situations.

The new A8 processor appears to be another dual-core 64-bit design, like the A7, though Apple's promising that on its new 20nm architecture the A8 will be 25% quicker and 50% more efficient than A7, though it's clocked at a meandering 1.4GHz. GPU performance is also seeing a big boost, probably (i.e., not confirmed) moving up to the six-core PowerVR GX6650 GPU (IT says 192 cores to poo-poo on NVIDIA, but on the basis shading clusters like they used to rate them, it's six) that Apple is saying is up to 50% faster than the old one. To state the obvious, you'll be seeing these new guts in the next iPad later this fall too, and they'll likely be cranked up to 11 with the extra heat dissipation that form-factor provides.

Speaking of heat, Apple promises this new A8 processor won't throttle under heavy loads for up to a full 20 minutes of power-intensive usage, unlike "competing" (read: Android) smartphones, thanks to that new low-power 20nm architecture. That's definitely something that piqued my interest in the presentation as a G3 user, a phone which is constantly getting hot and slowing down under demanding conditions.

We don't know how much RAM the iPhone 6 has, but 1-1.5GB is as good a bet as any - Apple has traditionally been extremely conservative adding more RAM to its iDevices, and that trend has yet to really be bucked. It may be interesting to see if the 6 Plus actually gets a RAM boost due to its higher display resolution, though I'd sort of doubt that.

On the storage front, Apple is surprisingly being kind of disruptive. While the base model of the 6 and 6 Plus both have a frustrating 16GB of internal storage, move up $100 and you'll hit 64GB instead of 32. Go up another hundred bucks and you'll now find 128GB models. That's kind of a big deal, especially for media junkies with money to burn - and that's not an insignificant market.

I'm glad Apple's doing this, if only because it'll light a fire under the collective asses of Samsung and other Android OEMs to offer more storage options to customers that don't involve the joke that is the microSD card. I would bet strongly on this model shifting over to the next iPad this fall as well. When it comes to pricing for phones and tablets, Apple is the one case where I believe in trickle-down economics: this is going to change the strategies of competing companies, probably benefiting consumers at large. Ever try even finding a 64GB Android phone in the US? It's essentially impossible - carriers do not offer them, because everyone buys the base model. Maybe this will at least get Samsung to up their standard storage to 32GB, because these days 16GB is not cutting it. For once, Apple is doing something right by customers here: letting us know that, no, NAND really isn't that expensive.

Still, don't expect these phones to be cheap: the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus is $949 unlocked. The base model 16GB iPhone 6 is $649, though, putting it in the same neighborhood as most US Android flagships, while the 16GB 6 Plus is $749.

The iPhone 6 also picks up Wi-Fi AC, Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE, 150Mbps LTE-A, and additional LTE band support across the world. This stuff is just catch-up, though, and thanks entirely to Qualcomm's radios - not really much to do with Apple, and stuff that pretty much any high-end Android phone has had for a year.

As for the battery, Apple doesn't publish capacity, only use estimates - we'll have to wait until a teardown happens. The regular 6 gets around 10 hours of LTE browsing (the most power-intensive task Apple tests), and the 6 Plus gets 12 hours, a 20% boost. These aren't huge gains over the 5S, and Apple has generally been very slow to up the capacity of its batteries in the iPhone, to the angst of many heavy users, who wear out their batteries relatively quickly thanks to multiple charges a day. I've always believed Apple should up the battery on the iPhone, and the iPhone 6 doesn't appear to remedy that to any great degree, though I can't say the current crop of high-end Android phones (S5, G3, M8) are doing spectacularly on that front, either. At least the 6 Plus appears to be making gains, which may make it the darling of business buyers.

Overall, as far the insides of the iPhone 6 go, Android buyers aren't going to see anything radically new or interesting. If anything, the guts of the iPhone 6 are probably the least exciting part - they add more radio modernization, more performance, better battery life, and better picture-taking, but all of these gains seem incremental, even if the increments may be fairly large in some areas. Android phones still remain the spec-geek powerhouses with their high-clock quad-core CPUs, high-resolution cameras, and large RAM allocations. Apple still seems to be holding steady on the "less is more" hardware philosophy apart from storage and display size, instead focusing on doing the most humanly possible with a given set of components.

That all said, the gap, especially in terms of wireless features and performance, seems to have closed a little. Category 6 LTE adds more theoretical network headroom for LTE-A that some Android devices will doubtless advertise, but Apple's basically got a cellular radio here that's good for the next few years, and that's an area where the company had lagged behind until a year or two ago. Wi-Fi AC is a nice addition, too, and should keep the 6 future-proofed for modern home networks. Apple has also continued in its tradition of very modern, high-performance GPUs from Imagination Technologies, so I have high hopes there. Qualcomm's Adrenos are good, but there's little denying that a lot of the mobile game development community is still putting more time into optimization for Apple's hardware, and that gives IT and its PowerVR chips a bit of an edge.

iOS 8 In Action

IOS 8 is easily the most serious mobile OS Apple has shipped to date, and it's a marked departure from the "bumper-bowling computing" that iOS has been a poster child for since the iPhone 3G.

Widgets add a big personalization factor, and are almost definitely an attempt to take on Google Now. Third-party keyboards are huge. Actionable notifications actually go a step further than Android's own, and I'm a bit envious. iOS is finally getting an intent-picker system know as "extensibility," and that has really big implications for content sharing and moving data from one app to another - it's a huge deal, even if Android has had it forever and generally done it very well. Continuity will give Apple's productivity suite more modern sync and collaboration, though it's still well-behind Google Drive or Office Online, but it will also add better SMS handling in iMessage, which still tends to trump Hangouts on features. iTunes and App Store family sharing are big for parents who share their devices with their children, and Google simply doesn't have an analog for this yet.

Things like HomeKit and HealthKit are a bit less frightening, as the emerging smart home and health tracking markets have yet to be dominated by anyone, nor has anyone exactly nailed down those experiences just yet - it's actually a bit weird to me Apple is getting in on them at this point, because they're so young.

Then we've got Apple Wallet which, to be frank, really is just Google Wallet but Apple. This sort of branding can make all the difference in adoption, but I remain wary of the entire NFC payment regime at this point: the clunkiness of Wallet tap-to-pay even to this day is almost embarrassing, and I'm not sure even Apple can change such an ingrained consumer habit as swiping a credit card even if they can make it quick and easy. While scanning a QR code at Starbucks to pay and get loyalty rewards has become increasingly common, I'm not sure the benefits of NFC payments (mostly security) will have broad appeal, especially when you'll still have to carry your wallet around with you anyway if you want cash or to pay for something somewhere without an NFC scanner.

That said, depending on how much Apple opens up NFC in iOS 8, we could see some really interesting NFC use cases emerge in the app ecosystem across more than just iOS. While Android has had NFC in most major phones for years, Apple's continuing refusal to adopt it has without a doubt slowed the development and product integration of the standard, so in this case a rising tide may lift all boats. That's something we can all, theoretically, be happy about.

By Your Powers Combined

When you consider the iPhone 6 / 6 Plus along with iOS 8, I think this is easily the most compelling iPhone in a long, long time. Like, iPhone 4 long time. I remember actually deciding between an iPhone 4 and a Nexus One - it wasn't an easy decision. Apple has modernized the OS and kept the hardware up to date while upsizing its phone to contemporary proportions - that eases a lot of pain points for more serious phone buyers.

From an Android user's perspective, though, the iPhone 6 - I think - would be the least painful switch for such a person in a long time. I'm not going to make that switch (I'm a Google fanboy, and iOS is simply not a place for Google fanboys), but it's clear Apple is paying more attention to the competition, especially in regard to software, than it has in years past. The new screen size options are really just necessary evolutions, it's the OS where the iPhone is really moving forward.

A lot of that movement is still catch-up, though, as Android users have been happily humming along with things like NFC, rich notifications, widgets, intent-based actions / sharing, collaborative document syncing, and NFC payments (well, not humming along, but we have them) for one, two, three, or even four or more years.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus come in space grey, silver, and strongly-consider-getting-help-gold. They also did a watch and it will cost at least $350 and I do not have the patience or sanity to talk about that right now, probably because I'm a little jet lagged.