6 Things iPhone 6s Plus does that Galaxy S6 edge+ can't
I purchased my iPhone 6s Plus two weeks ago, the day it was released, and I've been using the GS6 edge+ for more than two months. After a couple of weeks of side-by-side use, a number of notable strengths and weakness stand out for each grande smartphone.
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The following six sections detail the features, functionality and other options I miss most when I switch from the iPhone 6s Plus to my GS6 edge+.
This post is not a review, and it is not designed to suggest the iPhone is a "better" smartphone than Samsung's curvy new phablet. I found lots of ways the GS6 edge+ outshines the iPhone, and you can read the details in my companion post, "6 Things Galaxy S6 edge+ does that iPhone 6s Plus can't."
1) iPhone 6s Plus has 3D Touch, Galaxy S6 edge+ has widgets
Apple's new 3D Touch technology is one of the most unique and valuable features in its new iPhones. It lets you apply different levels of pressure to the iPhone display to trigger different functions. You can, for example, press and hold the native Camera icon to open a pop-up menu that lets you quickly access the rear, front (or selfie), and video cameras, which takes less time than swiping through camera modes after you open the app. And 3D Touch lets you preview new messages in the Mail app with a light press of the screen, then open up full preview with a more forceful press, among other things.
Apple also offers a 3D Touch API, so third-party developers can build associated features into their apps. Each day, I check the App Store for application updates that enable new 3D Touch features in my favorite apps. It took me a while to adjust to the new input method, but now I constantly use the 3D Touch features in many of Apple's native apps, and also in Instagram, Swarm and others.
Some Android widgets provide similar functionality on the GS6 edge+. For example, you add Instagram and Swarm widgets to your Galaxy's home screen, and then quickly view photos or check-in. But widgets take up valuable screen real estate, in addition to their app icons, and most are dedicated to singular purposes. The iPhone's 3D Touch gives you quick home-screen access to a variety of features within apps. The system is also new, and relatively few third-parties currently use the technology, so it has the potential to become significantly more valuable in the future.
2) iPhone 6s Plus has 'Live Photos,' Galaxy S6 edge+ doesn't
Another brand feature in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus: "Live Photos." After you enable the feature in your Camera settings, the iPhone 6s Plus records a few seconds of audio and video before and after you snap an image, which basically amount to tiny video clips centered around your image. You view Live Photos via 3D Touch by pressing and holding a finger on pictures in your camera roll. You can use Live Photos as iPhone wallpaper, and they also "come to life" on other Apple devices.
In my experience, it's tough to purposefully capture a good Live Photo and, frankly, it's easier to capture good audio and video with the video camera. However, Live Photos are all about spontaneity, and the best way to get a good one is to simply forget about the feature, at least in my experience. My best Live Photos are the ones that capture an important detail that was lost in the still photo, such as a tiny facial movement, a quick comment from a person in the photo, or the sound of wind blowing across a river on a windy autumn day.
The GS6 edge+ camera has many bells and whistles — and a 16MP rear shooter, compared to the iPhone 6s Plus's 12MP rear camera. But it doesn't do Live Photos.
3) iPhone 6s Plus and Touch ID vs. Galaxy S6 edge+ and Samsung scanner
Fingerprint scanners are common on many of today's high-end smartphones, and both the iPhone 6s Plus and GSG edge+ have finger scanners that work well. In my experience, you rarely have to tap a finger more than once or twice to unlock or authenticate using either device.
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But Apple's Touch ID is infinitely more useful than Samsung's scanner. The main purpose of such scanners is to unlock your phone, and they work seamlessly on both devices. They're also equally efficient at authenticating mobile payments, using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and others. However, Touch ID can be used for authentication in countless other apps, while Samsung's finger scanner is limited in comparison.
I regularly use mobile banking apps from different financial institutions, along with two additional apps to manage my credit cards. I use Touch ID on my iPhone to unlock and access my accounts in three of those four apps, which is useful because I protect those accounts with complicated and lengthy passwords.
Though all four of these finance apps are available for Android and the GS6 edge+, none support fingerprint authentication. So when I go to access them on my Galaxy, I usually have to open up a password manager to remember the password. (Both the iOS and Android password managers I use support finger authentication, so my gripe mostly relates to finance apps.)
4) iPhone 6s Plus has more storage than Galaxy S6 edge+
For a long time, two of my favorite things about Samsung's Galaxy phones were their removable batteries and support for memory cards. All of the GS6 phones, unfortunately, have fixed batteries and lack memory card slots.
That means built-in storage is more important to Galaxy phones than ever, yet Samsung chose to offer the GS6 edge+ with only two storage configurations: 32GB and 64GB. The iPhone 6s phones are not only available with more storage, they come in three configurations: 16GB, 64GB and 128GB.
Sure, you can use any number of seemingly endless cloud storage options to mitigate this issue, but if for any reason you're still slightly wary of the cloud (I am), or 64GB of internal storage simply isn't enough, the iPhone 6s Plus could be a better option for you than the GS6 edge+.
5) iPhone 6s Plus is more colorful than Galaxy S6 edge+
Pink phone guy, I am not. But the new pink, nay "Rose Gold," iPhone 6s is apparently quite popular. Some estimates suggest that as much as 40 percent of Apple's iPhone 6s preorders were for the pink version.
The GSG edge+ comes in just two colors: the admittedly eye-catching, shimmering "Gold Platinum," and the more business-like "Black Sapphire." The iPhone 6s Plus, on the other hand, is available in four colors: silver, gold, "Space Gray," and Rose Gold.
To be honest, I prefer the black and gray color options for the GS6 edge+ and iPhone 6s Plus, respectively, so this isn't an issue for me personally. However, some folks clearly care about color, based on those preorder estimates — and I admit, the new pink iPhone is slick looking … if that's your thing.
6) Apple Watch a no-go on Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
I'm currently switching back and forth between two smartwatches: The Apple Watch and Huawei Watch. While I can use the Huawei Watch with both the GS6 edge+ and the iPhone 6s Plus, the thanks to Google's Android Wear iOS app, the Apple Watch works only with iPhones.
The Apple Watch is more user-friendly and "polished," and as such it spends more time on my wrist than Huawei's digital timepiece. Unfortunately, Apple Watch's incompatibility with the GS6 edge+ dissuades me from using that phone as frequently as my iPhone — which, I'm sure, is exactly the way Apple wants it.
I applaud Google for releasing the Android Wear app for iOS, and it sucks that Apple hasn't offered a similar options for Android users. But I'm not surprised. Apple clearly wants the Watch to serve as one more hook into its ecosystem. That's not Samsung's fault, and it probably shouldn't count as a strike against the GS6 edge+ … but for me it does.
Again, this story isn't meant to insinuate that the iPhone 6s Plus would come out on top in a fight with GS6 edge+, which is why I also wrote a counterpoint post, "6 Things Galaxy S6 edge+ does that iPhone 6s Plus can't."
You can learn more about the iPhone 6s Plus on Apple's website, and Samsung's site has the goods on its GS6 edge+.
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