Mobile Technology

iPhone 6 vs. HTC One (M8)

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Gizmag compares the features and specs of the iPhone 6 and HTC One (M8)
Battery
Build materials
Camera aperture
Camera (pixel size, in microns)
Camera (megapixels)
Color options
Dimensions
Display resolution (and pixel density)
Display (size)
Depth sensor
Dual LED flash
Extreme Power Saving Mode
Fingerprint sensor
Front-facing speakers
Gizmag compares the features and specs of the iPhone 6 and HTC One (M8)
Infrared blaster
MicroSD card
NFC-based (tap-and-pay) payments
NFC chips
OIS
One-handed Mode
Starting price (full retail)
Starting price (on-contract)
RAM
Release date
Compatible smartwatches (primary)
Software
Storage
Motion Launch (sensor-based shortcuts)
Weight
Processors
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If you want a smartphone with a premium metallic build, then Apple and HTC are the two companies to look at. And now that Apple is getting into the large-screen phone game, the iPhone and HTC One are more direct rivals than ever before. Join Gizmag, as we compare the features and specs of the iPhone 6 and HTC One (M8).

Size

Dimensions

The One M8 is about 6 percent longer and 6 percent wider than the iPhone 6.

If you fancy thin devices, then the iPhone 6 is the way to go. At a ridiculous 6.9 mm (0.27-in) thick, it's 27 percent thinner than the One M8.

Weight

Weight

The iPhone 6 is also very light for its size, and weighs in at 19 percent lighter than the One M8.

Build

Build materials

The One M8 is bigger and heavier, but it certainly isn't sacrificing anything in build quality. Both phones have smooth aluminum unibody designs – and stand at the head of the premium smartphone class.

Colors

Color options

The iPhone 6 has the same three color options that we saw with the iPhone 5s. The One M8 gives you four hues to choose from – with the Gun Metal version standing as the flagship color.

Display (size)

Display (size)

The One M8 gives you 13 percent more screen area than the iPhone does.

Just keep in mind that some of that size difference is cancelled out by the One's onscreen navigation bar, which sits at the bottom of its screen. The exception is in apps that use Android's Immersive Mode, where those keys will temporarily fade away – letting you use the full 5-in display.

If you want an iPhone with an even bigger screen, then you can look into the iPhone 6 Plus phablet.

Display (resolution)

Display resolution (and pixel density)

The iPhone 6 isn't, however, any sharper than the iPhones from the last four years. Its 326 PPI density sits in a range that I'd describe as sharp enough for most people, but falling short of the dazzling level of crispness in 1080p (and, even more so, Quad HD) screens.

Fingerprint sensor

Fingerprint sensor

HTC took a stab at fingerprint sensors in last year's One Max, and it didn't go so well. The company (wisely?) laid off of that strategy with the One M8.

NFC

NFC chips

The iPhones 6 and 6 Plus are the first Apple phones with NFC chips. But it looks like they won't be useable for anything but this next category ...

NFC payments

NFC-based (tap-and-pay) payments

iTunes transformed the music industry and the App Store basically created the mobile application industry. Can the company do the same with payments?

Apple Pay is hardly the first NFC-based tap-and-pay system. Google Wallet and Softcard (formerly Isis) have been playing this game – with little success – for several years. But Apple's popularity and leverage with retailers could potentially make it the first that takes off.

Motion Launch

Motion Launch (sensor-based shortcuts)

The One M8 has a series of sensor-based features known as Motion Launch. Double-tap the phone's sleeping display to turn it on. Swipe on the display to jump straight to the home screen. Or simply hold down the volume button (while in landscape) to fire up the camera.

Battery

Battery

We don't yet know how big the iPhone 6's battery is yet, but Apple is advertising longer uptimes than we saw in the iPhone 5s.

Extreme Power Saving Mode

Extreme Power Saving Mode

Taking a cue from Samsung, HTC threw in a feature called Extreme Power Saving Mode. It severely limits your available apps and processes to keep you on the grid when your One is almost out of juice.

Infrared

Infrared blaster

Like many recent Android flagships, the One M8 has a built-in IR blaster, which lets you use your phone as a TV remote control.

Camera (megapixels)

Camera (megapixels)

Neither phone's camera has a mind-blowing pixel count, but that doesn't necessarily mean much on its own.

Camera (pixel size)

Camera (pixel size, in microns)

Larger pixels can help with shooting in low-lit conditions. While the One M8 has larger (2-micron) pixels, the iPhone's are also larger than what you'll find in most smartphones.

Camera (aperture)

Camera aperture

The One M8's rear camera also has a wider aperture, but both phones are in pretty good shape here.

OIS

OIS

Just to avoid any confusion, the iPhone 6 doesn't have any Optical Image Stabilization. Its big brother, the iPhone 6 Plus, does.

Depth sensor

Depth sensor

The One has a second rear camera, devoted to sensing depth. This opens the door to HTC's UFocus effect, which uses some algorithms to simulate the bokeh (blurred background) look you'd get from a DSLR.

Dual LED flash

Dual LED flash

Both phones have flashes that use two LEDs, which can help to light your subject a bit more evenly (and perhaps with a bit more color).

We can look at all the camera specs we want, but just remember that nothing compares to hands-on testing of a phone's camera. You can hit up our One M8 review for our impressions of its shooter. Stay tuned for our full iPhone 6 review.

Front-facing speakers

Front-facing speakers

I doubt speaker quality is high on your list of important smartphone features, but, for what it's worth, the front-facing "BoomSound" speakers in the One M8 are the best in the business.

One-handed mode

One-handed Mode

Neither of these phones have enormous phablet screens, but they are still fairly big. Apple deals with this by adding a one-handed mode. Just double-tap the home button, and watch as the screen slides down to the bottom, where you can easily reach it with one finger.

Though Samsung and LG both have solutions to the one-handed dilemma on their large-screen Android phones, HTC doesn't.

Storage

Storage

As far as internal storage goes, the iPhone has the advantage once you move past the base (16 GB) tier.

MicroSD card

MicroSD card

The One M8, though, helps you to augment its internal storage with a microSD card slot.

Processor

Processors

Apple's custom SoCs typically far outperform any assessment you'd take away from their cores and clock speeds alone, so we wouldn't worry too much about these specs.

The One M8 runs the Snapdragon 801, which is no longer Qualcomm's latest and greatest, but still make for a zippy phone.

RAM

RAM

The One M8 doubles the iPhone's 1 GB of RAM.

Smartwatches

Compatible smartwatches (primary)

If you want to get a jump on the (supposed) wearable revolution, then both phones will have some companion watches. The iPhone will be compatible with the upcoming Apple Watch (due in early 2015), while the One M8 is a great fit for Android Wear watches like the Moto 360.

There are plenty of other watches that are compatible with both phones (more so for the One), but these are your best options.

Software

Software

The iPhone 6 runs the new iOS 8, which brings HealthKit, HomeKit and third-party keyboards to Apple's mobile operating system. The One M8 runs Android 4.4 KitKat, with a dose of HTC's Sense UI sitting on top.

Release date

Release date

The iPhone 6 launches this Friday, while the One M8 has been in customers' hands since March.

Starting price (full retail)

Starting price (full retail)

We're looking at the same off-contract MSRP (in US dollars) for both phones. If you keep an eye out, though, you might be able to find a deal on the six-month-old One M8.

Starting price (on-contract)

Starting price (on-contract)

If you live in the US, then pricing is more likely to look like this, subsidized with a two-year blood oath. There the One typically rings up for the same US$200 as the iPhone 6.

Stay tuned for much more from Gizmag on the new iPhones, and, if you're leaning in the One's direction, then feel free to hit up our full review.

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5 comments
Himself
Apple's totally playing catch-up, and while the iPhone 6 is clearly the most capable iPhone to date, it's rounded sides make it look like so many other smartphones and it's lost its iconic look. Not that the fanboys and girls will care. They'll buy it because they don't know any better.
Rann Xeroxx
I think at this point people are buying iPhones mostly because they like iOS or they just are buy for brand rec.
phissith
Wow, this is why I like and will stay with Android. And consider myself lucky I got out of Apple walled garden since iPhone 3Gs. The only thing kept people buying iPhone is because of 1) People who are used to Apple OS 2) People who doesn't care for latest spec war 3) People who are most heavily invested on iOS apps which I think majority falls into this category. 4) People who are zealous Apple fan no matter what.
Chevypower
@Himself, I don't know why people get so hooked on defending or attacking brands of phones. They are just phones! iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy, who cares? They all do pretty much the same thing: make phone calls, take mediocre snapshots (not photographs), play media, and surf the internet. I have my music in AIFF uncompressed for uncompressed streaming to my sound system, and Apple is the only product to support that. Brand bashing passion should be for more exciting stuff like cars and trucks!
Miguel Branch
Because, chevypower, smartphone are extremely intimate. U spend 2 years with it glued to your side. They are very costly. Most people research and buy the best because of these simple facts. Except for iPhone users, apparently... Lol