Smartphone showdown: iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus vs HTC One (M8)

The Apple iPhone 6 has finally skyrocketed into the spotlight after a long year of hiding in the shadows. The flagship smartphone was unveiled at the packed out Flint Center for Performing Arts in Apple's home town of Cupertino, California -- and the world went wild.

Still, regardless of whether you love, loathe or are simply laconic about it, one thing's for sure: The Apple iPhone 6 faces some stiff competition.

Since the iPhone 5s and 5c were launched last year the smartphone market has boomed to unprecedented levels. High-end rivals like the LG G3, Sony Xperia Z3 and the Motorola Moto X have muscled onto the market with competitive prices and beefed up specs. In other words, the iPhone 6 is swimming with sharks.

So without any ado to further, how does the iPhone 6 compare to the cool, metallic polish of the HTC One (M8). Let's test their mettle (sorry) and break down the specs to see which one you should buy.

Size and weight

Size wise, the iPhone 6 offers two choices: an ergonomic 4.7in model and a phablet size 5.5in phablet. As such, it comes in two different chassis sizes, too. The smaller version comes in at 137.5 x 67 x 6.9mm, a fair bit bigger than its predecessor, the iPhone 5S, at 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm. If you go for the clunkier 6 Plus, though, you'll be getting a phone that's 7.1mm thick.

The HTC One (M8) meanwhile measures 5in, with a chassis of 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4mm (w x d x h.) When compared to the smaller model, it's clear that the HTC One (M8) is a lot bigger -- but it is deliberately so. HTC's flagship is designed as a phablet, and that label means the smartphone must boast a phablet sizing. Besides, having had our hands on one ourselves, we can definitely say it won't stretch the palm to breaking point.

In fact, we've become so use to hulking phablet powerhouses like the Xperia Z3 and the LG G3 that 4.7in just seems that bit too small. So like Goldilocks -- compared to the 5in HTC One -- the iPhone 6 is always either too big or too small, and never just right.

Display

Since the LG G3 launched with its eye-poppingly high quality screen, a smartphone's display has fast become the prime indicator of the handset's quality.

The HTC One (M8)'s 5in Super LCD3 screen pleased critics at its unveiling with a head-nodding count resolution of 1.920 x 1080 pixels. Throw on top a pixels per inch count of 441 ppi, and the HTC One (M8) boasts a crisp, clear and sharp display protected by super-strong Gorilla Glass 3. That particular resolution is a real sweet spot at the moment in the smartphone world, with other flagships like Sony's Xperia Z3 also favoring a 1,920 x 1080 pixel count.

That's why it's so strange that the iPhone 6 only has a 1,704 x 960 pixel resolution. Its IPS LCD screen is sharp of course, but the individual pixels might not be as crisp as other flagships on the market. It does have a slightly lower ppi count of 416 too, but to be honest once you get past 400ppi the human eye can't tell the difference anyway.

Overall though, the HTC One (M8) wins out on this round. Of course, if you want to trump for the iPhone 6 Plus, you get the full 1,920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD) screen -- which changes matters completely.

Camera

At its launch, the HTC One (M8) surprised the world with its main camera. HTC has been championing ultrapixels for a while now, and the 4-ultrapixel snapper can record in 1,080p with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera also thrown in for selfies.

The true wow-factor though is the fact a second camera has been placed just above the original one on the back. This means you can do fancy things like switch focus between near and far objects after you've taken a photo using a feature called Ufocus, or there's Foregrouder which allows you to apply filters to near or far objects while leaving others unchanged. It's a bit of a gimmick, but a very fun gimmick nonetheless.

Over in the Apple camp. the iPhone 6 boasts a paltry 8-megapixel camera that can also record video in 1,080p. A 1.2-megapixel front-facing snapper completes the show, and overall it's not bad. However, purely due to the dual-camera function on the HTC One (M8) (we do love a good gimmick), and Apple's low level of megapixels on the iPhone 6, we have to say HTC wins out on this round.

Storage, memory and processor

With the HTC One (M8) being a flagship handset, unsurprisingly enough it has flagship specifications. The quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 used here runs at 2.3GHz and there is 2GB of RAM on board. Internal memory is 16GB but there's only 10.1GB of this free for you once you include all the pre-loaded bloatware. However, all this is expandable with a microSD slot.

The iPhone 6, meanwhile, packs only 1GB of RAM, but has far more internal storage options of either 16, 32, 64 or a whopping 128GB. That means that although it doesn't have a microSD slot (Apple is notorious for never offering expandable storage), if you have the highest model you're not exactly going to need it.

Running the iPhone 6 is an Apple A8 quad-core processor that clocks in at 2GHz. That's only slightly less powerful than the HTC One (M8)'s.

Overall then, the two smartphones are pretty neck and neck, but the iPhone 6 may just edge ahead with the sheer range of on-board storage options available.

Verdict 

The HTC One (M8) is one of the most modern, accomplished smartphones we've seen in terms of design. With a fill metal body and elegantly curved edges, it more than matches the iPhone 6. That's a big thing to consider, especially since that Apple has dominated consumer ideals of elegance for years.

Overall, the smartphone's are pretty evenly matched. At the end of the day, it will come down to what you want in a phone. If you are an iOS fan who wants a smaller, lightweight and more ergonomic handset (in the 4.7in option) then the iPhone 6 may be for you.

If you are a phablet fanatic who loves taking pictures and raves about Android, the HTC One (M8) will likely be your bag. With its powerful dual camera and unusual design, the HTC One (M8) has definitely been one of our favorite flagships of 2014.

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