iPhone 6 vs. iPod touch Geekbench benchmark comparison

Having just picked up Apple’s latest iPod touch (6th gen.) earlier today, I decided to run a few benchmarks to compare it to my iPhone 6. I’m aware its A8 chip is slightly under clocked when compared to the iPhone 6, but I’m still hugely impressed by the results.

Worth noting, both devices were running the public release build of iOS 8.4 during the benchmark tests, so it’s a more-than-fair comparison. :)

I’ve only owned it for a few hours, but I’m impressed with the iPod touch. It’s no secret I’ve loved the iPod touch ever since the second generation model was my first iOS device, and I continue to find ample use for it in my life - which more than justifies the $349AU (32GB model) price tag. 

Samsung - originality and creativity

Oh Samsung. Unsurprisingly, you’ve managed to stuff up again. This time it’s with regards to your latest flagship device - Galaxy S6. 

Reading this report, I began to realise something. Samsung are becoming more conservative and more “Apple-like” with their flagship handsets. Take the Galaxy S6, for example. With this phone, Samsung have backtracked on a lot of features which defined them in previous versions, and have opted instead to make a phone which is much more similar to the iPhone 6, particular in its physical design. With its aluminium and glass body, visual antenna breaks/gaps and a bottom which is almost indistinguishable from that of iPhone 6, Samsung have lost their flair. 

What happened to the Samsung who threw everything at the wall in the hope it would stick? What happened to the makers of the Galaxy S4, with its crazy eye-tracking software which scrolled the page for you as you read, and which allowed you to answer a call without actually touching the device. Where are the minds behind the Galaxy S5 hiding? Those folks made a flagship device waterproof, while hiding a phone inside weird band-aid like casing. You can criticise those things as much as you want for being gimmicks, but they were original and cool. Instead the Galaxy S6 is just as boring as the iPhone 6. Don’t get me wrong - I love my iPhone. But I love it for the unique offerings it has, and not for the features that are already offered by others.

The Samsung of 2013 would’ve released one flagship model to their Galaxy lineup this year - the Galaxy S6 Edge. Instead they didn’t back themselves enough on their innovative new design, and clearly didn’t feel as though they could sell it well enough to have just one model of phone. They played it safe, and didn’t take much of a risk. I think the curved Edge is cool although I cannot see much use for it. However, I know people with the phone and they seem to like it. I’m very open minded about a new feature such as that and would’ve loved to see Samsung back themselves more, and really try to give this product the hard sell. The Samsung I know releases a single flagship device: The Galaxy S6 Edge. The Galaxy S6 stays in the lab. I like Samsung for their crazy ideas. They were amongst the first with larger-screen phones, phones with LTE radios, phones with curved screens/edges. I want to see them continue this trend and not have a “fallback” phone in case things go wrong. Where’s the fun in that?

So please, Samsung, stick to being that crazy uncle we all know and love. People who continue to want premium-feeling phones with an OS that is simple, stable and “just works” will buy an iPhone, and people who want the latest and greatest, the coolest new innovation right from the get-go will buy a Samsung mobile phone. Wacky, yet cool, features in phones are what I want to remember Samsung for - and not as a copycat of Apple. 

And oh, if you’re going to copy the iPhone, at least do it right. Be shameless and relentless with your copy-cat attitude. Otherwise, this is the result.

“...are you getting it?”

When Steve Jobs took the stage over 8 years ago to announce the original iPhone, he pitched it to his audience as 3 devices…

First, it was a widescreen iPod with touch controls.

The second was a revolutionary mobile phone.

And the third, a breakthrough Internet communications device. 

From his keynote:

Well, today, we’re introducing three revolutionary products of this class. The first one is a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. And the third is a breakthrough Internet communications device. So, three things: a widescreen iPod with touch controls; a revolutionary mobile phone; and a breakthrough Internet communications device. An iPod, a phone, and an Internet communicator. An iPod, a phone … are you getting it?

Looking back many years later, I’ve now carried a magical device of these sorts for around two and a half years. Not long compared to some, I’m aware. But thinking about this made me review my own usage of my iPhone today. It’s fair to assume that when Steve said what he did on stage, all 3 uses of iPhone were of equal importance to him. 

Years on, I would say I use my iPhone approximately 50% of the time as an Internet communications device. Mainly for instant messaging (iMessage & WhatsApp are the two main services I use for that), social media (Twitter is my main addiction here), keeping up to date with news and sport scores as well as general web browsing. 

Strangely enough, I probably use it 49% of the time as a “widescreen iPod with touch controls.” This almost matches my use for it as an Internet communicator, and mainly consists of listening to music while running as well as a tonne of Podcasts while I travel. Podcasts are my favourite medium of entertainment, and make up a significant portion of my phone use. 

Lastly, I use my iPhone as a revolutionary mobile phone probably <1% of the time. I only make two or three phone calls in a typical month, and rarely send “Text Messages.” (I try to avoid having friends acquaintances who invest in the peasantry of the Android or Windows Phone mobile operating systems.) That being said, I do use my phone fairly often for FaceTime Audio, but I consider that an Internet usage feature and not a “mobile phone” feature. It’s gotten to the point now where I could almost comfortably drop paying for voice & SMS each month, and instead go on a data-only plan. With each passing day, traditional phone features become less and less a part of my life.

So there you have it. In summary, I use my iPhone 50% of the time as an Internet communicator, 49% as an iPod and <1% as a traditional phone. An interesting mix, but I thought it was worthwhile sharing. 

I’m curious as to how everyone else uses their iPhone, and I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reply to this post, or to reply to me on Twitter (@ZachSimone) with your estimated iPhone usage breakdown.