"iPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history. It's become more than a constant companion. iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day," said Cook. “Last week we passed another major milestone when we sold the billionth iPhone. We never set out to make the most, but we’ve always set out to make the best products that make a difference. Thank you to everyone at Apple for helping change the world every day."
So, they're pretty popular, but just how do iPhones rate against the best of the rest? We took the iPhone 6S (€719 for 16GB version) and compared it to similar spec-ed devices to see who comes out on top.
iPhone 6S vs Samsung Galaxy S7:
Samsung are the main, big-brand rival to Apple's iPhone. They are leading the way in the Android space and have produced some incredible devices in recent years.
Side by side, both devices are beautiful to look at and sit nicely in the hand. In terms of spec and usability, however, Samsung comes out on top.
The ability to increase the internal memory with a microSD card matters. Colours also seem more vibrant on the S7 and the UI is incredibly pleasant to use.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S7 (cost: €690)
iPhone 6S vs Huawei P9:
Huawei are working to establish themselves as a key player in the Irish market and it's fair to say they're making waves. The Huawei P9 is quite possibly one of the best phones on the market now. If you're a camera lover, you'll adore the P9. They've paired up with Leica to produce a dual-rear-camera that blows every other phone camera out of the water.
While the user interface is slightly clunky and takes some getting used to, the Huawei P9 is a game-changer. Its brilliance will force other smartphones to up their game.
Winner: Huawei P9 (cost: €549.99)
iPhone 6S vs HTC One 10:
HTC's flagship devices have impressed critics over the years, but for some reason, their popularity has dwindled somewhat here in Ireland. They unveiled the One 10 earlier this year and it packed a serious punch. It's clear to see that the company has worked to refine the body of the phone and cram extra power in, where possible.
While the HTC 10 is a very powerful and beautiful phone, it's tough to call a winner on this one. Having used both the iPhone 6S and the HTC 10, I think I preferred using the iPhone. There's something slicker about it that makes it more enjoyable.
Winner: Tie between the two (cost of HTC 10: €679.99)
iPhone 6S vs Vodafone Smart Platinum 7:
You may well wonder what an own-brand phone is doing on a list of top-devices, but don't scoff just yet. Vodafone's Smart Platinum 7 is a remarkable device, which users will struggle to fault. Side-by-side, the Vodafone device has more going for it than the Apple branded smartphone.
If I had to be picky, I would say that camera could be slightly better. I found it struggled slightly in low light. Apart from that, it blew me away. If you conduct a cost / benefit analysis of the two devices, there's only one winner here.
Winner: Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 (cost: €399.99)
