Battle of the flagships: Lumia 950 versus iPhone 6s

So how does the new Microsoft Lumia 950 compare to the Apple iPhone 6s? On the surface they're very different phones, built in different ways and running radically different operating systems. So let's get down and compare: iPhone 6s versus Lumia 950.

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CategoryLumia 950iPhone 6s
OSWindows 10 MobileiOS 9
Screen Size5.2 inches4.7 inches
Screen Resolution1440x2560 (564ppi)750x1334 (326ppi)
Screen TypeAMOLEDIPS LCD
Processor1.8GHz Snapdragon 808 64-bit hexa-coreApple A9 64-bit dual-core
RAM3GB2GB
Internal Storage32GB16GB/64GB/128GB
External StoragemicroSD
SecurityWindows Hello iris scannerTouch ID fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera20MP ƒ/1.9 PureView camera, triple-LED flash12MP ƒ/2.2 iSight camera, dual-LED flash
Front Camera5MP, wide-angle lens5MP, screen flash
Battery3000mAh removable1715mAh non-removable
ChargingQi wireless, USB Type-C port, Quick ChargeLightning port
Height145mm138.3mm
Width73.2mm67.1mm
Thickness8.2mm7.1mm
Weight143g

It's an interesting comparison, to be sure. On paper the iPhone 6s seems like it ought be a lesser phone, but Apple's historically made due with lower specs. But in 2015, some of the specs that Apple's offering are starting to fall short — just over half the battery capacity, a camera that just got upgraded to 12MP (from a mere 8MP for years prior), a screen with a comparatively low resolution, and so forth.

And all of that's before we get to the differences between iOS 9 and Windows 10 Mobile. Microsoft's OS offers a lot that iOS simply doesn't (or can't), including a unified app store with desktop Windows with apps that work across the entire Windows ecosystem. Live Tiles? Nothing like that in the simple grid-of-apps launcher that iPhones get. And Continuum, where you can plug a Lumia 950 into a dock and suddenly have the whole thing broadcast onto a big screen with a keyboard, mouse, and more-or-less full Windows at your disposal. It's the long unfulfilled promise of a real honest-to-goodness computer in your pocket (even if we aren't sure that's a thing we need). Of course, there's also the difference in the breadth of the app stores — Apple does hold a considerable lead there and it's going to take a concerted effort from Microsoft to ease the difference. Not to mention the mindshare gap that Microsoft needs to overcome.

Perhaps a device like the Lumia 950 is what's needed to take on the iPhone 6s. Overcoming the juggernaut that is Apple won't happen overnight, but maybe it can take the reigning champ down a peg or two.

For the rest of our NYC #Windows10Devices coverage head here:

  • Lumia 950
  • Lumia 950 XL
  • Surface Pro 4
  • Surface XL
  • Microsoft Band 2
Derek Kessler

Derek Kessler is Special Projects Manager for Mobile Nations. He's been writing about tech since 2009, has far more phones than is considered humane, still carries a torch for Palm, and got a Tesla because it was the biggest gadget he could find. You can follow him on Twitter at @derekakessler.