The iPhone 6 Plus comes out of the box running iOS 8 but
automatically updates to the latest iOS 8.1 version. Similarly, the
Nexus 6 comes running Google's Android 5.0 operating system, but has an
update to the latest 5.1 version available.
In past reviews we've found iOS slightly more future proof than Android. This is largely down to Apple's closed management of the OS.
Apple blocks developers making changes to the software. This means that Apple can deploy updates much more quickly than Google, as Android handsets usually feature custom skins and software additions.
However, this problem isn't present on the Nexus 6, which features a completely unskinned version of Lollipop.
Devices running unskinned versions of Android are able to receive updates from Google far faster than their skinned counterparts as Google doesn't have to worry about tweaking the skin's custom code to work with the update.
So the answer to which phone is best for you is determined largely by the wider ecosystem in which you, or your office, are already embedded.
For users embedded in Mac OS, or with existing purchases from iTunes and the App Store, the iPhone 6 Plus will be easier to set up and use. This is particularly true with iOS 8, which is full of iCloud and Mac OS X Yosemite synchronisation services.
For example, as well as letting you sync data, files and even open web pages between iOS and Mac OS X devices, the Continuity upgrade means you can answer calls and send texts from the iPhone using a Mac, so long as both are running the latest software versions.
For those embedded in Google's ecosystem, the Nexus 6 features its own set of advanced synchronisation features.
The handset can be instructed to mirror the settings and application portfolio of one of the user's older Android devices, making it equally easy to set up a new device and get all the same apps and settings.
Additionally, the inclusion of key applications such as Google Docs and Drive mean that users can synchronise the Nexus with their PC and do things like edit documents started on the PC using the smartphone.
Winner: Tie
Security
While 2014 was rife with reports of the first iOS malware and attacks on Mac OS, Apple has traditionally had a lead in the security space thanks to its closed management policy.
Looking to build on this from a hardware and software perspective, Apple has loaded the iPhone 6 Plus and iOS 8.1 with a number of hardware and software security services.
One of the biggest of these is the custom Touch ID fingerprint scanner debuted on the iPhone 5S.
The Touch ID sensor locks the iPhone 6 Plus to the owner's fingerprint and allows certain processes, such as NFC payments or in-app purchases, only when it has detected the fingerprint.
iOS 8 also comes with a number of software upgrades designed to improve its enterprise appeal.
Key additions include tighter password security, S/MIME features, VIP threads, support for Exchange out-of-office replies and busy/free notifications in the Calendar app.
Prior to Lollipop we'd have said that the wealth of security features in iOS makes it the clear winner in the security stakes.
However, things are a little closer to call as Google has made a number of key upgrades that radically improve Android's native security.
Three of the most important are Lollipop's enhanced SELinux enforcing mode, Smart Lock and the decision to turn Android's encryption powers on by default.
The SELinux enforcing mode is an anti-malware feature that protects the Nexus 6 from infection by continuously monitoring the phone and installed apps for suspicious behaviour.
Smart Lock is a nifty service that can pair a 'trusted' Android Wear watch with a Lollipop smartphone or tablet. Once linked, the feature lets the Nexus 6 know when it's near its owner and offers an easy entry mode that does not require physically logging in.
The encryption by default is a smart move by Google as it automatically instructs the Nexus 6 to encrypt stored data and offers an added layer of protection against physical and cyber threats such as man-in-the-middle attacks.
While we have to tip our hat to Google for improving Android's security - which means IT managers or users who know what they're doing can make it every bit as safe as iOS - the fact is that iOS remains the safer bet.
Thanks to Google's open management policy, Android is inherently more prone to abuse and makes it easier for criminals to target with malicious applications, a fact demonstrated by the ever increasing number of malware families targeting Google's ecosystem.
In past reviews we've found iOS slightly more future proof than Android. This is largely down to Apple's closed management of the OS.
Apple blocks developers making changes to the software. This means that Apple can deploy updates much more quickly than Google, as Android handsets usually feature custom skins and software additions.
However, this problem isn't present on the Nexus 6, which features a completely unskinned version of Lollipop.
Devices running unskinned versions of Android are able to receive updates from Google far faster than their skinned counterparts as Google doesn't have to worry about tweaking the skin's custom code to work with the update.
So the answer to which phone is best for you is determined largely by the wider ecosystem in which you, or your office, are already embedded.
For users embedded in Mac OS, or with existing purchases from iTunes and the App Store, the iPhone 6 Plus will be easier to set up and use. This is particularly true with iOS 8, which is full of iCloud and Mac OS X Yosemite synchronisation services.
For example, as well as letting you sync data, files and even open web pages between iOS and Mac OS X devices, the Continuity upgrade means you can answer calls and send texts from the iPhone using a Mac, so long as both are running the latest software versions.
For those embedded in Google's ecosystem, the Nexus 6 features its own set of advanced synchronisation features.
The handset can be instructed to mirror the settings and application portfolio of one of the user's older Android devices, making it equally easy to set up a new device and get all the same apps and settings.
Additionally, the inclusion of key applications such as Google Docs and Drive mean that users can synchronise the Nexus with their PC and do things like edit documents started on the PC using the smartphone.
Winner: Tie
Security
While 2014 was rife with reports of the first iOS malware and attacks on Mac OS, Apple has traditionally had a lead in the security space thanks to its closed management policy.
Looking to build on this from a hardware and software perspective, Apple has loaded the iPhone 6 Plus and iOS 8.1 with a number of hardware and software security services.
One of the biggest of these is the custom Touch ID fingerprint scanner debuted on the iPhone 5S.
The Touch ID sensor locks the iPhone 6 Plus to the owner's fingerprint and allows certain processes, such as NFC payments or in-app purchases, only when it has detected the fingerprint.
iOS 8 also comes with a number of software upgrades designed to improve its enterprise appeal.
Key additions include tighter password security, S/MIME features, VIP threads, support for Exchange out-of-office replies and busy/free notifications in the Calendar app.
Prior to Lollipop we'd have said that the wealth of security features in iOS makes it the clear winner in the security stakes.
However, things are a little closer to call as Google has made a number of key upgrades that radically improve Android's native security.
Three of the most important are Lollipop's enhanced SELinux enforcing mode, Smart Lock and the decision to turn Android's encryption powers on by default.
The SELinux enforcing mode is an anti-malware feature that protects the Nexus 6 from infection by continuously monitoring the phone and installed apps for suspicious behaviour.
Smart Lock is a nifty service that can pair a 'trusted' Android Wear watch with a Lollipop smartphone or tablet. Once linked, the feature lets the Nexus 6 know when it's near its owner and offers an easy entry mode that does not require physically logging in.
The encryption by default is a smart move by Google as it automatically instructs the Nexus 6 to encrypt stored data and offers an added layer of protection against physical and cyber threats such as man-in-the-middle attacks.
While we have to tip our hat to Google for improving Android's security - which means IT managers or users who know what they're doing can make it every bit as safe as iOS - the fact is that iOS remains the safer bet.
Thanks to Google's open management policy, Android is inherently more prone to abuse and makes it easier for criminals to target with malicious applications, a fact demonstrated by the ever increasing number of malware families targeting Google's ecosystem.
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