What choosing Apple iPhone 6S or Google Nexus 5X says about you

Last month, we saw two new smartphones come into the market - the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 5X. Google and Apple also launched the Nexus 6P and the iPhone 6S Plus, respectively.

Both the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 5X appear fantastic devices on the face of it. The iPhone 6S has already created a few sales records for Apple. The Nexus 5X, meanwhile, is yet to go on sale (for now Google is only taking pre-orders) but considering the large fan following that its predecessor Nexus 5 has, it is safe to assume that the new Nexus too would find a lot of takers.

In India, both the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 5X would be available from around the middle of October. For people who already love their iPhone or the Nexus 5, the choice is pretty much clear. They can just go ahead and get the iPhone 6S (if they can afford it considering it is going to cost nearly Rs 62,000) or the Nexus 5X.

But then what if you are not an Apple fan or didn't quite take to Nexus? Or if you don't have any special requirements, such as iMessage or Google Now, which is the better phone for you?

The answer to this question lies in what you value more in your phone. Even though both the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 5X are smartphones, the product philosophy behind them is different.

In terms of core hardware, there is no comparison. We are yet to see the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 5X in the Indian market. But it is clear that the iPhone 6S has better hardware and more premium design. At least, theoretically it is faster than the Nexus 5X. Though in real world and in actual use, it will feel similar. The only component in the iPhone 6S that is likely to be inferior to the one in the Nexus 5X is the screen.

What makes things more interesting is when the software is added into the mix. This is also the area where the different product philosophy behind the phones becomes clear.

For Google, the Nexus 5X is its embodiment of practicality. It is not flashy. The design is somewhat boring. There are no headline-grabbing features like the 3D Touch in the iPhone 6S. Instead the Nexus 5X is a solid, little phone that offers everything that a consumer demands. It is likely to be fast, comes with a capable camera (which has already been rated by camera testing website DxO as one of the best in a phone) and offers a mix of features that are more useful and less flashy. More significantly, it offers consumers Android Marshmallow, which looks as pretty as the iOS but offers far more flexibility and functionality.

1) You want to copy songs from your computer into the phone? The Nexus 5X will allow it.

2) You love using Google services like Gmail and Google Now? The Nexus 5X will offer you incredible experience.

3) You want to copy-paste PDF files into your phone? The Nexus 5X will let you do it.

4) You want to have speed dial for special contacts? Yes, the Nexus 5X is a better phone for you?

6) You want to customise the phone so that it fits the way you work? Yes, you can do that with the Nexus 5.

On the other hand, the iPhone 6S is the perfect embodiment of what Apple believes to be the world's best phone. It is a Apple phone and it offers consumers the experience designed and weaved by Apple. This means, it does everything that a smartphone is supposed to do, but it does so in the way Apple wants. This simplifies things a lot for consumers and makes the iPhone experience more consistent. But it also means that users have to adopt Apple's way of doing things and not create their own workflows.

The bottom-line is that the Nexus 5X is a tool, a smartphone that is practical and comparatively affordable with a price of around Rs 32,000. The iPhone 6S is, however, about aspirations. Its appeal is that it gives users an entry into the world of Apple. It allows people to associate themselves with Apple. It is unique, in its flashy design as well as in what it offers. For a lot of consumers the aspirational value of the iPhone 6S is a perfect reason to get it, even with a price of around Rs 62,000. But the Nexus 5X is a more practical choice.