In The Crosshairs: 10 Devices That Are iPhone 6 Killers

Better Than iPhone 6

As fab as the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are, they're not the be-all and end-all of smartphones. Far from it. Plenty of today's devices not emblazoned with an Apple logo stand ready to take a bite out of Apple's smartphone market share. Here's a list of the top 10 iPhone 6 killers.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha

The Galaxy Alpha is Samsung's newest iPhone 6 killer. This one has a thick metal band, which should deflect the most common brickbat hurled at Samsung's "plastic" smartphones (it still has a removable polycarbonate backing for accessing the battery and SIM). A 2.5GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB of RAM top Alpha's spec sheet. It also will include a 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 (312-ppi) display, 32 GB of storage (but no room for more) and a 12-megapixel main camera that's 50 percent more pixels than Apple's 8-megapixel cam.

Samsung Galaxy S5

An even deadlier iPhone killer is the Samsung Galaxy S5, which runs Android 4.4 and packs a 16-megapixel camera that captures 5,312 x 2,988 stills and ultra-high-definition (3,840 x 2,160) video. It has a 5.1-inch 1,920 x 1,080 (432-ppi) display protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Oh, and it's waterproof.

Sony Xperia Z3

Another Android that's immune to drops in the drink is the Sony Xperia Z3. This one sports a 5.2-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD, 2.5GHz quad-core processor and a 20.7-megapixel main camera. It also works with the Sony SmartWatch (pictured).

Nokia Lumia 1020

If 20 megapixels aren't enough, Microsoft more than doubles that with the Nokia Lumia 1020. This sharp-looking device runs Windows Phone on 2 GB of RAM and a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and is built around a 41-megapixel main camera.

HTC One (M8)

If mass storage is paramount, consider the HTC One (M8 ). Although it tops out at 32 GB of factory storage, its microSD card slot can add as much as 128 GB more and provide file I/O to boot. The M8's camera offers just 4.1 megapixels, but the pixels are 2.0 microns wide, a third larger than Apple's. And like most high-end smartphones these days, it's built around a quad-core processor. This one runs at 2.3GHz and has 2 GB of RAM, W-iFi ac and a 5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display (441 ppi).

Motorola Droid Turbo

For a phone with the highest resolution on the smallest screen available, this might be the Droid you're looking for. The Motorola Droid Turbo crams 2,560 x 1,440 pixels onto a 5.2-inch LCD for an eye-popping (and industry-leading) 565 ppi. Combine that with a 21-megapixel sensor and you've got a professional camera that happens to be a smartphone too, and a pretty powerful one. Droid Turbo reportedly packs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 805 2.7GHz quad-core 4K Ultra HD Processor and its incredible pixel processing power.

Google Nexus 6

Google reportedly is working on Nexus 6, a Droid Turbo of its own that will have specs remarkably like those of Motorola's Droid Turbo. According to reports, the Google version will add a quick-charge feature and incorporate voice over LTE as well as Project Volta, an initiative to improve battery life that's expected to be fully implemented with the 64-bit Android L later this fall.

Galaxy Note 4

Kudos to Samsung for never sitting on its laurels. The company is currently taking pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 4, its latest Android 4.4. phablet that's set to begin shipping later this month. Its 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display puts out 2,560 x 1,440 "quad-HD" resolution (515 ppi) and packs a 16-megapixel camera that can record at 3,840 x 2,160 at 30 fps. That's twice as many pixels for displaying and for capturing as iPhone 6 Plus. There's also a 3.7-megapixel front camera. Its quad-core processor runs at 2.7GHz on 3 GB of RAM, and a microSD slot can add as much as 128 GB of storage.

LG G3

LG gets into the iPhone-killing act with the LG G3, the company's latest Android-based tablet-smartphone device. Like the Note 4, the G3 puts out quad HD, but on the slightly smaller 5.5-inch LCD a pixel density of 2,560 x 1,440 jumps to 534 ppi. Available in black, white and gold, the G3 sports a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, a 13-megapixel main camera with dual flash, and an optional wireless charging system. According to LG, the G3's microSD slot can support as much as 2 TB.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Last but certainly not least is the Galaxy Note Edge, Samsung's dual-monitor smartphone/tablet. On the bleeding edge of smartphone technology, the Edge is perhaps the strongest competitor of all to Apple's iPhone 6. Curving around the side of its 5.6-inch 2,560 x 1,140 (525-ppi) main screen is a second panel that's 2,560 x 160 pixels to handle all app notifications and some touch controls. This allows the main screen to show more content. The Note Edge specs are cutting edge, and include a 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core SoC, 3 GB of RAM and a microSD card with support for 64 GB of storage.