Unveiling the Ultimate Smartphone Displays: A Deep Dive into iPhone 6 Series Screens
Explore an in-depth analysis of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus displays compared to previous models and competitors, highlighting advancements in technology, color accuracy, brightness, and energy efficiency.
Dr. Raymond M. Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, offers a comprehensive analysis of Apple's latest flagship displays, comparing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screens with those of the iPhone 5 series and leading competitors. His extensive laboratory tests reveal insightful results that showcase Apple's progress in display technology.
Introduction
Throughout smartphone history, the display has been a critical factor in defining a device's success. Apple's iPhones and iPads have consistently led technological innovation, pioneering high-performance IPS LCDs that deliver 100% sRGB color gamut and true 24-bit color depth. Steve Jobs and Apple have always prioritized display quality in their product lineups.
The Retina Revolution: iPhone 4
Apple's groundbreaking Retina display in the iPhone 4 doubled resolution and pixel density (ppi), setting a new industry standard and leaving competitors behind.
Stagnation in Display Innovation: iPhone 4s, 5, and 5s
Following the iPhone 4, display advancements slowed. The iPhone 4s retained the same screen in 2011, the iPhone 5 in 2012 expanded to a 4-inch display with full sRGB gamut coverage, while the iPhone 5s in 2013 maintained the status quo.
Competitive Landscape
While Apple’s display innovation plateaued, manufacturers like Amazon, Google, HTC, Huawei, LG, and Samsung pushed forward with more advanced and innovative displays. For instance, the iPad mini Retina's color gamut was reduced from 100% to 63%, placing it behind many competitors.
iPhone 6 Series: A Return to Display Excellence
In 2014, four years after the iPhone 4, Apple revitalized its display technology with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Despite progress, Apple faces stiff competition from numerous smartphones featuring Full HD LCD and OLED displays.
The Sapphire Myth
Contrary to popular rumors, sapphire glass was unlikely incorporated into iPhone 6 displays due to production challenges and drawbacks such as increased reflectivity and brittleness, which make screens harder to read outdoors and more prone to damage from impacts.
Testing Methodology and Key Findings
DisplayMate’s rigorous laboratory tests and visual comparisons utilized standardized test images and patterns to evaluate performance.
Resolution and Pixel Density (PPI)
Both iPhone 6 models feature Retina displays, ensuring pixels are indistinguishable at normal viewing distances. The iPhone 6 has a 1.0 MP display, while the larger iPhone 6 Plus boasts 2.1 MP, closer to competitors' ranges of 2.1 to 3.7 MP. Higher pixel counts especially benefit the display of high-resolution photos, making the iPhone 6 Plus the preferred choice for discerning users.
Full sRGB Support and Color Accuracy
The iPhone 6 series restored 100% sRGB gamut coverage after the iPad mini Retina's reduction, delivering precise color reproduction aligned with digital content standards across cameras, HDTV, and the internet. Both models exhibit accurate gamma (~2.22) and a slightly cool white point (~7300K), outperforming the iPhone 5.
Brightness and Outdoor Visibility
With brightness exceeding 550 cd/m², the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus surpass all previously tested smartphones, including 2013 Full HD models. Their low reflectance (~4.6%) enhances readability in bright environments.
Consistent Display Characteristics
All tested iPhone 6 displays demonstrated remarkably uniform brightness, contrast, gamma, saturation, and calibration, indicating meticulous factory-level automated calibration. Notably, actual brightness and contrast exceed Apple's specifications by 10–13%, setting new records among mobile LCDs.
Energy Efficiency
Despite increased screen sizes, energy consumption remains similar to the iPhone 5, thanks to low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) technology. While LCDs are more efficient displaying white content (like text), OLEDs excel with mixed content due to their emissive nature. For example, the Galaxy Note 4's OLED display is 21% more efficient with mixed content but 45% less efficient with full white screens compared to the iPhone 6 series.
Viewing Angles
Although smartphones are personal devices, users often view them from various angles. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus offer superior viewing angles compared to the iPhone 5 and other LCDs, maintaining high contrast and brightness with minimal color shifts.
Visual Quality
Both models deliver vibrant, accurate colors and impressive image quality. The intentional slight blue tint in white point is subtle and generally appealing.
Final Verdict: Outstanding Mobile Displays
DisplayMate’s comprehensive tests aim to identify industry leaders in display technology. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus stand out as the best LCD smartphone displays tested to date.
iPhone 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 Plus is the second smartphone ever (across LCD and OLED) to receive top 'green' ratings in all evaluated categories except brightness drop at wide viewing angles, typical for LCDs. It sets records in:
- Maximum brightness
- Lowest screen reflectance
- Highest contrast ratio
- Superior contrast under natural lighting
- Color saturation and gamma accuracy
- Image contrast precision
- Minimal brightness, contrast, and color loss at viewing angle changes
Its only limitations are resolution (1920×1080 vs. 2560×1440 in competitors), pixel density (401 vs. 538 PPI), and absolute color accuracy (3.1 vs. 2.1 JNCD).
iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 shares nearly identical display capabilities with the Plus model but has fewer pixels (1.0 MP), lower than many popular smartphones. Although it qualifies as Retina at 326 PPI and 1334×750 resolution, images look noticeably better on the larger iPhone 6 Plus. Apple may have intentionally differentiated the models or aimed to optimize profits. A Full HD screen would have made the iPhone 6 a true display leader.
LCD vs. OLED: Comparing iPhone 6 Series with Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 4
LCD and OLED are the two leading mobile display technologies, each with unique advantages.
The iPhone 6 Plus leads LCD displays, while Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and Note 4 excel with OLED technology. The iPhone 6’s 4.7-inch 1334×750 (326 PPI) display is closest to the Galaxy S5’s 5.2-inch 1920×1080 (432 PPI), whereas the iPhone 6 Plus’s 1920×1080 (401 PPI) compares to the Galaxy Note 4’s 5.7-inch 2560×1440 (518 PPI).
Advantages of LCD
- High maximum brightness with strong signal levels
- Consistent brightness regardless of content
- Wide color gamut with quantum dot enhancements
- Minimal brightness loss at wide viewing angles
- Better energy efficiency with bright content
- Widespread global adoption
Advantages of OLED
- Lower reflectance
- High brightness at low signal levels
- Ease of increasing resolution and pixel density
- True black levels with near-infinite contrast
- Wide color gamut
- Minimal brightness drop at viewing angles
- Superior display uniformity
- Faster response times and reduced motion blur
- Higher energy efficiency with darker content
Key Display Specifications and Test Results
Dr. Soneira and his team performed extensive tests; here are the highlights comparing iPhone 6 series with iPhone 5:
| Feature | iPhone 5 | iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 Plus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display Technology | IPS LCD on LTPS panel | IPS LCD on LTPS panel | IPS LCD on LTPS panel | Low-temperature polysilicon LCD with in-plane switching |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (1.78) | 16:9 (1.78) | 16:9 (1.78) | Matches widescreen HDTV content |
| Screen Size | 4.0 inches | 4.7 inches | 5.5 inches | Diagonal measurement |
| Screen Dimensions | 4.99×8.84 cm | 5.84×10.39 cm | 6.83×10.39 cm | Width × height |
| Screen Area | 17.27 cm² | 23.88 cm² | 32.77 cm² | Better size comparison than diagonal |
| Relative Screen Size | 100% | 138% | 189% | Compared to iPhone 5 |
| Resolution | 1136×640 (SD+) | 1334×750 (HD+) | 1920×1080 (Full HD) | Pixel count |
| Total Pixels | 0.7 MP | 1.0 MP | 2.1 MP | Overall pixel count |
| Pixel Density | 326 PPI | 326 PPI | 401 PPI | Sharpness depends on viewing distance and PPI |
| Minimum Viewing Distance for Pixel Perfection | 26.67 cm | 26.67 cm | 21.84 cm | Distance for sharpest image |
| Display Sharpness at Normal Viewing Distance | Perfect; pixels indistinguishable | Perfect; pixels indistinguishable | Perfect; pixels indistinguishable | Typical viewing distance ≥28 cm |
| Color Depth | Full 24-bit without distortion | Full 24-bit without distortion | Full 24-bit without distortion | Many Android devices have 16-bit color depth |
Overall Performance
Summary of extensive tests covering reflectance, brightness, contrast, color accuracy, viewing angles, LCD spectrum, and energy efficiency:
| Category | iPhone 5 | iPhone 6 | iPhone 6 Plus | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Tests in Dim Lighting | Very good image quality with accurate colors and contrast | Very good image quality with accurate colors and contrast | Very good image quality with accurate colors and contrast | Compared to calibrated studio monitors and HDTV |
| Brightness and Color at Viewing Angles | Minor color loss; significant brightness drop (typical for LCD) | Minor color loss; significant brightness drop (typical for LCD) | Minor color loss; significant brightness drop (typical for LCD) | Brightness loss more pronounced than color shift |
| Overall Display Rating | Very good LCD | Excellent LCD | Excellent LCD | Displays performed exceptionally in lab tests |
| Color Gamut | 104% sRGB | 101% sRGB | 99% sRGB | sRGB is standard for most digital content |
| Absolute Color Accuracy | Good; average errors (4.0 JNCD) | Very good; minor errors (2.6 JNCD) | Very good; minor errors (3.1 JNCD) | Measured with spectroradiometer against 21 reference colors |
| Contrast Accuracy | Very good; gamma 2.36 slightly high | Excellent; gamma 2.22 near standard | Excellent; gamma 2.22 near standard | Important for outdoor visibility |
| Performance in Natural Light | High brightness (556 nits), low reflectance (4.6%), high contrast (121) | High brightness (558 nits), low reflectance (4.6%), high contrast (121) | High brightness (566 nits), low reflectance (4.6%), high contrast (123) | Crucial for outdoor readability |
| Calibration and Image Quality | Very good; slight blue white point shift (7461 K) | Very good; slight blue white point shift (7241 K) | Very good; slight blue white point shift (7348 K) | Subtle shifts often preferred by users |
| Final Assessment | Very good but limited by 0.7 MP (Grade A–) | Very good but limited by 1.0 MP (Grade A–) | Excellent; best LCD tested (Grade A+) | Both iPhone 6 models excel among LCD displays |
For more detailed test results, refer to the original DisplayMate article. These findings clearly illustrate Apple’s significant achievements in delivering some of the best smartphone displays on the market.
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