BlackBerry Passport vs iPhone 6 Review and Specs Comparison

Dec 03, 2014 05:54 PM EST

It is pretty clear that the introduction of the iPhone killed the reign of BlackBerry as a mobile device.  However, BlackBerry's Passport has changed the look of the smartphone, as well as the interaction.  So how does the BlackBerry Passport compare to the iPhone 6? 

Well, the obvious clearly needs to be addressed.  The BlackBerry Passport is...practically square at about 5 x 3.5 x .33 inches.  BlackBerry's mobile devices have always been on the wide side, but this is definitely taking it to the next level.  The Passport might not be big enough to fit in most users' pants pockets, unless you want to put it in the wider back pocket. 

However, if you are a mobile phone user who misses the days when mobile phones had physical keyboards, then you will appreciate the Passport.  Apple really set the standard when it came to rectangular phones with only one touchscreen, but not everyone has warmed up to touchscreen typing.  What it is interesting is how there is a QWERTY keyboard on the Blackberry Passport, but the number section will appear on the touchscreen itself.

One of the misconceptions about the Passport is that the screen is smaller than the iPhone 6.  According to Phonearena, this isn't the case as the Passport's screen is larger than the iPhone 6.  If you are wondering how this can be since the Passport's screen is 4.5 inches and the iPhone 6 is at 4.7 inches, it has to do with area and not measuring by the traditional diagonal.  The fact is that the iPhone 6's screen is 9.44 square inches, while the BlackBerry Passport is 10.13 inches, a whole half-inch more.  In addition to the greater area, the Passport has a resolution of 1440 x 1440 which is about 456 pixels per inch (PPI) while the iPhone 6 has 750 x 1334 resolution at 326 PPI. 

Trusted Reviews has stated that they are "not sure quite what the BlackBerry Passport is".  It certainly is a new shape for smartphones, but Business Insider gave the device a very positive review.  In fact, they described it as a "work productivity tool", unlike a lot of smartphones on the market that are designed more for content consumption rather than content creation. 

Before you get the impression that this review is telling you to forget the iPhone 6 and buy a Blackberry Passport, there are other aspects that make the iPhone 6 superior to the Passport.  A recent report from Versus stated 32 reasons (and counting) why the iPhone 6 is better than the BlackBerry Passport.  These reasons include more internal storage (128GB vs. 32GB) and better video recording quality (1080 x 60 fps vs. 1080 x 30 fps).  The iPhone 6 also has a fast 802.11 ac WiFi connection, dual-LED flash, BSI sensor, autofocus for recording movies, manual exposure, fingerprint scanner, CMOS sensor, and others. 

On the same note, the same posting from Versus also had reasons for saying why the Passport is better than the iPhone 6. These reasons include such features as a camera with more Megapixels with the rear facing camera (13 vs. 8) and more Megapixels with the front facing camera (3MP vs. 1.2MP).  The Passport also has an external memory slot, FM Radio, dedicated camera button, and the user can sideload Android apps. 

If you are considering purchasing one of these devices, then it is recommended that you go to the official sites for the BlackBerry Passport and Apple iPhone 6.  Check all the specs to see which of these smartphone will meet your needs, as well as the better price.