At the end of July 2015, Motorola unveiled the third generation of the Moto G, the next generation of a sleeper hit Android phone renowned for its balance of price to features.

Let's see how it compares to Apple's iPhone 6, the company's current flagship smartphone (for the time being).

Moto G 3rd Gen vs Apple iPhone 6

Design & Style

Every Apple iPhone has topped the last generation in terms of aesthetics. That remains true with the iPhone 6, a beautiful slim device whose looks are only diminished by the occasional worrisome feeling brought on by its infamous "bendgate" problem. That problem mostly applied to the iPhone 6 Plus, however, and that was overblown, anyway.

Despite being more of a middle-tier device that uses less premium polycarbonate materials, the Moto G (2015) continues Motorola's unique design language with its slightly curved back and "Moto" dimple, which is less obtrusive this time around.

Also new this time, the third generation Moto G looks a lot more like the Moto X (2014). This is a good thing. In addition, the Moto G has IPX7 water resistance, surviving three feet underwater for up to 30 minutes, which Apple has still never attempted in the design of the iPhone.

Add the customization available through Motomaker, and the Moto G comes out, if not on top, then at least a worthy challenger to Apple in the design department. 

Hardware Specs

Of course, the biggest question is hardware, and despite being a mid-tier phone, the 2015 Moto G is very closely matched against the 2014 iPhone 6.

Moto G:

  • 5.0-inch Display
  • 720 x 1280p (294 ppi)
  • 4G LTE Standard
  • Quad-core Snapdragon 410 @ 1.4GHz w/ Adreno 306 and 1GB RAM (upgradeable to 2GB)
  • Internal storage options: 8GB or 16GB (microSD expansion up to 32GB)
  • 13-megapixel rear camera w/ autofocus, dual tone LED flash
  • 5-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 2470 mAh battery (non-removeable)
  • Sensors, etc.: WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, ambient light sensor, microUSB 2.0, Google Now
  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

iPhone 6:

  • 4.7-inch Display
  • 750 x 1334p (326 ppi)
  • 4G LTE Standard
  • Dual-core A8 @ 1.4GHz w/ GX6450 and 1GB RAM
  • Internal storage options: 16, 64, or 128GB (no microSD)
  • 8-megapixel rear camera w/ autofocus, dual tone LED flash, 1/3" sensor size, 1.5µm pixel size (for low-light), takes pictures while video-recording
  • 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 1810 mAh battery (non-removeable)
  • Sensors, etc.: WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Apple Pay, reversible USB lightning connector, TouchID fingerprint sensor, Siri
  • iOS 8 (now up to iOS 8.4)

The Takeaway

What do those specs mean?

First off, if you choose either the iPhone 6 or the Moto G third generation, you're getting a less brilliant resolution on a smaller screen (relative to the premium smartphone market nowadays).

But that also means an easily pocketable phone, and one that will meet the needs of anyone except serious mobile gamers or high-end multitaskers.

However, it's impressive how well the relatively cheap Moto G 3rd Generation stacks up against the iPhone 6, especially considering that it's been less than a year since that flagship smartphone from the most valuable company on the planet was released.

Of course, with the iPhone 6, you're also getting the Apple ecosystem, which means the best app store, screen mirroring to Apple TV, and other proprietary bonus features like Siri, Apple Pay and the TouchID fingerprint sensor. And if you're an iOS or Apple die-hard, stick with what you know.

Price Makes all the Difference

For everyone else, the Moto G (2015) beats the metaphorical smartphone pants off the Apple iPhone 6 when you factor in the full price.

The iPhone 6, released in September of 2014, can be had for $200 with a two-year contract on any carrier. But without the contract its incorporated carrier subsidy, you're looking at a full price tag around $500 for a used, base-model iPhone 6.

Meanwhile, the third-generation Moto G was released about two weeks ago, and brand new, unlocked, the price for a brand new base Moto G starts at $180 on Motorola's website.

That's a huge difference considering the hardware is pretty comparable, and it puts the 2015 Moto G as the winner against the iPhone 6. Now we'll just have to see what Apple has in store for the iPhone 6S come September.