Actual size of iPhone 6, 6 Plus versus iPhone 5

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Ever since the announcement, I’ve been wrestling with which new iPhone to buy. I’m at the end of my existing contract, and I’ve already got the funds set aside. The question is purely one of size. I dug through Apple’s site, trying to find an image comparing the iPhone 5 to the newer models.

The main iPhone 6 page does a nice job of comparing the two new phones, but doesn’t really give you a true sense of how they’d feel compared to my existing iPhone 5 experience.

The compare page does put all the phones next to each other, but it stacks them, hiding the width of each model. And the full width pictures further down the page are scaled, so they are not actual size.

So I took matters into my own hands. I grabbed the phone drawings from the compare page and popped into Photoshop, scaling them and sketching them closer together, until I ended up with an image that showed the 6 Plus, the 6, and the 5, all actual size and nicely adjacent. There’s no overlap, so you can print the page, then cut out each phone, see if it fits in your favorite pocket.

Here’s a link to the image.

Be sure to view it at 100% (for obvious reasons) and make sure your printer does not scale the image when it prints. Feel free to use this image as you like, consider it as public domain as it can be, given that it was created from images from Apple’s site.

UPDATE: David Harrison points out Apple iPhone 6 display page, another very useful page for comparing your existing experience with that of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Scroll about halfway down the page and pick two iPhone models to compare.



21 thoughts on “Actual size of iPhone 6, 6 Plus versus iPhone 5”

  1. If this is accurate, then my plans for the 6 will mean it’s just as big as my current 5… The 5 with an OtterBox “Defender” case looks to be as big as the 6, but obviously quite a bit bulkier. If I put a thin, leather or plastic case on the 6, I bet it will feel about as big.

  3. When I view the image in Preview set at “Actual Size” and then hold up my iPhone 5s to the image, the image is a little bit bigger than my actual phone. I’m not saying I can do better, just that I think your image may be a little bit larger than actual size.

  5. Ha! I was doing the same thing weekend using trigonometry and assuming right angles to calculate the overall width and height of the new iPhones. After calculating everything out, I stumbled on T-Mobile’s pages for the iPhone 6 and 6+. Guess what? T-Mobile helpfully took outer measurements for us and posted them. iPhone 6: 2.64 in wide x 5.44 in tall x 0.27 in thick iPhone 6+: 3.06 in wide x 6.22 in tall x 0.28 in thick

    The iPhone 6+ is basically the size of a checkbook in a checkbook holder.

    http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phones/apple-iphone-6.html

    http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phones/apple-iphone-6-plus.html

  6. This is one reason why I stay a year behind: no guessing on how my new iPhone will feel. Getting 5s this year, 6 next year with plenty of hands-on time to decide what size I want. Actually, I’m letting my wife decide the size as she gets my hand-me-down. I’m sure I can adapt to either.

    Other reasons include waiting for infrastructure to be deployed (POS terminals for Apple Pay, Wi-Fi calling from AT&T), getting bugs worked out (like iPhone 4 antenna), last’s year’s model gets updated iOS features (Swift and Metal for A7), and selection of cases is greatly expanded. Bonus this year: 32GB iPhone 5s is $150 off instead of $100.

  7. View the Apple iPhone 6 display page link in Dave’s update. If you use Safari and have Zoom in your Toolbar, adjust the size until it matches your iPhone. Really shows how the largest iPhone 6 is definitely Plus size.

  8. I measured my checkbook and discovered that it is a very close match in width and height to the iPhone 6 Plus. No need for printing and cutting out models.

  9. Don’t forget that paper bends. You may want to paste it to something stiff, such as paperboard or think cardboard stock. That way you’re ensured to see if it fits when you actually sit down (where it really counts)… 🙂

  11. This reminds me of a nitipick about iOS 7.

    Are they still going to pointlessly, aggravatingly, stupidly limit the size of an iOS Folder to 3×3?

    That was a change I never understood the reasoning behind, and still hate.

  13. My wife will probably not want an iPhone 6 due to the larger size. I wonder whether Apple will completely discontinue the existing size when the 5s and 5c have had their day, or if they’ll eventually create a 5-sized phone with fully modern features…

    I know a few women who’d have been happier if the iPhone 6 was smaller than the 5.

  15. Remember that the new phones will be on display in the Apple Store by the end of the month, so you’ll be able to walk in and check them out in person!

    Even better, waiting until October or so means you’ll avoid all the teething problems, and you won’t have to wait for stock to be available.

  16. There’s a page in the iPhone section that has two iPhone pickers, one on the left for earlier models and one on the right for newer models. All you have to do is scale this page using pinch to zoom in/out in Safari until the phone on the left is the same size as your current phone – just put your actual phone on your screen to check (best done on laptop/desktop not iPad). This should also scale the new iPhone 6 or plus to the correct size.

  17. That’s probably the way I’d play it. No way would I buy a smartphone without having been able to pick it up and judge it in person.

  18. Thanks this was super helpful. Just make sure its 100% like he says and its the right size

  20. I’m going from a 5S in an Otterbox Defender to a 6 plus with just protective film on the front and back. Wish me luck.

  21. the scale is actually smaller. my lg g3 is 10mm shorter than the 6 plus+ and comparing it, my g3 is bigger.

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