Google Nexus vs Apple iPhone: what's with the weird trend of buying the more expensive phone?

Yesterday, on 29 September, Indian media reported the possible launch date and price of the much sought after new iPhones. The iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus sold a record 13 million phones, up from last year's record 10 million phones sold on the launch weekend of the iPhone 6.

As Apple made this announcement to the whole wide world, Google, in San Francisco, was launching their latest line and certainly more affordable smartphone. Google, on 29 September, officially launched the Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X. The former was directly compared to the iPhone 6S but it is the latter that is more crucial to the smartphone world.

It was in the making for two years and the successor to the Nexus 5 that had everyone waiting. As Dieter Bohn of The Verge wrote in his headline, "The Nexus 5X might be the smaller, pure Android phone we've been waiting for."

When is it out?

The rollout of the iPhones in India is the quickest ever if media reports of its launch date - 16 October - are to be believed. The sticky point here is the pricing. PriceBaba quotes sources claiming that iPhone 6S will start from Rs 62,000 for the 16GB variant, around Rs 9,000 more than last year's iPhone 6 launch price.

The LG Nexus 5, that was announced less than 24 hours ago, will reportedly have an India launch on 19 October and will be priced at Rs 31,900 for the 16GB variant. While this represents around a Rs 3,000 rise from the launch price of the Nexus 5, it is still Rs 30,100 cheaper than the iPhone 6S. You can almost buy two Nexus 5Xs for the price of one iPhone.

Battle of the specifications:

Is the iPhone 6S really worth almost double the price of the Nexus 5X? Specifications say no way. The Nexus 5X has a slightly bigger screen with more pixels per inch. The processor in the Nexus 5X might be slightly below that of Apple's 'flagship' A9, but that's about it. Both have 2GB of RAM, both come with a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, and single speaker setups.

They also come with the latest versions of their software, and payment systems. Both support fast charging. The Nexus 5X has a much higher capacity battery than the iPhone 6S. The Nexus 5X also weighs less than the iPhone 6S.

Why go for the iPhone?

Would anyone in right mind go for the iPhone 6S? I, for one certainly won't. Even if you are a die-hard Apple fan, there is absolutely no justification in paying twice the amount for a phone that looks inferior on paper, right? One wonders if it is the whole 'I own an Apple' thing that drives their marketing. Totally out of place, but expensive enough to give one a sense of status. Sure, if you can afford to spend Rs 62,000 like it is pocket change then please go ahead. But if you are selling your kidney for it or your beloved gaming console, maybe a re-think is in order.

Speaking from experience of changing many a smartphone, even in the below Rs 20,000 range, I can safely say that Android smartphones work perfectly fine.

Parting suggestion: buy the Nexus 5X and spend the other 30 grand on a holiday? Maybe go to Goa, maybe go to Bhutan, maybe even Vietnam. Just go and have some fun. Or instead, put that money in a fixed deposit and watch it grow.