I'm unbiased when it comes to phones, and anything that's out today is a big upgrade to my Blackberry Tour.
I've been leaning toward getting the Galaxy Nexus, but my girlfriend has an iPhone 4 and she seems to LOVE it. I've also tried Windows Phone, and the UI is slick, but I hear the apps on it are very limited because very few developers make apps for it when compared to Android, and especially Apple.
I was going to post this thread in the Apple section, but I figured iPhone users would be biased, and then thought about Google section -- same thing. Windows section -- same thing.
I understand that the iPhone, Galaxy Nexus, and Nokia Lumia are all wonderful phones, and I wouldn't go wrong with any of them, but I just want your opinions on what you'd prefer and why. Please don't attack other phones on here, I just want your opinion on which you'd want.
Here's my take on my research on which phone would suit me best, and I would like for your take as well, and maybe add to my pros and cons.
[B]iPhone 4S: ($199.99 with 2 year contract)[/B]
Pros:
Very good camera
Very good screen resolution
App development for this platform is most popular amongst developers so most apps are likely to be available here first
Very sleek design
Cons:
Everyone has it, and I consider myself a power user when it comes to tech, so I just don't know if this device can both appeal to 60 year old men, 10 year old girls, and still appeal to me, a person that is very tech-savvy
Non-removable battery
Made of glass, one drop and your phone could be cracked unless you have a good case on
No 4G LTE
3.5 inch screen is a bit too small -- wish it was 4 inches
Apps not integrate with each other
[B]Galaxy Nexus: ($99.99 with 2 year contract if purchased from Amazon Wireless)[/B]
Pros:
Very good camera
Very good screen resolution
Runs Google Apps the best when compared to other platforms
Very sleek design -- I think the curved display is very nice
Big screen (though I'm debating whether it's too big)
Removable battery
4G LTE option available
Apps integrated with each other
Stock Android (this isn't a pro over iPhone/Nokia, but over other phones like GS2, Droid RAZR, HTC sense phones)
Cons (only could think of 2, but these 2 might be deal-breakers to me):
Phone might be a bit too big for my medium-sized hands
Android app store has less apps than iPhone, and available apps that are available on Apple's App Store that are also on Android store, are not the same quality, but just ports for the most parts.
[B]Nokia Lumia 900: (Free for new customers to AT&T when it comes out in a couple of days -- $99.99 for existing customers upgrading phone)[/B]
Pros:
The Windows Mango UI is arguably the best out of the 3 platforms (my opinion)
Very good camera
Cons:
Lack of apps in the store. I wish Microsoft pushed Mango earlier than they did. I feel like developers are too busy with Apple and Android to mess with this.
(Yeah I don't know much about the Lumia, as I am probably not going to get it because of the relative lack of apps and developer support -- maybe when I upgrade my next phone, Windows Phone would have grown to be a better competitor. Not for me as of now)
I'm going to wait about a month from now to get the phone, so I can finish this semester of school without being distracted with an awesome phone during finals.
Can you get a Galaxy S II? If so, do it
[QUOTE=Darkimmortal;35386411]Can you get a Galaxy S II? If so, do it[/QUOTE]
Yes I can, but I much prefer getting a stock android phone. I swear to you, if GS2 ran stock android I'd get it over the Nexus.
[QUOTE=Heizenberg;35386502]Yes I can, but I much prefer getting a stock android phone. I swear to you, if GS2 ran stock android I'd get it over the Nexus.[/QUOTE]
You could install the stock ROM on it (although voids warranty).
Pro: Android apps are usually free.
[QUOTE=Akasori;35386565]You could install the stock ROM on it (although voids warranty).[/QUOTE]
I don't want to go through the hassle of doing that, plus I don't want to void the warranty.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=taipan;35386617]Pro: Android apps are usually free.[/QUOTE]
iPhone has lots of free apps too -- my beef with free Android apps is that they contain ads. Granted iPhone free apps have ads as well, but the problem with Android app ads is that they suck your battery dry. I read somewhere (either Engadget, Gizmodo, or The Verge) that researchers found that 75% of the battery used by your free ad-supported apps, is used by the ads. (Source: [url]http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/free-apps-power-drain/[/url])
Don't get me wrong, it's not a deal-breaker, but there's also a con that comes with that pro.
[QUOTE=Heizenberg;35386629]I don't want to go through the hassle of doing that, plus I don't want to void the warranty.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
iPhone has lots of free apps too -- my beef with free Android apps is that they contain ads. Granted iPhone free apps have ads as well, but the problem with Android app ads is that they suck your battery dry. I read somewhere (either Engadget, Gizmodo, or The Verge) that researchers found that 75% of the battery used by your free ad-supported apps, is used by the ads. (Source: [url]http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/free-apps-power-drain/[/url])
Don't get me wrong, it's not a deal-breaker, but there's also a con that comes with that pro.[/QUOTE]
Ive read the same thing and thats the same thing with free Iphone apps.
And even if they take 75% of the battery its still not a very significant ammount.
+Alot of android apps dont have adds either.
[QUOTE=taipan;35386997]Ive read the same thing and thats the same thing with free Iphone apps.
And even if they take 75% of the battery its still not a very significant ammount.
+Alot of android apps dont have adds either.[/QUOTE]
True.
BTW I'm possibly also getting an iPad this summer, which is another reason why I want to get an Android phone over an iPhone (but not sure still) because I could have a fully-capable iOS machine, and a true pure Android machine with the Galaxy Nexus.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
I just don't want to get the Nexus and then regret it because it's too big or because the app support is inferior to iOS.
I work for Bell Mobility up here in Canada and I wouldn't recommend the Galaxy Nexus to anybody. It's not near as smooth as the iPhone or the Galaxy S II despite it supposedly being the flagship Android device. The SGX 540 simply isn't powerful enough to run the UI smoothly at such a high resolution. However the iPhone has very little customizability beyond changing wallpapers and organizing icons unless you jailbreak it.
If you want a lot of control over your device, I'd get the Nexus over the iPhone. But if you value a smooth stable experience I wouldn't waste my time with the Nexus. It's embarrassing when a customer tries to use the in store model and the launcher force closes and struggles to do transitions at even 30fps.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
And I mean. If you can get the i9100 it's still a good option for smoothness and customizability. But it won't be stock Android and you won't get updates as fast.
[QUOTE=garrynohome;35387200]I work for Bell Mobility up here in Canada and I wouldn't recommend the Galaxy Nexus to anybody. It's not near as smooth as the iPhone or the Galaxy S II despite it supposedly being the flagship Android device. The SGX 540 simply isn't powerful enough to run the UI smoothly at such a high resolution. However the iPhone has very little customizability beyond changing wallpapers and organizing icons unless you jailbreak it.
If you want a lot of control over your device, I'd get the Nexus over the iPhone. But if you value a smooth stable experience I wouldn't waste my time with the Nexus. It's embarrassing when a customer tries to use the in store model and the launcher force closes and struggles to do transitions at even 30fps.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
And I mean. If you can get the i9100 it's still a good option for smoothness and customizability. But it won't be stock Android and you won't get updates as fast.[/QUOTE]
Damn. Now I'm leaning toward the iPhone.
And about the GS2, I just don't like how Touchwiz looks, and saw the ICS update for GS2, and it looks very similar to Ginger Bread.
[QUOTE=Heizenberg;35387275]Damn. Now I'm leaning toward the iPhone.
And about the GS2, I just don't like how Touchwiz looks, and saw the ICS update for GS2, and it looks very similar to Ginger Bread.[/QUOTE]
I have 4.0.3 running on my Galaxy S II and yah it basically is just the Gingerbread update with some updates for ICS features. But functionally it's pretty much the same and the UI is relatively unchanged.
Hey and y'know. I'll take a video tomorrow of our Galaxy Nexus and you can really see for yourself if the UI bothers you. I can't stand the animations as IMO they range from choppy to sluggish if you're used to seeing things run at a high framerate. Avid PC FPS gamers are people I expect this would bother.
[QUOTE=garrynohome;35387298]I have 4.0.3 running on my Galaxy S II and yah it basically is just the Gingerbread update with some updates for ICS features. But functionally it's pretty much the same and the UI is relatively unchanged.[/QUOTE]
I heard that the GS3 is supposed to come out around the time that the new HTC phones with ICS come out, would you wait for those? And when do you think that the GS3 would see the market?
[quote]I heard that the GS3 is supposed to come out around the time that the new HTC phones with ICS come out, would you wait for those? And when do you think that the GS3 would see the market?[/quote]
It won't matter. The performance issues on Android have nothing to do with hardware any more. It's purely due to the software. They would need to rewrite the entire thing in something like C++ rather than Java, and that's not going to happen.
[QUOTE=garrynohome;35387342]Hey and y'know. I'll take a video tomorrow of our Galaxy Nexus and you can really see for yourself if the UI bothers you. I can't stand the animations as IMO they range from choppy to sluggish if you're used to seeing things run at a high framerate. Avid PC FPS gamers are people I expect this would bother.[/QUOTE]
Wow that would be great man!
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=garrynohome;35387342]It won't matter. The performance issues on Android have nothing to do with hardware any more. It's purely due to the software. They would need to rewrite the entire thing in something like C++ rather than Java, and that's not going to happen.[/QUOTE]
Wouldn't that be a plus for the nexus then since it'll get software updates very quickly to fix bugs and such?
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
Woah I just checked Amazon Wireless and the GS2 is now a penny with a 2-year contract with AT&T. I don't know though since it has been out for over a year, and the GS3 might be out soon, and Touchwiz is still not appealing to me.
Also, I just realized this. ITT: 1st world problems lol
Have a play around with the Nokia Lumia 800 and see what you think, you can get an idea of what the 900 will be like.
[QUOTE=PyroCF;35387818]Have a play around with the Nokia Lumia 800 and see what you think, you can get an idea of what the 900 will be like.[/QUOTE]
I think Windows phones are the least likely of the phones I would get for one reason only, and that is because of the lack of developer support. Hopefully that changes by the time I want to upgrade my phone in a couple of years.
[QUOTE=Heizenberg;35386629]I don't want to go through the hassle of doing that, plus I don't want to void the warranty.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
iPhone has lots of free apps too -- my beef with free Android apps is that they contain ads. Granted iPhone free apps have ads as well, but the problem with Android app ads is that they suck your battery dry. I read somewhere (either Engadget, Gizmodo, or The Verge) that researchers found that 75% of the battery used by your free ad-supported apps, is used by the ads. (Source: [url]http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/free-apps-power-drain/[/url])
Don't get me wrong, it's not a deal-breaker, but there's also a con that comes with that pro.[/QUOTE]
[url]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bigtincan.android.adfree&hl=en[/url]
[QUOTE=Heizenberg;35387941]I think Windows phones are the least likely of the phones I would get for one reason only, and that is because of the lack of developer support. Hopefully that changes by the time I want to upgrade my phone in a couple of years.[/QUOTE]
If Nokia keeps making phones priced really well like the $250 Lumia 710, WP7 will have a very good chance of attracting developers. But right now it's not the best platform for people who use lots of apps.
Wait for the Galaxy S3 if you can, since it's going to be out quite soon. If it has to be one from the list, Galaxy Nexus should be the choice.
[QUOTE=B!N4RY;35388236]Wait for the Galaxy S3 if you can, since it's going to be out quite soon[/QUOTE]
I'm just worried that it'll have Touchwiz look like the GS2 ICS Touchwiz, that it'll cost $300 plus 2-year contract, that it'll be like the GS2 and not launch in the US until late this year.
Knowing the hype of the GS3, it is bound to have a massive dev community. Worrying about the stock interface will be the last thing on your list. I doubt the GS3 would cost $300 with a contract. IIRC the GS2 only costs $199.99 at launch
So here are my options as of today:
iPhone 4S: Safest choice. Guaranteed satisfaction. Likely to regret it when iPhone 5 comes out a few months after, with new design/bigger screen/4G LTE, etc. I also think that Apple will address the ease of destruction of this phone by introducing an all-aluminum one, with raised edges around the screen, that will make it indestructible from accidental drops.
Galaxy Nexus: Could either disappoint when compared to the iPhone or blow it out of the water. Toss up. I like having stock Android that will update before any other Android phone, many months in advance.
GS3: I'll have to wait longer than a month for it probably, and might hate Touchwiz a lot.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
God damn it. Just saw this article.
[url]http://www.bgr.com/2012/03/22/now-is-the-worst-time-ever-to-buy-an-android-phone/[/url]
I agree with that article, there are too many new smartphones lining up for release at the moment
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Heizenberg;35388924]iPhone 4S: Safest choice. Guaranteed satisfaction. Likely to regret it when iPhone 5 comes out a few months after, with new design/bigger screen/4G LTE, etc. I also think that Apple will address the ease of destruction of this phone by introducing an all-aluminum one, with raised edges around the screen, that will make it indestructible from accidental drops.[/QUOTE]
Don't buy a iPhone, period. If you have ever used any Android phone extensively, you will know how useless iOS is and the inferiority of a small screen. Plus an aluminium back is not nessesarily a good thing. Remember how much of a scratch magnet an iPod touch is?
Play around with the Nexus and 4S and see which one you prefer, it's the only way.
And I just got a HTC Amaze.
oh well, it was now ever never for me though. I'm pretty happy with it though.
[QUOTE=PyroCF;35389152]Play around with the Nexus and 4S and see which one you prefer, it's the only way.[/QUOTE]
I played with my girlfriend's iPhone 4, and it's okay, nothing special -- though I have a 2nd generation iPod, so really nothing amazed me about it. Plus she has it in a huge Otterbox case, so the design of the phone was lost in my hands.
I tried the Galaxy Nexus, and it felt okay. I mean I loved the UI, but that could be only because I'm a geek and I like playing around with new operating systems (I regularly use OSX as my primary OS on my Macbook, Windows 7 on my desktop, and Linux on my old computer). The screen looked amazing, but then again, so did the iPhone's. The size and feel of the Galaxy Nexus in my hands didn't bother me, but I was only holding it for a minute, and it did not have a case. I would like to get a case for it when I purchase it, since I'll have a 4.6 inch piece of glass, on top of a 9mm thin body, for two years. This thing is bound to fall out of my hands from now until then. So with the case, I'm not sure how it'll feel.
[editline]1st April 2012[/editline]
I thought about it, I think I'll go with the Galaxy Nexus. Apparently last gen's Nexus S already got ICS, and phones that have been out a few months that are considered top-of-the-line Android phones like the Droid RAZR are still running gingerbread, and the Nexus S has a single core processor.
Best case scenario that the future phones will have this summer that Galaxy Nexus doesn't:
Faster processor (not a big deal since Galaxy Nexus is pretty speedy today, and if Nexus S can run ICS smoothly, GNexus should be fine for the next 2 years)
Better camera (I hear GS3 is going to have a 12MP shooter. That's great and all, but the GNexus's camera is still pretty great)
Better battery life (this is something I look into in a phone, but thankfully since this phone has a removable battery, I could spend $20 on an extra battery and portable charger, and pop in a new battery when the first dies. This would basically eliminate having to charge my phone, especially if I have like 2 extra batteries)
Try finding features that are of priority to you and minimize the gap between what choice you actually have. I had to put it down to the iphone because apps are what mattered to me the most, then everything else was just a breeze. It's not like some of these non-features make the phone bad where such as poor hardware stability and incompatibility can. These can insure a bad user experience with a product and it doesn't necessarily mean that you will with any of the listed phones.
Waiting for next gen is just torturing yourself because you are essentially waiting out a feature that ironically don't know you need or have no need for in this generation. Mostly just succoming to the mindset that it is good and hip to have extra cores and higher resolutions, just with the scene of being up to date in general which we all fall the 'need' to do now and again.
If you're the kind of guy who prefers exterior looks to functionality, go with the iPhone. In my opinion, the look of the iOS is terrible, especially the un-customisable home screens, but that's opinion not fact.
If you prefer to be able to customise your phone in the same way you would customise your Windows desktop (if you've ever tried rainmeter or something similar) go for the Nexus.
iPhones are designed for the tech illiterate, even Steve Wozniak said:
[quote]“The iPhone is the least frightening thing. For that kind of person who is scared of complexity, well, here’s a phone that is simple to use and does what you need it to do.”[/quote]
[url]http://www.bgr.com/2012/01/16/steve-wozniak-android-has-leapt-ahead-of-apple-in-many-ways/[/url]
But, again, opinions. I'd go for the Nexus any day, but that's just me
[QUOTE=Trumple;35390582]If you're the kind of guy who prefers exterior looks to functionality, go with the iPhone. In my opinion, the look of the iOS is terrible, especially the un-customisable home screens, but that's opinion not fact.
If you prefer to be able to customise your phone in the same way you would customise your Windows desktop (if you've ever tried rainmeter or something similar) go for the Nexus.
iPhones are designed for the tech illiterate, even Steve Wozniak said:
[url]http://www.bgr.com/2012/01/16/steve-wozniak-android-has-leapt-ahead-of-apple-in-many-ways/[/url]
But, again, opinions. I'd go for the Nexus any day, but that's just me[/QUOTE]
If I was going to buy a phone today, I think it will be the Nexus. I'll see how things are in a month. Thanks everyone for your comments and advice, I appreciate them.
I'd be the lone gunman and recommend the Lumia 800/900. The overall design is excellent, arguably the best out there, and the OS itself is sleek, fast, fluid and generally satisfying. Updates come along nicely, and while people say that the WP7 app store lacks, well, apps, I'd say that there's more than enough for whatever needs you might have, that aren't too obscure. Battery life should be very solid as well. I can do 3 days on my Radar, and 2 days if I do some medium to heavy usage. If I use it extensively (hotspot, constant browsing, etc.) I'll get one day + some ~20% battery. I won't really recommend it [I]over[/I] the Galaxy Nexus (as these phones aren't rally made for the same thing), but I'd say it's a [I]really[/I] good alternative, especially considering the price (if you're a new AT&T customer). You won't really get outdated that fast either, as WP7 don't use all that many resources. Sure there'll be a better phone soon enough, but it really isn't a biggie, as they run pretty much the same, no matter what model you're looking at. I own an HTC Radar, and I've used the Lumia 800 and 710 to a fair extent.
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