Samsung Galaxy S2 or Iphone 4

[iDenTiTy]

I had an android. A galaxy S2 - for a month and a half...
All I can say, is Android is good - for its ability to customize. The marketplace is flooded with poorly written apps.
Android is a victim of it own doing. Across all handsets, you have a very uneven experience. Too many chipsets, cpus and video chips. Very inconsistent upgrade paths for the various handsets.

http://www.androidauthority.com/hey-motorola-samsung-htc-lg-and-sony-are-you-proud-of-yourselves-29305/

Apple is inevitably more stable. Apps are (for the vast majority) well designed, quick and stable.

Between the two... Apple by a country mile.
However, I have just gotten a Windows Phone.
I love it.

BUT, it falls outside the scope of this discussion. So no comment regarding that platform.


Like the more astute forumites have said.. Try them both out yourself. YOU will be making the decision, one YOU will have to live with.

 

[Kokkerot]

Thanx for all the replies. As I am not fimiliar with both platforms, I am sure I will have to get use to it. Is the app store on Apple really that much better than the android side?

I am looking for a phone to have some fun with and to kill some time with when I take boring train rides etc. Are the games on the Android devices really that inferior to those offered on Apple?

 

[Mars]

I just got the Galaxy Note and I also have the iPhone 4.

So here is my opinion so far:

I love both the devices but:

Apps:
The apps on the iPhone seem to be a much better quality and the App store is WAY easier to use imo. The downside is the rigmarole you have to go thru to get access to the apps. Once that is done however its not a huge issue. Not all apps work on all droid devices. I have downloaded quite a few over the last week that come up with the message saying that its not compatible with my device. Annoying, but the refund process is painless.

Interface:
There are no widgits on the iPhone, and I see this as a good thing. I find they clutter up the place and it just that much longer to get to the apps you need. Maybe I'll get used to them.
There also does not seem to be a native way to group the apps according to type on the Galaxy. There is probably a way to do this with apps, but I have not had the time to figure it out. There also seems to be alot of customization available but you need "root" to do them. I just find the droid interface to be a little more clumsy than the iPhone.

Battery Life:
My iPhone's battery life went for a ball of crap when I updated to ios5, but since ios5.1 its lasting the 2 or three days between charges again. The note is not lasting a day. I charge it every night and if I dont charge it during the day its dead by 6pm. I am constantly closing apps and widgets and so on, but I just cant seem to figure out whats draining the battery. Its supposed to be an uber battery, but I'm not seeing it.

Camera:
The camera on the note kicks the iPhones ass. It seems to focus faster and takes better pictures in low light not to mention 8Mp vs 3Mp on the iPhone.
The related apps also seem quite nice.

Now I know that the droid phone is customisable to the max, but it seems to have a larger learning curve than the iPhone. Both my devices are not JB/Rooted.
I will be putting in the effort into the droid device to get what I want out of it because its an awesome device, but the iPhone just seems like less effort.

 

[tortured]

As far as I can tell most (as in 90%) of the s2 vs 4s reviews on the net has favoured the s2. s2 is just that much better

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[PostmanPot]

Obviously iPhone.

 

[mcryan]

Galaxy S II is brilliant. You get a bigger and better display, and of course it's Android, which I love

 

[CoolBug]

Thanx for all the replies. As I am not fimiliar with both platforms, I am sure I will have to get use to it. Is the app store on Apple really that much better than the android side?

I am looking for a phone to have some fun with and to kill some time with when I take boring train rides etc. Are the games on the Android devices really that inferior to those offered on Apple?

If you buy a premium game like from Gameloft, which run around 50 bucks a game, that game will be great on both platforms, I bought Modern Combat 2 on the SGS2 and it's awesome.

There probably is more bad apps on Android but there is a rating system that everybody can rate, if you download a 1/2 a star app, don't bitch in the forums about how bad Android apps are, there are ratings and comments about each and every app & game which are very helpfull.

There is also a refund option on Android where you buy it and then you have 15 minutes to completely get a refund if you don't like it. I don't think Apple has this.

Apple only has 7% more apps than Android, Android also has thousands of more free apps than Apple.

In a years time we can all safely assume that Android will have more apps than Apple.

Another thing is, you cannot buy apps from the Apple market if you have a South African addressed credit card, there are ways around this but with Android you will have no such difficulties.

There is a video on gsmarena where they did a drop test of the 2 phones, the SGS2 was left unscathed while the iPhone4S was shattered all over.
The Gorilla Glass technology on the SGS2 will give your screen the highest protection available, check a few vids on Gorilla Glass, you will be impressed, you can literally try and scratch the screen with key & screws, you will not be able to scratch it.
I know of an iPhan who dropped his iPhone from knee height and shattered the front screen, this is why 95% of iPhone4's will have protection like a rubber bumper.

The Super AMOLED screen is also uncomparable to the iPhone4 even though the SGS2 has slightly lower resolution, if you compare the 2 phones side by side you might laugh.

I hear talk about rather get an iPhone4S, rofl in South Africa? be prepared to drop 11 000 to 15 000 rand cash, there are no contracts for it here yet. A SGS2 is between 5 & 6k, I got one for my GF on the Vodacom R249 rand a month, very cheap!!
Like a few people have said, if you get an iProduct, you are locked to iTunes, there is no going to a friends house and plugging your phone into his PC to grab some files unless he has the latest iTunes.

There is also the customisablity of Android that Apple does not have nor ever will, you can change your keyboard, you can completely customise your lockscreen by adding weather, news, different ways of unlocking the phone, you can even choose the Apple unlocker (this app is called Widget Locker)

These are a few facts about iPhone4 vs SGS2, there is no doubt many more reasons to choose a SGS2 over an iPhone.

In terms of security both operating systems are vulnerable, which is more vulnerable is just a debate.

So you ask why choose an iPhone? If you're the simple kind of person that wants a really expensive phone, doesn't want a complex phone and someone who doesn't like freedom or widgets, look no further than the new magical iPhone 4S

The SGS2 is also much lighter, thinner, has bigger screen and is way more durable.

My next phone however will be the Motorola Droid RAZR

 

[hannodewind]

Obviously iPhone.

If you say so...

It's pretty obvious not to upgrade to an iPhone 4...seeing as the iPhone 4S is to be released here soon. Between the iPhone 4 and the S2, get the S2. The 4S vs the S2 might be a more difficult decision for you. My personal opinion is get the S2, but that's just because I personally don't like the Apple environment.

 

[tortured]

My iPhone's battery life went for a ball of crap when I updated to ios5, but since ios5.1 its lasting the 2 or three days between charges again. The note is not lasting a day. I charge it every night and if I dont charge it during the day its dead by 6pm. I am constantly closing apps and widgets and so on, but I just cant seem to figure out whats draining the battery. Its supposed to be an uber battery, but I'm not seeing it.

You do realise with Android its best not to close you're running apps?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[Elimentals]

I don't think anyone could favour android when it comes to apps?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When you into Open Source/Linux you can

To the OP. do what fxit_man says, look and play with both do go by what other say. The phones target totally different groups of people, and at the end of the day both can do the same tasks, its mostly about how you do them that differs.

 

[CoolBug]

Yup, a task killer might have been helpfull a while back with primitive versions of Android but now Android does that all for you.

Android knows when and which app to kill at the right time.

You drain more battery when apps are continously trying to start up from you killing them.

There is, however, a new feature in ICS that allows you to close apps that you've recently opened in the running apps menu but also removes them from that menu which is nice.

 

[CoolBug]

Obviously iPhone.

rofl, you troll you!

The HDTV section wants you back

Hey I thought you liked Samsung? or is it just their screens?

Apparently Apple uses LG screens in their iPhone4's :O

 

[Elimentals]

Thanx for all the replies. As I am not fimiliar with both platforms, I am sure I will have to get use to it. Is the app store on Apple really that much better than the android side?

I am looking for a phone to have some fun with and to kill some time with when I take boring train rides etc. Are the games on the Android devices really that inferior to those offered on Apple?

I know its lower specs than the SGS2, but I must admit for games I am really loving my Xperia Play, and with the new PlayStation SDK that will allow developers to create a application once for say Vita and run it on all PlayStation devices I think my phone gonna do just well.

Oh and for the R2000 I paid for mine I could have just picked up an iPod touch 8 gig for R1800 and have both worlds.... that is if I didn't have an iPhone 4 in my drawer gathering dust.

 

[CoolBug]

I know its lower specs than the SGS2, but I must admit for games I am really loving my Xperia Play, and with the new PlayStation SDK that will allow developers to create a application once for say Vita and run it on all PlayStation devices I think my phone gonna do just well.

I'm thinking of getting an Xperia Play just for the heck of it,

I was on Expanses the other day, you can get between 4 to 5 Plays for the price of an iPhone 4S depending on what model you buy.

ooh changed my sig!

Sent from my ASUS Transformer, rooted with Revolver ROM, 1.6GHz

 

[Elimentals]

I'm thinking of getting an Xperia Play just for the heck of it,

I was on Expanses the other day, you can get between 4 to 5 Plays for the price of an iPhone 4S depending on what model you buy.

Well mine was suppose to be only for development with my DHD being my main phone.... well that plan went down the drain, enjoying the Play way too much.

Pity about the special not running anymore, but for R2700 its still a bargain in my eyes.

 

[PostmanPot]

If you say so...

It's pretty obvious not to upgrade to an iPhone 4...seeing as the iPhone 4S is to be released here soon. Between the iPhone 4 and the S2, get the S2. The 4S vs the S2 might be a more difficult decision for you. My personal opinion is get the S2, but that's just because I personally don't like the Apple environment.

On paper, when you use the device/iOS you will realise dual core etc isn't necessary. iPhone doesn't rely on specs to sell.

 

[PostmanPot]

rofl, you troll you!

The HDTV section wants you back

Hey I thought you liked Samsung? or is it just their screens?

Apparently Apple uses LG screens in their iPhone4's :O

This is about mobile OS platforms, not brand.

Perhaps, since LG are the biggest manufacturers of IPS panels. Not sure why people claim AMOLED is better, seems it's only better to those who know nothing about screens and get tricked into thinking brighter = better. They should Google what IPS is. Without even mentioning iPhone's highest PPI/retina display.

 

[CoolBug]

http://versusio.com/en/samsung-galaxy-s-2-vs-apple-iphone-4-16gb

I assume this will end the polite discussions about the iPhone 4 vs the SGS2?

 

[fxit_man]

http://versusio.com/en/samsung-galaxy-s-2-vs-apple-iphone-4-16gb

I assume this will end the polite discussions about the iPhone 4 vs the SGS2?

Some of those comparisons are way off for the iPhone 4?

Can be updated over-the-air - No ... Um YES it can
Can be used as a WiFi hot spot - No ... again yes it can
Has WiFi - No ..... really? Yes it does..

Slightly more apps available - 425,000 - It has more than 500,000 apps now which on average I would say are better quality than Android apps.. But again let me leave subjectivity out of this..

Not sure where they get 400,000 android apps available from either.

It says the S2 doesn't have a back-illumintated sensor as well.. Don't think that's right..

 

[CoolBug]

This is about mobile OS platforms, not brand.

Perhaps, since LG are the biggest manufacturers of IPS panels. Not sure why people claim AMOLED is better, seems it's only better to those who know nothing about screens and get tricked into thinking brighter = better. They should Google what IPS is. Without even mentioning iPhone's highest PPI/retina display.

Both screens have their pro's but I think most people will choose colour reproduction and sharpness on a larger display over slightly higher pixel density.

All you have to do is load up the same image on both devices to see which one you prefer, turn up screen brightness to full on both devices so it's an even comparason.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/NOVA...LED-Plus-vs-Retina-Display-vs-IPS-LCD_id18644