Choosing your first of next smartphone is indeed a hefty task especially if you’re new with the term and you’re not inclined in techie stuff. Even if you’re left between two choices yet it is a hard thing to decide.
But what if you’re left with choices such as Samsung Galaxy S II and Apple iPhone 4S? Will that make you firmer on picking out one? I think these are the top two smartphones that currently battles here in Philippines. So, lets layout some answers relating to this comparison in order to help you decide in the future.
Apple iPhone 4S versus/or Samsung Galaxy S II
Release date: Which one is newer and more latest?
In terms of age, the iPhone 4S is bit newer to Samsung Galaxy S II. The iPhone 4S was released in market last October 2011 and reached Philippines only in December, while the Galaxy S 2 was released on April 2011 and reached the region by July. So that’s almost half a year gap between them. But nonetheless, their specs and features don’t differ big. Winner – both.
Design: Which is sexier?
My first impression with iPhone 4S when it was unveiled was it looks boring to me because it almost inherited all the iPhone 4 design from front to back. Plus the 3.5″ display of iPhone 4S doesn’t count anymore on the high-end 2011 smartphone section in my opinion.
On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S II got a larger display of 4.3″ with Super AMOLED screen, it is bit taller compare to iPhone 4S but overall it is lighter and thinner. The only down on the Galaxy S II is the plastic body cover yet it is not enough to make me pick the iPhone 4S with its glass finish body. Winner – Samsung Galaxy S II
OS: Android vs iOS 5
Picking a phone by relying on OS use of a device will matter as self preference. If you like a snappy and simple UI with any big customization features then iPhone 4S is definitely for you. It runs on the latest iOS 5 and it exclusively feature Siri, voice control guide and navigator, but honestly this will be useful feature once you’re here in Philippines because of the limited points of interests available.
The Android however is more flexible for customizations. If you spent more time and inclination to your Galaxy S II you will surely make it more personal. The upcoming Android Ice Cream Sandwich update for Galaxy S II looks promising and that is sort of a big assurance of more OS functionalities and customizations.
But if we talk of ecosystem, from the number of quality apps to future updates and support, iOS will definitely outshine Android. Even the iOS is a closed system and Android is an open, still, for a general user it doesn’t matter. What makes matter is a solid and flawless run of the device in a simplified UI. Winner – iOS 5/iPhone 4S
Which is faster and more powerful?
With dual-cores processor enabled on each smartphone, surely, both will handle demanding tasks in any events. From gaming to multiple tabs web browsing will be ran smoothly on a dual-core chip and a decent RAM combo. Winner- both.
Camera features
There is no doubt that the camera is one of the primary feature that makes a better smartphone. The iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II have almost the same specs in terms of camera. Both features 8MP still image snapper and 1080p video capable, and also they are equipped with front facing camera for mirror and video calling purposes. So on this, I give a big check for each. Winner – both.
Battery life: the longer, the better
Numerically speaking, iPhone 4S will pawn the Galaxy S II in battery comparison. The battery life on Android devices have been an issue long ago until now. The Samsung Galaxy S II’s large screen will likely contribute to faster power drain, even it is an AMOLED display. But for voice call, the SGS II will lasts longer than the iPhone 4S because during this time the screen will not be use and only the connection will utilize power use. See more figures below based from gsmarena tests. Winner – iPhone 4s
- Talk Time (3G): iPhone 4S – 7:41Hours | SGS II – 8:35Hours
- Web Browsing: iPhone 4S – 6:56h | SGS II – 4:24h
- Video playback: iPhone 4S – 9:24h | SGS II – 8h
We will not see any big differences if we lay other features of each phone side by side. Connectivity wise, both have 3.5G offerings and WiFi b/g/n feature. For storage, the SGS II will remain have an extra microSD support but that’s not a big difference in my opinion. Winner – both.
Price: Which is cheaper (less expensive but not degraded by price margin)?
I’ve seen Samsung Galaxy S II prices in malls recently at around P25,000 which far more less expensive compare to iPhone 4S with Smart prepaid price of P33,200 for 16GB variant. So that’s really a big difference for your money. But no stepping back if you can afford buying iPhone 4S, provided you liked it more than the SGSII. But for this round, Winner – Samsung Galaxy S II.
So which one to buy?
Above we laid out some of top features and specs comparison to help you decide. So just think of which smartphone you will not regret of having with once you’ve bought it. Also, choose the features that you needed most by weighing them. Further more, head on to our Guide and Poll here relating on buying your first or next smartphone.
Poll:
[polldaddy poll="5821993"]
