Painful choice of iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S3
The Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3 (S III) are probably the two most highly anticipated smartphones for this year despite the array of new smartphones at Mobile World Congress last week. These two handsets will gather a huge amount of the smartphone market in 2012 and we think a choice between the two may be pretty painful for many people.
It’s too early for release dates but as a general guide there are two timeframes being rumored for each of these phones. Some feel that the iPhone 5 will be announced at Apple’s WWDC in June with a release soon afterwards but the consensus at the moment seems to feel a fall release is more likely, around a year after the iPhone 4S and in time for the holiday season. Meanwhile Samsung is holding an event to announce the Galaxy S3 this month and there have been recent reports to say an April release is likely. However, we have also heard speculation that the Galaxy S3 could launch to coincide with the London 2012 Olympics which begins in July. Hopefully we may be finding out more on the release of at least the Galaxy S3 before too much longer.
Operating systems are also in question for each of these handsets. It looks likely that the iPad 3 will release later this month on iOS 5.1 and so the iPhone 5 later in the year could release with iOS 6 and we have already heard evidence that is in development. For the Galaxy S3 it seems pretty definite that it will release on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest Android operating system. Android 5.0 Jelly Bean is not expected until later this year, probably in the fall, so this one seems more certain.
As far as specs and features go there has been so much rumored for both of these smartphones that we’ve almost lost track and of course nothing is yet confirmed. Nevertheless we’ll give you an idea of what many of the experts are expecting. For the iPhone 5 there could be a step up to an A5X or A6 processor although it’s not yet known if this would be dual-core or quad-core. There’s also a possibility of LTE connectivity, an improved camera (possibly 12-megapixels), larger display and longer-lasting battery and NFC support could feature.
For the Galaxy S3 it’s anticipated that it will include an Exynos quad-core processor (either 1.5GHz or 1.8GHz), 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal memory, LTE connectivity, NFC and there’s also been mention of 3D support. Camera-wise it looks as though we could see either a 10 or 12-megapixel rear camera and the display for the Galaxy S3 could increase to a much larger 4.8-inches, possibly Super AMOLED Plus. As you can see, if these specs turn out to be mostly accurate, both of these handsets will be hugely impressive and it will be difficult for many to choose between them. Of course then the design of the phones may come into play and there’s been very little said so far about the iPhone 5 design so far.
When the iPhone 4S came out there was a certain amount of disappointment amongst some that it looked exactly the same as its predecessor and so Apple may have taken that on board and changed the design this time around. However as sales of the iPhone 4S have still been phenomenal the iPhone 4 could certainly appear looking much the same again. Until recently there had not been much mentioned on the design of the S3 but lately it has been reported that it could have a ceramic backing which would give it a very different feel. We’ve also heard that it could be even slimmer than the S2. We have no information yet on pricing for either the iPhone 5 or Galaxy S3 but when released last year the price in the U.S. on the usual two-year contract was exactly the same, so even if they rise in price this time around they may remain the same as each other to compete.
Choosing one of these two smartphones over the other then could prove a really painful decision for many people. Of course if you already prefer the iOS platform over Android or vice versa, your decision is probably easy. However for some it’s not so cut-and-dried. Have you already made your choice between the Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3? If the iPhone 5 turns up with the same design yet again, could that swing you towards the Galaxy S3? What will be the deciding factors for you?
Comments
39 thoughts on “Painful choice of iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S3”
It will be a very hard choice for myself…Â but my contract is due an upgrade in august so hopefully by that time i will see what both phones have to offer officially.
I currently have an htc android device but am disappointed with the manufacturing and reliability of it.
so that may be a factor reliability over specs?
if i didnt had gs2 my contract is running ,had i been lucky as you are i would rush for gs3 wenever it realeases
I’m waiting for the iPhone 5, I’m not very fun of android phone, they are too messy. My brother has Replace his phone 3 times in a year. Android are not very reliable phone. Samsung are getting closed to the iPhone but still not there yet. In the meantime I stick with the iPhone
You are clearly an apple fan boy who has never experienced anything but apple products. Apple make fantastic products, there is no denying it, but the Galaxy range is much better (I have both and know people who have both, all agree with me) and is ALWAYS cheaper for the same tariff. It’s simple. Open your eyes and move on from Apple
wew
Android are not reliable?, I’m a user of both iOS and Android, but have to say after having to replace my iPod touch 3 times in one month to finally get one working… Not good compared to my HTC that has survived almost 2 years without problems. Apples software is much smoother and much simpler, but Samsung has hardware way better than iPhone 4s, that still only has 512mb ram and a 1ghz processor dual core processor. They both have good and bad things but after using both for nearly 2 years android is way less boring and much more powerful…
i think Dean17 was correct…. there are many people love android and do much better than APPLE.
OPEN YOUR EYES ANd move on from APPLE
how the iphone 5 works?
The Galaxy S III of course, theres no comparison look at the two phones now
4S= 800mhz dual CPU
SII= 1.2ghz dual CPU
4S= 8MP Camera
SII= 8MP Camera(voted slightly better by cnet)
4S=Â 512mb RAM
SII= 1GB RAM
4S= 8 hours of talk timeSII= 9 hours of talk time4S=Retina DisplaySII=Super AMOLED + (which is preferred)4S= 3.5′ screenSII= 4.35′ screen 4S= Shatter from 1 foot drop testSII= 8 foot drop test (not shattered, dents and scratches)If you prefer the iphone, then you’ve never owned a Samsung Galaxy SII, I have both and i can honestly say the SGSII runs circles around the 4S. Am i wrong? Name one person thats had both of these phones and hasnt sided with the SGSII. Most iphone owners have never strayed from apple….its time you see how blind you once were.Â
From the comment above I assume you have not owned an iPhone. I agree that the hardware specification for the S2 is better than that of the 4S, but more critical to the operation of the phone is the optimisation and efficiency of the software. The iPhone is far easier to use for the majority of people, and far slicker. The android operating system, while offering greater freedom and configuration options, is not as slick as iOS. It’s a similar case in the tablet market. I have used both the iPAD 2 and the Asus transformer Prime. Both are lovely devices, but iOS is more intuitive and easier to use. While this may not be deemed the best for the techies/geeks among us, it is what the general public want!Â
I think he makes it quite clear that he HAS owned an iPhone…
My vote is also for the GS3, but I just wanted to note that s friend of mine has the 4S and her photos come out a lot more vivid and better composed than the photos I take with my GS2. That is probbly in part, due to the face that my flimsy plastic lens protector has been a little scratched up. The two main things I would want them to address in the GS3 would be the camera lens protector, and the flimsy bezel around the screen.. the paint coating has rubbed off in places and the bezel has cracked (the bezel is cracked, but it is still firmly in place, so this is more of a cosmetic concern than anything else, but I would still like them to use a more durable material for the bezel).
 > Am i wrong? Name one person thats had both of these phones and hasnt sided with the SGSII
Yes! You are wrong! And a bit one-eyed.
I owned the Samsung Galaxy S2 (after having owned iPhone 3GS), and while the hardware/screen was very nice, the “whole user experience” was just terrible in too many areas. Fortunately 3 months later I was able to recontract to an iPhone 4S and sell off the GS2 on ebay.
Android is just not mature enough yet for the whole user experience. These were some of the problems I had to contend with while owning the GS2:
– Bugs and issues with firmware took months to fix and had to come through the carrier (or void warranty if load unofficially direct yourself). With Apple you get updates quickly and direct. With most Android phones it is long process of Google -> Samsung -> Carrier -> You. This needs to change. It’s useless waiting 6 months+ for a critical security flaw fix.
– Security issues are just too numerous in the wild wild west of Android at this time. Freedom comes at a high price. I’d rather have peace of mind. (Just google “android security issues”).
– Application quality and range sucks compared to iTunes. Because there are so many freaking handsets and even variations of handsets, development on Android is a nightmare and dev companies don’t put many resources into it. As a result the application quality lags behind and I experienced lots of bugs and issues on major apps like Facebook, Angry Birds, Words with Friends, etc. Everytime a new version came out, would still be annoying issues. Just not worth all the hassle.
– GS2 only allows 2GB of application storage internally. This is crazy. iPhone 4S can use the whole 64GB without artificial barriers.
All in all, if you want to spend a lot of time maintaining your phone, getting hacked, waiting months for security firmware updates, and lagging behind iPhone users with application updates and quality, be another guinea pig on Android. If you want a hassle free smartphone without having to worry about all the rubbish, go for an iPhone.
Android will eventually get there I’m sure, but I for one don’t want to go through more months of hassle as a guinea pig while they fix the myriad of problems that need addressing. I paid my 3 months sentence on Android and I was so glad when I got back to the iPhone iOS. The only thing I miss is the nice AMOLED screen of SG2, but that is one small aspect compared to the whole user experience joy of the iPhone. Have been back on iPhone for 4 months now and am absolutely delighted!!
“- GS2 only allows 2GB of application storage internally. This is crazy. iPhone 4S can use the whole 64GB without artificial barriers.”
The 2 GB is for the internal and System apps. Basically you have storage of 16GB wherein you can install all other apps plus not to mention you can move and install those apps to SD CARD (which can top to 64GB. I have like 120 + apps and most are Gameloft and I haven’t even scratched my storage.Â
By the way, there’s no app installation restriction when installing from the store or any other store whether I use Wifi or 3G. (I have12GB free data plan)
Also, if you’ve been reading news almost 60% of android phones now are Samsungs, so on trend that developers will soon develop with Samsung on mind. Not to mention HTC and LG  usually have the  same specs and resolution as Samsung. No surprise there…..
9 Million GS3 preorders on a day…. 🙂
am not being a droid tard, since been using multitudes of phones…just sticking out my preference for now…. 🙂
i owned both iphone 4s and sgs2 but i ended with the sgs 2. I gave my 4s to my sister because it’s getting boring with the iphone
Galaxy s2 good phone but can’t compare to the iPhone. 1 galaxy s2 cheap plastic 2 very messy 3 poor battery life for Internet use. 4 too big. 5 poor design
1) watch iphone vs galaxy S2 drop test on youtube – the iphone gets decimated, while the GS2 is unscathed – so much for sturdy durable construction, and then there is also the fact that the plastic construction of the GS2 makes it as light as a feather, while the iphone is a brick with sharp edges.
2) I’m not sure what you mean by this.. the two interfaces are very similar, and Android is very user friendly IMHO, even with touchwiz. Some might even say many elements from IOS were copied, and recreated in this Android OS, but with many improovements. It is idiot proof..
3) I’ll agree about the battery life, but I have heard that the iphone 4S is no better. I get about 8 – 10 hours with moderate to heavy use.
4) IMHO 3.5″ is too small to comfortably read text, watch videos, etc, 4.3″ is the sweet spot between being large enough to view multimedia content and being small enough to fit in the average man’s pant pocket and operate comfortably with one hand.. besides the S2 is so thin and light, you barely even know it is there.
5) That’s just vague rubbish, and so subjective, it’s designed pretty much the same as the iphone. the only difference is its size, and it has a square home button. Otherwise, they are both rectangular phones with glass screens.
cheap plastic? ur a moran the gs2 did wayyyy better on the drop test then the iphone 4 gs2 is proven to be faster then the new iphone 4s even with flash on…i can go on but i dont think i need to
SINCE I HAD A NEW GALAXY NOTE PREORDERED I WAS GETTING MY GS2 REPLACED AS I LOST IT. SO I GAVE NEW GS2 TO ROOM MATE AND USED THAT TINY 3.5″ DISPLAY FOR A WEEK AND I WENT NUTS. MY TWO THUMBS COVERED THE SCREEN. NOW AFTER USING 5.3″ GALAXY NOTE WHICH IS 210% LARGER THEN IPHONE IT IS LIKE WATCHING A 19″ TV INSTEAD A 40″ TV. APPLE CANT ENLARGE DISPLAY PAST 3.7 OR THEY HAVE TO REWRITE ALL THEIR APPS. G3S ONLY CHOICE FOR PEOPLE WHO USE ONE HAND AND HAVE SMALL HANDS.
No matter what you apple fans saying, galaxy is a killer phone. Apple is for dumb people and stupid americans!Â
cant wait till the new samsung galaxy s3 comes out i got to wait till August 2012, i hope t-mobile get the phone.
There is no “painful” choice. That would be the iPhone – easy. You ‘roid fan boys are just as bad if not worse than Apple fan boys.
I just love to read all comments (below and elsewhere) about Android vs. Apple…it’s like a kids fight in kindergarten hahaha Mother needs to give you all a good spank to behave…
Well IMO both phones are good, I have Apple myself and I’ve played
around with my brother’s and my wife’s Android phones and I’ve decided
to go with Android.
For me it’s not about…
…batterylife (I charge my iphone everyday, I’m used to it).
…design (as long as it doesn’t look like a pink jelly dildo etc. in my hands, I’m ok)
…speed (as long as things don’t lag or chop, which I hate, I’m ok)
…brand (as long as it’s not on FBI’s most wanted list, I’m ok)
But for me it’s a proprietary issue which I really really hate about Apple…I feel so locked in.
Many of the apps I’m using requires formatting, video converting,
itunes, wifi, sneak around to get what I want bla bla which is both time
consuming and annoying…while with Android it’s just “plug n play”
from windows explorer etc….
Oh I just found out that with an Android you can plug a usb memory stick
(with a small ext. cable) straight into the phone like a computer!!
Love that feature!!! ^^
Good thing is that Apple products in general are very stable due to the
proprietary supervision while there might be more issues with open
source Android…same with PC and Mac…
And good thing about Android is that you can modify so many things that
you can never do on an iPhone (unless countless tweaking etc.) so I
guess it’s up to each and everyone what they want to be…an Apple
locked in a cage…or a robot running free in the wild with some
internal issues. Both have good and bad points.
Trivial facts, apparently latest trends and surveys show that Apple is
more popular with girls while Android goes well with boys.
But the real question is…..does it blend? 😉
I have been watching you guys’ argument..
Well. I have both of them. Unfortunately dont use iphone anymore caz it is so boring.
I gave ti to my wife.and now only using gs2 As somebody said, girls more focus on the design and guys more focus on function and spec. and definetly iphone had better design so far. besides, Gs series had a lot more spec and things to play..
One important thing is The new gs 3 would be way different.
now it is its 3rd generation for Galaxy s. Design will be more creative and even spec will be the best in the world, i believe.
I am from seoul korea. As I heard from many people working in Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S3 would be revealed around June right before the Olympic games in a samsung’s private launching show here in London, where i stay now.
.
Samsung Galaxy S3 would come with 2GH CPU (Exynos) with 2 GB ram. Dont trust any other rumors on the web. most people hope it come in april. But Since there is one of the biggest marketing opportunity in summer …..London Onlympic Games. That would be a right choice for Samsung to compete with Apple directly in a big advertising market. Samsung dont want lose this opportunity to advertise in the olympic event and they dont want the iphone5 to change its spec after the GS3’s spec is revealed.
Then.. Lets see what happens in summer. cannot wait to seet how much Galaxy is being evolved in its 3rd generation..
Peace in Android users and Korea.
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If the iPhone 5’s screen is closer to 4″ rather than 5″…I think S3 will be my choice.
Always preferred the iPhone but since the problems with the latest update I’m going to take the change to Samsung when I upgrade later this year! Can’t believe apple have killed my phone and it can’t be rolled back! I think this will loose apple a lot of their customers.
Selecting one of these smartphones may roll out to be a extremely
hard choice to make for a number of people. Based on preference, it may simply come
down to choosing which platform is preferred – the Android or the iOS. If you
love iOS then you should choose iPhone 5 and if you love Android then you must
go with Samsung GS3.
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In other words if you want a product which is consistently boring and allows you to edit nothing of your own, then get the iphone 5. If you want a product of which is extremely fast and powerful yet allows you to edit everything to your own specification then get the GS3.
Im iPhone user since iPhone 3G. But i go for the gs3 Apple hired one of the Best jailbreakers and now im so locked and same boring iOS. All is the same.. I Got ipad3 but useless without jailbreak. And android Can same as iPhone. But the other Way iPhone cant. Fx. Gs3 Can stream to ATV iphone cant to Google tv. And 1 more reason why i chance is cause Samsung use super amoled cause it use no batteri. Compared to retina. My iPad 3 use so much batteri it cant charge via USB connected to my pc. Well. And the new ATV cant be jailbreaked it seems. So i go for Google tv to. There i Can get my plex client without jailbreak. So future = android
hai
all samsung guys ( toys guys ) ( plastic guys)
first u use apple then add comments ok
iPhone users (entry level ‘smart-phone’ guys) (sheep)
first use Samsung then add comments ok
As i previously mentioned apple make stupid phones. They are too simple and allow you to edit absolutely nothing which is why it is simple products for simple people. You clearly lack any knowledge of the power of the GS3 and for that reason do not deserve to own that sort of power. The galaxy s3 got 10million pre-orders, the iphone 4s got 5million. APPLES’ TIME IS COMING TO AN END.
as the way i see things, iphone is just a stepping stone to a true smart phone. cause iphone is so basic and simple, is just a learning process to smart phone. and when u got bored with it, jumping ship is like taking a huge leap forward for them. well, u wouldn’t know until u try it. and yes, android do have way much perks.
in GS3 -Â 4.8 inches Super AMOLED Plus Capacitive Touchscreen, 16M colors
in IPHone 5 – 4.0-inches OLED Screen Display (Also rumors as 3.8 inches )
I think GS3 will be my choice
 I WANT KNOW WHICH ONE BEST IPHONE 5 OR GS3 NEW PHONE 2012 ?????????
WOULD LIKE FEED BACK ABOUT THAT PHONE OK. 🙂
ohh i got bonner when i see Apple.Â
He He he  HeÂ
I am afraid that apple products in particular the ‘iphone’ series are ridiculous. They are stupidly simple, which is why people tend to like it. It does not allow you to edit anything at all which results in you having no identity and makes it look extremely dull. The fact that the galaxy s3 allows you to edit almost everything allows you to have your phone how you want it when you want it. The screen is larger, the processor is superior,the camera is faster. I myself have owned an iphone and it was such a boring and restricted experience. After owning the galaxy s2 and now the s3 i can happily say that APPLE are in big trouble hence the 10million pre-orders for the s3 in comparison to the 5million for apple with their 4s i believe. In my eyes only a fool would choose The iphone4s/5. Apple are a company who over charge for basic pieces of technology which do not give the customer the opportunity to make it their own which is exactly why android as a whole will reign superior.Â
Imagine an apple being locked in a cage. Then imagine a robot roaming free doing what ever it wants to. Now decide which one would you prefer to watch.
Clearly apple….Android is the poor mans iphone…the imitation.