Buying UK Samsung Galaxy Note 2 instead of iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 is now available and many consumers have opted out on buying the new Apple smartphone. We have talked to the public and of course our readers AND ASKED if they will be buying the new iPhone 5, or will they choose another handset on the UK market.
We actually thought many different smartphone names would pop up, giving a notable difference in names such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, some said they wanted the Nokia Lumia 920, and of course other names were mentioned, but this was not the case because the same name was mentioned more than any other device. The same name was the ‘Samsung Galaxy Note 2’; it was this device that got the most attention.
Yes we asked the question “Will you be buying the iPhone 5 or have you already got it?” we only asked 140 random people but the answers were very interesting indeed. Only 25 of these said they are getting the iPhone 5 with only a mere 10 saying they have already got it. A staggering 86 of those we asked said they want the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 when it releases in the UK, the other 19 said other phones. OK, yes we might have asked a select number, but we asked people at random and this is not something you can have as hard solid evidence. The iPhone 5 is selling in the millions, in fact 5-million have sold worldwide in the first weekend, but we are concentrating on those in the UK.
The Galaxy Note 2 will debut in the UK Monday, October 1, it is this 5.5-inch display that seems to have won the hearts of the masses and we will be right here watching hard on how well this hybrid device sells against the iPhone 5. The first Galaxy Note did very well exceeding more than 10 million devices sold globally, and we can see the successor doing very well in the UK.
The Note 2 will be thinner, it will come with an S Pen, the display ratio will go from the previous 16:10 to 16:9, and the chip will go from the 1.4GHz dual-core chip with a cool 1.6GHz quad-core.
We have not had the official UK release date but pencil in October 1 or thereabout. There will be three GB versions that include 16, 32, and 64GB, Phones 4U have listed this device with a release date of October 2, they have also listed contract prices as well that you can learn more about here.
Retailer Clove have listed their price at £528 for the 16GB SIM-free version, O2 will have it with many tariffs etc, but one that stands out for O2 is the 24-month O2 plan that gives you the phone for free and comes with unlimited texts, unlimited calls, and 1GB of data priced at £41 a month, obviously we will give you full price details nearing the release date.
So, here are a few questions; will you be buying the iPhone 5? Have you already bought the iPhone 5? Or will you be opting for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2?
Comments
48 thoughts on “Buying UK Samsung Galaxy Note 2 instead of iPhone 5”
Not really surprised – this is the only phone that is likely to draw in iPhone owners in any number. The Galaxy S3 is just a bigger smartphone – not worth the pain of the iOS to Android switch (which involves much more than just the phone). The Note 2 is something different altogether – Apple does not have anything like it. I will almost certainly switch after being a long term iPhone fan
I’ve owned iPhones for more than four years. Never saw past them until the Galaxy S3 caught my eye earlier this year. Then the Note 2 made it an easy decision. I’m ditching Apple and getting a Note 2 next week.
I always take contracts for two years, so it’s an irreversible change until late 2014 but I’ve absolutely no doubts. The ridiculous patent case in the US had a bearing but the main reason is Google and Samsung have finally started making a significantly better OS/Hardware combination than is produced by Apple.
Will most likely get the Galaxy Note 2 when it is released. But perhaps will wait for a couple more months until full detailed reviews of the phone is available (just to be sure).
Waiting for galaxy note2
Galaxy Note 2. Hands down.
Currently have an iPhone 5. Love it. It’s very fast at everything and the ecosystem is great. But that screen on the Note II is perfect for me. I use my phone all day long, so the bigger screen just makes sense.
I already own Galaxy Note and waiting for Galaxy note2 to buy as soon as it is available. I will go for 64 GB version. My galaxy note has completely replaced my laptop needs as I can do everything on note what I would do normally on a laptop such as emails, documents, online shopping, banking and ofcourse watching movies and its so quick and fast. I would say amazing device and it does not just deserve 5 stars***** but a whole Galaxy as the name suggests. Samsung is the best innovative company and I support it because the products are amazing…………………..
I’m a iphone fan but decided to defect, I’m glad I have made this decision now that all the problems with it the 5 are emerging. could even result in a product recall some of the web pages are saying….. I. have waited for the Note 2 but really annoyed that the 32 and 64gb versions are not available in the UK until later I’m told could even be next year…..
who told you it would be next year for the decent memory versions?
Have u any idea about the exact date/time that Samsung Galaxy note 2 64GB will be available in uk?
The minute the GNII was announced i knew i’d be after it and thankfully it lands just after my contract with a GS runs out so i have the GNII coming on the 2nd of october…….can’t wait!!
What I love about Samsung is their innovation. People complain about build quality but I’ve slept on my s2 accidentally so many times, dropped it etc and it still looks almost new, not to mention it still works flawlessly. I didn’t get s3 because I didn’t think I’d need the quad core but now the note 2 has arrived with the s-pen and all the new features, I have to get it. And the quad core and 2gb ram makes sense for this phone since it will be multitasking heavily. Lol at iPhone users their specs are rubbish. iOS is just a very minimalistic and simple os which is why phones are fast yet their users keep going on about it like its the best thing since sliced bread. The new iPhone is on the same level as galaxy s2 overall. Credit where it’s due though iPhones design and marketing are top notch but everything else is out dated.
I was actually going to buy the iphone, but after reading this and another few articles, it seems that I will wait and compare between these 2 phones. The note looks neat!
The note 2 is for me but really annoyed that the 32 and 64gb versions are not available in the UK I’m told perhaps not until as late as next year…… I wonder why this is, nobody seems to have the answer
Thats usually how it goes with all phones isnt it?? Same with iphone etc, im pretty sure anyway. I would suspect that as the 16GB versions are always the most popular that they have to meet the demand for this first. Once that flow has steadied then they can start to manufacture the 32/64 versions. This can only make sense.
i got the iphone 5 but am disappointed so i decided to sell it and get galaxy note 2 on 1st October as it really fits well with my lifestyle. apple let me down this time and after using the note 2 i don’t think i will go back to ios.
The iPhone 5 is a stretched 4/4S nothing more! the battery is much, much worse than my iPhone 4, the build quality is nothing like as good as the iPhone 4 (it was dammaged out of the box!!) im finding the headphone jack on the bottom a total pain in the arse and the navigation took me 38 miles the wrong way!! Im sending iPhone 5 back, and going to get the Note II, If your considering the i5 dont bother, take it from sombody who found out the hard way, save your money and get a S3 or Note2, or if you must have Apple get the i4 or the 4S and save yourself a packet.
I am not surprised by these survey results at all. I currently have an iPhone 4 and have owned the 3 and the 3GS, I am a Mac OSX user and love the new iPad….but I am jumping ship to the Galaxy Note II and leaving the iPhone 5 behind. Why? Partly boredom, IOS 6 doesn’t feel like any real progression since iOS 5, the user interface hasn’t evolved and I just want to explore something different. Partly frustration, as it’s clear Apple have reached the zenith of what functionality can be delivered by their restriction of screen size, so user experience is enhanced by speed but they really can’t deliver any new functionality if they are limiting themselves to a four inch screen size. I don’t believe this is anything to do with what can ideally fit in your hand, more to do with the fact they want to push customers to purchasing iPads. Now I love the iPad, but portable it isn’t. You need a bag, and who wants to carry a bag around all the time? Take a bag to watch the football, simply to put an iPad in for the journey, no chance! But have you tried watching an entire movie on an iPhone? Half and inch on the new iPhone 5 isn’t going to make a difference. The Note II fits the gap between phone and tablet perfectly and is, in my own view, more focussed on productivity than iOS can ever match. But the more fundamental point is this. In the data focussed era, screen real estate matters, because it enhances functionality. This is what Samsung have realised and Apple haven’t. I firmly believe that what we are seeing is peak of Apple’s evolution of the iPhone, but its an evolutionary dead end. The real exciting journey in product evolution and development is now elsewhere, and that excites me in way that the iPhone doesn’t anymore. So i’ll take the hit and miss elements of the Note II and Android and all that comes with it, for the excitement of seeing where the journey takes us.
I couldn’t agree more with your post. We share exactly the same feeling about this device and about ios reaching its evolutionary peak, although I think you explained your views better than I am able. I feel that the note device both this and the previous version mark a turning point where smartphones begin to take over more of the functions of both laptops and computers. You could say that tablets do this to a degree but then they don’t have the portability of a tablet phone such as the note. Where I think apple has missed a trick is that their tablets and phones are designed as media consumption devices with some productivity features and therefore, the platform has to a certain extent plateaued. The s pen (stylus) is far from a new idea yet the functionality it adds when combined with a modern touch screen phone or tablet enables productivity on a whole different level whilst also enabling a new way of interacting with the device. I’ve never owned a Wacom tablet but people I know who do prefer using the tablet for basic navigation (instead of a mouse) as well as for their creative work.
A friend of mine who is an IOS stalwart believes that the galaxy note will only ever be purchased by geeks but I beg to differ I believe that the geeks may be the first to buy these but as soon as their non geek friends see what the note is capable of they’ll want one too.
Well said Sir.
David, I think you put it perfectly.
I also get the feeling Apple have kind of stifled their innovation possibilities by taking out patent cases against other manufacturers.
Now other manufacturers are coming out with some great ideas and Apple will just have to sit and watch some of those, not being able to join in with too many of their own variations.
David, you had just spoken for me and my friends, soon to be ex-iphone fanboys as of next week when the GNII comes out. You have clearly articulated our experiences and way forward.
Perfectly said. My “iPhone friends” are very upset that I am jumping ship but I have just grown tired of the iphone. I feel like we are being left behind and I am supposed to be ok with it. I’m not, which is why I am super excited about the Note II, and its been a while since I’ve been super excited about a phone
I bought the first galaxy note when it arrived in australia, i havent looked back. All my friends and some iphone friends are now tradeing in their phones and geting this phablet, once they use mine for a little while there hooked. Bring on the note 2 here as well
That’s a wonderful reply, i am also like u owned many iphones, ipad and macbook, but i can say that samsung is beating apple by their amazing products especially the Note II
David, you have spoken for us, perfectly. GN2 is the way to go as i am a business user and this single device covers all my needs of a phone plus tab and more even.
What ever you choose as long it easy to use, to travel with and can make your daily chores easier.
Never been an apple fan. Got the original note early this year was hesitant at first. But since owning one I absolutely love the device. Perfect for what i want to do with a phone. So the note 2 was an obvious upgrade for me. Just waiting to see the contract deals for Three.
I have ordered my Galaxy Note 2 and can’t wait for delivery. It will wipe the floor with the iPhone5! If you’re buying a smartphone these days you want the best available technology – quad core for speed of use, plenty of RAM, expandable memories, reliable maps and good support from your manufacturer. good old Samsung!
iPhone 4s, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 1, the new iPad and Mac Book air user. Im ready to buy my Galaxy Note II on Monday and looking forward to it immensely. it’s a change from the apple dross/boredom that comes with yet another thinner, lighter, two times faster iPhone release. iOS 6 adds nothing to what is already an old mobile os. I was hoping that the iPhone 5 would be something that amazed me, like the iPhone 4 did over the 3GS but it was the same old keynote patter that I’m board of now. I love the post above from David who puts my thoughts down on paper perfectly.
Hi david
Your info great help as I am wanting to replace old phone.
I am Mac owner and not sure if Samsung phones support Apple’s Mail programme. I have read they do yahoo and hotmail but not sure about Mail.
in other words can I get my iMac emails on a Samsung phone??
Chris (not very bright techno!)
I have been suffering with an iPhone 3GS for months now because it has an issue and dies if not connected to power source, and no it’s not a battery issue. I didn’t want the 4S because I knew the 5 would be coming out soon. Well, I missed the 1st per-order and was not willing to stand in a line all night to get the phone. And I’m not happy about having to wait a month for more to be available. BUT, the biggest thing is I AM NOT EXCITED ABOUT THE iPHONE 5 anyway. What a letdown! It’s been stretched to give a little bit more screen space?!?!! Really? It looks ridiculous. Longer and thinner, who gives a sh*t. Apple has managed to dupe us too many times and many of us are feeling like the sheep we’ve been called for so long. I was interested in the Galaxy phone when it first came out but was too far into the iWorld to try it, until now. I decided to go buy the newest Samsung Galaxy III and see what the other half are up to, but when I got to the store I saw the Note right next to it, that’s when the decision got fuzzy. When the salesman told me they were pretty much identical except the size, I was sold. I’m getting a Note! Wow…I LOVE IT! I’ve heard people say that it’s a silly device because of the size and that it won’t last, they couldnt be more wrong! If the Note hasn’t already, then the Note II will convince everyone that this is a device that will change the game.
Until Apple does something truly “remarkable” with the OS, the iPhone will continue (IMO) to feel passé. Too many people waited with baited breath last year for i5 only to get a 4S. Apple if nothing else does marketing very well which is why I think people actually thought this was going to be “the best iPhone yet!” and it’s not. Samsungs innovations made my next purchase extremely easy…G’Note II
I’ve always been an apple fan boy I’m actually typing with my 4s right now but I feel that this company I have adored for years spends more efforts on marketing it’s product than the product itself I was disappointed when I saw the iPhone 5 I have always defended apple against android fanboys but after iPhone 5 came out I was fighting a. Lost battle I’m going to switch to the galaxy note 2 later this year
I echo daves comments from below. I have just picked up my note 2 this morning and have been grinning from ear to ear with it. The whole unit is a joy to hold, to look at and to use. It has made me realise how much apple dumb down their operating system. There are so many customised options you can choose in the android system its unbelievable ! Sure its big but it just feels so right !
I switched from an HTC HD2 that was 2 years old to a Samsung GNote last year. The large screen and return of the stylus in combination with a capacitive screen plus greatest specs on a phone got me over the WM/HTC loyalty hump. Now that’s innovation. I’m typing this in using Swype and a stylus. You can’t beat that for speed and ease of use. Android 4.0.4 is smooth and powerful, that is, a well organised UI, menu system, customisation without needing to flash roms, seamless connectivity.easy bulletproof backup of files, contacts, calendar, & apps(the word existed way before iPhone), awesome Navigation, brilliant oled screen. The icing on the cake that it is way better than iPhone in every respect. Myp our Not to be left behind, I wheel be getting the GN2 when it comes out with LTE. My partner has the GS3 and it is amazing. A More with the advanced JB, 2Gb of ram, QC and s-pen upgrade will be a special Christmas pressy for me.
Have always had an Iphone but that is about to change .. The note 2 blows iphone out of the water .. Apple are just a complete rip off! Note 2 just ordered 🙂
Have always had an Iphone but that is about to change .. The note 2 blows iphone out of the water .. Apple are just a complete rip off! Note 2 just ordered 🙂
The Note 2 is the better choice.
An S3 on steroids! 🙂
The best phablet ever galaxy note II… iphone is not worth…..
Why haven’t they released the 32gb and 64gb versions yet? When will they be available?
Got myself a Galaxy Note last
year – replacing it with my Galaxy S2. I was coming from HTC Desire and was comfortable
with HTC Sense to the point that Samsung’s Touchwiz seemed rudimentary in
comparison. However, with Galaxy Note and its premium suite of software – Samsung
has taken clear lead over its competitors – and not just Apple. I don’t know why
but – iPhone has never appealed to me – even though I have friends using one or
the other version of the device. I have been early adopter of some of the more
innovative phones of their respective eras (e.g. Nokia 6800, Sony Ericsson
P910i, imate (HTC) JazJar, Nokia E90, HTC Desire, Samsung S2, Samsung Galaxy
Note II, etc.) – and do consider myself as a risk taker – but iPhone has never
attracted me to the point that I consider owning one.
I am going for Samsung Note II when it is launched in Pakistan (that is on Oct
04) – making it my third consecutive Samsung device. My original Note has been
a trusted friend and in fact increased my productivity-on-the-go in many ways.
My laptop now sits in my office whenever I travel – this is because I’ve got
the Note with me. I am glad that Note-II has improved upon the original Note in
almost every department in noticeable ways. I strongly believe that this
device has some addictive powers and once you get use to a “Note†– you won’t think
of switching to any other device again!!!
I am an iPhone 4 user with iCloud, an iPad, an iMac and many years of being a happy Apple user. Still am in fact.
But I too have been looking closely at the GN2. My iPhone is my sat nag and I have lamented the small screen, and the iPhone 5 does not help with that. In fact, as you now have to purchase adapters for any docks etc, the argument against Android gets less. I want a customisable home screen, quick access to bluetooth etc, and this will give me that. In fax, my only extra investment is a car charger and the android version of my Co Pilot. All other iOS apps I use are my free ones. (Got some I paid for, but they are still relevant on the iPad.)
My only questions are; keep with Orange / EE and get the 4G or migrate to 3 and get an all you can eat data allowance. I suppose the questions over buying or contract need addressing too…..
Have had my note 2 for 2 days now and it is awesome! I’ve been an iPhone addict until this baby came out and it looked to fulfill all my needs. It’s a very portable office and phone. I thought the size would feel strange making calls – but not at all. It’s sleek, comfortable and the size is perfect for text input. also the stylus is great and I love adding my handwritten notes instead of using the keyboard.Watching films and tv are fantastic and the graphics are spot on! It’s so fast and responsive too! I can’t fault it and my iPhone honeymoon is well and truly over thanks to this beauty. Apple are great, but the note 2 is a new breed and it works beautifully.
I was an iphone user & now i know what i was missing post owning my note 2, dont have words to describe its complex yet & customization abilities. Wow!! i dont need a tab now.
i am an iphone user ever since…i got iphone 5 and samsung galaxy note2 yesterday for me and my husband…keep on checking iphone 5 but still i don’t see any big difference at all…i need a new and an exciting phone!!! so i gave the iphone 5 to my husband and i got the Samsung note 2! yes! i got the right choice! there’s more into it!!! try it for yourself!!! amazing!!! it’s like a breath of fresh air! : )
I am going to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 when it comes my way to Canada. I used to have an iPhone 4 but when I saw the iPhone 5 I did not like it because nothing has changed much on the new iOS 6 compared to iOS4.
There is so much you can do with your fingers. Stylus will certainly add more functionalities. It mimics writing on a notebook. Businessman, students, journalists do that on a daily basis. No wonder the note II catches on. This will be the future of smart phones: Phone with a smart stylus that coupled as a bluetooth speaker.