[citation][nom]bystander[/nom]As far as what we liked about my Android phone better than the iPhone:1) Widgets. These are vary handy for my work and getting info at a glance. I have my appointment schedule on my main page and I don't have to hunt around for that info. I also have clock/weather widget to allow me to see a lot of info without digging into any apps.2) 4Glte is very fast, about 4 times faster at downloading than his.3) The App store. This happened just before the official release of the new Android app store a couple months ago. I downloaded it ahead of time. This is obviously an opinion thing, but he liked it a lot.4) It has a much larger screen. I know you are comparing the Samsung galaxy, and it had a smaller screen (about the same as an iPhone), but the Thunderbolt has a bigger screen.I do know that our office manager has an Android Galaxy S now. She does experience problems I do not. She has a friend who has owned 3 other Samsung android phones as well and they all seem to share one problem that you might be associating with all Android phones. They seem to freeze up for a few seconds now and then. I was told it has to do with some special Samsung software that appears to have some bugs. However, HTC phones do not have this issue.These are my opinions, and I don't expect you to share all of them. However, a few of those items are hard to argue against.I would also note that when you compare phones with other people, the person with the most experience and know how with their phone, will often show their phone in a better light. My Thunderbolt may have over shadowed my nephews iPhone in part due to my knowledge of my phone. The same could be happening to you.[/citation]
Regarding widgets, the problem is that many of them drain the battery because they constantly reload / check data etc. For appointments, I get reminders which popup on the main screen in advance, or they are always just 1 click away. I'd prefer 1 click when you're having to press on the screen to unlock it anyway, for gaining battery life. Also, I think you should remember that whatever you have on your front page, it takes away space which may have been something else. For example, I have the standard iOS front page which gives me my custom links to 16 or however many apps. If I had my appointments listed there doing anything else with the phone would take more clicks.
Regarding download speed on 4G vs the dual-antenna iPhone 4S, I am reserving judgement until the Anandtech review of the iPhone 4S. Needless to say, 'my mate says X is faster' is not a compelling argument. Even if true, all phone download speeds vary by location. Theoretically, the dual antenna in the 4S can in some cases be as fast or faster than 4G. I also live in the UK, we don't have 4G coverage yet (the same as most countries), so the iPhone 4S may well be faster for us. It may also be faster for you, like I said I'll wait until there is objective and impartial analysis on that.
Regarding apps, the sheer volume of apps on the iPhone is what a lot of people like. I can watch Sky Sports using a Sky Sports app. There isn't one for Android. That's one of hundreds of situations where the option simply doesn't exist yet on Android (this is improving though). If you can find an app on Android, it's pretty much always on iPhone too, but the reverse isn't always true, in my experience.
Regarding the screen, I prefer a phone which has a smaller volume and fits properly in my pocket without massive bulges. The Samsung Galaxy S2 has a bigger volume and that is uncomfortable and looks silly in my opinion. I also like to use my phone as I walk along or as I hold something else, and 1 handed use is impossible on a bigger screen as my thumb can't reach the far edge. Of course, all of that is entirely opinion.
In general, my friends preferred the longer battery life, better design, higher security reputation, more apps, better PPI screen, they found it easier to use, many commented that the 4S feels a lot faster in day-to-day apps (which is backed up by the Anandtech benchmarks which show it being much faster), and things like the camera taking less time to take photos. They were also impressed with the fact that their friends who had iPhones recommended them, but their friends who had Android complained about freezing, poor battery life and a less responsive screen.
It's a very interesting discussion, and I guess it's just a question of what's important to you.