IPhone 5 or Android

[Guest]

Community,

We all have yet to see what the iPhone 5 and Android based phones will bring to the table this upcoming June. I had a iPhone 3G and have a 3GS and could not be happier. I will admit, I am jealous of the Widgets on Android based phones as well as the performance they have at the moment over the iPhone 4. I want to stay away from the iPhone 4, it may have a stronger back than a 3GS, but it's glass so it wont flex (the demo at AT&T has a cracked corner). The most important thing to me is the apps available to me and battery. That's probably the biggest reason I've stayed with iOS, granted with android you don't need to Jailbreak your device to get banned apps. THG has also published a story regarding Epic's view on android. Apple or Android Fanboy views set aside that's a big deal. Android could have the best hardware, but if it does not get titles with great graphics/gameplay that's a problem.

If anyone could counter my iPhone/Android statements or summarizes pros and cons of both it would be great. Also if someone knows of some great looking Android games coming out in the future let me know. I have an love/hate relationship with my Apple iPhones, but I know what to expect. I just don't want to make the switch to Android and regret it. I had a Galaxy tab and was bored with the app selection, but I only had it for a week (Tmo's tablet trial).

Let me know,

Thanks!

 

[buwish]

It's a tough call. If you have a love/hate relationship with the iPhone, I don't see any harm in trying out an Android phone for a week or 2 when you decide to move forward. Usually carriers will let you have a week or 2 with a phone before you're stuck with it, so perhaps going for an Android in the short term wouldn't be such a bad idea to start with.

 

[maxxum]

I just went from an iPhone 4s to an HTC One. These are some facts, particularly with my new HTC phone in mind. At the end I'll place my opinion's.

Pro's
Customizability (Widgets, Live Wallpapers, Launchers, etc...)
Big Beautiful Screen (HTC One)
Big Beautiful Sound (HTC One)
Tethering Apps (Have to be a little careful with AT&T)
Easier to work with other platforms (OS's, Networks, IT stuff)

Con's
No Centralized Management (See below)
Many apps are not as refined/optimized (See below)
Slower Charging Rate (See below)

I consume data and the HTC One excels at showing my my video's in razor sharp perfection and the audio really thumps. It's a media consumers wet dream, seriously. So, I'm happy with the drawbacks, but not everyone will be.

iPhone's are extremely easy to manage. You can restore a new iPhone to look and act exactly like your old phone in a manner of minutes. Backing up an Android device is a little more tricky, but even then, it would take a lot of time, effort, and skill to get things exactly the way there were (if at all). iPhone's can even be backup up and restored over WiFi in minutes. Not so with Android.

90% of the apps I use are in the Play Store. The problem is optimization; many Android apps still feel a little flaky, buggy, or jittery. Part of the reason is because newer Android phone's have so many pixels - apps touch regions are now smaller. That makes precise touches fickle. For instance, the Fox News app font size is way too small, even on the largest setting. It can be annoying sometimes. Sadly, the Android marketplace is still fragmented.

A recent study found that a good percent (30% I think) suffered from "man-in-the-middle" vulnerabilities because app creators didn't know enough about security to patch holes in the system. So, encrypt everything you hold important.

In short, if you value simplicity, easy of use, reliable updates, and a no fuss atmosphere, stick with Apple. If you are willing to sacrifice ease of use and some time, Android can be just as if no more fulfilling than an iOS device. I still use an iPad because the Android tablet market is horrible IMO.

Edit: Oops forgot to mention charging times. I think the iPhone 5 still holds the record for charging time and is in the top three for duration. The HTC One is a slow charger and it gets worse if I'm using the device while it does. I'd say two to three hours from near dead to fully charged on the One. The reason is because Apple is pumping more power into their battery than most other makers. Don't know if that's hurting the battery in the long run, but it's damn convenient when you can charge for fifteen minutes and be good for another hour and a half.

 

[rockdenim]

it's a comparison of iPhone 5 vs. Android phones but it doesn't say anything at all about the iPhone except that a new model is due out this year. This misleading headline is just tricking us into reading this Android ad! What a bogus headline!