Apple iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S II: Which Is the Greatest? Discussion

[Jen Edwards]

If you're new to the smartphone world, you may not know which way to go. Do you want an iPhone, which seems to be the "it" device that everyone wants, or do you want "the" high-end Android smartphone, the Galaxy S II? Read this head-to-head comparison to find out!

Read the full content of this Article: Apple iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S II: Which Is the Greatest?

Related Articles:

• Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket Review: 4G LTE for AT&T
• Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Samsung Epic 4G Touch: Sprint and T-Mobile Go Head-to-Head
• Samsung Galaxy S II Review: T-Mobile's Best Android Smartphone
• Apple iPhone 4S Review: The Best Gets Better
• Samsung Epic 4G Touch vs. HTC EVO 3D: Which Sprint Smartphone is Top Dog?
• Samsung Epic 4G Touch Review: Has It All

[Ed Hardy]

In case anyone is questioning it, this is an accurate comparison of the sizes of these two smartphones:

It's up to you to decide if one is too big or the other is too small.
-

[Girt]

Thank you for an excellent review. It may be the first one I've read on the iPhone and the latest Android that didn't have a bias one way or the other; refreshing.

[Drillbit]

Which Galaxy S2 is that? The plain AT&T Galaxy S2?

You have the plain AT&T version and the generic international version both with 4.3" screens. The AT&T version however, has four buttons and doesn't have the big center home button.

Then you have the Skyrocket, Epic 4G and Hercules, which all sports s 4.5" screen. Despite the jump in screen size, it seems the overall phone size didn't pick equal the difference, as the screen bottom seems to extend lower down the frame, allowed because the four buttons don't have as much vertical requirement as the center home button used on the international version.

Finally, we got the HD versions coming, like the Skyrocket HD, LTE HD in other countries, the generic Galaxy S2 HD. This uses the screen introduced with the Galaxy Nexus, with 4.65", HD resolution.

[Ed Hardy]

Which Galaxy S2 is that? The plain AT&T Galaxy S2?

The device in that image is Sprint's Epic 4G Touch. This version of the Galaxy S II has a 4.5-inch display. T-Mobile's version of this smartphone has the same size screen.

As you point out, AT&T's original version of this device has a smaller display.
-

[Varjak]

It's obviously subjective; but a 3.5" screen is just too small for me. The downgrade in real estate from my 4" screen would be too noticeable.

At the risk of causing yet more trouble; I think the description of 'brightness' is a bit confusing. I think the 'brightness' of these SAMOLED screens is from the contrast, not actual output of lumens or other measurement of brightness. I may be wrong, because I can't find a comparison of data with a quick search; but the difference between backlighting on the LCD screen v. the self-emitting nature of the OLED screens provides the difference in viewing in outside light. Usability-wise though, it's a useful note.

I'd also argue a bit about comparing them on storage memory capacity. The built-in nature of the iPhone memory might be a slight advantage; but the 64 GB model is $400 with a contract subsidy. Depending on current deals that's twice the price of the Skyrocket. This week, I saw that Frys has 32 GB microSDHC cards for $15 with mail-in rebate (in store). That makes a 48 GB Skyrocket very competitive in my mind.

[Deslock]

The various Galaxy S II devices have larger displays than the iPhone 4S, measuring 4.3-inches to 4.5-inches, with resolutions ranging from 480 x 600 to 480 x 800.

I'm unaware of any SGS2 480x600 phones (actually I don't know of any phones with that resolution). Is that by chance a typo?

The iPhone4/4s are fragile (glass back + metal ring = no shock absorption). Out of principle, I didn't get an iPhone 4 until Apple started offering free bumper cases (they did it because of antennagate, which I thought was sensationalized and overblown, but the free case addressed the fragility issue).

And not offering a removable battery was an acceptable trade-off when Apple had the thinnest, lightest design. The 4.3" SGS2 weighs only 4.3 ounces with a removable battery, and even the 4.65" non-LTE Galaxy Nexus weighs less than the iPhone. Apple needs to step up their game and make the next iPhone lighter with a larger battery and screen.

[Ed Hardy]

The various Galaxy S II devices have larger displays than the iPhone 4S, measuring 4.3-inches to 4.5-inches, with resolutions ranging from 480 x 600 to 480 x 800.

I'm unaware of any SGS2 480x600 phones (actually I don't know of any phones with that resolution). Is that by chance a typo?

I think she meant 640 x 480, though I was unable to find a version of the Galaxy S II that doesn't have an 800 x 480 display.
-

[weegie]

Would like to know the details of how Siri "blows" Googles voice services away.

And how a music player tied to proprietary 'mother ship' that supports less formats and bitrates is better.

Personally, Apples PIM and outlook integration is far more attractive for me, Android wants to tie everything to Google, and if you don't, your left with trying to piece together a convoluted mess of bits and pieces doing 'badly' what things used to do out of the box, the fact third parties are having such trouble giving users what they want, is proof Google is purposely making the 'non Google' way difficult for them to deliver....easily my No1 annoyance with android

The rest I agree with....in a simplistic sort of way, the two platforms on these devices are chalk and cheese on some pretty basic levels independent of what the hardware is.

[Drillbit]

The Woz seems to think that Google's voice services seem more accurate.