which phone to buy

[mdwest]

so Im one of those guys that hangs on to a phone for far too long.. and doesnt keep up with whats "best", "new", or "cool" very well...

I had a blackberry from 2004-2010.. then switched over to an iphone in 2010 after my wife got one and I saw the value in some of the apps you could get (bbry didnt have much in the way of apps or tools 3 years ago)...

The iphone is now on its last leg... and its about time to upgrade....

Im considering just sticking with the same platform.. and just picking up an iphone 5....

but have also thought about switching over to a driod (samsung galaxy II maybe?)..

I primarily use the phone as a business tool... I use it as a scanner and fax when I am on the road.. I use the mapquest app as my primary GPS when traveling.. I spend A LOT of time on the phone (battery life is a big deal).. I also use it to review documents quite a bit (word, powerpoint, excel, etc..) when I am away from my desk... I dont do a whole lot of gaming on the phone.. and I honestly prefer the laptop for forum browsing over using the phone (although tapatalk has certainly made using the phone a whole lot easier..)..

I am assuming the droid is as well supported as the iphone at this point when it comes to apps being available?

I also like the size of the screen on the galaxy III... I dont mind a bigger sized phone.. as long as it will fit in a front pocket, I am cool with it..

it looks like both the purchase price of the phone (I can get one for free from ATT.. I'll have to pay for an iphone5).. and the data package on the galaxy are cheaper too...

Is there any reason I shouldnt go with the droid and just stick with the iphone?

 

[Evan]

Have you seen the Galaxy S4, it was just released this, or last week? It's pretty impressive!
I have an iPhone 4S and am not sure if ill be moving to Samsung or not.
The biggest and most noticeable difference, besides the OS, is the size of the screen.
Both phones are excellent but if you find yourself wanting a bigger screen, go for the S4. If screen size doesn't matter I'd say go with the IPhone 5, then you won't have to learn anything new and it will be a very smooth transition.

 

[Vicster]

You really cannot go wrong with any of the top phones today. I know a lot of people that switched to a Droid and loved them and some who hated them. It's a matter of personal taste. I stayed with the iPhone because I am a Mac person and the iPhone always works and is consistent. I feel in my opinion that the iPhones are a better built unit and very rarely have issues related to hardware or software. That being said, I bet many will chime in with a completely different opinion.

 

[jmartins]

MD I'm in the same boat as you I keep my phones for to long I went from blackberry to iPhone also.

It depends on your personal preference really. I have my iPhone and I don't think ill move over to the droid because it is the first versions with such big screens so I wait to see how it goes and develops. Also apple is coming out with a new phone also.

Just saying wait and see what comes out after the electronics show.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[mdwest]

I didnt realize there was a new galaxy out there...

assuming the galaxy is equally well supported with business type apps as the iphone.. I think I would really like the bigger screen.. Ive been thinking about picking up another tablet (I crushed my ipad about 8 months ago and havent bothered to replace it).. I was thinking the larger phone screen might be a good compromise.. (large enough to read books, documents, etc.. but small enough to still work as a phone)..

 

[mwlabel]

The Galaxy was going to be my next phone, but I was forced into a Motorola something or other by powers greater than I.
The S3 or S4 should keep you extremely happy.

 

[AdamJoshua]

I had an S3 and some issues with it, google play and the shear amount of cr-apps out there, battery life, the cheap plastic feel in my hand. I went to the iPhone and haven't been this happen with a technology product in a long time.

 

[Hoshneer]

I love my S3 and there a ton of accessories for it including a 7000 mah battery that lasts me 2 days. The S4 is awesome as hell but the S3 is cheaper now and there are more accessories for it. I am DROID all the way. The iPhone is a good bet if your familier with it but I love being able to keep extra batteries. I am a heavy user though.

 

[pbibby]

I love my S3 and there a ton of accessories for it including a 7000 mah battery that lasts me 2 days. The S4 is awesome as hell but the S3 is cheaper now and there are more accessories for it. I am DROID all the way. The iPhone is a good bet if your familier with it but I love being able to keep extra batteries. I am a heavy user though.

Not to jack, but wanna pm me about those batteries? You have me intrigued....

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2 because, you know, I love Tapatalk 2.

 

[mdwest]

the ability to carry spare batteries is very attractive to me...

right now I use a mophie for the iphone..

it provides extra battery life.. but its starting to loose its ability to keep a charge as well...

and while I dont think Ill mind a phone that is wider and longer like the galaxy... the mophie makes the iphone thick and heavy (something I dont care for)...

 

[YodisMatt]

If you decide to go the iPhone way wait out a little longer as word of the 6 is right around the corner. Also as far as I know there are far more apps for OSX rather then Droid.

 

[Solarius99]

I've used both iPhones and Android phones since the first iPhone came out. I've switched back and forth (OG iPhone to iPhone 3G to Moto Droid X to iPhone 4S to currently the Galaxy S3) over the years. The iPhones are good solid phones. They do most of what casual users want and they work. There is a lot to be said for a monolithic tightly controlled platform like IOS is for Apple. The Android platforms on the other hand can be mixed. If you go with something like the S3 you'll have a solid phone. Mine has only had issues a couple of times, but that is more because I root, mod, and run custom roms on my S3 (and occasionally brick it through a bad load, though I can recover). I didn't like the iPhone because I couldn't tweak it without a jailbreak and jailbreak just isn't that much better. The biggest issue going from IOS to Android or vice versa is all those apps you bought don't go with you. So you have to rebuy any apps on the new platform. Ultimately it comes down to user preference, cost, and general look and feel. Just don't get the cheapy or free phones that you never heard of. iPhone 5 or Galaxy S3 (I'd MAYBE get the S4 because its new, but as with anything new on the shelf there could be some bugs for a little bit while they get any of the minor annoyances out of the way).

And as for waiting... there are always rumors that the next phone is around the corner. Don't wait unless the company announces it. iPhone 5 just came out last fall... typical Apple release schedule is now 12 months... so probably no new iPhone until Oct and then it could be a 5S as opposed to a 6.

Goto your local store... play with it... see what you like best. Most apps for IOS are available for Android and vice versa. If you EVER like to tweak or want to be able to do things not normally done... IOS is lockdown city and you won't be able to do it. Thats when you go with the Android platform.

 

[StogieNinja]

I bought an iPhone 4s. I too never keep up with the latest and greatest, and my policy has always been to buy a generation behind. So much cheaper that way.

Get a Morphie Juice pack. You can get them for around $30 if you look. If I know I'm going to be going heavy on the usage, that Juice Pack will double the life of the battery. If I'm just going to work and going home, I'll leave it off.

 

[YodisMatt]

I bought an iPhone 4s. I too never keep up with the latest and greatest, and my policy has always been to buy a generation behind. So much cheaper that way.

That was my intent with waiting out if you can. When the 6 or whatever apple releases next comes out you can save on the 5.

 

[el_guapo13]

if you must have a new phone now, i would go with the retina screen display + great battery life = iPhone 5. otherwise wait for the new iPhone to come out sometime later in the year. can't beat reliability & performance

 

[Hoshneer]

I've used both iPhones and Android phones since the first iPhone came out. I've switched back and forth (OG iPhone to iPhone 3G to Moto Droid X to iPhone 4S to currently the Galaxy S3) over the years. The iPhones are good solid phones. They do most of what casual users want and they work. There is a lot to be said for a monolithic tightly controlled platform like IOS is for Apple. The Android platforms on the other hand can be mixed. If you go with something like the S3 you'll have a solid phone. Mine has only had issues a couple of times, but that is more because I root, mod, and run custom roms on my S3 (and occasionally brick it through a bad load, though I can recover). I didn't like the iPhone because I couldn't tweak it without a jailbreak and jailbreak just isn't that much better. The biggest issue going from IOS to Android or vice versa is all those apps you bought don't go with you. So you have to rebuy any apps on the new platform. Ultimately it comes down to user preference, cost, and general look and feel. Just don't get the cheapy or free phones that you never heard of. iPhone 5 or Galaxy S3 (I'd MAYBE get the S4 because its new, but as with anything new on the shelf there could be some bugs for a little bit while they get any of the minor annoyances out of the way).

And as for waiting... there are always rumors that the next phone is around the corner. Don't wait unless the company announces it. iPhone 5 just came out last fall... typical Apple release schedule is now 12 months... so probably no new iPhone until Oct and then it could be a 5S as opposed to a 6.

Goto your local store... play with it... see what you like best. Most apps for IOS are available for Android and vice versa. If you EVER like to tweak or want to be able to do things not normally done... IOS is lockdown city and you won't be able to do it. Thats when you go with the Android platform.

Well said.... I think me and you are pretty much the same. I run custom roms on a daily basis sometimes. Oh, the trouble I get myself in...

One thing extra. If you do buy a S3, I suggest Best Buy. Granted they will mess up you bill and are idiots sometimes but they have the best warranty in the business. $0 on the phone and it covers accessories. I called a week after I bought the phone to replace headphones I stupidly broke and they sent me new headphones and a new charger and battery just to be nice. You can't beat that! You can always work out the bill with your company afterwards if they jack it up. It is worth the hassle of not having a $200 deductible to replace the phone.

 

[Hoshneer]

I will say this, most people equate a bad reputation with android because they get the freebie phone or low end phone. The S3 or Note 2 and even the new HTC phones go hand to hand with IPhone even on battery life. In a way having a open source product has tarnished the devices.

 

[Robertsndr68]

Based on a couple of your top concerns:
Screen size: HTC One =Sgs3/4 > IPhone5
GPS: Any droid vastly superior to iPhone
Battery life: based on my extensive experience with droids iPhone probably gets the nod there unless HTC One or the SGS3/4 has done something drastically different.
Apps: anything you can get on iPhone tou can get on a droid for free.

My .02¢.

 

[AdamJoshua]

IOS is not lockdown city you can jailbreak it quite easy, for such a long post you sure did screw the pooch at the end, makes me question your actual use of an iphone.

 

[Martin3203]

IMHO I think the iPhone is more user friendly. More straight forward on how to do things.

If you want customization and a personality for your phone, then Droid is the way to go. But, you can also customize your iPhone with a simple jailbreak.

I've had 3 iPhones already and loved them all.