Phones Considering an alternative to my iPhone 5S, with Kit Kat and good camera

[LincolnsiPod]

iOS7 has finally pushed me to start considering Droid alternatives. I'm using Verizon, so one of the things I'm looking for is a phone that doesn't suffer from a lack of fresh and incremental updates (so naturally it should have Kit Kat), with a camera equal or better than the iPhone's, and a crisp display.

I understand the Moto X seems to be a good choice here because Verizon has a good history of keeping Motorola products up to date, while Nexus gets little or no love. I'm looking at the HTC and Galaxy as well.

Ultimately though I'm wondering if I should forbear and see how the upcoming Galaxy S5 looks. Anyone else think that might be worth the wait?

 

[animalx]

iOS7 has finally pushed me to start considering Droid alternatives. I'm using Verizon, so one of the things I'm looking for is a phone that doesn't suffer from a lack of fresh and incremental updates (so naturally it should have Kit Kat), with a camera equal or better than the iPhone's, and a crisp display.

I understand the Moto X seems to be a good choice here because Verizon has a good history of keeping Motorola products up to date, while Nexus gets little or no love. I'm looking at the HTC and Galaxy as well.

Ultimately though I'm wondering if I should forbear and see how the upcoming Galaxy S5 looks. Anyone else think that might be worth the wait?

I wouldn't recommend getting into the waiting game. There's always another phone on the horizon. When the GS5 comes out, the next HTC flagship will be on the horizon. It never ends.

 

[LincolnsiPod]

I know, but we're so close enough to the probable release date of the S5 that it's got me curious to see what they'll do with it.

 

[dkersten]

On Verizon? Best bet would be one of the new phones from Moto... if you're looking for swift updates then the Moto X. The camera isn't great on any of these phones though

 

[animalx]

I know, but we're so close enough to the probable release date of the S5 that it's got me curious to see what they'll do with it.

And when it finally does come out, we'll be "close enough" to the release of the next HTC phone. From there, we'll be "close enough" to the release of another phone, and so on and so on..

 

[LincolnsiPod]

On Verizon? Best bet would be one of the new phones from Moto... if you're looking for swift updates then the Moto X. The camera isn't great on any of these phones though

Yeah, the Moto would have been the most logical choice except for the so-so camera. I'm an Instagram-addict and use a lot of camera shots for social media marketing, so a nice camera approaching Lumia quality (yet powered by Droid) would be awesome.

 

[3bs]

Yeah, the Moto would have been the most logical choice except for the so-so camera. I'm an Instagram-addict and use a lot of camera shots for social media marketing, so a nice camera approaching Lumia quality (yet powered by Droid) would be awesome.

If you're going to be an Android user you should start using the correct terminology

 

[LincolnsiPod]

If you're going to be an Android user you should start using the correct terminology

I've been Apple only for years, so I'm gonna be a n00b when it comes to alternatives for probably a long while.

 

[Chevelle]

The nexus 5 is the phone to get, but I don't think verizon supports it.

 

[3bs]

I've been Apple only for years, so I'm gonna be a n00b when it comes to alternatives for probably a long while.

Don't worry about that you'll get the hang of it in no time! Plus you have the good people of the alternatives section help out

 

[LincolnsiPod]

The nexus 5 is the phone to get, but I don't think verizon supports it.

Yeah a friend of mine got that and loves it. I did read that Verizon MIGHT offer it down the road, but it's definitely not a brand they enthusiastically support.

 

[jrswizzle]

iOS7 has finally pushed me to start considering Droid alternatives. I'm using Verizon, so one of the things I'm looking for is a phone that doesn't suffer from a lack of fresh and incremental updates (so naturally it should have Kit Kat), with a camera equal or better than the iPhone's, and a crisp display.

I understand the Moto X seems to be a good choice here because Verizon has a good history of keeping Motorola products up to date, while Nexus gets little or no love. I'm looking at the HTC and Galaxy as well.

Ultimately though I'm wondering if I should forbear and see how the upcoming Galaxy S5 looks. Anyone else think that might be worth the wait?

If your top criteria are timely, fresh updates, a great camera and crisp display - may I ask why you're leaving the iPhone in the first place?

You won't find a better camera than the 5s....I had different issues with both the HTC One Camera and GS4 camera. Both displays are brilliant, but nothing has compared to the camera on my 5s (heck even my 5's camera was better).

Seeing as you can't go Nexus (with Verizon) you're only REAL option IMO would be to wait for next year's flagships and decide between them.

 

[dkersten]

Yeah, the Moto would have been the most logical choice except for the so-so camera. I'm an Instagram-addict and use a lot of camera shots for social media marketing, so a nice camera approaching Lumia quality (yet powered by Droid) would be awesome.

If your top criteria are timely, fresh updates, a great camera and crisp display - may I ask why you're leaving the iPhone in the first place?

You won't find a better camera than the 5s....I had different issues with both the HTC One Camera and GS4 camera. Both displays are brilliant, but nothing has compared to the camera on my 5s (heck even my 5's camera was better).

Seeing as you can't go Nexus (with Verizon) you're only REAL option IMO would be to wait for next year's flagships and decide between them.

Unfortunately I'd have to agree. I don't think your optimal phone exists on Verizon. Maybe the LG G2 but the updates aren't going to be Apple/Nexus like. If you want to root, I think the G2 fits the good camera and nice screen criteria. However not having a G2 I don't know what the third party dev support is like for it. And honestly, only rooting one of my past phones, I don't know the stability of third party software updates. I think you may have to wait on next year's flagships if you need all the criteria met. If you can be flexible on some of the criteria the Moto offerings, LG G2, possibly even the iPhone 5s would suffice I think.

And if you don't mind me asking, what do you mean by social media marketing? Is it for a business or something?

 

[LincolnsiPod]

I'm sure it's been repeated ad infinitum before, but as much as I'm trying to get used to iOS 7 I don't care for the overly simplistic and garish new look. It's TOO minimal, clunky, ugly, and the aggravation of all that made me start playing with other phones just for comparison, and noticing the advantages of a infinitely more customizable interface, the superiority of Google Now as a personal assistant, the benefit of a file system where I'm not locked into limited forms of file management, and the openness of the OS.

A lot of these complaints might be resolved if I jailbreak the iPhone though, but since I've never done that before not sure how well that would work out for me.

 

[F123D]

A lot of these complaints might be resolved if I jailbreak the iPhone though, but since I've never done that before not sure how well that would work out for me.

It solves a lot of the problems. However, it adds a new set of problems. So far, no jailbreak is available yet. Once available, there's the issue with compatibility of jailbroken apps/tweaks. You'll also lose your ability for quick updates since that'll wipe the jailbreak if you update landing you back to stock.

 

[LincolnsiPod]

It solves a lot of the problems. However, it adds a new set of problems. So far, no jailbreak is available yet. Once available, there's the issue with compatibility of jailbroken apps/tweaks. You'll also lose your ability for quick updates since that'll wipe the jailbreak if you update landing you back to stock.

Yeah, there's a lot of tradeoffs I'd have to consider. If they release one early next year though I might give it a spin just to see how it goes.

 

[WilliamBateman]

The Galaxy S4 and Note 3 both have great cameras but no Kit Kat. I have a Note 3 running 4.3 and a Moto X running 4.4 on Verizon and I honestly can't tell any difference between the two. The days of the next Android version being a huge leap over the last are over.

 

[b166er]

May I ask, if you're looking for Lumia quality photos, why not go Lumia?

Android does have some obvious advantages over WP8, but there isn't a single Android phone that even comes close to the photo quality of any recent Lumia.

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I know, but we're so close enough to the probable release date of the S5 that it's got me curious to see what they'll do with it.

Are we? If trends continue, we're 5 or 6 months away.

 

[LincolnsiPod]

May I ask, if you're looking for Lumia quality photos, why not go Lumia?

Android does have some obvious advantages over WP8, but there isn't a single Android phone that even comes close to the photo quality of any recent Lumia.

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Are we? If trends continue, we're 5 or 6 months away.

I hate Windows, and after my last foray with using a Windows phone I swore I'd never go back to using one again. What a nightmare.

I know Lumia is an amazing camera, but I think I'd be happy enough with one that matches the quality of the iPhone or better.

 

[gotluck]

If verizon is a must (ugh ), IMO Moto X is the way to go

if you are willing to root and rom, LG G2 IMO

Changing to ATT/TMobile makes this a whole different question.

 

[blackhand1001]

Moto x is the only thing on verizon that I really like the skin on. I don't mind sense on the htc one that much but it doesn't have kit kat yet, although 4.3 vs 4.4 on skinned android really doesn't bring much.

 

[b166er]

I hate Windows, and after my last foray with using a Windows phone I swore I'd never go back to using one again. What a nightmare.

I know Lumia is an amazing camera, but I think I'd be happy enough with one that matches the quality of the iPhone or better.

Just my opinion, but I think the only camera phone better than iPhone is Lumia. I haven't found an Android phone that even comes close to either of them. I have a GS4 and the camera is awful, especially when compared to the other contenders.

 

[LincolnsiPod]

If verizon is a must (ugh ), IMO Moto X is the way to go

if you are willing to root and rom, LG G2 IMO

Changing to ATT/TMobile makes this a whole different question.

I'm going to go to a Verizon store next week and start playing with the Motos, just to compare.

I love Verizon, I travel all over and I never have a problem with service. A friend of mine recently switched from Apple to Nexus and LOVES his phone, but then again he's on AT&T, so.

 

[blackhand1001]

Just my opinion, but I think the only camera phone better than iPhone is Lumia. I haven't found an Android phone that even comes close to either of them. I have a GS4 and the camera is awful, especially when compared to the other contenders.

You must be using it wrong. Also the LG g2 has a much better camera than the iphone as well.

 

[Gaidin43]

Considering an alternative to my iPhone 5S, with Kit Kat and good camera

I currently have an iPhone 5 and a nexus 7 2013. Since getting my Nexus 7 I had considered this switch over to android from Apple. I have had an iPhone since the iPhone 3G got the iPhone 4 and now the iPhone 5. I may hold out for the iPhone 6 to see if the screen is larger and offered any vast improvement. However the Nexus 5 is very tempting to buy out right and sell my iPhone 5 to pay it off.

I am with AT&T and the Nexus 5 is a viable option. I would rather not get a Samsung mainly because of the skin that's on it and all the extra bloatware. But the galaxy S5 is definitely an option even go to galaxy S4 very nice as well.

The fact that AT&T doesn't allow unlimited tethering and the iPhone cannot tether without being jailbroken otherwise starting to push me away into android.

After having used both ecosystem iOS 7 is more polished in a little smoother but you are much more limited in what you can do any options of customization.