Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

4wdwrx

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2012
116
26
I just left android, and tmobile, for the iPhone 4s. I'm already missing the large screen I had on my Htc sensation. I am now on sprint, but am within my 14 days. I am seriously considering the GS3. Has anyone here been able to see a GS3 work and compare with their iPhone 4s?

Here's your chance to speak your mind. Let's forget whether iOS is better than android, let's focus on how well each phone works. How many others are feeling the same way? I've got the new iPad, so I'm leaning toward the gs3 since its android and I've got a taste of ios with my iPad.

So far, missing the widgets, live wallpaper, and size!

I switched from a Droid 3 (verizon) to 4s. The 4s is much much better than my Droid 3, but I do miss some features on Android.

This is no comparison, the Galaxy S3 is superior.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,738
6,109
As for switching back, id rather not since it would cost me over $100 in fees to do so with sprint. $36 activation fee (non refundable) each time a new phone is activated, plus $35.00 restocking fee. That and I bought a $40.00 Seidio surface case+clip.

How about listing strengths that the Iphone 4s has over the GS3? Most here have had their Iphone for a year almost, and few here may have switched to the GS3. If the GS3 is that much better, I could take the $100 hit and switch to it.

I dont care for specs. I care for real world use and experience. Id like to hear from people WITH the Iphone 4s and ESPECIALLY those that also have had experience with the GS3 (played with it, know someone with it, ect).

This isnt a "I switched to the GS3 and it is better than your Iphone 4s so na na na" thread. Its a "I gave the GS3 a spin and here is why I am sticking with the Iphone 4s".

real world experience.....everything was easier for me with the iphone b.c the apple eco system. I have appletv, a mac, airport express, and I buy a lot of things at the apple store (the easy checkout is awesome!). A phone is more than just a phone when it is tied to every device in your house, and the alternative google products (nexus Q and android tablets) and trash compared to ATV and ipads.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

4wdwrx

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2012
116
26
Why should we (or anyone) try to convince you?

You said yourself what you like and what you miss. You can make up your own mind.

Even if anyone "convinces" you otherwise, you'll still end up missing the big screen and other perks and always wonder if it would have been better if you went with the S3.

People read magazine reviews and other owner reviews to decide a purchase. Why could the OP not get suggestions and user reviews from you guys? Unless this is a not a enthusiast site but a fan site ;)

Good you have a true non-biased 4s user here. I would wait to see what the iphone 5 has in store.
But since you need to decide quickly, without doubt the mighty Galaxy S3.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,738
6,109
People read magazine reviews and other owner reviews to decide a purchase. Why could the OP not get suggestions and user reviews from you guys? Unless this is a not a enthusiast site but a fan site ;)

agreed. I can see how the title may make people butt hurt, but he really is just asking for opinions about the two phones. Yes, there are a ton of threads, but it is a forum and another thread does not kill anyone.

+1
 

Mrg02d

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 27, 2012
1,102
2
agreed. I can see how the title may make people butt hurt, but he really is just asking for opinions about the two phones. Yes, there are a ton of threads, but it is a forum and another thread does not kill anyone.

+1

I guess the title does look a bit like a "This phone sucks and so do you" thread....I didnt mean it that way. I like my Iphone 4s, but this is going to wind up a 2 year deal and want to make sure I made the right choice while I still have time to turn back (although Ill have to pay an extra $71.00 in fees to do so).

I just didnt realize how small the screen is on these things. You really need to use one for more than 10mins to understand what you are getting in to. The GS3 is very large and is android. My experience with android is that it sucks, badly but I see these articles describing the GS3 as being an outstanding job of android.

I feel like I left the party before it got good. :mad:
 

xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
11,027
5,488
192.168.1.1
I guess the title does look a bit like a "This phone sucks and so do you" thread....I didnt mean it that way. I like my Iphone 4s, but this is going to wind up a 2 year deal and want to make sure I made the right choice while I still have time to turn back (although Ill have to pay an extra $71.00 in fees to do so).

I just didnt realize how small the screen is on these things. You really need to use one for more than 10mins to understand what you are getting in to. The GS3 is very large and is android. My experience with android is that it sucks, badly but I see these articles describing the GS3 as being an outstanding job of android.

I feel like I left the party before it got good. :mad:
The GS3 is a very, very nice device. No doubt about it. Probably the best Android phone yet. I'm using a white Verizon LTE model right now in fact. It's fast, smooth and the VZW LTE really zooms. And for a mobile device with a 4.8" screen (basically the size of the entire iPhone itself), it has very good battery life. Excellent camera (imaging element and OS's camera software).

It all comes down to your OS preference.

However, when all tallied up, feature for feature, I (me, I, myself) think the GS3 probably bests the iPhone 4S - though who knows about the iPhone "5". I'd presume Apple still has some surprises in store.

But again, it's personal preference. These are two very high-end devices... best in their respective categories. Which one is better is a mater of personal choice.
 

NikeTalk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 5, 2010
598
7
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has much better screen real estate and it's also a much faster phone. I would go for the Samsung Galaxy S3.

If you use the Samsung Galaxy S3 for 5 minutes and then go back to your iPhone, you'll first reaction will be how crowded everything is on the iPhone.
Yea the S3 rocks! All my iPhone friends thought I would come crawling back but I don't even really think twice about Apple now. When I pick up my iPhone 4 I find myself holding it really close to my face now and it just looks so tiny and not to mention trying to go back to 3G after experiencing LTE!
 

Mrg02d

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 27, 2012
1,102
2
Yea the S3 rocks! All my iPhone friends thought I would come crawling back but I don't even really think twice about Apple now. When I pick up my iPhone 4 I find myself holding it really close to my face now and it just looks so tiny and not to mention trying to go back to 3G after experiencing LTE!

See, Im on sprint and all we have is 3G right now. I also have the new Ipad. How well do these things hold their value? I probably could sell the Iphone later if I am not happy and buy a used GS3 huh? Probably even an even swap too and not have to pay any fees since a used one should have been activated on Sprint at some point. I guess I have a few months before the price drops due to Iphone 5 (which I am not excited about).

Maybe I will Jailbreak the iphone, add some eye candy, and see how I feel in a month?
 

NikeTalk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 5, 2010
598
7
iPhones hold value really well so you should be able to get a fair price for it. Not too sure what the Sprint ones are going for compared to GSM but I assume it can't be off too much more.
 

Mrg02d

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 27, 2012
1,102
2
iPhones hold value really well so you should be able to get a fair price for it. Not too sure what the Sprint ones are going for compared to GSM but I assume it can't be off too much more.

Maybe I could get Sprint to unlock it and up the value since I would be adding a phone back (not ending service early). Iphones are all the same, just locked to different carriers right? (Ive got a slot for a SIM on mine despite Sprint being CDMA). Id just need it unlocked and in good condition/fairly new.

Anyone here Jailbroken the Iphone 4s? Maybe another reason to stick it out with the Iphone 4s for now?In other words, would you be more inclined to stick with the 4s jailbroken rather than stock over getting the GS3?

----------

I agree with one of the comments here. "It all depends to your OS preference".

Both work fine, except Android has the eye candy I love. In the past, this eye candy was also the demise of Android as noone wanted to do it right. Just release a new phone every 3 months, whereas Apple spends a year doing it right. Now, from what I see, Samsung decided to do it right. Too bad I didnt think to check it out first. (I wasnt aware Sprint had the GS3 when I got the 4s).
 

daveathall

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2010
2,379
1,410
North Yorkshire
I switched to the GS3 a month ago and really like the phone, no regrets switching from the 4s. After using a phone with a larger screen I would have a hard time going back to the iphone. Only thing that was tricky was getting the S3 to sync with all my Apple products but there are apps for that.

Exactly the same for me.
 

4wdwrx

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2012
116
26
Definitely go for the GS3. If you jailbreak the iphone to make it more Android, you would be disappointed, because at the end of the day, it won't look as good and still stuck with a small screen.

I don't like to jailbreak my 4s because I like it how it is right now. But there is no reason to jailbreak, when you can go to an Android phone. It just doesn't make sense, cause the whole point of jailbreaking was to get the features from the Android, iphone users would like.
 

Mrg02d

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 27, 2012
1,102
2
Definitely go for the GS3. If you jailbreak the iphone to make it more Android, you would be disappointed, because at the end of the day, it won't look as good and still stuck with a small screen.

I don't like to jailbreak my 4s because I like it how it is right now. But there is no reason to jailbreak, when you can go to an Android phone. It just doesn't make sense, cause the whole point of jailbreaking was to get the features from the Android, iphone users would like.

Yea, but at this point, Id have to pay $35.00 restocking fee, $36.00 to activate the GS3 (all on top of me already paying $36.00 to activate the 4s), and $40.00 for a new case+clip (minus whatever I could get from selling my current one). I really wish I knew Sprint had the GS3 before I got the 4s. I was on Tmobile with a highly rooted HTC Sensation. Great phone, but I moved to where Tmobile is near awful. My parents have Sprint and I offered to take over their spare line (which had been upgradeable for a long time). I got the 4s and saw a commercial for the GS3 for Sprint and was all "uh oh". Looked up the reviews (on my 4s of all things) and began to question my decision.
 

4wdwrx

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2012
116
26
Yea, but at this point, Id have to pay $35.00 restocking fee, $36.00 to activate the GS3 (all on top of me already paying $36.00 to activate the 4s), and $40.00 for a new case+clip (minus whatever I could get from selling my current one). I really wish I knew Sprint had the GS3 before I got the 4s. I was on Tmobile with a highly rooted HTC Sensation. Great phone, but I moved to where Tmobile is near awful. My parents have Sprint and I offered to take over their spare line (which had been upgradeable for a long time). I got the 4s and saw a commercial for the GS3 for Sprint and was all "uh oh". Looked up the reviews (on my 4s of all things) and began to question my decision.

Kind of the same deal with me, but a few months earlier. I just decided to live with it for now. I don't do hardcore gaming, nor watch movies. The 4s is for me right now a perfect size for checking email, web, and ipod.

If you sell it you probably only gonna get around $400 and then since you used your upgrade, you'll have to pay full price on another phone.

If you exchange it, I would think of the fees as paying $300 for GS3 rather than $200. my 2 cents.
 

skidbubble

macrumors 6502
May 17, 2010
330
0
I cannot, in good faith, convince you to stay with an inferior product. My conscience wont allow it.
 

jonhcox

macrumors regular
Apr 15, 2010
219
33
North Carolina
I'm listening to Spotify on my GS3 right now but sometime over the next two weeks I plan to return it and wait for the new iPhone. As far as power is concerned it's a truly fast phone. It would be faster if it were running stock Jelly Bean, but that's not going to happen with Samsung. Not while this crap called Touchwiz exists. Plus, I REALLY like Google Now and offline speech to text and I can almost guarantee that it won't make it to the GS3, not while S-Voice is here. S-Voice sucks. Siri wasn't much better, but with iOS 6 the integration was going to be more complete. Maps is a wash- both get you from one place to another. And in 3D now. On my 4s I was running a beta of iOS6 and I found Maps to be about the same across both platforms.

I have beef's with messaging. I enjoyed being on the group texts at work, the ones where we all sit in the cubes and be open, brutally honest and pretty nasty. And if you weren't in the "know" you never knew about it. You had to get invited. I liked iMessage for that. I've tried 3 different messaging apps and haven't found one that works as well or as smoothly. I'm running Apex as my launcher and it stutters occasionally. Probably because it's running over Touchwiz. The size of the phone is great, has great battery life too.

Partly, I blame my friends. They all have iPhones and I feel more connected thanks to iMessage and to be honest, I like the way Notes now syncs to Mountain Lion. I take a prolific amount of notes in my weekly meetings and I don't use Evernote, so the sync function is pretty big. The Galaxy S3 is a GREAT phone. I love it, but the Apple ecosystem has me pretty well in their corner. I also prefer iCloud and the backing up and syncing.

The best thing about all this is that I know where I stand. I tried the GS3 and have no negative things to say about it. It just didn't fit in with me as well as the iPhone and iOS functionality. So for the OP, it's just about deciding which works best for you. It's very easy to be swayed by a large, excellent display, tons of horsepower, superb battery life and a different experience.

As a side note- the 4S feels positively tiny now and not in a good way. Looking forward to a larger form factor. Too bad I gave the 4S to my wife. Have to use a very crappy go phone in the interim weeks leading up to the new iPhone release.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,072
689
High quality apps, consistent software updates, devices are supported for several major updates, great customer support, consistent performance and fluidity.

Hahaha.

Consistent software updates, but you don't get siri nor turn by turn navigation in the iPhone 4, 3gs and iPad 2. But you will great new awesome state of the art Facebook integration and a few new options for safari and mail... oh, and yeah, facetime 3g.

I love Apple updates.

Meanwhile, on Android land. I already have all of those, and I will get Google now and Google new voice search.

Just sayin...
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
I just cant believe you left T-Mobile for Sprint. Dont care what anyone says, Sprint stinks!
As for the phone, i dont care which one you use....but the GS3 is nice ;)
 

Hastings101

macrumors 68020
Jun 22, 2010
2,355
1,482
K
If you need strangers a forum to convince you to use a product because you're not satisfied with it chances are you'd be happier with a different product :p
 

Wrathwitch

macrumors 65816
Dec 4, 2009
1,303
55
High quality apps, consistent software updates, devices are supported for several major updates, great customer support, consistent performance and fluidity.

Hahaha.

Consistent software updates, but you don't get siri nor turn by turn navigation in the iPhone 4, 3gs and iPad 2. But you will great new awesome state of the art Facebook integration and a few new options for safari and mail... oh, and yeah, facetime 3g.

I love Apple updates.

Meanwhile, on Android land. I already have all of those, and I will get Google now and Google new voice search.

Just sayin...

I never EVER thought I would side with Battling on anything he had to say, but Sensamic, regardless of what you think about the updates, they are PROMPT and every iPhone gets them (excluding older and non supported devices which usually does have at least one or two features included). There is no waiting for Sprint, Telus or whatever carrier to dick around with the software that Google provides them and then finally pass it on to the users.

That was one of the MAJOR reasons I was scared to switch to Android, I had to test the phone to make sure I liked the device AS IS, in the off chance I would be waiting for the second coming of christ to get the updates!

Also, customer service is second to none. Samsung isn't offering anything resembling Applecare, nor do they have a large influx of stores that deal solely with their products.

Also consistent performance and fluidity is a truth also, whether you like it or not. One of the problems with Android (some consider it a strength) is that several manufacturers, use the software, don't best optimize it for the hardware and leave customers hanging because they can't be bothered to address issues: a perfect example of this is the stupid brightness slider newly made available on the GS3 that the European customers got and yet there is no sign of it for North American customers. And certainly not in Canada although we share the same model number as Sprint phones. If it was Apple, everyone across the board would have gotten that incremental performance update.

Just sayin....
 

batting1000

macrumors 604
Sep 4, 2011
7,464
1,874
Florida
Apple is no longer innovating and is just going "me-too!"

Siri? Copied off Android 2.0's voice actions.
Notification center? Another balant ripoff.
Apple Maps? "Google Maps? Me-too!".
Passbook? Android has NFC now, what are they going to do? Proprietary format!
iMessage? Copied off tons of the apps.
Volume button for shutter? Again, copied off Android and an App apple even banned.
Larger screen? Copy copy copy.

You can see how Android is leading the way in innovation while Apple is just ripping them off, pretty-ifying it, and then suing Android manufacturers. Apple used to have a significant edge when Android was copying iOS. Now, the roles are reversed.

This is the beginning of Apple's second PC era. Closed platforms only work until open platforms pops up. The more devices and openness of android means more innovation and a better experience, while locked down, integrated platforms are doomed. With no Steve Jobs to save Apple, they're heading on a bad track.

Awww, we're still playing the copying game? Seriously, get over it. Companies copy each other all the time and Apple isn't the first one to do it.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,072
689
I never EVER thought I would side with Battling on anything he had to say, but Sensamic, regardless of what you think about the updates, they are PROMPT and every iPhone gets them (excluding older and non supported devices which usually does have at least one or two features included). There is no waiting for Sprint, Telus or whatever carrier to dick around with the software that Google provides them and then finally pass it on to the users.

That was one of the MAJOR reasons I was scared to switch to Android, I had to test the phone to make sure I liked the device AS IS, in the off chance I would be waiting for the second coming of christ to get the updates!

Also, customer service is second to none. Samsung isn't offering anything resembling Applecare, nor do they have a large influx of stores that deal solely with their products.

Also consistent performance and fluidity is a truth also, whether you like it or not. One of the problems with Android (some consider it a strength) is that several manufacturers, use the software, don't best optimize it for the hardware and leave customers hanging because they can't be bothered to address issues: a perfect example of this is the stupid brightness slider newly made available on the GS3 that the European customers got and yet there is no sign of it for North American customers. And certainly not in Canada although we share the same model number as Sprint phones. If it was Apple, everyone across the board would have gotten that incremental performance update.

Just sayin....

Im not saying Apple updates are bad... just they are not that great as people make it seem.

As for android updates, we all know what we are getting when we buy an android phone, but... most of these features iOS is JUST getting we already have on android, so... whats best? To wait years to have this updates and get a lot of updates or having them already and always be ahead in software but with less updates?

Its kind of an illusion. Yes, you get more updates in iOS, but the features they are just getting we already have! Think about it. We may have less updates, but even in ICS we are still way ahead of iOS 6.

And I can have JB today if I want if I root, just not that in a hurry since ICS is way better than iOS.
 

batting1000

macrumors 604
Sep 4, 2011
7,464
1,874
Florida
Hahaha.

Consistent software updates, but you don't get siri nor turn by turn navigation in the iPhone 4, 3gs and iPad 2. But you will great new awesome state of the art Facebook integration and a few new options for safari and mail... oh, and yeah, facetime 3g.

I love Apple updates.

Meanwhile, on Android land. I already have all of those, and I will get Google now and Google new voice search.

Just sayin...

By consistent I meant prompt and expected. There really is no such thing as a delay when it comes to iPhone updates. It's the smaller and minor stuff in iOS which make it great. An example would be with the HTC Desire where both Telus and HTC said it wasn't getting ICS, then they said it was, then it wasn't when there are phones with similar specs getting ICS. Heck, the Rezound JUST got ICS and it didn't even have Sense 4.0 even though it has a dual-core proccesor and a GB of RAM. If I want the newer version of Sense, I gotta get a One X. If I want the new TouchWiz, I gotta get a Galaxy S3, even though the S2 can handle it. When Google announces a new update (which they do inconsistently), it could be months before devices get the update (except for Nexuses) and even then companies won't announce the update is coming until a few days before. Manufacturers don't even beta test and they usually can't because they put the newer and better software on the newest device.

You just can't sit here and tell me Google and other Android software manufacturers handle OS updates BETTER than iOS because it's not true. I'm not talking about the features of them (I wasn't in the first place), I'm talking about how they handle them.

----------

Im not saying Apple updates are bad... just they are not that great as people make it seem.

As for android updates, we all know what we are getting when we buy an android phone, but... most of these features iOS is JUST getting we already have on android, so... whats best? To wait years to have this updates and get a lot of updates or having them already and always be ahead in software but with less updates?

Its kind of an illusion. Yes, you get more updates in iOS, but the features they are just getting we already have! Think about it. We may have less updates, but even in ICS we are still way ahead of iOS 6.

And I can have JB today if I want if I root, just not that in a hurry since ICS is way better than iOS.

That's thing, you gotta hack the phone to run the latest OS update. It may not sound ridiculous to you, but to most average consumers, it does because no one should have to do that. Then you gotta rely on a developer to update your phone and then sometimes you gotta wipe everything and sometimes there's a new update every day or every Friday, etc and it becomes a hassle for people who aren't all that tech savvy. XDA is just a minority. Rooting is just an excuse for not having the latest update. I can just bet there are more people using iOS 6 (which is still in beta) now than Android 4.1.x and 4.0.x combined.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.