Phones Help Me Decide, Galaxy Nexus now or wait for iPhone 5

[carbonmotion]

Help me decide whether I should get a Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean or wait for Apple iPhone 5. My contract expires in 2 mo.

I've owned the first two generations of the iPhone, but I switched to the droid series devices because I went to Verizon.

On the one hand, I'd like to get an iPhone 5 because it has a great camera and beautiful industrial design. It finally has navigation. It is also a global phone, which comes in handy once or twice a year when I travel abroad.

On the other hand, I really like Android's ability to play Flash video because i have to constant watch flash videos for work, I use Google Voice and Gmail religiously, and having played with Jelly Bean this week, I think Google's new voice assistant beat Siri hands down. I also like android's ability to play any kind of video format from memory. Lastly, Google's Navigation is undeniably really great. It's also a lot cheaper compared to an iPhone ($50 on Wirefly).

The downside for getting a Galaxy Nexus is that the camera is awful and the build quality is extremely lacking. It is also not a global phone, so presumably, I will have to buy a GSM Nexus to compensate.

I would really appreciate it if you guys could give me your opinion and help me think about this purchase. I believe time may be of the essence due to the recent in junction against the Nexus.

 

[Vegastouch]

Depends if you want a small screen with an inferior OS or not.

Another thing to think about. The new iPhone comes out in September, or October. The Nexus line will have 5 new devices. One for each carrier in celebration of 5 years of Android phones which is said to be coming in November.

 

[MrKennedy]

Wirelessly posted

I, too, am interested in trying out Android with a Nexus device. I'd wait for the next iPhone AND Nexus before deciding. iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus are both approaching the 1yr mark and are both set to be replaced by new hardware. If you can wait 2 months to finish your contract, you can wait few more months for the next devices

 

[blackhand1001]

Get the nexus. The jellybean update is excellent (no lag) and the camera is still decent. Outdoors the pictures are excellent. The video recording and the microphone are top notch too. The build quality is still quite good. It feels solid and there's no creaking. Nothing like the nexus s which I thought felt cheap. It also can take a much worse fall before breaking. Apple products might feel solid but they are not durable at all. I would call that a strike against its build quality. The front camera on the nexus is also much much better than the iphones and iPads. Overall I am extremely happy with my Verizon nexus and would still buy it today even with the newer phones like the s3 out.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Buy the Nexus. Then sell it when the iPhone 5 hits. You know you'll switch again anyways.

 

[blackhand1001]

Buy the Nexus. Then sell it when the iPhone 5 hits. You know you'll switch again anyways.

I think he might end up keeping it. I have this phone for like 8 months now and still don't have the desire to upgrade even with phones like the s3 coming out. I have an iPad 2 but I still ordered the nexus 7. I like and rod 4.1 way more than iOS.

 

[carbonmotion]

Buy the Nexus. Then sell it when the iPhone 5 hits. You know you'll switch again anyways.

ROFL, but I suffered through all the crummy versions of Android 1 - 2.3, I feel like I should stay just to enjoy the fruits of my labour that is JB.

 

[PacificBeach]

I sold my Galaxy Nexus. Camera is not good at all. The device is very underpowered. IPhone 4S have much better GPU. Also I did not like how the galaxy nexus has google talkfl, google plus messenger and google hangout fragmented over 3 different apps, I don't need 3 different services for free text messages and video chat. I wish google merged these together on the galaxy nexus kinda like apple did with message and facetime.

Ice Cream Sandwich is nice tho! And Jelly bean looks awesome! I would wait for iphone5 or then new tegra powered nexus LTE

 

[carbonmotion]

I sold my Galaxy Nexus. Camera is not good at all. The device is very underpowered. IPhone 4S have much better GPU. Ice Cream Sandwich is nice tho! And Jelly bean looks awesome! I would wait for iphone5 or then new tegra powered nexus LTE

I wonder if they're going to come out with that soon, my contract expires in August.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I would wait atleast until Apple shows the actual hardware. Then make a choice.

 

[blackhand1001]

I sold my Galaxy Nexus. Camera is not good at all. The device is very underpowered. IPhone 4S have much better GPU. Ice Cream Sandwich is nice tho! And Jelly bean looks awesome! I would wait for iphone5 or then new tegra powered nexus LTE

The 4s also has a much slower CPU. With jellybean its butter smooth. Everything is fast a lag free. The browser is also miles ahead of iOS's.

 

[carbonmotion]

I would wait atleast until Apple shows the actual hardware. Then make a choice.

That sounds like a sensible hedge, however, I'm worried that the injunction will reduce the supply of GN.

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The 4s also has a much slower CPU. With jellybean its butter smooth. Everything is fast a lag free. The browser is also miles ahead of iOS's.

Having used both devices on trips and such, I can say that the 4s more stable and the industrial design is supreme. GN does crash from time to time randomly but its rare.

 

[Kyrra]

FYI, Flash is no longer supported on Android (starting with Jelly Bean): http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/29/3125219/flash-mobile-android-4-1-not-supported

 

[carbonmotion]

FYI, Flash is no longer supported on Android (starting with Jelly Bean): http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/29/3125219/flash-mobile-android-4-1-not-supported

The deadline is 8/15, so that's another reason for me to get it now...

Adobe says that it will be disabling fresh installs from Google Play on August 15th, meaning you'll only be able to update after that point if you already have it installed

 

[ixodes]

Help me decide whether I should get a Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean or wait for Apple iPhone 5.

Thanks to Steve Jobs unbridled hatred towards Google, and any other company he felt like targeting, Apple remains on course (even after his death) to wipe out the competition by any means.

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/15155805/

Then in the spirit of a great dictatorship, we will no longer have a choice. The only phone on the market will be the iPhone.

Following along with the naming convention established with the MacBook Pro, and now the iPad, the new iPhone will not have a number, it will simply be called "iPhone". The best choice, is no choice.

Just think how easy it will be. No stressing over what to buy, no worry about choosing a brand, model or color. Just lineup at the Apple store, lay down your money and walk out with the same thing everyone else has. Oh and by the way? They will all be silver.

 

[mbell1975]

Get the Nexus and install JB

 

[onthecouchagain]

If you're a heavy gmail user as I am, the decision is very simple. Mail on ios is incredibly cumbersome especially if you have multiple accounts. Having to navigate into and out of accounts is slow and quite obnoxious. Whereas gmail allows switching to a different account from a simple pull down menu. Gmail also gives full threaded messages. In ios the inbox and sent messages are separated.

Other factors play into it too like the ability to attach and send anything you like. Also, the keyboard is a major factor when it comes to mail (and other keyboard use in general). The keyboard on ics is infinitely better than iOS and it looks like its going to get even better with jelly bean. The fact that there's no indication of any improvements to the iOS keyboard from apple is really testing my tolerance of apples intentionally small incremental update philosophies.

These factors alone would make the decision for me. Then you take into account all the other benefits of ics/jb and the price if the device ($350 unlocked at the moment), it should seal the deal. sure you lose out on the camera but it isn't like the camera is bad on the nexus.

 

[Vegastouch]

FYI, Flash is no longer supported on Android (starting with Jelly Bean): http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/29/3125219/flash-mobile-android-4-1-not-supported

True, After Aug 15th you cant get flash in the market any longer. Adobe said their future is going to be HTML 5. So that will be next.

 

[Frankied22]

I ordered the unlocked Galaxy Nexus and plan on installing JB. $349 for an awesome unlocked phone with stock android and Google updates is a steal. From all the reviews I have seen of JB, it makes the Nexus an awesome device. Project Butter has made it incredibly smooth. Also, Google Now looks much quicker and more useful than Siri.

Go with the Nexus. We all know the next iPhone won't be bigger than 4'; and it will more than likely be stretched taller, not wider and taller. As for iOS 6, what we have seen so far will probably be it. We may get NFC on the next iPhone which could make some feature exclusive on it. But I wouldn't expect anything amazing.

 

[blairh]

I ordered the unlocked Galaxy Nexus and plan on installing JB. $349 for an awesome unlocked phone with stock android and Google updates is a steal. From all the reviews I have seen of JB, it makes the Nexus an awesome device. Project Butter has made it incredibly smooth. Also, Google Now looks much quicker and more useful than Siri.

Go with the Nexus. We all know the next iPhone won't be bigger than 4'; and it will more than likely be stretched taller, not wider and taller. As for iOS 6, what we have seen so far will probably be it. We may get NFC on the next iPhone which could make some feature exclusive on it. But I wouldn't expect anything amazing.

Aren't you coming from the One X? Have you seen the GNex screen in person? The difference in quality between the One X and GNex screen is night and day.

 

[Mac.World]

The deadline is 8/15, so that's another reason for me to get it now...

Even if you buy the GNex now and you plan to upgrade to 4.1, it makes no difference. 4.1 does not support Flash and has not been tested with Flash. Even Adobe has said results of using Flash on a Nexus phone with 4.1 may produce 'unpredictable' results.

Add to this the upcoming injunction of the GNex, the possibility of a GNex2 in a couple of months, plus you still have 2 months left on contract - I would wait to see how everything plays out with the new iphone, ios6, Android 4.1, gnex2, the injunction and lawsuits.
You have a 2 year committment to think about and a lot of issues will be resolved or be on a clear path over the next 2 months to allow you to make a more well informed decision. Of course, this is just my opinion and what I would do in your shoes. Personally, I think the GNEx is a good device, but will probably make you regret getting it once the iPhone 5 and GNex 2 come out, not to mention the S3 that just came out and a really nice phone too.

 

[Broph]

Go with the GNex, the build quality isn't as bad as you make it seem - it's actually handy having plastic if you were to drop it; it will just dent / scratch.

Also, if flash video is important for your job - well, that says it all right there.

 

[blackhand1001]

Even if you buy the GNex now and you plan to upgrade to 4.1, it makes no difference. 4.1 does not support Flash and has not been tested with Flash. Even Adobe has said results of using Flash on a Nexus phone with 4.1 may produce 'unpredictable' results.

Add to this the upcoming injunction of the GNex, the possibility of a GNex2 in a couple of months, plus you still have 2 months left on contract - I would wait to see how everything plays out with the new iphone, ios6, Android 4.1, gnex2, the injunction and lawsuits.
You have a 2 year committment to think about and a lot of issues will be resolved or be on a clear path over the next 2 months to allow you to make a more well informed decision. Of course, this is just my opinion and what I would do in your shoes. Personally, I think the GNEx is a good device, but will probably make you regret getting it once the iPhone 5 and GNex 2 come out, not to mention the S3 that just came out and a really nice phone too.

Flash still works on 4.1. Adobe just doesn't wanna spend the resources to certify it.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

ROFL, but I suffered through all the crummy versions of Android 1 - 2.3, I feel like I should stay just to enjoy the fruits of my labour that is JB.

You may have misunderstood my comment.

Buy the Nexus now. If the injunction sticks, I'm sure it will be lifted sometime soon. When two elephants are dancing in the room, everything gets wrecked but they both still leave as elephants. In the meantime, you'll have an impossible-to-get phone that is likely worth more than you paid for it. Then you can sell it and get the iPhone 5 should you so choose. Or not. But I'm betting you will not because I'm saying you are an Apple fan, but more because you strike me as someone who is going to be attracted to the latest and greatest. By the time the iPhone 5 hits, the Nexus is going to be "old and busted" and the iPhone 5 will be the "new sexy." Just how the lifecycle of tech ownership goes, has nothing to do with Apple vs. Android.

Demographically speaking....if you don't care about having the latest and greatest, you likely wouldn't be posting here.

 

[Sith Vol]

I just ordered a Nexus from Google Play...$349 unlocked is a heck of a deal. Still gonna keep my 4S. Probably switch back and forth. My first Android device.

I'm guessing the order will still go through if it processed?