Phones iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3

[The iGentleman]

I'm on VZW, so the bootloader is locked. Shame. The OS is kind of a clusterf*** to me at the moment. I'll give it some time, but my new device euphoria has worn off as I'm noticing things that are just plain annoying. The scrolling in browsers isn't as fluid as iOS. This is probably fine for most, but I'm used to the screen precisely following my finger.

In iOS, no matter how quickly I swipe my finger, it will only scroll a predetermined distance. Sure it will follow your finger, but only to the extent of what the predetermined swipe will allow. The interesting thing is, the browser is the only place where this is the case.

The S3 apparently doesn't play nice with bluetooth car stereos. There's a workaround for this. There shouldn't be a need for workarounds.

I haven't had an ounce of trouble with my car stereo.

You can't answer calls if headphones are in and a music app is playing.

It answers just fine for me. Maybe there's an issue with certain 3rd party headphones, but I have yet to experience this.

Spotify does not have an option to download its saved songs to an SD card. I spent over an hour finding a workaround for this. Visual voicemail doesn't come stock for the VZW version. I'm having issues still setting up Google Voice for this. I guess what I'm getting at is that even if iOS is kind of vanilla, it just works. There's zero learning curve.

EVERY OS has a learning curve, including iOS. Things are different on every OS, it takes time to learn what goes where. For example, it was quite an adjustment for me, getting used to having to go to the settings app just to change settings for a particular app. I was used to changing the settings inside whatever app I wanted to change the settings for. Every OS is an adjustment.

I have 60 days to return the S3 to Best Buy. I'll give this phone a good chance but if there isn't significant improvement in usability by August, it's going back to BB. At this point, I've already concluded that all the iPhone really needs to make me love it again is a bigger screen. Even last night I was all about putting my iPhone on CraigsList - the novelty of the S3 wore off pretty quick, unfortunately.

As with anything else that's customizable, it's all what you make it. Take the home screen for example, you can make it as functional or non-functional as you want. If having your phone tailored to fit you and your lifestyle isn't for you, then the iPhone may be for you.

 

[nooaah]

My iphone has been jail broken for years and I do customize the look. I'm happy that you're not having issues with your car but I am and so are a lot of people. Regarding the scrolling it seems to be an issue with Chrome. The scrolling in Dolphin is much more fluid.

New positives: sound quality on the s3 through headphones is absolutely superior. Wow. SwiftKey 3 is getting better and better. Rarely make any typos that aren't corrected with the word I intended. I HATE the iPhone keyboard and this could very well make me stay alone. It's that much better.

 

[nooaah]

I guess you just arent used to Android yet. I never use Touchwiz. I always get another launcher. Maybe thats your problem.

The GS3 and other Androids work fine with OSX. Dont know why you cant figure it out.

I dont really care for Spotify. I jus use EasyMP3 Downloader and then drag the song(s) over to my card. Im sure there is even a better way but at this point for me, im not doing a bulk transfer. I dont understand why people ned visual voicemail. I use Youmail as my voicemail and i think its much better than the carrier voicemail. Better for the people on the other end and i just listen to it if i have one...which isnt that often. Who leaves voicemail these days?

I don't mind tw too much. I'm taking my sweet time setting up nova launcher because I am trying to get acclimated to the os. The issue with OSX is that Kies and other programs stop detecting the phone until the phone is restarted - it's not about not understanding how to use osx, it's just an issue with the phone right now.

 

[matttye]

I have both. The S3 is not faster and smoother. I see lag all the time. I do like the big screen but text is sharper on the iPhone 4s which is using a 2 year old display. Tell me what is more capable about the S III that I can't also do on my iPhone 4s.
Not everyone here only has experience with iPhones so think before replying.

Do you have the US version or international version? I have the international quad core version which is noticeably faster and has a vastly superior GPU, so if you have the US version yours may not be as smooth as mine. I make my comparisons to my iPad 2 because I don't have a 4S and never have. S3 is smoother than my iPad 2. It loads everything more quickly.

There's loads of things you can do on the S3 that you can't do on the 4S, how many do you want me to list?

- use widgets on home screens.
- swipe away individual notifications you're done with.
- toggle settings like wifi, Bluetooth, screen brightness, etc quickly using the notification bar (or home screen widgets).
- use any app that relies on NFC.
- run any app in the background including ones that need to maintain a constant connection, for example IRC clients. This also means you can have something like Spotify start downloading a playlist and just leave it alone. On ios it would stop after ten minutes; on Android, it doesn't.
- access the file system.
- DLNA.
- send any attachment (and multiple) directly from an email composition screen.
- gallery shows photos from PC using DLNA and also online sources like Picasa.
- mount your phone as a drive on your pc.
- install custom keyboards.
- use live wallpapers.
- install apps from outside of the google play store.
- use custom home screen launchers.
- use custom lock screen apps, including ones that let you add widgets.
- take pictures whilst recording video.
- take pictures using your voice.
- answer calls using your voice.
- gestures such as flip the phone to silence it, put your palm on the screen to silence it, swipe across screen to take a screenshot etc.
- Bluetooth/wifi direct file transfers.
- thumbnails in the video player are live and show previews of the video.
- you can replace the default browser, messaging app, etc.
- built in maps has transit navigation, street view, indoor views of locations you look up, etc.
- download large apps on the mobile network.
- faster way of closing background apps and switching between apps.
- you can share photos directly from the gallery or other services to any service that implements the sharing API. For example, you can share Facebook photos to Twitter and vice versa. That's only an example, it can support any app eg. Instagram, Flickr, Picasa, etc.

Is that enough?

 

[Zaft]

Do you have the US version or international version? I have the international quad core version which is noticeably faster and has a vastly superior GPU, so if you have the US version yours may not be as smooth as mine. I make my comparisons to my iPad 2 because I don't have a 4S and never have. S3 is smoother than my iPad 2. It loads everything more quickly.

There's loads of things you can do on the S3 that you can't do on the 4S, how many do you want me to list?

- use widgets on home screens.
- swipe away individual notifications you're done with.
- toggle settings like wifi, Bluetooth, screen brightness, etc quickly using the notification bar (or home screen widgets).
- use any app that relies on NFC.
- run any app in the background including ones that need to maintain a constant connection, for example IRC clients. This also means you can have something like Spotify start downloading a playlist and just leave it alone. On ios it would stop after ten minutes; on Android, it doesn't.
- access the file system.
- DLNA.
- send any attachment (and multiple) directly from an email composition screen.
- gallery shows photos from PC using DLNA and also online sources like Picasa.
- mount your phone as a drive on your pc.
- install custom keyboards.
- use live wallpapers.
- install apps from outside of the google play store.
- use custom home screen launchers.
- use custom lock screen apps, including ones that let you add widgets.
- take pictures whilst recording video.
- take pictures using your voice.
- answer calls using your voice.
- gestures such as flip the phone to silence it, put your palm on the screen to silence it, swipe across screen to take a screenshot etc.
- Bluetooth/wifi direct file transfers.
- thumbnails in the video player are live and show previews of the video.
- you can replace the default browser, messaging app, etc.
- built in maps has transit navigation, street view, indoor views of locations you look up, etc.
- download large apps on the mobile network.
- faster way of closing background apps and switching between apps.
- you can share photos directly from the gallery or other services to any service that implements the sharing API. For example, you can share Facebook photos to Twitter and vice versa. That's only an example, it can support any app eg. Instagram, Flickr, Picasa, etc.

Is that enough?

Lol, IMO 95% of you wrote is really stretching and is useless I'm serious.

 

[Zaft]

I was using my friends S3 just last night and it looks like it does lag when there are a lot of widgets on the home screen. An they reload quite often. It's annoying, touch whiz is the culprit.

 

[mattashwood]

It's probably already been said, but after spending a little bit of time with the S3, I couldn't get over how light and cheap it felt in my hand. For a phone that size, it felt like a plastic toy.

 

[Dolorian]

It's probably already been said, but after spending a little bit of time with the S3, I couldn't get over how light and cheap it felt in my hand. For a phone that size, it felt like a plastic toy.

I felt that way about the Galaxy S2 when I asked someone who has it to let me play with it for a bit. The phone felt very cheap and too darn wide.

 

[Sensamic]

Do you have the US version or international version? I have the international quad core version which is noticeably faster and has a vastly superior GPU, so if you have the US version yours may not be as smooth as mine. I make my comparisons to my iPad 2 because I don't have a 4S and never have. S3 is smoother than my iPad 2. It loads everything more quickly.

There's loads of things you can do on the S3 that you can't do on the 4S, how many do you want me to list?

- use widgets on home screens.
- swipe away individual notifications you're done with.
- toggle settings like wifi, Bluetooth, screen brightness, etc quickly using the notification bar (or home screen widgets).
- use any app that relies on NFC.
- run any app in the background including ones that need to maintain a constant connection, for example IRC clients. This also means you can have something like Spotify start downloading a playlist and just leave it alone. On ios it would stop after ten minutes; on Android, it doesn't.
- access the file system.
- DLNA.
- send any attachment (and multiple) directly from an email composition screen.
- gallery shows photos from PC using DLNA and also online sources like Picasa.
- mount your phone as a drive on your pc.
- install custom keyboards.
- use live wallpapers.
- install apps from outside of the google play store.
- use custom home screen launchers.
- use custom lock screen apps, including ones that let you add widgets.
- take pictures whilst recording video.
- take pictures using your voice.
- answer calls using your voice.
- gestures such as flip the phone to silence it, put your palm on the screen to silence it, swipe across screen to take a screenshot etc.
- Bluetooth/wifi direct file transfers.
- thumbnails in the video player are live and show previews of the video.
- you can replace the default browser, messaging app, etc.
- built in maps has transit navigation, street view, indoor views of locations you look up, etc.
- download large apps on the mobile network.
- faster way of closing background apps and switching between apps.
- you can share photos directly from the gallery or other services to any service that implements the sharing API. For example, you can share Facebook photos to Twitter and vice versa. That's only an example, it can support any app eg. Instagram, Flickr, Picasa, etc.

Is that enough?

And dont forget:

- Downloading torrents
- Playing emulators (N64, PSX, GB, GBA, GG, etc)
- MicroSD support for up to 128GB if you want
- Many more options in camera app
- Theme support for changing icons and whatnot
- Notification LED
- Google Now and new Voice Search when it comes plus offline voice typing and even better notification system
- 4.8 screen
- Ability to change the way some things work to your own
- Blacklist in contacts app (this for when apple? Never?)
- Vastly superior YouTube app, Gmail, Maps
- Ability to download any thing like a .rar file and extract its files
- Radio FM
- Way better stock calendar app which shows you year view and works in landscape with any mode (week, day, year, month. iOS only works on week view in landscape. LAME)
- Save pages in browser for offline viewing (keep waiting for iOS 6...)
- Reject calls with SMS (iOS 6...)
- Face unlock, pattern unlock
- Icons in lockscreen for quick access, weather, voice commands, news feeds, etc
- Ability to upload ANY file to a server or NAS (not just pictures or videos. LAME LAME LAME)
- Downloads or background processes dont stop when you are pressing the screen (like on iOS, when the browser page stops loading if your finger in pressing the screen)
- Gestures all over the OS for smoother transitions
- Social updates on the contacts app
- Swype keyboard (you are sooooooooooo behind iOS!!!)
- Phone lighter and thinner than iPhone with capacitive buttons


I have to stop... This is too much

It will take AGES for iOS to catch up to all of this. We all know this. Many of this features wont even ever be available. It will always be a cripple mobile OS unless Apple accepts certain apps in its app store or makes it more open or whatever.

 

[monkeylui]

Look I love my galaxy S3 & I moved from the iPhone too it. But these last couple of lists lead me to believe you have not used ios & are just trolling. There are several of those items that can easily be done on ios. If you used ios you would know these things.

 

[batting1000]

And dont forget:

- Downloading torrents
- Playing emulators (N64, PSX, GB, GBA, GG, etc)
- MicroSD support for up to 128GB if you want
- Many more options in camera app
- Theme support for changing icons and whatnot
- Notification LED
- Google Now and new Voice Search when it comes plus offline voice typing and even better notification system
- 4.8 screen
- Ability to change the way some things work to your own
- Blacklist in contacts app (this for when apple? Never?)
- Vastly superior YouTube app, Gmail, Maps
- Ability to download any thing like a .rar file and extract its files
- Radio FM
- Way better stock calendar app which shows you year view and works in landscape with any mode (week, day, year, month. iOS only works on week view in landscape. LAME)
- Save pages in browser for offline viewing (keep waiting for iOS 6...)
- Reject calls with SMS (iOS 6...)
- Face unlock, pattern unlock
- Icons in lockscreen for quick access, weather, voice commands, news feeds, etc
- Ability to upload ANY file to a server or NAS (not just pictures or videos. LAME LAME LAME)
- Downloads or background processes dont stop when you are pressing the screen (like on iOS, when the browser page stops loading if your finger in pressing the screen)
- Gestures all over the OS for smoother transitions
- Social updates on the contacts app
- Swype keyboard (you are sooooooooooo behind iOS!!!)
- Phone lighter and thinner than iPhone with capacitive buttons


I have to stop... This is too much

It will take AGES for iOS to catch up to all of this. We all know this. Many of this features wont even ever be available. It will always be a cripple mobile OS unless Apple accepts certain apps in its app store or makes it more open or whatever.

Please, tell me how often you do any of this.

 

[Sensamic]

Look I love my galaxy S3 & I moved from the iPhone too it. But these last couple of lists lead me to believe you have not used ios & are just trolling. There are several of those items that can easily be done on ios. If you used ios you would know these things.

Which of the ones I listed can you do on iOS? Enlighten us please. And jailbreak does NOT count, since its not available on stock. Im waiting for your list, so please reply.

Actually, I just reread my list and NONE of those options are available on stock iOS, so what are you talking about???? Thats why I listed them: because they are not available on iOS.

Ive had iphone 4 2 years, ipad 1 2 years and ipod touch 3 years, so I guess I havent used iOS...

Please, tell me how often you do any of this.

Again, just because some people dont use them regularly does not mean its better to not have them. Its ALWAYS better to have more features. Im no average user. I like all these stuff and I do indeed use them every week.

Again, this are smartphones were talking about! We are in 2012. Phones are evolving at a very fast pace and whether you like it or not people demand more features.

I guess for you the only real useful features are the ones iOS offers you, right? Right... because Im sure you use every day FaceTime, and Game Center, and Garageband on iOS, and Pages and Keynote on iOS, etc. I dont use these features but Im sure many people do, so I welcome them.

Many people wont download torrents on their phones, but some do. Many people wont play emulators on their phone, but some do. Even if you don't it doesnt mean they are useless. The choice is there for any one who wants them and needs them.

I guess iCloud was not necessary at all on iOS, right? Because your logic means iphone should only be used to call and text.

 

[tekno]

There are just so many things the S3 can do that the iPhone cannot (and I'm sure vice versa, just not so many). Some are not so useful but some, in my opinion, are amazing features that stop me even considering an iPhone again (in bold) even though I've been on Android just three months after 5yrs on iPhone. It baffles me the iPhone doesn't do even half these things.

- use widgets on home screens.
- swipe away individual notifications you're done with.
- toggle settings like wifi, Bluetooth, screen brightness, etc quickly using the notification bar (or home screen widgets).
- use any app that relies on NFC.
- run any app in the background including ones that need to maintain a constant connection, for example IRC clients. This also means you can have something like Spotify start downloading a playlist and just leave it alone. On ios it would stop after ten minutes; on Android, it doesn't.
- access the file system.
- DLNA.
- send any attachment (and multiple) directly from an email composition screen.
- gallery shows photos from PC using DLNA and also online sources like Picasa.
- mount your phone as a drive on your pc.
- install custom keyboards.
- use live wallpapers.
- install apps from outside of the google play store.
- use custom home screen launchers.
- use custom lock screen apps, including ones that let you add widgets.
- take pictures whilst recording video.
- take pictures using your voice.
- answer calls using your voice.
- gestures such as flip the phone to silence it, put your palm on the screen to silence it, swipe across screen to take a screenshot etc.
- Bluetooth/wifi direct file transfers.
- thumbnails in the video player are live and show previews of the video.
- you can replace the default browser, messaging app, etc.
- built in maps has transit navigation, street view, indoor views of locations you look up, etc. [and being able to cache maps is awesome]
- download large apps on the mobile network.
- faster way of closing background apps and switching between apps.
- you can share photos directly from the gallery or other services to any service that implements the sharing API. For example, you can share Facebook photos to Twitter and vice versa. That's only an example, it can support any app eg. Instagram, Flickr, Picasa, etc.

Is that enough?
And dont forget:

- Downloading torrents
- Playing emulators (N64, PSX, GB, GBA, GG, etc)
- MicroSD support for up to 128GB if you want [possibly the best!]
- Many more options in camera app
- Theme support for changing icons and whatnot
- Notification LED [Surprisingly cool]
- Google Now and new Voice Search when it comes plus offline voice typing and even better notification system
- 4.8 screen
- Ability to change the way some things work to your own
- Blacklist in contacts app (this for when apple? Never?)
- Vastly superior YouTube app, Gmail, Maps
- Ability to download any thing like a .rar file and extract its files
- Radio FM
- Way better stock calendar app which shows you year view and works in landscape with any mode (week, day, year, month. iOS only works on week view in landscape. LAME)
- Save pages in browser for offline viewing (keep waiting for iOS 6...)
- Reject calls with SMS (iOS 6...)
- Face unlock, pattern unlock
- Icons in lockscreen for quick access, weather, voice commands, news feeds, etc
- Ability to upload ANY file to a server or NAS (not just pictures or videos. LAME LAME LAME)
- Downloads or background processes dont stop when you are pressing the screen (like on iOS, when the browser page stops loading if your finger in pressing the screen)
- Gestures all over the OS for smoother transitions
- Social updates on the contacts app
- Swype keyboard (you are sooooooooooo behind iOS!!!)
- Phone lighter and thinner than iPhone with capacitive buttons

I really look forward to Apple's reply. It appears that they won't get up to speed with iOS 6 but perhaps with 7. I'm a consumer and have no attachment to any company or product line, but at the moment Android and the S3 seems a long way ahead of iOS/iPhone. I can't believe Apple will rest on their laurels and look forward to Apple jumping ahead of Android in a couple of years. By openly and without bias picking the best phone, I'm the winner every time.

 

[DanteMann]

Please, tell me how often you do any of this.

This is what I ask all the iOS users claiming how they just can't leave iOS because of the hundreds of apps they have purchased. Really? How often do you use those apps? Many here use their "hundreds" of apps purchased as an anchor to iOS. Give me a break. How many have bought apps in the last couple of years, only to use them a handful of times and never to be used again. How do people even act like they remember all the apps they have purchased? And act like those hundreds of apps are so crucial to their phone use and used on a regular basis. When comparing iOS to Android apps at this point is a non issue. The everyday user of smartphones will find just what they need in terms of apps on both mobile OS'. But it's the feasibility of Android that will always be it's biggest advantage.

 

[Vegastouch]

Please, tell me how often you do any of this.

Who cares how many he uses. The point is he can use all or half, or only a few. They are there if you want them. Some people may never use them....which would be you,and maybe that is just because you dont have them, ...who knows but some people may use a lot of them and many listed there are built in everyday things, like youtube, ...that everyone uses and is better on Android. Then there is the screen size which is a reason one chooses the phone, the LED notification...many if not all will use that, Keyboards, the Calender is awesome,Blacklist in contacts, ...etc, etc. I dont use them all but i use many.

Point is there are many more features. Remember when many here said they didnt need notifications? Well how many love them now? There is a fairly new App in iTunes that does some toggles of adding things to turn on and off that i cant recall the name of it, and seems most everyone is pretty excited about it.

So just because you wont use any of those and just want to make calls and text, doesnt mean you are the majority because you arent. Pretty funny how one arguement here to iTunes is there are many more Apps and they are better but you claim the features listed on the GS3 and JB are useless and nobody would use them

 

[DanteMann]

By openly and without bias picking the best phone, I'm the winner every time.

I've practiced this all my life. I have absolutely no ties to any manufacturer as they couldn't care less for me or my family. They owe me nothing but a product worth my money. And I owe them nothing, definitely not my blind loyalty. Blindly following a company gives them all the power and you end up getting the short stick every time. I feel sad for anyone who blindly follows any company and bends over and takes whatever is given to them.

 

[Vegastouch]

It's probably already been said, but after spending a little bit of time with the S3, I couldn't get over how light and cheap it felt in my hand. For a phone that size, it felt like a plastic toy.

That is more powerfull than your glass toy

I was using my friends S3 just last night and it looks like it does lag when there are a lot of widgets on the home screen. An they reload quite often. It's annoying, touch whiz is the culprit.

Tell your friend to get Apex or Nova launcher. Touchwiz first of all, i dont care for it much but it is also loaded with widgets that he can get rid of if he wants. You have to learn how to use your phone.

 

[DanteMann]

It's probably already been said, but after spending a little bit of time with the S3, I couldn't get over how light and cheap it felt in my hand. For a phone that size, it felt like a plastic toy.

So you would prefer a heavy small brick. Don't confuse lightness with cheap feel. I guess you must think carbon fiber is cheap feeling too. Hey whatever floats your boat.

 

[Sensamic]

I'm a consumer and have no attachment to any company or product line.

Exactly.

 

[Rennir]

Please, tell me how often you do any of this.

Did you even read the list? Google Apps-youtube, gmail, etc., swype (cause you know, nobody ever types on their phones ), notification LED, the list goes on.

 

[jvmxtra]

I am another super apple person(owns ipod 4th gen,iphone 4s,imac 27 2011,mba 13 2012, ipad 2)..

I have to say however that this gen is last for phone as I will be making a switch over to droid in the fall. I don't see apple getting out of this comfort zone and they really should. I want choices and there is nothing wrong w/ that. I want big screen and apple is not willing to give it to me(they can or SHOULd do multiple screen size)..

Argument use to be that ios is smoother but faster hardware and android's relentless project(such as butter project) will make them catch up to ios(if not already). There are apps that I will miss (or I am not sure I can do w/out).. such as air video(yes i used that very often) and something like itune universities...

 

[Zaft]

That is more powerfull than your glass toy


Tell your friend to get Apex or Nova launcher. Touchwiz first of all, i dont care for it much but it is also loaded with widgets that he can get rid of if he wants. You have to learn how to use your phone.

So he has to download a new launcher for the phone to run smooth? Yikes

 

[Zaft]

This is exactly why I left android after three phones. Got annoying as hell that I have tinker with the phone for it work properly. Never going back to that.

 

[Zaft]

So you would prefer a heavy small brick. Don't confuse lightness with cheap feel. I guess you must think carbon fiber is cheap feeling too. Hey whatever floats your boat.

IMO it also feels cheap... Htc one x feels much better

 

[Vegastouch]

So he has to download a new launcher for the phone to run smooth? Yikes

Doesn't have to. As i said he can also turn off the widgets he wont feel are useful. There are a ton of them preloaded on TW and many are crap that the carrier puts on there. However, another launcher imo would work better and it doesnt take long to set it up how you like it.

All your really doing is choosing your own customization and then setting up your home screen as you would on your iPhone.

Pretty tough going there It takes a whole 10 seconds to download it and then your own setup.

I did a reset on mine for the hec of it after a backup just to try it out and it loaded all my apps back up with data saved without me telling it to. I didnt have to do anything. Does the iPhone do that?