Samsung has better voice quality than iPhone 5s in objective testing

[juanrp]

Are people seriously having these dramatic issues with calls? In all my years (as in decades) with all kinds of corded, cordless, early cellular, to current mobile calls I've never had any issues rising to such dramatic levels or even close to them. Sure there have been a few bad connections at times and some dropped calls at times, but generally not many and only here or there. The only real noticeable sound quality issues I have come across on a somewhat more often basis at least more in the past would be some VoIP application calls depending on connection and all that.

That's your experience, it doesn't apply to everyone.

Everyone has a different experience and different problems with that experience.

 

[C DM]

That's your experience, it doesn't apply to everyone.

Everyone has a different experience and different problems with that experience.

Sure, but I'm still surprised that these experiences are so drastically different based on the sounds of the different posts people have. I'm surprised there aren't threads after threads about these types of issues consistently. I think there were tons more treads about essentially completely inconsequential topics like icons in iOS 7 than these kinds of dramatic issues.

 

[juanrp]

Sure, but I'm still surprised that these experiences are so drastically different based on the sounds of the different posts people have. I'm surprised there aren't threads after threads about these types of issues consistently. I think there were tons more treads about essentially completely inconsequential topics like icons in iOS 7 than these kinds of dramatic issues.

Maybe there is no problem and it's all in their heads. They probably worry about it too much to the point of making it seem like its a major problem when it isn't. Just saw a thread the other day about the color of a banner, and how it was terrible. I see your point.

 

[David58117]

I just switched to a 5s from a samsung galaxy s3. I do remember the voice quality being better on the samsung, but that's not going to make me switch back.

 

[Brian Y]

When there's decent signal, I struggle to tell the difference between them. When there's a very weak signal though - the galaxy is noticeably better.

 

[cynics]

Sure, but I'm still surprised that these experiences are so drastically different based on the sounds of the different posts people have. I'm surprised there aren't threads after threads about these types of issues consistently. I think there were tons more treads about essentially completely inconsequential topics like icons in iOS 7 than these kinds of dramatic issues.

People would bring it up and immediately be shot down with opinion, subjective experiences and just straight lies.

Unlike screen tech (quality and size), radio reception, and etc there hasn't been much testing in this area to prove or disprove claims.

Plus audio has a lot of variables. An audiophile can tell me how much the Apple headphones suck until they are blue in the face. Problem is I have a tough time picking it up because I'm just not that sensitive to the differences (a lot like how I can CLEARLY see a screen 400+ PPI looks better while others can't).

Now we just have more proof to those claims through testing.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I like the S5 camera better, too.

 

[sunking101]

I don't have a problem with call quality on the iPhone. Signal strength yes.
That said, my partner's HTC One has a lovely warm and rich quality to the earpiece when I make a call on it. It does sound way less tinny than the iPhone.

 

[I7guy]

People would bring it up and immediately be shot down with opinion, subjective experiences and just straight lies.

Unlike screen tech (quality and size), radio reception, and etc there hasn't been much testing in this area to prove or disprove claims.

Plus audio has a lot of variables. An audiophile can tell me how much the Apple headphones suck until they are blue in the face. Problem is I have a tough time picking it up because I'm just not that sensitive to the differences (a lot like how I can CLEARLY see a screen 400+ PPI looks better while others can't).

Now we just have more proof to those claims through testing.

They can test till the cows come home. First they didn't test verizon as I can tell. I played around with both, actually all three, in the store..I couldn't tell any noticeable difference and I have discerning hearing.

There are times "proof" and "facts" don't make it true. Like the camera on the s5 us better than the 5s.

 

[petvas]

Very interesting report created by the people whose software and/or technology runs on Samsung handsets. Very objective, I am sure of it...

This is just an advertisement!

 

[cynics]

Samsung has better voice quality than iPhone 5s in objective testing

They can test till the cows come home. First they didn't test verizon as I can tell. I played around with both, actually all three, in the store..I couldn't tell any noticeable difference and I have discerning hearing.



There are times "proof" and "facts" don't make it true. Like the camera on the s5 us better than the 5s.

You went to a "store" and tested 3 live smartphones? What store offers that?

 

[I7guy]

You went to a "store" and tested 3 live smartphones? What store offers that?

Verizon.

 

[C DM]

People would bring it up and immediately be shot down with opinion, subjective experiences and just straight lies.

Unlike screen tech (quality and size), radio reception, and etc there hasn't been much testing in this area to prove or disprove claims.

Plus audio has a lot of variables. An audiophile can tell me how much the Apple headphones suck until they are blue in the face. Problem is I have a tough time picking it up because I'm just not that sensitive to the differences (a lot like how I can CLEARLY see a screen 400+ PPI looks better while others can't).

Now we just have more proof to those claims through testing.

To be fair, there was no proof to anything objective, scientific, or even all that useful when it came to iOS 7 icons and colors and that didn't stop dozens upon dozens of threads about those that sometimes even still continue showing up to this day.

 

[cynics]

Verizon.

I don't know whether or not it changed since I worked there but at an Verizon store we never had activated phones on display. I'd use my personal phone or counter phone to test activations for elderly people that didn't have anyone to call.

 

[cynics]

To be fair, there was no proof to anything objective, scientific, or even all that useful when it came to iOS 7 icons and colors and that didn't stop dozens upon dozens of threads about those that sometimes even still continue showing up to this day.

That's not fair at all. There was a change that people noticed for the good or bad. If call quality suddenly changed to something different good or bad you'd see just as many threads.

 

[rrl]

I can always tell when I'm talking to someone that's using an iPhone. It seems the crappy sound quality goes in both directions.

 

[I7guy]

I don't know whether or not it changed since I worked there but at an Verizon store we never had activated phones on display. I'd use my personal phone or counter phone to test activations for elderly people that didn't have anyone to call.

For the last few years the stores and kiosks I tried had activated phones. Maybe not all do.

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I can always tell when I'm talking to someone that's using an iPhone. It seems the crappy sound quality goes in both directions.

I don't buy that one bit and yes, this is one off. Having been called by people who own an s5 that sounds more like a tin can and string, I can safely say call quality depends.

When I call my home phone number the call sounds like an HD call in both directions.

 

[C DM]

That's not fair at all. There was a change that people noticed for the good or bad. If call quality suddenly changed to something different good or bad you'd see just as many threads.

That's what I'm saying, it seems people are talking about how horrible it is on the iPhone in various posts in this thread (as in they can't even really hold a conversation), that seems like a fairly drastic issue for there not the be threads upon threads about it if it really applied to iPhones like that and people were running into it and essentially not even being able to hold phone conversations with the phone.

 

[jrswizzle]

FaceTime Audio is far better than regular voice anyhow....if you're that concerned I wouldn't give up all the things an iPhone has over whatever Samsung device you'd think to get when all you have to do is use FT Audio.

Wifi calling will be here before you know it anyways....

 

[cynics]

For the last few years the stores and kiosks I tried had activated phones. Maybe not all do.

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I don't buy that one bit and yes, this is one off. Having been called by people who own an s5 that sounds more like a tin can and string, I can safely say call quality depends.



When I call my home phone number the call sounds like an HD call in both directions.

That's on your end. The microphones truly excel on the S5. It's obvious in voice recording and how accurate it is with Google now. Probably something wrong with your phone or connection, not all iPhones are that bad, mine isn't.

 

[Faux Carnival]

iPhone is a bad phone. (Antenna issues, cell reception, call quality, voice quality, etc...) Any iPhone user knows this.

 

[I7guy]

That's on your end. The microphones truly excel on the S5. It's obvious in voice recording and how accurate it is with Google now. Probably something wrong with your phone or connection, not all iPhones are that bad, mine isn't.

If you read what I posted I did say calls to home are crystal clear, so it is not in my end. And, I didn't say this was 100% of the time. Bad calls happen all if the time. And as I said, in the store the big 3 sounded similar.

Again, just my objective take using my ear drums instead of scientific devices.

 

[C DM]

iPhone is a bad phone. (Antenna issues, cell reception, call quality, voice quality, etc...) Any iPhone user knows this.

Yeah, not every iPhone user knows this as not every iPhone user by far experiences most if any of those things.

 

[gotluck]

this is basically irrelevant but..

I have GS4 GE
Wife has iPhone 5

we are both on postpaid ATT
she almost always has more bars than me, but I don't have any connection problems..

what does that mean?
different phone, different bar algorithm?

I find I'll regularly sit on 1-2 bars lte inside concrete buildings, but when I make a phone call and it switches to HSPA, I have full 4 bars.
Does iPhone have the same behavior, or is it displaying the strongest available signal?.. ie LTE vs 3G/4G

 

[Wiesenlooser]

reception and voice quality always seemed poor to me on iPhones.

If I were really dependent on those two things I would buy a motorola or a nokia. at least these are the last things I heard were good enough.