Why would you pick iPhone over the Galaxy S5?

[sunking101]

I refuse to use any Android device that is not running the stock version of Android, so I would never go with a Samsung device. I also refuse to use an Android device until every single device running Android is running the exact same version of Android, that looks exactly the same across every device. Which won't ever happen. No "Google Play Editions" or doing all that Boot ROM-thingamagiggering either. For me, it's Google Nexus or bust.

But I will still pick the iPhone over other devices because I've invested a great deal of money into the Apple ecosystem already, and I'm very happy with the performance of my iPhone (battery could be improved though!)

But an even bigger thing for me is software design. I like how Apple designs their software (and hardware) but their design is much more appealing to me. It seems like anybody else throws in ugly pointy boxes, or has too many buttons, ugly icons, command lines, and just general ugliness.

I also really love iCloud. Syncing everything across all my devices that easily, and accessing everything super easily with no horrible confusing menus or anything is the best thing ever. Plus I really love how well iCloud integrates between my Mac and iOS. Starting something on the iPhone or Mac and picking up on the opposite device. Great.

Why on earth does it matter to you which version of an o/s someone else has on their phone? As long as yours works as intended, I see no problem. You have also basically said that no matter how amazing Android may be, you're sticking with iOS because you have a Mac and you're entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. That's hardly a balanced and non-biased viewpoint is it? Plenty of Android users have bought Google Play apps, use Google services on their laptops and are 'entrenched' in the Android/Google ecosystem. The fact remains that if anyone is starting afresh in 2014, both platforms are an attractive prospect. Android arguably more so.

 

[I7guy]

70 dollars cheaper? Lol

Although I still prefer my AppleTV vs Chromecast. It's (ATV) a stand alone device. It has optical out too which I still use.

Although I'm starting to see apps going to chromecast still without airplay support even on iOS devices.

70 bucks? If I bought on price I wouldn't have an iPhone.

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Why on earth does it matter to you which version of an o/s someone else has on their phone? As long as yours works as intended, I see no problem. You have also basically said that no matter how amazing Android may be, you're sticking with iOS because you have a Mac and you're entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. That's hardly a balanced and non-biased viewpoint is it? Plenty of Android users have bought Google Play apps, use Google services on their laptops and are 'entrenched' in the Android/Google ecosystem. The fact remains that if anyone is starting afresh in 2014, both platforms are an attractive prospect. Android arguably more so.

Android arguably less so. And that is in my humble opinion only. Apples stake in the race shows in their rankings on jd power, resale value of the phone, quality of the apps, longevity of support.

 

[sunking101]

70 bucks? If I bought on price I wouldn't have an iPhone.

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Android arguably less so. And that is in my humble opinion only. Apples stake in the race shows in their rankings on jd power, resale value of the phone, quality of the apps, longevity of support.

I've had iPhones for almost five years. I've also had a Mac, a ton of pcs and an Android tablet.
I'm seriously considering moving to Android for two reasons. One is the dreadful experience I've had with my iPhone 5 and iOS7. Subjective yes, but almost 12 months of a poorly-functioning phone which passes all of Apple's 'tests' is enough to cool anyone on a brand. The other is that I'm bored and fancy a change. The only thing holding me back is the 'ecosystem' thing. I own a ton of paid for apps! If it wasn't for that, the decision would be easy. Therefore I'm concluding that the decision from scratch wouldn't be all that hard to make for a newbie.
Pro-Apple talk is bound to happen here, as is pro-Android talk on Google forums. They're both good choices and until the i6 arrives, a big screen has been a HUGE draw for hordes of people. My next phone will be an iPhone 6 (*if it's amazing), or a Galaxy Note 4. One thing's for sure, neither of those choices will result in a rubbish phone. We're talking cutting edge premium smartphones.

 

[sunking101]

Android is cheaper to buy into, the apps are cheaper, the screens are bigger, the resolution is higher, the cameras are better, the video is better, the processors are faster, they have more RAM, the batteries last longer, when it comes to Samsung the batteries are removable/replaceable, the o/s can be customized, you can use third party browsers which don't all run on the same engine & aren't crippled to perform worse than the stock browser, the browser and apps don't 'refresh' causing you frustration...

There are many pros to Android, but people come back with the ecosystem argument, or the plastic bodies (a moot point when you use a case, which most iPhone users do judging from other threads on here), or the 64bit processing which to date has been useless.

 

[mjschabow]

I'm going to try to play the role of peace keeper for a second here and simply say that I personally feel that both iOS and Android are absolutely amazing and I'm a big believer that neither product is "better" than the other. It really comes down to user preference and what they want out of their device.

Personally, after owning Android phones for 3 years, I decided that I wanted simplicity and minimalism, and iPhone fits that need right now. I find Control Center much easier to use than Android quick settings.

With that said, I still have a Nexus 7 that I absolutely love, and it takes care of my ROM flashing needs (I'm currently running the Android L Preview).

So overall, I think it's best just to enjoy the age of technology we're in.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Android is cheaper to buy into, the apps are cheaper, the screens are bigger, the resolution is higher, the cameras are better, the video is better, the processors are faster, they have more RAM, the batteries last longer, when it comes to Samsung the batteries are removable/replaceable, the o/s can be customized, you can use third party browsers which don't all run on the same engine & aren't crippled to perform worse than the stock browser, the browser and apps don't 'refresh' causing you frustration...

There are many pros to Android, but people come back with the ecosystem argument, or the plastic bodies (a moot point when you use a case, which most iPhone users do judging from other threads on here), or the 64bit processing which to date has been useless.

The cameras are better? That's a pretty broad statement to make.

The processors are faster? You mean higher numbers in the clock speed department? Or do you mean real-world performance? I had an HTC One, and while an admirable phone (except for lower quality apps in general), it wasn't faster than my iPhone 5s.

BTW, WebKit will be available to all third-party iOS browsers when iOS 8 goes live.

I've used both iOS and Android extensively and still prefer iOS for its fluidity, speed, and overall better quality apps. Just my opinion.

 

[I7guy]

Android is cheaper to buy into, the apps are cheaper, the screens are bigger, the resolution is higher, the cameras are better, the video is better, the processors are faster, they have more RAM, the batteries last longer, when it comes to Samsung the batteries are removable/replaceable, the o/s can be customized, you can use third party browsers which don't all run on the same engine & aren't crippled to perform worse than the stock browser, the browser and apps don't 'refresh' causing you frustration...

There are many pros to Android, but people come back with the ecosystem argument, or the plastic bodies (a moot point when you use a case, which most iPhone users do judging from other threads on here), or the 64bit processing which to date has been useless.

Android is cheaper, they have more memory, more megapixels in their cameras and bigger batteries. But alas,

- despite having more megapixels the cameras are not better than the 5s. http://www.imore.com/iphone-5s-vs-samsung-galaxy-s5-vs-htc-one-m8-camera-shootout
- despite having more memory and a faster processor, the 64 bit 5s is the fastest phone. (Yes I know you will complain about tab reloading, a problem not everybody in the world has)
- despite having bigger batteries not all android phones last as long as an iPhone.

And on and on and on.

 

[mono1980]

If you don't want to hear the reason, you shouldn't be asking, because, yes, Android is still a mess compared to iOS. Apps are worse across the board. The touch screen is worse. Not only that, but Samsung's industrial design is hideous. I would rather buy an HTC if I had to buy an Android phone. The color on the screen is also over-saturated and unnatural. I could never use Lightroom mobile on it for this reason (if it was even available on Android, which of course it is not)

 

[sunking101]

Android is cheaper, they have more memory, more megapixels in their cameras and bigger batteries. But alas,

- despite having more megapixels the cameras are not better than the 5s. http://www.imore.com/iphone-5s-vs-samsung-galaxy-s5-vs-htc-one-m8-camera-shootout
- despite having more memory and a faster processor, the 64 bit 5s is the fastest phone. (Yes I know you will complain about tab reloading, a problem not everybody in the world has)
- despite having bigger batteries not all android phones last as long as an iPhone.

And on and on and on.

All current flagship (and iPhone rivalling) Android handsets have better battery life than the 5S. The i5 and 5S have very poor battery life when web browsing or using apps over cellular.
The 64bit 5S isn't faster in many benchtests but hey, I'm not slating the real world speed of the 5S.
As for cameras, the 5S is a good one when it comes to a point and shoot. The S5 is equally as good at taking general snaps, but has more megapixels and thus more detail can be captured. This is a fact. That review you gave a link to is a bit minimalist. A real photographer hasn't done that review. The M8 is actually better at macro, you can get a focus much closer with that phone. The M8 is also much better in low light, which is the basis of the whole camera module. The S5 takes better distance shots and you can zoom into far more detail. The S5 and 5S are brilliant all 'round cameras but the S5 has a better overall camera. Period. Let's see what the iPhone 6 brings to the table because in fairness the S5 is a much newer phone.
As for tab reloading, everyone does suffer from it. They might not notice, or may not use their phones much for web browsing but the fault is definitely there. It was there on my iPhone 4 from iOS5 onwards, it was there on my iPhone5 with iOS6, and it was there on my iPhone 5 with iOS7. It's a bug and it's there, whether caused by a lack of RAM or whatever. Safari also consistently and regularly 'hangs' when attempting to load a webpage. The blue progress bar gets approx 1/6 of the way across and just stops. This has happened from iOS5 through iOS7. Other browsers don't suffer from it, just Safari.

 

[I7guy]

All current flagship (and iPhone rivalling) Android handsets have better battery life than the 5S. The i5 and 5S have very poor battery life when web browsing or using apps over cellular.

As you say, false in the real world. And you needed to quality "over cellular".

The 64bit 5S isn't faster in many benchtests but hey, I'm not slating the real world speed of the 5S.

Incorrect. The 5S is fastest in every test.

As for cameras, the 5S is a good one when it comes to a point and shoot. The S5 is equally as good at taking general snaps, but has more megapixels and thus more detail can be captured. This is a fact. That review you gave a link to is a bit minimalist. A real photographer hasn't done that review. The M8 is actually better at macro, you can get a focus much closer with that phone. The M8 is also much better in low light, which is the basis of the whole camera module. The S5 takes better distance shots and you can zoom into far more detail. The S5 and 5S are brilliant all 'round cameras but the S5 has a better overall camera. Period.

The review is an unbiased review with pictures and carries more weight than any forum members opinion. Megapixels is not the end game and a photographer would understand that. The S5 does not have a better overall camera as the review indicates. But you are entitled to your own opinion as I stated before.

Let's see what the iPhone 6 brings to the table because in fairness the S5 is a much newer phone.

Right, and has been pointed out the 5S is outselling it and still beats the S5 in most practical categories.

As for tab reloading, everyone does suffer from it. They might not notice, or may not use their phones much for web browsing but the fault is definitely there. It was there on my iPhone 4 from iOS5 onwards, it was there on my iPhone5 with iOS6, and it was there on my iPhone 5 with iOS7. It's a bug and it's there, whether caused by a lack of RAM or whatever. Safari also consistently and regularly 'hangs' when attempting to load a webpage. The blue progress bar gets approx 1/6 of the way across and just stops. This has happened from iOS5 through iOS7. Other browsers don't suffer from it, just Safari.

Again, this is your opinion and your issues. Please don't include me, in "everyone". And while I'm sure other people can identify with some of these with millions of iphones out there everybodys experience will be different.

 

[sunking101]

As you say, false in the real world. And you needed to quality "over cellular".



Incorrect. The 5S is fastest in every test.



The review is an unbiased review with pictures and carries more weight than any forum members opinion. Megapixels is not the end game and a photographer would understand that. The S5 does not have a better overall camera as the review indicates. But you are entitled to your own opinion as I stated before.



Right, and has been pointed out the 5S is outselling it and still beats the S5 in most practical categories.



Again, this is your opinion and your issues. Please don't include me, in "everyone". And while I'm sure other people can identify with some of these with millions of iphones out there everybodys experience will be different.

There are at least 13 benchmark tests here where the 5S doesn't come out top:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7903/samsung-galaxy-s-5-review/7

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As you say, false in the real world. And you needed to quality "over cellular".



Incorrect. The 5S is fastest in every test.



The review is an unbiased review with pictures and carries more weight than any forum members opinion. Megapixels is not the end game and a photographer would understand that. The S5 does not have a better overall camera as the review indicates. But you are entitled to your own opinion as I stated before.



Right, and has been pointed out the 5S is outselling it and still beats the S5 in most practical categories.



Again, this is your opinion and your issues. Please don't include me, in "everyone". And while I'm sure other people can identify with some of these with millions of iphones out there everybodys experience will be different.

'Over cellular' means using the cellular connection, and not WiFi.
The camera review you linked to is amateurish and is based on a few quick snaps.
I never said that megapixels are the be all and end all, however they are important. Megapixels = detail. A good sensor and optics are far more important, but the number of megapixels is important nontheless. Take two more or less equal camera units and give one a higher number of megapixels, it will then be a better camera.
As for the webpage reloading and app refreshing thing, you simply cannot deny that the problem exists purely because it doesn't bother you.

 

[I7guy]

There are at least 13 benchmark tests here where the 5S doesn't come out top:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7903/samsung-galaxy-s-5-review/7

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'Over cellular' means using the cellular connection, and not WiFi.
The camera review you linked to is amateurish and is based on a few quick snaps.
I never said that megapixels are the be all and end all, however they are important. Megapixels = detail. A good sensor and optics are far more important, but the number of megapixels is important nontheless. Take two more or less equal camera units and give one a higher number of megapixels, it will then be a better camera.
As for the webpage reloading and app refreshing thing, you simply cannot deny that the problem exists purely because it doesn't bother you.

Here's another review for you:

http://m.blog.laptopmag.com/iphone-5s-vs-galaxy-s5

As far as mega-pixels there is no such thing as more or less equal in the dslr world. More pixels do not produce a better photo. Period. That is my opinion, your is different and I respect, though disagree with it.

As far as the we page reloading, I do agree people talk about it. But that does not mean it's an issue for the masses.

 

[CreativeRoyalty]

Some people like Apple and some like Android. As a Graphic Designer I prefer Apple products. My girlfriend is a engineer and she prefers Android because of what she can do in it.

 

[sunking101]

Here's another review for you:

http://m.blog.laptopmag.com/iphone-5s-vs-galaxy-s5

As far as mega-pixels there is no such thing as more or less equal in the dslr world. More pixels do not produce a better photo. Period. That is my opinion, your is different and I respect, though disagree with it.

As far as the we page reloading, I do agree people talk about it. But that does not mean it's an issue for the masses.

More megapixels don't necessarily produce a better photo, but if all other things are equal (quality of sensor and optics), then they do. Otherwise every digital camera, including DSLR, would be 1MP.

I looked at the review in your link and despite saying the S5 camera was better here and there, the end result was 'a draw'. Basically he said that they're both decent enough camera phones and will satisfy the masses of point and shooters. I'm sure that if a proper photographer was let loose to fully review them, he or she would be able to expose the limitations of both in a much more thorough manner. I would take the S5 camera over the 5S camera because if you use it for anything other than a 'selfie' or a quick snap for Facebook, it will produce better results in the right hands. That isn't to say that either camera should be a dealbreaker (although hordes avoided the M8 due to its 4MP shooter), but to say that the S5 has a comparable (or worse) camera is folly. I don't own the S5, but I can still appreciate that it has a better camera than my own phone.

 

[cynics]

70 bucks? If I bought on price I wouldn't have an iPhone.

So you'd buy an iPhone over a Samsung Galaxy S5 if the Galaxy was 650 and the iPhone was 2165 (the 3.33x the price is of the AppleTV over Chromecast)?

There is brand loyal and then there is that.

 

[I7guy]

So you'd buy an iPhone over a Samsung Galaxy S5 if the Galaxy was 650 and the iPhone was 2165 (the 3.33x the price is of the AppleTV over Chromecast)?

There is brand loyal and then there is that.

Kind of silly for you..don't ya think?

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More megapixels don't necessarily produce a better photo, but if all other things are equal (quality of sensor and optics), then they do. Otherwise every digital camera, including DSLR, would be 1MP.

I looked at the review in your link and despite saying the S5 camera was better here and there, the end result was 'a draw'. Basically he said that they're both decent enough camera phones and will satisfy the masses of point and shooters. I'm sure that if a proper photographer was let loose to fully review them, he or she would be able to expose the limitations of both in a much more thorough manner. I would take the S5 camera over the 5S camera because if you use it for anything other than a 'selfie' or a quick snap for Facebook, it will produce better results in the right hands. That isn't to say that either camera should be a dealbreaker (although hordes avoided the M8 due to its 4MP shooter), but to say that the S5 has a comparable (or worse) camera is folly. I don't own the S5, but I can still appreciate that it has a better camera than my own phone.

That's the point the brand spanking new flagship Samsung does NOT best the YEAR old 5S. I would take the 5s camera over the s5 because I take a lot of indoor flash and outdoor daylight shots because in the right hands it will produce better photos than the samsung. See we can spin this any which way. Canon is proof the megapixel race is somewhat irrelevant.

 

[cynics]

Kind of silly for you..don't ya think?

.

No. I listed the reasons why I preferred it over the Chromecast. You were the only that asked if they were similar in function. Don't you remember this?

 

[sunking101]

Kind of silly for you..don't ya think?

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That's the point the brand spanking new flagship Samsung does NOT best the YEAR old 5S. I would take the 5s camera over the s5 because I take a lot of indoor flash and outdoor daylight shots because in the right hands it will produce better photos than the samsung. See we can spin this any which way. Canon is proof the megapixel race is somewhat irrelevant.

Why are we not all stuck on 1MP cameras then and why do photos taken on the 4MP HTC M8 show clearly less detail than those taken on the 8MP iPhone 5S?

I have taken photos with the iPhone 5S, HTC One M8 and the Samsung S5. The M8 took clearly better extreme macro shots and it took clearly better low light shots (without flash). The S5 took clearly better long distance shots. The 5S is the best 'point and shoot' for general photos (I guess everything about the iPhone is geared towards simplicity) but if you know what you're doing and are prepared to take the time to get a better photo, then the S5 is the outright winner for me. How can it not be for goodness sake? It has a comparable quality sensor and optics, plus a shedload more megapixels. It cannot possibly be a worse camera. Samsung camera modules have always been very good.

 

[I7guy]

No. I listed the reasons why I preferred it over the Chromecast. You were the only that asked if they were similar in function. Don't you remember this?

Right, nobody answered. To me I'm largely price indifferent in this range, but apple is not selling a $2000 iPhone so I stand by my comment.

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Why are we not all stuck on 1MP cameras then and why do photos taken on the 4MP HTC M8 show clearly less detail than those taken on the 8MP iPhone 5S?

I have taken photos with the iPhone 5S, HTC One M8 and the Samsung S5. The M8 took clearly better extreme macro shots and it took clearly better low light shots (without flash). The S5 took clearly better long distance shots. The 5S is the best 'point and shoot' for general photos (I guess everything about the iPhone is geared towards simplicity) but if you know what you're doing and are prepared to take the time to get a better photo, then the S5 is the outright winner for me. How can it not be for goodness sake? It has a comparable quality sensor and optics, plus a shedload more megapixels. It cannot possibly be a worse camera. Samsung camera modules have always been very good.

This is YOUR experience. The review I listed, which you thought was light, is open for all to comment with pictures so they can be evaluated.

Based on that review I would be picking the 5s, which I did. Others say differently. How can you say the s5 is the winner when the 5s clearly is better at some things?

 

[sunking101]

Right, nobody answered. To me I'm largely price indifferent in this range, but apple is not selling a $2000 iPhone so I stand by my comment.

If a product is just as good, then paying more for the Apple version doesn't make sense to non-Apple heads. Paying significantly more doesn't make sense to most people, even if they can comfortably afford it.

 

[I7guy]

If a product is just as good, then paying more for the Apple version doesn't make sense to non-Apple heads. Paying significantly more doesn't make sense to most people, even if they can comfortably afford it.

Then why did a year old 5s outsell the just released s5? I don't think android products are "just as good" obviously as I have a 5s.

 

[sunking101]

Right, nobody answered. To me I'm largely price indifferent in this range, but apple is not selling a $2000 iPhone so I stand by my comment.

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This is YOUR experience. The review I listed, which you thought was light, is open for all to comment with pictures so they can be evaluated.

Based on that review I would be picking the 5s, which I did. Others say differently. How can you say the s5 is the winner when the 5s clearly is better at some things?

I could take better photos with the S5 if I put the effort in. Most people want a point and shoot camera. The majority of people would take worse photos with a DSLR than they would with a camera phone. Would that mean that the DSLR is rubbish? Or would it more likely mean that the DSLR required skill to operate? Of course we cannot equate the S5 to a DSLR, and nor does it take much skill to operate. It is however capable of exceptional photos (*for a mobile phone) if the user has a little skill.

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Then why did a year old 5s outsell the just released s5. I don't think android products are "just as good" obviously as I have a 5s.

Android users don't upgrade every 12 months like a lot of iPhone users do? The S5 isn't a world better than the S4 and unlike 5S buyers, Android users are a little more savvy with their cash?
Perhaps people have finally grown tired of plastic Galaxy phones? Who knows. The 5S is outselling the S5 because the HTC One M8 and Xperia handsets are taking their market share this year? People are buying Nexus? Surely Android sales have to be lumped in together, and the focus not be purely on Samsung?

 

[I7guy]

I could take better photos with the S5 if I put the effort in. Most people want a point and shoot camera. The majority of people would take worse photos with a DSLR than they would with a camera phone. Would that mean that the DSLR is rubbish? Or would it more likely mean that the DSLR required skill to operate? Of course we cannot equate the S5 to a DSLR, and nor does it take much skill to operate. It is however capable of exceptional photos (*for a mobile phone) if the user has a little skill.

Using your analogy most people would crash a race car if they tried to drive it at speed.

The 5s takes exceptional photos, just look at apples website.

 

[sunking101]

Using your analogy most people would crash a race car if they tried to drive it at speed.

The 5s takes exceptional photos, just look at apples website.

Most people would crash a race car if they drove it at speed, but that doesn't nullify my comment.
The 5S does take exceptional photos (*for a mobile phone), but are you saying they cannot be bettered, even by another mobile phone?

 

[Truefan31]

I could take better photos with the S5 if I put the effort in. Most people want a point and shoot camera. The majority of people would take worse photos with a DSLR than they would with a camera phone. Would that mean that the DSLR is rubbish? Or would it more likely mean that the DSLR required skill to operate? Of course we cannot equate the S5 to a DSLR, and nor does it take much skill to operate. It is however capable of exceptional photos (*for a mobile phone) if the user has a little skill.

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Android users don't upgrade every 12 months like a lot of iPhone users do? The S5 isn't a world better than the S4 and unlike 5S buyers, Android users are a little more savvy with their cash?

Perhaps people have finally grown tired of plastic Galaxy phones? Who knows. The 5S is outselling the S5 because the HTC One M8 and Xperia handsets are taking their market share this year? People are buying Nexus? Surely Android sales have to be lumped in together, and the focus not be purely on Samsung?

This thread is iPhone vs samsung galaxy s5 though. And samsung puts their touch wiz over android so it is it's own entity. I would think android users upgrade just as much if not more than iPhone users. There's more options for them, and iPhones IMO get support longer than their android counterparts. Isn't the galaxy s5 the same price as an iPhone? So where does price savvy come in?

There's competition within android but IMO the s5 isn't trailing the iPhone cuz of the m8 or other android handsets. There's always been competition within android. The 5s is outselling cuz people want it more.