Phones Your thoughts on the Galaxy S III

[Yumunum]

-I like seeing that the phone is made of polycarbonate. (thanks to whoever originally posted that)
-I also think the white design might not be too bad. This site has some awesome pictures if you scroll down.
-The screen is big, which I find awesome.
-The OS looks pretty smooth. For example, look at this..
-Has MicroSD card slot and removable battery. That could be handy.
-You can finally show a battery percentage in the notification bar!
-better YouTube app than iOS, better maps app than iOS (figures - it's Google)
-awesome notification window/notification handling
-fast camera, with lots of features
-Kies Air might be useful
-file manager. Look on this page for examples.

 

[DodgeV83]

iPhone is a toy. It is like the hot girl everyone wants. Looks nice, smells nice, but totally empty inside devoid of any substance.

You named a few things that you believe are best on Android to backup this argument, PS calls, PDP Context and network testing.

When I'm looking for the best phone on the market, I want the best one at photography, videos, security, updates, audio, navigation, games, voice commands, hardware integration and accessories.

When I posted my thread on this, some people said those apps are meaningless to them.

What's best for one person, might not be best for another.

 

[matttye]

If that's a priority for you then hopefully it steers you to devices that make you happy. I've replaced each of my smartphones after 1-2 years, and without a single "shatter incident" I've come to realize that I don't have your level of apprehension when considering drop protection.

I dislike the cheap feel of the materials Samsung uses in their line of smartphones, and would prefer something that feels higher-end then polycarbonate or plastic. This is my opinion, of course.

I don't really feel that apprehensive about drop protection, I just prefer function over form, so if it came to choosing between a device that looks ugly but won't shatter when dropped, or one thats pretty but will, I'll choose the first every time.

 

[onthecouchagain]

-The OS looks pretty smooth. For example, look at this..

Actually, that video review makes the device look pretty nice looking. I'm beginning to believe the pictures aren't doing the phone's aesthetics justice. I'm still going to wait to see the next gen iPhone and iOS 6, but I won't deny I can't wait to try a GIII in person.

EDIT: Wow, after watching through that video, the feature list is incredibly robust. It really makes iOS' small incremental updates a sore spot. TouchWiz, as ugly as it is, is definitely a major jump from the previous iteration. I really hope iOS 6 brings it. Everything about the GIII is looking more and more promising.

 

[andross77]

Until the iPhone gets bigger right?

The great thing about these bigger phones is how minimalistic the bezel is. If you lay an iPhone on top of the One X or the S3, you see that the actual phone itself is hardly bigger than the iPhone. They are just so well designed, that you can afford a much much larger screen without increasing the phone size that much. The One X absolutely destroys my 4S in nearly every way unfortunately. I imagine the S3 will be equally brilliant.

Also, who cares about touchwiz? Just install one of many launchers in the app store. No hacking or weird stuff required, it works just like installing an app off the Apple app store. But it can actually transform your phone, to whatever you want.

I think the problem here is Apple fans get it into their head that their stuff is "the best" and all reason just flies out the window. They don't deal in the facts, only assumptions. Has anyone here actually tried Android 4? Have they not seen how lightning fast it is on these new phones, and how much capability it has? It makes iOS look positively ancient. Apple has HUGE ground to make up this year, and of course we will be seeing Jelly Bean like two weeks after we see iOS 6, and it could end up being a pretty ugly beating for Apple. We will see.

Google is working fast and is generally considered to have the top talent in the industry...

i want a 4.0" screen and have stated it in other threads. I don't think 3.5" is perfect (unlike others here) but i VASTLY preferr 3.5" (a little small) to 4.8" or the even bigger monstrosity Note (5.3").

we (people that know about phones) KNOW that you don't have to keep touchwiz but what do you have to do? you either have to download a new homescreen app from the store or root it. EITHER ROUTE takes you away from how the manufacturer intended the phone to be and guess what results? WORSE battery life, LAGGY experience and UNWANTED shutdowns. This is what happens to EVERY android phone when you load it with other apps/skins/home UI's etc to get it to do what it should have done in the first place.

And actually i took my iphone to the att store yesterday and put it next to the One X and it is not "hardler bigger". It is definitely bigger. It's thinner, but it feels more like a pancake when you put it up to your head. Granted the bezel at the top and bottom of the iphone is way more than it needs to be but saying the One X and iphone are almost the same size physically is just wrong.

 

[toothpaste]

Stopped reading at this point. No point in wasting my time further.

This can not possibly be your best argument. But I accept your well thought out surrender.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I'm not completely caught up on this thread, but regarding "innovation"...

Why is it that if Apple follows others, like introducing iMessage for example (BBM), or the Notification Center (Android pull down menu), or what could conceivably be NFC tech, or their own Maps/Voice navigation system... they are adopting industry standards and making them better?

But if Samsung follows with S-Voice, they're just copying Apple/Siri? Why aren't they also adopting industry standard and improving it?

I'm not saying copying doesn't happen in this industry; I'm saying it's a two way street.

EDIT: Also love how no one is pointing out the new things that Samsung are introducing: Eye-tracking, pop-out video, direct dial via proximity sensor, etc. I'm not even a Samsung fanboy but people aren't giving credit where it is due.

 

[toothpaste]

You named a few things that you believe are best on Android to backup this argument, PS calls, PDP Context and network testing.

When I'm looking for the best phone on the market, I want the best one at photography, videos, security, updates, audio, navigation, games, voice commands, hardware integration and accessories.

When I posted my thread on this, some people said those apps are meaningless to them.

What's best for one person, might not be best for another.

I agree with you 100%. It is all about choice, and it's that choice that makes us buy the smart phones that we do. No argument from me there.

Where I disagree with you is on your point that iphone is best in many of the categories that you listed above.

Photography? Do you mean the applications for taking pictures, i.e. Instagram, or the ability of the camera, i.e. megapixels? 4s 8megapixels. My Galaxy has the same.

Video apps or the ability of the camera itself?

Security? Come now, unless you work for a vendor or Apple themselves you are just a consumer. That by definition makes you unaware that code is embedded in the OS, that logs EVERYTHING. Do mobile banking? Guess what? Your information is sitting on a server somewhere. You are being tracked all the time. "but wait, i turned off my gps" could be a valid argument. It's not, every time your phone changes from tower to tower to give you coverage as you drive or walk somewhere, tons of information is being exchanged between the tower and your phone. There is no escaping it. iOS , Android, whatever.....you are being tracked. Period.

Updates? OS or apps? Yes Apple has a better update cycle for the OS than Android due to the fact that Google is allowing carriers to do updates at their own discretion. That's about to change as well. For now Apple has a clear lead in this area of OS updates.

Audio? Meaning your itunes library sync to your iphone? I have a massive music library, and i used itunes to manage it because of the seamless integration between my nano, 3g and my 2 macs. I am used to it, but itunes is crippled as well and lack a few functions that infuriate me beyond. I can send you document on setting up smartplaylists that demonstrates basic short comings of itunes.

Navigation? You mean Apple uses Google maps? Not sure I understand what you want to say here, so I'll wait for your elaboration.

Games? I don't play games, can't comment either way.

Voice commands? Could you explain a bit more on this topic.

Hardware integration? I like Apple products I truly do, but what is the point of having a device that has to be connected to a laptop for updates or syncing? I rather not have to be tied to carrying yet another device. It's bad enough I carry 2 laptops and 4 phones, plus all the cables required for this nightmare.

Accessories? Like what? It's a phone, not a dress. What ear rings go well with my pink iphone case? Sorry, had a laugh here. Skins, protective cases, credit card, readers, etc......Android has that too.

iPhone stands at the base of a mountain, with the Android avalanche approaching rapidly. It can't be stopped. We have more devices on the market, more functionality "out of the box" and the imminent release of many more google nexus devices that will be independent of carrier interference.

Just as Apple disrupted industries that never recovered, Google is the disruptor to Apples iphone/ipad. The race is long and in the end, the bunny lost.

 

[briantaylor619]

Regarding "innovation"...

Why is it that if Apple follows others, like introducing iMessage for example (BBM), or the Notification Center (Android pull down menu), or what could conceivably be NFC tech, or their own Maps/Voice navigation system... they are adopting industry standards and making them better?

But if Samsung follows with S-Voice, they're just copying Apple/Siri? Why aren't they also adopting industry standard and improving it?

I'm not saying they don't copy each other; I'm saying it's a two way street.

I agree. I hope they copy each other on every great software feature.I don't really care about either companies intellectual property or desire to be paid for them. I simply want what best for the customer. If that means ripping off other companies tech without paying them for it, so be it

 

[onthecouchagain]

I agree. I hope they copy each other on every great software feature.I don't really care about either companies intellectual property or desire to be paid for them. I simply want what best for the customer. If that means ripping off other companies tech without paying them for it, so be it

Exactly. Who wouldn't want to see more features on their phone, regardless of who came up with it first? It's cliche to say, but it's true: competition is usually good for the end user.

I edited my earlier post, but I'll add it here too...

No one is pointing out the new things Samsung are introducing: Eye-tracking, pop-out video, direct dial via proximity sensor, etc. The feature list is actually quite incredible when you really look at it. Not everything is necessarily new--some are--but Samsung is pushing hard to standardize a lot of things. I'm not a big Samsung fan, but give them credit where it's due.

If it were Apple that introduced these features, we'd all be touting how they're huge innovators again.

 

[DodgeV83]

I agree with you 100%. It is all about choice, and it's that choice that makes us buy the smart phones that we do. No argument from me there.

Where I disagree with you is on your point that iphone is best in many of the categories that you listed above.

Photography? Do you mean the applications for taking pictures, i.e. Instagram, or the ability of the camera, i.e. megapixels? 4s 8megapixels. My Galaxy has the same.

Video apps or the ability of the camera itself?

Security? Come now, unless you work for a vendor or Apple themselves you are just a consumer. That by definition makes you unaware that code is embedded in the OS, that logs EVERYTHING. Do mobile banking? Guess what? Your information is sitting on a server somewhere. You are being tracked all the time. "but wait, i turned off my gps" could be a valid argument. It's not, every time your phone changes from tower to tower to give you coverage as you drive or walk somewhere, tons of information is being exchanged between the tower and your phone. There is no escaping it. iOS , Android, whatever.....you are being tracked. Period.

Updates? OS or apps? Yes Apple has a better update cycle for the OS than Android due to the fact that Google is allowing carriers to do updates at their own discretion. That's about to change as well. For now Apple has a clear lead in this area of OS updates.

Audio? Meaning your itunes library sync to your iphone? I have a massive music library, and i used itunes to manage it because of the seamless integration between my nano, 3g and my 2 macs. I am used to it, but itunes is crippled as well and lack a few functions that infuriate me beyond. I can send you document on setting up smartplaylists that demonstrates basic short comings of itunes.

Navigation? You mean Apple uses Google maps? Not sure I understand what you want to say here, so I'll wait for your elaboration.

Games? I don't play games, can't comment either way.

Voice commands? Could you explain a bit more on this topic.

Hardware integration? I like Apple products I truly do, but what is the point of having a device that has to be connected to a laptop for updates or syncing? I rather not have to be tied to carrying yet another device. It's bad enough I carry 2 laptops and 4 phones, plus all the cables required for this nightmare.

Accessories? Like what? It's a phone, not a dress. What ear rings go well with my pink iphone case? Sorry, had a laugh here. Skins, protective cases, credit card, readers, etc......Android has that too.

iPhone stands at the base of a mountain, with the Android avalanche approaching rapidly. It can't be stopped. We have more devices on the market, more functionality "out of the box" and the imminent release of many more google nexus devices that will be independent of carrier interference.

Just as Apple disrupted industries that never recovered, Google is the disruptor to Apples iphone/ipad. The race is long and in the end, the bunny lost.

I explain my points in great detail in my thread below, that's probably a better place to discuss this:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1369342/

I'll keep my responses here short...

Photography, both the camera and the apps. It's not just the number of megapixels. Same points for video.

Security, I'm referring to malware and not getting timely security updates from the carriers. Custom ROMs are not the solution, as that's probably the biggest attack vector on the platform. Replacing your entire OS with an unofficial version posted by a random guy on a forum, is not a good security model. Go to your IT department and tell them you downloaded Windows from a random guy on a forum, replacing your whole OS, because he said it added some cool features, and see their reaction.

Audio, 320k bitrate from Spotify, using Siri to play a specific song, even if it's in the cloud and not downloaded to your phone yet.

Navigation, TomTom is the closest thing to my old Dash Express GPS, it even beats it in some ways with the IQ routes that uses historical traffic data to give the best route. My Dad used Google Navigation on his Android a few weeks ago to get to my location, it told him to get off at the wrong exit and it took him an extra 30 minutes to get to me.

Games, in terms of graphics, variety, availability, FPS, and stability.

Hardware integration, I was referring to car stereos, things like AirPlay for my surround sound system, AirPlay mirroring to my HDTV...etc. You also don't need iTunes to update. Personally I use Linux, the only time I boot to Windows is to update my iTunes Cloud with more songs, which is done without connecting my phone. Now that I think about it, I got the iPhone 4S on day one and have never physically connected it to my computer.

Accessories, a large variety of charging cases, normal cases, the Jawbone Up, digital line-out converters, iRig products...etc.

Again, these are watered-down versions of the arguments from the thread. Best to go there so we don't end up repeating ourselves

 

[briantaylor619]

Security, I'm referring to malware and not getting timely security updates from the carriers. Custom ROMs are not the solution, as that's probably the biggest attack vector on the platform. Replacing your entire OS with an unofficial version posted by a random guy on a forum, is not a good security model. Go to your IT department and tell them you downloaded Windows from a random guy on a forum, replacing your whole OS, because he said it added some cool features, and see their reaction.

LoL this had me rolling laughing imagining the look on an IT guys face

Great point DodgeV83.

 

[BlizzardBolt]

I don't have a Galaxy S3 but I know a friend who does and the phone is amazing.

Screen may be a bit too large for some people but it is the best phone out there today. I'm an HTC fan but the GS3 gets a slight edge over the One X since it has a revamped Touchwiz but Sense 4 is quite good too.

 

[pyromaniaque]

Best phone out on the market. Easily.

Sadly, I'll be sticking with my 3gs for now. My mum gave her iPhone up for the S3 and honestly, it blows Apple out of the water.

It's so fast, so smooth. The screen looks GORGEOUS, especially since it's so large and bright.

 

[lazard]

quite unfortunate that Apple decided to only go 4" on the new iPhone. Will most likely switch to the S3 when my contract is up.

 

[jkim3691]

For me, Android wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Everyone's different and you find out what you want in your phone after having used both.

iOS seems too simple, not enough bells and whistles, but that simplicity is what I took for granted.

 

[John Adams]

Apple is getting KILLED by Samsung! Apple waits so freaking long between updates. They are so obtuse. They just assume their fans will wait and wait for the next iPhone and for the most part that is true.

Other people like me, your "swing voters" if you will, like the iPhone but are not loyal to Apple and will buy any phone that may impress us. 4G LTE had been out for over two years and still nothing from Apple. The 4S should have been 4G.

So people are tired of waiting and Samsung is out-selling Apple 3-1, mostly with the Galaxy S3 but with other models too. I have never, for the life of me, understood Apple's one phone fits all" mentality. They have many different computers, many different iPods even, but one phone is all you get.

Imagine GM or Ford making ONE car model only. It's insane.

If they would put out a few different phones in a few varied shapes and sizes, they would appeal to a lot more people. As good as a device as it is, the iPhone is only 17% of the smart phone market. It could be a lot more if Apple weren't so dang stubborn and stepped up their game a bit.

One more things. Other companies tell us what's coming, give us a tease, keep us interested. Not a peep from Apple. I can assure a few million of the recent Galaxy buyers could easily have been iPhone buyers.

 

[Sdahe]

I got my S3 today and I think Im not going back. This thing is powerfull and perfect. Love the scren.

 

[pyromaniaque]

I got my S3 today and I think Im not going back. This thing is powerfull and perfect. Love the scren.

Honestly, that 4.7" display sells the phone.

I've been out with my mum twice since she's gotten the S3 and about 4 people have walked by her, seen her using it and actually ask her what phone that is!!

Funny thing...all of them mentioned how they loved that large, vivid display.

Oh and let's not forget the plethora of crazy features that phone has.

 

[sentinelsx]

Too big. Should have been 4.3 inch just like the S2 IMO.

 

[TOMIMOT]

my likes:
- The phone aspect (call quality)
- Fast speeds
- Beautiful screen

my dislikes:
- Poor battery
- OS is a mess, constantly need to tweak options for the sake of your battery lasting
-Poor build quality compared to my iPhone 4S
- a little too big
-Screen is too sensitive, hitting buttons by accident

 

[Mac.World]

Too big. Should have been 4.3 inch just like the S2 IMO.

Which S2? There are several different ones. They range from 4.3 to 4.5.

Still to small for me, but I have big hands. Hell, I am typing this on my Nexus 7 with one hand.

----------

Honestly, that 4.7" display sells the phone.

I've been out with my mum twice since she's gotten the S3 and about 4 people have walked by her, seen her using it and actually ask her what phone that is!!

Funny thing...all of them mentioned how they loved that large, vivid display.

Oh and let's not forget the plethora of crazy features that phone has.

The S3 is actually 4.8 inches. The HTC One X is 4.7 inches.

 

[Sdahe]

Honestly, that 4.7" display sells the phone.

I've been out with my mum twice since she's gotten the S3 and about 4 people have walked by her, seen her using it and actually ask her what phone that is!!

Funny thing...all of them mentioned how they loved that large, vivid display.

Oh and let's not forget the plethora of crazy features that phone has.

It happens to me too... when I have the phone in my hand there's always somebody that comes to me and says...hey, it's that the new Galaxy S3?... and I say... yes!... nice ahhh

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

The S3 is actually 4.8 inches. The HTC One X is 4.7 inches.

I held both side by side and the differ between 4.7 and 4.8 is pretty noticeable.

 

[Vegastouch]

It happens to me too... when I have the phone in my hand there's always somebody that comes to me and says...hey, it's that the new Galaxy S3?... and I say... yes!... nice ahhh

I have them ask me,..."wow, is that the new S3"? and man that phone is nice, what is it? And one guy said " that phone is huge"! He had an iPhone....lol