Are you looking to change your old smartphone? If you have been reading a lot of tech blogs then your choices must have only included Samsung’ Galaxy Nexus and Apple’s iPhone 4S. Each of these phones is special on their own right. They have their own unique features that seem to top the one from the other. This makes it hard to choose between them.
But that is if you are not into jumping to bandwagons. Most people would buy the iPhone 4S because it is cool to have one. You can say this for most of Apple’s gadgets. Let us stay away from stereotyping and compare the two phones the way that they should be compared.
Performance
The iPhone 4S runs on Apple’s very own A5 processor, the same one that is on the iPad 2. It is clocked at 1 GHz and is supported by a RAM of 512 MB. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Nexus is powered by Texas Instruments’ OMAP processor which is clocked at 1.2 GHz. It also doubles the RAM of the iPhone 4S. Higher numbers are better although the difference is subtle during actual performance.
Apps
The number of apps on the Apple App Store is larger than those in the Android Market. A significant number of those apps are actually worth the purchase which is something you can’t say for Androids. This is the biggest advantage of the iPhone 4S over the Galaxy Nexus.
Operating System
The Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to have Android Ice Cream Sandwich as its operating system. This latest version of Android offers a lot of improvements both in performance and aesthetics. The iPhone 4S has the iOS 5 for its operating system. It is simpler to use than ICS but you can’t make the choice between the phones based on OS. Both OS are that good.
Camera
The iPhone 4S comes with an 8MP camera while the Nexus has a 5MP camera. This makes the camera of the iPhone take better pictures. Both phones can take 1080p HD camera.
Connectivity
Connectivity options are becoming a big factor in choosing a phone. With the iPhone 4S, you can connect to the internet through 3G and Wi-Fi. It is also the first phone to come out with Bluetooth 4, the latest version of the popular wireless technology. With Bluetooth 4, you can transfer files faster and in an extended range.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Nexus can connect to the internet using 3G, Wi-Fi and 4G LTE. Through 4G LTE, you can experience internet speeds of up to 21 Mb/s. In contrast, the iPhone 4S can only reach 14.4 Mb/s. You won’t have Bluetooth 4 with Galaxy Nexus but you have Near Field Communication (NFC). This is a new wireless technology where file transfers can be done just by tapping two NFC phones.
Conclusion
Have you decided which one is for you? The iPhone 4S has better apps, camera and a simpler interface. With the Nexus, you have faster internet speeds, NFC, and Ice Cream Sandwich. Check out our Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4s review for a more comprehensive comparison.
achsan uddin