Phones Help Me Decide, Galaxy Nexus now or wait for iPhone 5

[BrightCanon]

I just got my Galaxy Nexus and put JB on it. I'm really digging it and its super smooth. Google Now is really cool as well. There are so many things you can use it for. The only thing that disappointed me was the screen. I mean I knew going in that it was a worse screen than my iPhone. But there is s horrendous blue tint when I barely tilt the screen.

I sent mine back yesterday because my screen had stains(what Im calling it) whenever I was on a white or gray screen. Also my had ghosting which was driving me nuts. I really loved the phone but after researching about the screens its really hit or miss. Some are purple. Some are like mine was. It stinks because I enjoyed it much more than my iphone.

 

[tech4all]

The GNEX screen is horrendous. No way to spin it. It sucks really bad even by AMOLED standards.

 

[jeffe]

Everyone has their own definition of heavy use. I don't consider what you posted to be heavy use. I consider that to be a going out of your way to use the phone as much as possible.

Well I have a Galaxy Nexus which is not known to be the best battery. I usually start using it for streaming radio on 3G at around 7:30 - 8:00 or so, and it will always die sometime before 12:30.

I have a spare battery and stand-alone charger so I just pop out the battery, swap and start over. On days I don't stream, I can easily last more than 24 hours with occasional use such as browsing, reading forums, playing some games, etc...

 

[404 tech junkie]

Well I have a Galaxy Nexus which is not known to be the best battery. I usually start using it for streaming radio on 3G at around 7:30 - 8:00 or so, and it will always die sometime before 12:30.

I have a spare battery and stand-alone charger so I just pop out the battery, swap and start over. On days I don't stream, I can easily last more than 24 hours with occasional use such as browsing, reading forums, playing some games, etc...

I believe you. I've gotten over 24 hours with light use on my Galaxy Nexus before. I stress that this was LIGHT use. This was stock set up without turning anything off. With heavy use I can still get around 14 hours of battery.

 

[yegon]

Wirelessly posted

I'd wait for the next iPhone AND Nexus before deciding. iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus are both approaching the 1yr mark and are both set to be replaced by new hardware.

This was the third reply and it nailed it. Budgetry constraints aside, I can't believe the kind of people who discuss phones on forums are even contemplating buying old phones.

I'm still rocking my old iPhone 4, wasn't too impressed with the 4S personally. I was actually tempted by the Galaxy Nexus, if I was ever going to switch Id want vanilla android, but 16gb max capacity and no sd card slot killed that idea. Dunno which will be out first, but I won't be making any final decisions until both the next iPhone and Nexus are out.

 

[404 tech junkie]

This was the third reply and it nailed it. Budgetry constraints aside, I can't believe the kind of people who discuss phones on forums are even contemplating buying old phones.

I'm still rocking my old iPhone 4, wasn't too impressed with the 4S personally. I was actually tempted by the Galaxy Nexus, if I was ever going to switch Id want vanilla android, but 16gb max capacity and no sd card slot killed that idea. Dunno which will be out first, but I won't be making any final decisions until both the next iPhone and Nexus are out.

The reason is, both phones can be had now for a reasonable cost without the need for a contract. He can get a Galaxy Nexus for $350 brand new and around $300 used. He can get a used 4S for $350-$400 on Craigslist. So with what equates to a reasonably low investment, he can get either phone and still recoup most of his money in selling it when the new models come out. In the end, he could get the new models and would have only lost $50-$100, well worth being able to have one of those phones from now and the time the new models come out. So if you're only going to lose around $100 in the end, why not go ahead and get a phone now?

 

[yegon]

The reason is, both phones can be had now for a reasonable cost without the need for a contract. He can get a Galaxy Nexus for $350 brand new and around $300 used. He can get a used 4S for $350-$400 on Craigslist. So with what equates to a reasonably low investment, he can get either phone and still recoup most of his money in selling it when the new models come out. In the end, he could get the new models and would have only lost $50-$100, well worth being able to have one of those phones from now and the time the new models come out. So if you're only going to lose around $100 in the end, why not go ahead and get a phone now?

Fair enough, that's a decent argument. Depends on what you're current phone is I suppose, if it's okay I'd stick with it for the sake of a couple of months.

 

[404 tech junkie]

Fair enough, that's a decent argument. Depends on what you're current phone is I suppose, if it's okay I'd stick with it for the sake of a couple of months.

That's similar to what I did in purchasing the Galaxy S3. 9 times out of 10, I will be buying the next Nexus that comes out. I already have the Galaxy Nexus, but the Galaxy S3 was too tempting for me to pass up (unlike the One X that didn't even pique my interest). I figured I'd sell my GNex, but I may just keep it (still deciding on that lol). When the next Nexus comes out, I'll sell the GS3 probably for between $400-$450, and will only come out the pocket $100-$200, which would be like paying for a phone with upgrade pricing. I used to constantly flip phones, but have slowed down in the last 12 months. With the way they used to release phones so quickly, I could flip a phone for close to the same price I paid for it, and in some cases more (if I got it on contract). lol You'll never catch me with a phone more than 9-12 months old.

 

[DroidNoMore]

I posted this is another "versus" thread but felt that it would contribute to this one as well.

I recently changed to an iPhone after several years with various Android phones. After jailbreaking I doubt I'll ever go back to Android. iOS is so much smoother and I have yet to have a crash. My Android phones crashed all of the time.

Both OS have their advantages and disadvantages but for me battery life was a big factor. I have some friends with a Galaxy Nexus who can't make it through the day without charging their battery. My Razr was atrocious as well.

IF I were to ever go back to Android it would only be to a Nexus phone and only if that Nexus was NOT a Samsung phone.

I really dislike the way that Android phones keep getting pushed out and that phones lose support and updates after about 18 months (unless you want to rely on hacker-created ROMS).

This worries me as well...

http://developer.android.com/about/d...rds/index.html

ICS has been out since December yet only 10% of Android phones have it. Google has already announced Jelly Bean when 90% of Android users don't even have ICS. That's problematic IMO.

 

[Technarchy]

ICS has been out since December yet only 10% of Android phones have it. Google has already announced Jelly Bean when 90% of Android users don't even have ICS. That's problematic IMO.

It's actually the android status quo.

The new OS sees hardly any adoption until the new devices start rolling out.

The android model: Hate your poorly supported phone so you get a new one.

Apple model: Love your iPhone so you want the new one.

 

[Vegastouch]

It's actually the android status quo.

The new OS sees hardly any adoption until the new devices start rolling out.

The android model: Hate your poorly supported phone so you get a new one.

Apple model: Love your iPhone so you want the new one.

LOL, right. Ask iP4 owners how they feel about being left out of the full update.

Yep, poorly supported is right. Only one iPhone model is getting the whole shabang and you will be a part of that this time next year. To which, im sure you will be buying a new iPhone, ...if you dont buy the new one this year.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

LOL, right. Ask iP4 owners how they feel about being left out of the full update.

Yep, poorly supported is right. Only one iPhone model is getting the whole shabang and you will be a part of that this time next year. To which, im sure you will be buying a new iPhone, ...if you dont buy the new one this year.

All they will be missing on a 2 year old device is turn by turn. If that is a deal breaker for them their contracts should be up by now so that they can get subsidized pricing on a new model.

Apple is a hardware company, so they can't rely on the Google model of harvesting user data for targeted ad sales in order to survive. They have to sell new hardware, which means they have to take steps to push users towards new devices. Android OEMs are no different. There's a reason your Samsung Vibrant's stock OS is still 2.2.

 

[Technarchy]

LOL, right. Ask iP4 owners how they feel about being left out of the full update.

Yep, poorly supported is right. Only one iPhone model is getting the whole shabang and you will be a part of that this time next year. To which, im sure you will be buying a new iPhone, ...if you dont buy the new one this year.

Really?

How many android users will be completely stranded and get no ICS or JB. Like 90%. They get zero new features. All they get is fisted.

Samsung...didn't they just release ICS on the GS2? How many features are they not getting that are featured on GS3? A hell of a lot.

How many Samsung phones are getting Touchwiz 5.0 besides the GS3? A whooping ZERO. What about the GS2 and GS1? Where's the support for those phones?

The 3GS was released on June 19, 2009 and it will get the bunk of iOS6. The Samsung GS1 was released in the USA in July of 2010 and get nothing. Why is samsung abandoning their customers and giving zero support after a year or less?

You want to go there and expose how much android owners get bent over and dumped?

 

[404 tech junkie]

All they will be missing on a 2 year old device is turn by turn. If that is a deal breaker for them their contracts should be up by now so that they can get subsidized pricing on a new model.

Apple is a hardware company, so they can't rely on the Google model of harvesting user data for targeted ad sales in order to survive. They have to sell new hardware, which means they have to take steps to push users towards new devices. Android OEMs are no different. There's a reason your Samsung Vibrant's stock OS is still 2.2.

The Vibrant is a Samsung phone. If you want to do an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended), you should be comparing a nexus phone. The iPhone 4 and the Nexus S were released within months of each other, and the Nexus S receives better Google support than the iPhone 4. The Nexus S has received a full update to ICS sans face unlock due to the front cam being VGA. The Nexus S will also be receiving a full Jellybean update, complete with Google Now, unlike the iPhone that has a handicapped version of iOS 5 (no Siri), and now will not be getting turn-by-turn or 3d maps.

----------

Really?

How many android users will be completely stranded and get no ICS or JB. Like 90%. They get zero new features. All they get is fisted.

Samsung...didn't they just release ICS on the GS2? How many features are they not getting that are featured on GS3? A hell of a lot.

How many Samsung phones are getting Touchwiz 5.0 besides the GS3? A whooping ZERO. What about the GS2 and GS1? Where's the support for those phones?

The 3GS was released on June 19, 2009 and it will get the bunk of iOS6. The Samsung GS1 was released in the USA in July of 2010 and get nothing. Why is samsung abandoning their customers and giving zero support after a year or less?

You want to go there and expose how much android owners get bent over and dumped?

What you're talking about is manufacturer specific, not Android specific. You're mixing up Android with Samsung, HTC, LG, etc. If you want to be technical, Google makes the updates available, but manufacturers have to make it available after that. Google can't control what a manufacturer does or does not do with their phone and their software they put on the phone. A more direct comparison would be iOS/iPhone and the Android/Nexus line.

 

[Vegastouch]

Really?

How many android users will be completely stranded and get no ICS or JB. Like 90%. They get zero new features. All they get is fisted.

There are about 300 different Android devices so that 90% is skewed. Most top end phone are getting it. iPhone pretty much has one model...some are older versions of that one model and only one is getting the complete update.

Samsung...didn't they just release ICS on the GS2? How many features are they not getting that are featured on GS3? A hell of a lot.

I dont know, maybe you can share that!

How many Samsung phones are getting Touchwiz 5.0 besides the GS3? A whooping ZERO. What about the GS2 and GS1? Where's the support for those phones?

Who cares,....... There are many different launchers to choose from and id be surprised if most use Touchwiz over them. I have Touchwiz 5 and I dont use it.

The 3GS was released on June 19, 2009 and it will get the bunk of iOS6. The Samsung GS1 was released in the USA in July of 2010 and get nothing. Why is samsung abandoning their customers and giving zero support after a year or less?

You want to go there and expose how much android owners get bent over and dumped?

The GS1...as you call it is two years old. Ive had ICS on my GS as a custom ROM and the battery wasnt that good on it so i dont care. It was time for a new one anyways. ...just like the 3GS wont have on iOS6.Two years is too long for one phone these days.
The iPhone has 5 phones and the 3GS is not getting the full shabang and neither is the P4 so those pecentages arent good.
The only REALLY better thing iPhone users get is great customer support....which is tops over all of them.

The Vibrant is a Samsung phone. If you want to do an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended), you should be comparing a nexus phone. The iPhone 4 and the Nexus S were released within months of each other, and the Nexus S receives better Google support than the iPhone 4. The Nexus S has received a full update to ICS sans face unlock due to the front cam being VGA. The Nexus S will also be receiving a full Jellybean update, complete with Google Now, unlike the iPhone that has a handicapped version of iOS 5 (no Siri), and now will not be getting turn-by-turn or 3d maps.

Even better comparison. Comparing their own flagship phone like Apples iPhone. Seems to get better support than iPhone does with full updates instead fo a partial.

 

[Sensamic]

That's similar to what I did in purchasing the Galaxy S3. 9 times out of 10, I will be buying the next Nexus that comes out. I already have the Galaxy Nexus, but the Galaxy S3 was too tempting for me to pass up (unlike the One X that didn't even pique my interest). I figured I'd sell my GNex, but I may just keep it (still deciding on that lol). When the next Nexus comes out, I'll sell the GS3 probably for between $400-$450, and will only come out the pocket $100-$200, which would be like paying for a phone with upgrade pricing. I used to constantly flip phones, but have slowed down in the last 12 months. With the way they used to release phones so quickly, I could flip a phone for close to the same price I paid for it, and in some cases more (if I got it on contract). lol You'll never catch me with a phone more than 9-12 months old.

Considering the SGS3 wil get JB Im gonna wait to next years Nexus to buy it (but only if it has micro SD support). The new Nexus this year wont be better than the SGS3. The only new thing will be stock JB. I can wait a year since JB will be available in the SGS3.

Talking about updates. iPhone 4 did not get Siri just ONE year later after being released. And now not even FaceTime 3G and turn by turn Maps and 3D and flyover.

So Apple is no better in updates. They leave you without the biggest new features to force you to update the same way Samsung and others doo.

 

[Technarchy]

What you're talking about is manufacturer specific, not Android specific. You're mixing up Android with Samsung, HTC, LG, etc. If you want to be technical, Google makes the updates available, but manufacturers have to make it available after that. Google can't control what a manufacturer does or does not do with their phone and their software they put on the phone. A more direct comparison would be iOS/iPhone and the Android/Nexus line.

It doesn't matter. The end result is the same. The customer gets screwed and often times has no recourse which is why there was barely any ICS market penetration until new devices featuring ICS were sold.

Rather, they can be stupid and get screwed again by buying another android device, or they can wise up and get an iPhone.

Mind you, a person is not getting screwed if they get an android device knowing it will be abandoned in a 9 or so months, so they get another phone with every android release or whenever the latest and greatest hardware drops.

For those that think they will get two years of support...wise up...

 

[404 tech junkie]

It doesn't matter. The end result is the same. The customer gets screwed and often times has no recourse which is why there was barely any ICS market penetration until new devices featuring ICS were sold.

Rather, they can be stupid and get screwed again by buying another android device, or they can wise up and get an iPhone.

But yet you're totally ignoring the fact that the Nexus S has gotten better support than the iPhone 4. You're getting into something that is outside of Android itself and choosing to ignore actual Android and Google themselves.

 

[Vegastouch]

But yet you're totally ignoring the fact that the Nexus S has gotten better support than the iPhone 4. You're getting into something that is outside of Android itself and choosing to ignore actual Android and Google themselves.

That is actually why Apple releases iOS6 so early before the new phone. So those can see what it will be missing on their older devices and want them to buy another. Not to mention the iP4S is still $650 to buy.

Yea, Apple is different

 

[ugahairydawgs]

The Vibrant is a Samsung phone. If you want to do an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended), you should be comparing a nexus phone. The iPhone 4 and the Nexus S were released within months of each other, and the Nexus S receives better Google support than the iPhone 4. The Nexus S has received a full update to ICS sans face unlock due to the front cam being VGA. The Nexus S will also be receiving a full Jellybean update, complete with Google Now, unlike the iPhone that has a handicapped version of iOS 5 (no Siri), and now will not be getting turn-by-turn or 3d maps.

Again....different companies have different business models. Google doesn't care if you buy new hardware...Apple does. They don't sell their users info to make their money. They have to sell new hardware.

While the 4 may not get all of the new iOS features like the Nexus S will in JB, that is not the full picture of support. Try taking a Nexus S into a Google Store for assistance when something goes wrong with it.

 

[Nand]

That is actually why Apple releases iOS6 so early before the new phone. So those can see what it will be missing on their older devices and want them to buy another. Not to mention the iP4S is still $650 to buy.

Yea, Apple is different

The IOS 6 its not release. Only for Developers.

 

[404 tech junkie]

Again....different companies have different business models. Google doesn't care if you buy new hardware...Apple does. They don't sell their users info to make their money. They have to sell new hardware.

While the 4 may not get all of the new iOS features like the Nexus S will in JB, that is not the full picture of support. Try taking a Nexus S into a Google Store for assistance when something goes wrong with it.

What was that? I couldn't hear you over the excuse making...

 

[ugahairydawgs]

What was that? I couldn't hear you over the excuse making...

Eye rolls? What are you, 12?

My point is that of course Apple has to pull back some features from future updates. If they kept giving people the full feature sets on old hardware there would be nothing to push them to a new device. It's a problem that Google doesn't have.

 

[x&y]

Wait for the iPhone 5.

The Galaxy Nexus is just the current flavour of the week.

 

[404 tech junkie]

Eye rolls? What are you, 12?

My point is that of course Apple has to pull back some features from future updates. If they kept giving people the full feature sets on old hardware there would be nothing to push them to a new device. It's a problem that Google doesn't have.

Or, how about their new devices stand on their own merits. The Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S both have ICS, but the Galaxy Nexus still was a good purchase because it bumped you up to an HD screen, faster processor, better cameras, etc. So you're saying Apple's business model is to purposely handicap updates, instead of just making a device that is flat out better than the previous?