iPhone Recommend me an Android (or Windows) phone

[Jimmy James]

All of the recent negativity surrounding the iPhone 5 release seems to be due to a belief that the competition has better hardware and/or software. I've been an iDevice user for years and have no experience with other, current platforms. Therefore, I don't know what these options look like. I am currently using an iPhone 4 and am quite happy with it. But at this point I would like to keep an open mind about what these other options look like.

I realize (obviously) that this is an iPhone forum. However, I'm asking the question here because:
1. I'm not familiar with other phone forums.
2. There's clearly enough "other platform" fans here to have compelled me to ask this question in the first place.

I'm looking for a phone recommendation.
I'm also looking for the pros/cons of the recommendation.

Criteria important to me:
1. Battery life. I'd like something close to my experience with the I4. It doesn't have to be exactly as good. But more is better.
2. Screen size 3.5" to 4". Small(ish) overall size. If anything I'm concerned that the iPhone 5 is going to be too large for me. I'm interested in the overall phone size for portability (ideally, I would have liked Apple to put the 4S in a smaller package). I also primarily use my phone with one medium sized man hand.
3. Ease of use. I have a new job. A new family. I don't want to spend lots of time setting things up. The "customization" aspect may have a bigger appeal to me again in the future, but not at the moment.
4. Performance. The 4 is acceptable but has always felt a bit slow to me. I'd like faster, smoother everything.

So recommend me a phone and I'll look into it. I'd appreciate an explanation of how or why the hardware/software is better. I'd also appreciate a candid approach to any drawbacks.

 

[MacChinoNyc]

Try a blackberry.

 

[Lyrical]

Id recommend the Nokia Lumia 800. Can pick it up on the cheap aswell. Or wait for the new Lumia.

 

[illutionz]

Android:
Galaxy Nexus
Samsung Galaxy S3

WP:
Lumia 920

 

[pure3d2]

All of the recent negativity surrounding the iPhone 5 release seems to be due to a belief that the competition has better hardware and/or software. I've been an iDevice user for years and have no experience with other, current platforms. Therefore, I don't know what these options look like. I am currently using an iPhone 4 and am quite happy with it. But at this point I would like to keep an open mind about what these other options look like.

I realize (obviously) that this is an iPhone forum. However, I'm asking the question here because:
1. I'm not familiar with other phone forums.
2. There's clearly enough "other platform" fans here to have compelled me to ask this question in the first place.

I'm looking for a phone recommendation.
I'm also looking for the pros/cons of the recommendation.

Criteria important to me:
1. Battery life. I'd like something close to my experience with the I4. It doesn't have to be exactly as good. But more is better.
2. Screen size 3.5" to 4". Small(ish) overall size. If anything I'm concerned that the iPhone 5 is going to be too large for me. I'm interested in the overall phone size for portability (ideally, I would have liked Apple to put the 4S in a smaller package). I also primarily use my phone with one medium sized man hand.
3. Ease of use. I have a new job. A new family. I don't want to spend lots of time setting things up. The "customization" aspect may have a bigger appeal to me again in the future, but not at the moment.
4. Performance. The 4 is acceptable but has always felt a bit slow to me. I'd like faster, smoother everything.

So recommend me a phone and I'll look into it. I'd appreciate an explanation of how or why the hardware/software is better. I'd also appreciate a candid approach to any drawbacks.

Wait until the iPhone 5 is on display at the stores then go try it out after you try out a few Android and Windows phones that other folks here have listed.

If you think the iPhone 5 will be too big, then you won't like most of the Android phones out there.

 

[Jimmy James]

Id recommend the Nokia Lumia 800. Can pick it up on the cheap aswell. Or wait for the new Lumia.

Android:
Galaxy Nexus
Samsung Galaxy S3

WP:
Lumia 920

After so much discussion praising other phones [as being better than the iPhone] in THIS forum not one person has been able to recommend an alternate phone that meets my needs, or explained why it is better.

I would still be interested in hearing those recommendations, but right now the anti-iPhone group isn't holding a lot of credibility.

 

[HXGuy]

The Nokia Lumia 920 actually looks pretty good both from a hardware and OS standpoint, that is probably what I'd be getting if I wasn't so deep in the iOS ecosystem.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Lumia 920 looks interesting to me.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Android;

Galaxy Nexus the GSM unlocked version, can be used on pre-paid plans like Straight Talk that uses either AT&T or T-Mobile service. Straight Talk is only $45/month for full unlimited minutes, texts and 2gb data. Best deal in the U.S. right now. And better yet, you won't be handcuffed to some lame 2 year contract and agreement.

https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=galaxy_nexus_hspa&feature=corpus_selector

Straight Talk;
http://www.straighttalk.com/

Windows;

The Nokia Lumia 920 due out first week of November, looks like a really nice phone. But if you can till November, I would just wait for the 4th generation Nexus phone also due out before the end of the year. If you need a phone today, the Galaxy nexus is great phone.

 

[anonymous6237]

As someone who has bounced around between iOS and Android I might be able to help.

To the people above me recommending the GalaxyS3... OP clearly said they wanted something smaller, not larger. I actually like the larger screen size of the Galaxy line but it definitely is a big difference when switching to and from an iPhone. I'm looking forward to the added space on the iPhone 5 without the added width. I would suggest you wait until you can feel one in your hand to make any decisions.

Several of the high end Android phones are really nice. But the one thing they are not is simple (customization-wise). I fiddled with my phone constantly while on Android, trying to get the best user experience and trying to improve battery life. I never got the same battery life that I got from my iPhone 4 or (now) my 4S.

I've never used a WP but the new Lumia looks like it will be really nice from a hardware perspective. I hate "metro" so WP is a no-go for me.

The best recommendation I can give you is to try them all. Spend some time in the store with them. Make sure you are aware of the return policies before you buy. Don't get stuck with a phone you hate. Remember, you are going to use it all the time. Take the time to make your decision. After two stints on Android, I have landed on iOS for the next while for many of the same reasons as you have listed. But by no means does that mean you can't find something on another platform you like better.

 

[kenya71]

I'd say the Galaxy S3. Not that I can say anything good or bad about it. But it is considered the flagship Samsung product and thus more likely to receive updates/programs or anything else to keep it relevant.

 

[Agent-P]

Just to give some context on where my opinion is coming from, here's my smartphone history: HTC HD2 (WinMo 6.5), Nexus One (Froyo/gingerbread), iPhone 3GS/iPhone 4S (through iOS 5.1.1), and now an HTC Radar (WP 7.5).

Your mention of screen size makes it a tad more difficult to suggest Android headsets as most of the good ones are quite big. However, if we neglect the screen size argument I would say go with either a Galaxy S III or HTC One X (I know, people might say to go with the Galaxy Nexus because it is pure Android with no skin, but it is a bit dated compared to the GS III). The reason I say either of these is because since these two devices are marketed for the general population (as opposed to the Nexus series phones being more toward power users), they will be much quicker to pick up and use out of the box. Secondly, Google has shown Jellybean and it looks rather good. Since these two are the more popular phones, there is a better chance they will receive the Jellybean update (this is an area where I might suggest the Galaxy Nexus as the Nexus series phones tend to get updates first).

For Windows Phone, I would suggest waiting for the new Windows Phone 8 handsets to come out and to choose either the Nokia Lumia 820 or the upcoming HTC Accord (aka the HTC 8X) which will most likely be announced tomorrow. While I realise both of these phones have larger displays than you'd like (4.3"), it is difficult to find a phone smaller than that now that is still good. The reason I suggest the Lumia 820 is because Nokia has a history of good support for their WP devices. They get many exclusive apps that the other WP OEMs get later on (or in the case of Nokia branded apps, they do not get). Also, the removable and switchable backplates of the Lumia 820 would allow you to customise it to whichever colour you want or even to the wireless charging backplate if that's your cup of tea. This along with the simplicity of using WP will allow for you to quickly and easily get things set up they way you'd like and get back to your life. I also mention the HTC Accord/8X because it will most likely feature an aluminum body which you may prefer to the polycarbonate of the Lumia 820. And although HTC doesn't have as many exclusive apps as Nokia, they do have more than Samsung. I am assuming this trend would continue, but we won't know for sure until a bit later down the road.

As you can probably tell from my post, I tend to favour Windows Phone more as that is the OS I like the best. But Android wouldn't be a bad choice either if that strikes your fancy.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope I at least helped with your question a little bit.

 

[cynics]

After so much discussion praising other phones [as being better than the iPhone] in THIS forum not one person has been able to recommend an alternate phone that meets my needs, or explained why it is better.

I would still be interested in hearing those recommendations, but right now the anti-iPhone group isn't holding a lot of credibility.

Your criteria:

Small screen phone with no customization and good battery life but faster then you iPhone 4.

So my recommendation is an iPhone 4S or 5.....

 

[tbayrgs]

Your criteria:

Small screen phone with no customization and good battery life but faster then you iPhone 4.

So my recommendation is an iPhone 4S or 5.....

Exactly. While I was reading the OPs requirements, first thought was just get a 4s because the biggest advantages of the current crop of top end Android devices would be totally lost on him.

The OP appears to be Apple's target customer.

 

[cynics]

Exactly. While I was reading the OPs requirements, first thought was just get a 4s because the biggest advantages of the current crop of top end Android devices would be totally lost on him.

The OP appears to be Apple's target customer.

I had a feeling this thread had an ulterior motive. It wasnt till the second post that I would more confident of that....

 

[flameproof]

Lumia 800

Batt life is similar to iPhone 4
Form factor is similar to iPhone 4
OS is as easy as iOS
OS is more fluid then iOS (which often slows down a lot)
It's not as heavy as the iPhone
App availability is about same as for the iPhone
SIM size is a same as iPhone
Has common microUSB slot
Free turn by turn navigation for >100 countries
Quite cheap right now (I paid <$300)

If you want cheaper try Lumia 710. But I don't recommend Lumia 610 - it has only 256Mb RAM and can't run some apps, such as Skype.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I had a feeling this thread had an ulterior motive. It wasnt till the second post that I would more confident of that....

It is pretty hard to choose a phone when the OP says "I want a phone that I can't customize, small, and top of the line". I'm pretty sure the only high-end phone that doesn't have a large screen is the iPhone, and it's also the only OS that lacks any sort of customization.

OP:

If you really don't want to customize, get an android of WP device but just don't customize it. it's not hard.

And as far as devices, I'd happily recommend a Lumia 800 or 820 - coming soon(TM) - to you. They're smaller, but still high end. They feel great in your hand, and speed is never an issue on the WP platform.

 

[Calidude]

I'd like to apologize to the OP on behalf of the people before me who don't know how to read.

This is a bit bigger than OP wants, but I think it will serve him well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_Lumia_820

Why?

-4.3 inch screen isn't that much bigger than his 4 inch max.
-Great battery life on Windows Phone in general
-Great Nokia quality on these handsets
-Its a Windows Phone 8 so you won't be locked into 7 series which isn't getting upgraded.
-expandable storage.
-OP was adamant about it going with his new job so a Windows Phone would be best for a career-minded person.
-Ease of use pretty much goes without saying.

Or just get the iPhone 5. OP doesn't seem to be the type for Android.

 

[Oohara]

After so much discussion praising other phones [as being better than the iPhone] in THIS forum not one person has been able to recommend an alternate phone that meets my needs, or explained why it is better.

I would still be interested in hearing those recommendations, but right now the anti-iPhone group isn't holding a lot of credibility.

Judging by your tone, you sound like someone who expect others to do everything for you. Between that and your criteria of small screen and no customization, I'd say you're better off just sticking with iOS.

 

[roxxette]

Watch some videos of lumia 920 ! That thing looks amazing, i think im going to ditch my iphone and limit my iOS experience to my ipad only

 

[cotak]

All of the recent negativity surrounding the iPhone 5 release seems to be due to a belief that the competition has better hardware and/or software. I've been an iDevice user for years and have no experience with other, current platforms. Therefore, I don't know what these options look like. I am currently using an iPhone 4 and am quite happy with it. But at this point I would like to keep an open mind about what these other options look like.

I realize (obviously) that this is an iPhone forum. However, I'm asking the question here because:
1. I'm not familiar with other phone forums.
2. There's clearly enough "other platform" fans here to have compelled me to ask this question in the first place.

I'm looking for a phone recommendation.
I'm also looking for the pros/cons of the recommendation.

Criteria important to me:
1. Battery life. I'd like something close to my experience with the I4. It doesn't have to be exactly as good. But more is better.
2. Screen size 3.5" to 4". Small(ish) overall size. If anything I'm concerned that the iPhone 5 is going to be too large for me. I'm interested in the overall phone size for portability (ideally, I would have liked Apple to put the 4S in a smaller package). I also primarily use my phone with one medium sized man hand.
3. Ease of use. I have a new job. A new family. I don't want to spend lots of time setting things up. The "customization" aspect may have a bigger appeal to me again in the future, but not at the moment.
4. Performance. The 4 is acceptable but has always felt a bit slow to me. I'd like faster, smoother everything.

So recommend me a phone and I'll look into it. I'd appreciate an explanation of how or why the hardware/software is better. I'd also appreciate a candid approach to any drawbacks.

A few things before my suggestions...

I think you should give the larger screens a go before you write it off. It's not the evil that people make it out to be. I don't have big hands and I 1 hand use it all the time. It's like getting into a car that's set to someone else's seat position where you still fit. It feels awkward but after a while you don't notice. And unlike the car seat it will feel completely normal after a week or so.

I use a Galaxy Nexus and while it's bigger than the iphone 4 I had before, it actually doesn't feel bigger in my pockets. It's slimmer and the curved screen and rounded sides means it feels quite natural in the pocket. I kept checking it's still there the first 2 weeks I had it.

I keep my phone on a usb cable at work so it's pretty much charged all day long so I can't say if the Galaxy Nexus is as good battery life. Mind you I also kept my iPhone 4 charged as well. In general the battery life feels similar. The galaxy nexus does allow you to swap for a bigger battery for a small bump in the bottom of the phone. I haven't found a need for it though and I have never ran out of battery even when out without a charge fo a whole day.

You will need about 1 week to get comfortable with the new OS. But it's not a big deal. You'll be able to use the phone from the get go. Just maybe slower to find a setting here or there. Once you do it's more rewarding than iOS because it give you more control. Widgets are wonderful I love love love the calendar widget that keeps my appointments on my home screen without needing me to open the app.

Now to recommend:

If battery life is important that much look at the motorola stuff with the giant batteries. Also turn off the vibrate on type that kills battery.

For most up to date OS nexus devices are the only game right now. But moto's changing now as they are owned by Google so I think they will be ok too.

For performance look any any of the new higher ended devices. As long as it's 4.0 or above it will feel decent. Jellybean (4.1) is the best but right now I think you are looking at only Galaxy Nexus (and it's not the faster phone in town).

I think Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S3 or Moto Droid Razr series wil all work for you. I have never used an HTC so I am not going to recommend what I never even touched. But they do seem to offer the "feel quality" that some iphone users like. I say feel because the plastic used by samsung is actually really tough and just because it feels like plastic doesn't mean it's low quality.

 

[Calidude]

I think Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S3 or Moto Droid Razr series wil all work for you.

No, they don't. Why do you guys not listen to what he wants?

 

[thinkinblue613]

I second the Nokia Lumia 820.

Lumia 900 is good too, but the 4.5" 920 model is better and newer.

 

[Wisenos]

recently bought a Galaxy S3 and as pro/con...


Pro: fast, reliable, long lasting battery, great screen (true HD, not full but) 1280*720, microSD up to 64gb (so basically unlimited storage option on the go), USB OTG (lots of conectivity possibilities)
on LTE networks 2gb ram dual core S4 1.5ghz cpu
on 3G quad core 1.4 eynox cpu with 1gb ram
cheaper than (sorry but) iCrap stuff


Con: thickness "not thick enough" (added a case "Otterbox Defender" to be comfortable in hands)
on LTE networks 2gb ram dual core S4 1.5ghz cpu
on 3G quad core 1.4 eynox cpu with 1gb ram
----------------------
on a side note... Apple is one of the most important Samsung customer

 

[Oohara]

recently bought a Galaxy S3 and as pro/con...


Pro: fast, reliable, long lasting battery, great screen (true HD, not full but) 1280*720, microSD up to 64gb (so basically unlimited storage option on the go), USB OTG (lots of conectivity possibilities)
on LTE networks 2gb ram dual core S4 1.5ghz cpu
on 3G quad core 1.4 eynox cpu with 1gb ram
cheaper than (sorry but) iCrap stuff


Con: thickness "not thick enough" (added a case "Otterbox Defender" to be comfortable in hands)
on LTE networks 2gb ram dual core S4 1.5ghz cpu
on 3G quad core 1.4 eynox cpu with 1gb ram
----------------------
on a side note... Apple is one of the most important Samsung customer

While I think the thread starter doesn't really deserve an answer beyond "Just stick to iPhone, man", I gotta say it's quite hilarious how you people aren't bothering to read the OP at all. He's looking for a phone with max 4" screen!! Amongst other things...