Earlier this month, we wrote an in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. At the time, the comments section was loaded with readers asking whether this would be the Android phone that would finally beat the iPhone 4S. We couldn’t answer that question at the time, and now almost one month after using the Galaxy Nexus on a daily basis, I have come to a conclusion that they are world’s apart and that makes it even more difficult to state which one is better.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs iPhone 4S: A weekend with the iPhone
However what I could do is compare it based on fulfilling my particular needs. Now after taking home the iPhone 4S this past weekend and leaving my Galaxy Nexus in the drawer at work, I must say that I immediately missed the device. Why? For starters, I missed the ability to customize the homescreen to my specific needs. Sure, the standard grid layout of the iPhone 4S was user-friendly when it launched 4 years ago and is the same now, but after getting used to the clean and uncluttered homescreen setup on my Galaxy Nexus with the most used apps and widgets at a glance, this icon-based UI just doesn’t cut it.
Next came way of screen real estate. If you have large hands like me then going from a 4.65-inch display to a 3.5-inch screen will feel a little cramp, especially when tying messages with your thumbs.
My last grip came with data speeds. With the 4G LTE speeds enjoyed on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, going back down to 3G choked speeds was disappointing.
However while I did miss my Samsung Galaxy Nexus and couldn’t wait to swap my SIM back, the iPhone 4S did have its perks. In particular the sturdy solid feel when you held it in your hands, awesome battery life, and of course that camera.
So while it may be very difficult to compare the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus to one another, both smartphones have their clear advantages and disadvantages. It would just be up to the user as to which matters most to them.
