How does the Samsung Galaxy S3 compare with the competition already on the market? It’s logical to compare it with one of its biggest rivals, the iPhone 4S. While we’ve seen numerous comparisons of this on the hardware front where the newer Samsung Galaxy S3 crushes the aging iPhone 4S, how do they both fair on the software front i.e. Android Ice Cream Sandwich with the new TouchWiz UI versus iOS 5+. Here are some of the most important points to consider.
iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S3: software experience
Each of the handsets has app stores and this is where the biggest difference can be found. iOS users have a more restricted App Store which may lead to better quality thanks to vetting from Apple. The downside to this is that if Apple does not like an app, it doesn’t stand a chance of getting in. Android are more lenient with users being able to add their own apps, on the downside this could be said to lead to a lack of quality apps. Users may also have to give a second thought to what they download to the S3 due to safety reasons.
iOS on the iPhone is very straight forward to use with users being able to drag and drop icons and even group them into particular folders, and that’s about it. Android users get this and more thanks to widgets that can used for any app or service and which can be moved around and used on multiple screens. Launchers also provide customization and users are able to create breathtaking designs (just see myColorScreen.com to know what we mean).
Another thing to consider is where the Samsung Galaxy S3 lies when it comes to Android updates. Will it get the update and what about updates in the future? Samsung are not known for being quick when it comes to updating, perhaps due to wanting to keep the TouchWiz experience, or maybe this is down to carriers being lazy with updates. Samsung has confirmed Jelly Bean for the S3 already but not before Q4 (the Nexus on the other hand is getting the update this month). For anyone on contract this could be bad news as you will see many newer devices (even those with weaker hardware) running the latest Jelly Bean update before the S3 only because they are newer to the market.
On the other side users of iOS know with certainty that when they purchase the iPhone 4S on contract they will get iOS 6, and the update will even come to the iPhone 3GS with limited functionality. There is also the consideration that new Android handsets will arrive later this year to beat the S3, while iPhone buyers only need to know that the iPhone 5 is coming this year and then they are good for another year before the next iPhone. So over your two-year contract period, if you were to buy the latest iPhone (iPhone 5 in this instance) and you next upgrade is only when the iPhone 7 comes out, you can be rest assured that for those two years your phone will get the latest iOS updates and hence be compatible with all apps.
If you are considering the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy S3, which one comes out on top is all down to what you actually want out of a phone and its OS. Android gives more control while iOS “just works”. When it comes to latest OS updates, there is no guarantee the S3 will keep up to date right until your contract expires. So on the software front, the iPhone 4S is a better bet. On the hardware front, the Galaxy S3 remains unchallenged.
