As rumors of an iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 both expected to debut sometime in mid-2012 continue to grow, the iPhone vs Android battle is set to be taken to a whole new level. However given that we don’t know the specs of either one of these upcoming flagship smartphones, we thought of looking at the current generation of Androids and the iPhone 4S to see where both mobile platforms stand at this time.
Given that there is only one iPhone 4S variant (albeit in different colors and storage sizes) versus a whole army of Android smartphone options, let’s phrase this comparison as to what you can do if you chose an Android phones over and iPhone, and keeping in mind that many of these advantages vary from each Android to Android.
Android vs iPhone: What Android phones can do that iPhone can’t
True 4G: LTE & WiMAX – Certain Android phones like the Motorola DROID Bionic and HTC Thunderbolt boast 4G LTE connectivity. Over on Sprint, you can find multiple WiMAX capable devices as well as upcoming LTE devices like the Sprint Galaxy Nexus. Lastly AT&T has also announced a couple of LTE devices for 2012. In the case of the iPhone 4S, all three carrier variants only offer 3G speeds.
Widgets: One of the most-talked about feature of Android phones will no doubt have to be widgets. The ability to see certain information without clicking on the app is not only a timesaver but allows for a more richer app experience. The ability to add widgets to your Android phone’s home-screens will also be one of the many reasons why Android phones come in different screen size options ranging from the 3.7-inch HTC Desire to the humungous 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note.
Removable batteries: While there are some Android phones that no longer offer this option (Samsung Galaxy S, Motorola DROID RAZR), the majority of Android smartphones have removable batteries which makes it convenient to keep a spare battery on you anytime you are away from an AC outlet.
Removable SD card storage: Another great benefit is that you can swap your SD card in situations where you are busy snapping pictures with your Android phone’s camera and hit a storage limit. It is also useful for music hoarders and those that carry many files around and use their Android phones as a USB.
In addition to a wider variety of choice (different form factors, screen sizes and display technologies, connectivity options, NFC, etc.) there are the little things that Android phones can do which the iPhone can’t:
- Ability to replace the keyboard, SMS client, Email client and default web browser.
- Copy music and other media from your Android phone to any 3rd party computer.
- Install Software from third party sources (not just limited to the Android Market or App Store).
- Free turn by turn navigation.
- iTunes tethering not required to manage music or sync other information in your device.
Did we miss out on any other Android features that the iPhone 4S doesn’t support yet? If so please sound off in the comments below.
