The Apple versus Samsung war continued unabated with the release of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and its rival, the iPhone 5. At the moment, mobile users are divided on their opinions regarding the two mobile manufacturers.
Both companies produce great products, but you will always find one has an advantage over the other – based on your personal preferences and requirements.
Apple iPhone 5 Vs Samsung S4
Design
The iPhone has two parts of pigmented glass on the top and bottom. This is supposed to be completely durable to match the Gorilla Glass on the front of the phone. The phone feels comfortable to hold, but that depends on the size of your hands.
The S4 design is very much like its predecessor, the S3. It is made of plastic and is extremely comfortable to hold, considering its size. The S4 may be larger than the iPhone, but there are distinct advantages to that.
Display
The iPhone sports a 4 inch screen, compared to the 5 inches the S4 has to offer. Both these screens are stunning. The iPhone offers users natural looking, vibrant colors. The Samsung Galaxy S4 offers users saturated color and excellent contrast, however it does not match the vibrancy of the iPhone 5.
Outdoor visibility and the viewing angles appear to be better with the iPhone 5. This is due to the increased brightness level of the display on the iPhone. The display settings on the iPhone 5 allow for you to make it darker which is ideal for night use.
Interface
The physical characteristics of the two phones differ greatly, and so does the software.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 runs the 4.2.2 Android Jelly Bean interface. The addition of Samsung’s TouchWiz Nature adds several additional features, such as Smart Stay, Air View and Dual Shot, amongst others. The phone operates is highly customizable and runs extremely smoothly. This version of the user interface offers you a wide range of functions.
The iPhone comes with the Apple iOS platform. It is an efficient interface that is truly intuitive. It does not offer you the range of settings and options that is available with Android.
If you like the idea of being able to set your own features and make use of all the options available in Android, the S4 would be your choice in this department.
Processor
It is not a simple task to compare two different operating systems as each has its own distinct pros and cons.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 benefits from a 1.9 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 chip set, although some have the octa-core 1.6 GHz Exynos 5 chipset. This is dependent upon the market you are in. Both these processors are extremely powerful and will offer you super smooth performance. The memory available on the S4 is 2GB of RAM.
The iPhone comes with dual-core 1.3 GHz A6, with 1GB RAM.
When it comes to storage memory, the S4 offers you more versatility. The device is available in 16GB, 32GB or 64GB models, along with the facility to add extra storage with the micro SD card slot. The iPhone 5 offers the same storage capacities, but it does not offer you the option to expand the available memory as it does not have a card slot.
Connectivity
The iPhone operates on its Safari browser which allows for fast browsing performance. The Galaxy S4 operates on Samsung’s Android browser which is based on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This particular browser is more efficient than Chrome and it allows you to use Flash Player which is a definite improvement over the iPhone’s Safari system.
Both devices offer good browsing, but the availability of Flash Player on the S4 allows it to pip the iPhone 5 at the post. Both devices operate on LTE networks. Both devices offer Bluetooth, however, the Galaxy S4 comes with an IR blaster which allows you to use it as an international remote for television viewing.
Camera
Both Samsung and Apple have always offered good camera facilities on their mobile devices and this remains true this time as well. The S4 features different settings, effects and shooting modes for you to play around with. The iPhone 5 offers a simple camera solution. Other than pressing the shutter, you have only three additional settings, Flash, Grid and HDR.
Both devices take great pictures, however the added 13 megapixel resolution that the S4 offers allows for more detail to be present. The colors are more realistic and the saturation good. The iPhone 5, with its 8 megapixel camera does not offer natural photographs. The S4 tends to overexpose photos on occasion.
The video recording on the Galaxy S4 offers good, sharp footage, but the device is quite noisy. The sound it produces is clearer and louder compared to the iPhone 5 which is quiet and muffled.
Quality of Calls
The iPhone appears to be the winner in this section. It offers clear calls and voice transmission is not robotic. The S4 is said to have lower quality call transmission as its earpiece and microphone are not up to standard.
Final Word
The iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 are both outstanding devices and it is extremely difficult to choose an overall winner as they both offer so much. The S4 is a versatile device, which offers you a stunning 5 inch display that is absolutely perfect for gaming and video playback. The larger screen makes it easier to read texts or eBooks.
The iPhone, on the other hand, is as capable of offering what you require due to the range of applications that are available for it. It offers a simpler operating system which appeals to many. The smaller screen may make it more difficult to watch videos, play games or read anything on the screen easily.
The bottom line is that your choice will depend on the type of mobile user you are. If you are tech-savvy and looking for a choice of functions and customization options, you should consider the Samsung Galaxy S4. If you are looking for a phone with a simple interface, you should consider the iPhone 5.
When asked by his father for help choosing a new phone, Phil Turner recommended the Samsung Galaxy 4 mobile recently on websites such as uSwitch.