Galaxy S4 for one. Between the screen size, SD card support, Google navigation, Swype, replaceable battery, general Android advantages (notifications, Google account integration), Chrome, hardware back button, etc., I would pretty bummed if I were somehow forced to give it up and get an iPhone.
Actually, the screen size and Swype would be enough since I mainly use my phone for web browsing and composing email.
Between the screen size, SD card support, Google navigation, Swype, replaceable battery, general Android advantages (notifications, Google account integration), Chrome, hardware back button
While i understand and respect that for a lot of people, these are compelling features that differentiates high end Android Phones from iPhones, it also seems to me that most of these are simply manifestations of the different priorities and compromises made by Apple and Google, Samsung et al. I mean, it's not like it's not within Apple's power to add each of these to the iPhone. It's just that they choose not to, because each of these come with some kind of compromise that is not acceptable to Apple. Which is cool and only goes to show that it's good that we have competition.
The reason I write though, is because I think it's disingenous to assert that Apple has somehow fallen behind, technologically, when they are very clearly keeping up and at the top of their game (look no further than the A7 chip). You may prefer a Samsung to an iPhone, because you find that you prefer the particular compromises made by Samsung/Google to those made by Apple. But understand that this has everything to do with what subjectively appeals to you and nothing to do with the actual technologically capabilities of each of these companies.
I think it's disingenous to assert that Apple has somehow fallen behind
I didn't assert this. He asked what phone I personally prefer, so I answered. I said that if I had to use an iPhone, I would be bummed.
The fact that Apple has "lost a year" (which they obviously have) doesn't necessarily mean they've "fallen behind". It means that others have caught up.
I've recently switched from android (my latest was a GS3) to iPhone 5s. I figured it was time for me to give Apple a shot at my phone. While screen size hasn't bothered me, you hit the nail on the head with Swype (or just the choice of alternate keyboards). I have found many things better in iOs than Android and vice versa, but my biggest gripe so far has been the keyboard.
The key to typing fast on iOS is to not stop and correct yourself when you make a mistake and let it correct it for you. After many years typing on iPhones, I'm much faster than I ever was on Blackberry with a physical keyboard.
I'm curious as to whether you perceive you are faster on the iPhone or whether, empirically, you are. I've seen some studies that have shown physical keyboards to be marginally faster than touchscreen keyboards, but not enough for most consumers to care.
"Handily" and "most" are funny words, given the benchmarking results in the Anandtech review of the Nexus 5. If by "most" you mean "battery," then I agree. Otherwise both phones are neck-and-neck, except for the camera (still sucks on the Nexus 5).
Here's a link to Anandtech, where the 5S is tied with the Nexus in most (not "most") tests, and beats it in more than a few:
Comments
Honest question: what phone do you find superior to the iPhone 5S, and why?
Galaxy S4 for one. Between the screen size, SD card support, Google navigation, Swype, replaceable battery, general Android advantages (notifications, Google account integration), Chrome, hardware back button, etc., I would pretty bummed if I were somehow forced to give it up and get an iPhone.
Actually, the screen size and Swype would be enough since I mainly use my phone for web browsing and composing email.
While i understand and respect that for a lot of people, these are compelling features that differentiates high end Android Phones from iPhones, it also seems to me that most of these are simply manifestations of the different priorities and compromises made by Apple and Google, Samsung et al. I mean, it's not like it's not within Apple's power to add each of these to the iPhone. It's just that they choose not to, because each of these come with some kind of compromise that is not acceptable to Apple. Which is cool and only goes to show that it's good that we have competition.
The reason I write though, is because I think it's disingenous to assert that Apple has somehow fallen behind, technologically, when they are very clearly keeping up and at the top of their game (look no further than the A7 chip). You may prefer a Samsung to an iPhone, because you find that you prefer the particular compromises made by Samsung/Google to those made by Apple. But understand that this has everything to do with what subjectively appeals to you and nothing to do with the actual technologically capabilities of each of these companies.
I didn't assert this. He asked what phone I personally prefer, so I answered. I said that if I had to use an iPhone, I would be bummed.
The fact that Apple has "lost a year" (which they obviously have) doesn't necessarily mean they've "fallen behind". It means that others have caught up.
I've recently switched from android (my latest was a GS3) to iPhone 5s. I figured it was time for me to give Apple a shot at my phone. While screen size hasn't bothered me, you hit the nail on the head with Swype (or just the choice of alternate keyboards). I have found many things better in iOs than Android and vice versa, but my biggest gripe so far has been the keyboard.
The key to typing fast on iOS is to not stop and correct yourself when you make a mistake and let it correct it for you. After many years typing on iPhones, I'm much faster than I ever was on Blackberry with a physical keyboard.
I'm curious as to whether you perceive you are faster on the iPhone or whether, empirically, you are. I've seen some studies that have shown physical keyboards to be marginally faster than touchscreen keyboards, but not enough for most consumers to care.
The Nexus 5 is pretty impressive. The iPhone still beats it pretty handedly in the camera department though.
Nexus 5 handily beats the iPhone in most categories, save perhaps the camera. Not to mention it is half the cost.
"Handily" and "most" are funny words, given the benchmarking results in the Anandtech review of the Nexus 5. If by "most" you mean "battery," then I agree. Otherwise both phones are neck-and-neck, except for the camera (still sucks on the Nexus 5).
Here's a link to Anandtech, where the 5S is tied with the Nexus in most (not "most") tests, and beats it in more than a few:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7517/google-nexus-5-review/4
Well if it is tied in most and beats it in some categories, for half the price tag that seems like a clearly superior phone to me.