Tough one. I have both the iPhone 4 and Galaxy S and will probably do the same when I upgrade.
Here’s a helpful comparison that might help you decide whether you should opt for an Apple handset or the Android one:
Dimension:
The size of iPhone 4S is smaller as compared to Galaxy Nexus. The overall dimension of iPhone 4S is 115.2 mm x 58.6 mm x 9.3 mm (H x W x D) and it weighs only 140 grams. The overall dimension of Galaxy Nexus is 135.5 mm X 67.94 mm X 9.47 mm (H x W x D) and it weighs 150 grams. So, it is obvious that iPhone 4S is lighter, smaller and thinner as compared to Galaxy Nexus. While both are easy to hold, it is iPhone 4S that easily fits into a small purse, a back pocket and more.
Look and Feel:
Apple iPhone 4S sports a familiar design as that of iPhone 4. However, the glass covered front and back, combined with the steel chassis and Aluminum antenna, gives a beautiful look to this new gadget. On the other hand, the Galaxy Nexus is a grown up version of the Nexus S. The front look of the handset is good while the back is covered in the high quality strengthened glass.
Display:
The Galaxy Nexus comes with a larger screen that measures 4.65-inch as compared to 3.5-inch screen of iPhone 4S. Well, iPhone 4S has a 640×960 Retina display that sports 330 ppi, while Galaxy Nexus has a 1280×720 HD Super AMOLED contoured display with 316 ppi. The Galaxy Nexus is better for browsing and video, but the iPhone 4S is brighter. To sum up, both these handsets are capable of offering sharp images but still iPhone 4S display can be considered better.
Operating System:
One major difference between iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus is the operating system. Galaxy Nexus comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which combines the best features from the Android Gingerbread and Android Honeycomb operating systems. On the other hand, iPhone 4S runs on iOS 5 that comes with a lot of application support. Some of the important features include in iOS 5 are notification bar, cloud synchronizatio n, wireless syncing, Twitter integration and Widgets. Also iOS 5 has 5 GB of free cloud storage to sync photos, contacts and other Apple products. The Galaxy Nexus has Google’s Gmail and its cloud services, so it’s a win-win situation there. But it is iOS 5 that can be declared more user-friendly.
Processor:
Apple iPhone 4S has a dual-core Apple A5 processor running at 1GHz and is backed by 512MB of RAM. Apple offers a choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, but without any microSD card support. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Nexus has a 1.2GHz Texas Instruments dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. The Galaxy Nexus is available with 16GB of internal storage and, also does not have microSD card support. Here, both the handsets give a tough competition to each other.
Storage:
Both phones feature 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage options, but the iPhone 4S comes with a 64 GB option. For both the handsets there is no SD Card slot.
Wireless Connectivity:
The iPhone 4S can still only get 3G, while the Galaxy Nexus will sport 4G speeds thanks to its LTE status since it’s debuting on Verizon. Therefore, the Samsung’s device might be a good choice for people who are looking for faster speeds. Both the handsets are Bluetooth-enabled with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n.
Camera and Video:
Apple iPhone 4S comes with an 8-megapixel camera and is capable of 1080p video. Users can capture high quality images in medium to low lighting with its f/2.4 aperture.
The camera comes with advanced features such as HDR, face detection and image stabilization. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes with a 5 MP rear camera that offers features like Panorama photos and zero shutter lag. While iPhone 4S comes with a VGA front camera, Galaxy Nexus sports a 1.3MP front facing camera.
Galaxy Nexus camera is capable of capturing 1080p video footage and iPhone 4S supports 1080p HD video recording at 24 frames-per-second. The video shoot with iPhone 4S is smooth with very clear sound quality. Well, as far as camera is concerned, iPhone 4S camera is a better bargain.
Battery Life:
Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a 1,750mAh Li-Ion battery that offers up to 270 hours of stand-by time and up to about 18 hours of talk time. As the battery can be swap out, users can carry a spare if required. Meanwhile, iPhone 4S has Li-Ion 1,432mAh battery that cannot be removed. The iPhone 4s battery offers 8 hours of talk time on 3G or 14 hours on 2G, standby for up to 200 hours, video playback for 10 hours and web browsing for up to 6 hours on 3G and 9 on Wi-Fi. Surely, Galaxy Nexus is a sure winner as far as battery life is concerned.
Carriers:
For the first time, Galaxy Nexus will be available on Verizon. Apple iPhone 4S is available on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, thus making it a world phone. Since, iPhone 4S is on more carriers users can use it in different countries and locations.
New Features:
Samsung Galaxy Nexus is equipped with Android Beam that allows users to share contacts, web pages, videos, directions and more just by touching two NFC-enabled Android phones back to back. The phone also features Face Unlock technology. Just smile at your Galaxy Nexus handset and phone gets turn on. On the other hand, the iPhone 4S features Siri, the smart personal assistant. Users can ask Siri to set up reminders, call anyone from your address book, and dictate text messages and emails.
Price:
The iPhone 4S is priced according to its internal storage capacity with $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB model and $399 for the 64GB model for a two-year service contract with AT&T or Verizon. Samsung Galaxy Nexus is available for $300 on Verizon Wireless with a two-year contract. Well, with different price tags, iPhone 4S will suit more people having different budgets.
Final Judgment:
For gadget lovers, there can be ample of reason to own both these handset. Both these handsets give tough competition to each other. However, it seems that iPhone 4S being the world phone is a winner this time. So, which one you want to buy – Apple iPhone 4S or Samsung Galaxy Nexus?