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Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S II: Spec showdown

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Apple just unveiled the new iPhone 4S, it’s newest addition to the most-popular smartphone line in the US. While demand for the device sits at an all-time high, Apple faces stiff competition from a growing array of high-end Android handsets. The iPhone 4S won’t be available until October 14, when it ships in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and Japan. An additional 22 international markets will receive the device on October 28. So we haven’t yet had the chance to get our hands on the device. But let’s take a look at how the technical specs of the iPhone 4S stack up next to those of our favorite new Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S II
iPhone  4S  Galaxy S II
Price (with contract) $199 to $399 $199.99
OS iOS 5 Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) w/ TouchWhiz 4.0
 Processor  Apple A5 (dual-core) Samsung Exynos (dual-core)
 Display  3.5-inch 960×640 IPS 4.3-inch 800×480 SAMOLED+
Dimensions 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 (mm) 129 x 66 x 8.9 (mm)
Weight 140g 117g
Cellular  CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A/GSM/HSPA GSM/HSPA+
Max. speed 14.4Mbps down/5.8Mbps up 21.1Mbps down
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (single-band) 802.11 b/g/n (dual-band)
 Rear camera 8-megapixel AF w/ LED flash 8-megapixel AF w/ LED flash
 Front camera VGA 2-megapixel
 Video capabilities
  1080p at 30fps 1080p at 30fps
Internal storage  16GB/32GB/64GB 16GB
Mini SD No Yes (expands storage up to 48GB)
Max. battery life  8 hrs talk/6 hrs browsing 3G/10 hrs video/40 hrs music 8 hrs talk
 Construction Glass w/ aluminum band Plastic
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*For this comparison, we pitted the iPhone 4S against AT&T version of the Galaxy S II. T-Mobile and Sprint versions have a few different specs, but are more or less the same phone inside. The same model of the iPhone 4S is available on AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint

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Andrew Couts
Andrew Couts
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