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

By Andrew Couts October 4, 2011

galaxy-s-ii-iphone-4s — Image used with permission by copyright holder

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

*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

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…

Mobile

Best iPhone 15 deals: How to get Apple’s latest iPhone for free

The display on a green iPhone 15.

The Apple iPhone lineup isn’t often a place to turn for a discount, as Apple deals can be somewhat difficult to come by. The best phone deals often turn up discounts on less premium brands, but there are some ways to save on the iPhone 15, which is Apple’s most recent iPhone release. You’ll find some of the best iPhone 15 deals scattered across retailers, which is why we’ve done some of the heavy lifting and organized them all below. Among the best iPhone deals you’ll find below are some impressive savings even if you don’t have an old device to trade-in.

You can also shop the best refurbished iPhone deals if you’re looking for ultimate savings, and there are plenty of iPhone 14 deals to shop if having the most recent iPhone release isn’t of importance to you.
Today's best iPhone 15 deals

Mobile

How to fix iMessage activation errors on your iPhone

Close-up photo of the Messages app on an iPhone.

If you have an iPhone, you probably use iMessage as your primary messaging app. This is especially true if you also have other Apple devices, like a Mac and an iPad. Typically, iMessage should work without much effort on your part.

But sometimes you may come across a problem with iMessage, whether it’s just Apple’s servers being down or even getting some activation errors. While you can’t control whether Apple’s servers are working or not, there's a fix if you happen to get some activation errors.

Mobile

I found an amazing new way to use my iPhone 15 Pro Max

The back of a Natural Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max.

When Apple announced the iPhone 15 Pro series last September, there was one feature I was more excited about than anything else: the Action button. Gone was the useless ring/silent slider. In its place was a button we could customize to our exact liking.

I've been using the Action button on my iPhone 15 Pro Max ever since I got it, and for the last few months, it's been programmed to open the camera app. It's convenient, but it's also nothing particularly exciting. Recently, though, I found a new and unexpected way to use my iPhone's Action button — and it's kind of blowing my mind.
Supercharging the Action button