Voice assistants
With the iPhone 4S, Apple introduced us to Siri, its voice assistant. You talk to Siri and ask it a question and it attempts to answer. To compete, Samsung came out with its own “S-Voice” app, which attempts to do its best Siri possible. To be honest, neither Siri nor S-Voice are very good yet, but we have to hand this category to Apple for continuing to add new functionality to its service. I especially like that Siri automatically turns on whenever I lift my iPhone to my ear. I don’t usually have much to say to the personal assistant, but you never know. It’s nice to be asked.
Winner: iPhone 5
Voice & LTE data service
Both the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 will supposedly support HD Voice, but where and on which carriers, we don’t know yet. Currently, voice service on both devices is just as crappy as it’s always been. Reception and LTE performance of both on Verizon Wireless here in Manhattan, NYC has been similar. It doesn’t appear that either phone has a distinct advantage against one another in voice or data. However, we highly recommend you get a phone like these that has 4G LTE support.
Winner: Tie
Charging / Connecting Accessories
Normally, this wouldn’t be an actual category and Apple would win hands down. It’s 30-pin iPod and iPhone connector is so widely supported that some cars come with support for it. There are more than a decade’s worth of speakers, docks, and other peripherals designed specifically for the iPod and iPhone, while there are virtually none built for the Galaxy S3. However, with the iPhone 5, Apple has set the score back to zero by creating an entirely new 8-pin connector that isn’t compatible with any of its old accessories or devices. Worse, Apple is making an adapter so you can connect to older devices, but it won’t be out until sometime in October and it’s going to cost $30. Can somebody say “rip-off?” Apple should have included the adapter with the phone as a thank you for putting up with the transition.
By being a little arrogant with its charging port, Apple gives Samsung the advantage in this area. Though there aren’t a ton of Galaxy S3 accessories, the phone charges on Micro USB, which means you can use a commonly available cable to give it some extra juice. If you lose your single iPhone 5 cable, you’re screwed.
Winner: Galaxy S3
Battery life
Oh, battery life. The Razr Maxx may be your only true friend. Neither the Galaxy S3 or iPhone 5 make huge leaps in battery life, but if you play your cards right, both phones will last you through a day. In my experience, using the Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5 Verizon models, the S3 has lasted consistently longer than Apple’s phone. All I do all day is check email, send texts, browse the Web, and spend 60 minutes listening to pre-downloaded music or podcasts. If I use either device more than this, I’m pushing my luck, so if you’re going on a trip, I recommend you find a battery case or portable charger for your iPhone and some extra batteries for your Galaxy S3.
Laptop magazine performed some benchmark tests which indicate that the iPhone 5 may have a slight battery life advantage (20 minutes) while continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi, but it definitely depends on what apps you have running on your S3. Other tests seem to be mixed. The Galaxy S3 appears to get around 9 to 11 hours of talk time and Apple claims the iPhone 5 will get around 8 hours.
Winner: Galaxy S3
Future updates
If you want to make sure your phone is supported and you get updates in the future, the iPhone 5 is currently the most reliable bet. Apple reliably updates its operating system every year and delivers updates on its own schedule whenever it pleases. With the upgrade to iOS 6, Apple brought every iPhone from the 3GS upward to the new version. Though Samsung has recently committed to taking updating seriously, it has no track record yet. It recently released a “schedule” of devices to get Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), but failed to give any dates. In addition, Galaxy S3 updates are run by whatever carrier you happen to be on, or by Samsung itself if you have an unlocked version of the phone. Even if Samsung begins updating its phones constantly, chances are, you will still be four months to a year (or forever) behind Google’s official Android upgrades, which happen twice a year.
Winner: iPhone 5
Overall Winner: iPhone 5
Apple’s flagship phone has some downsides, depending on how highly you value things like screen size, background multitasking, and maps, but it makes up for them by being the best built phone on the market, yet again. If there’s one thing Apple is good at, it’s attention to detail. The iPhone’s design flourishes help it overcome some of its technical limitations. Frankly, to many of you, and sometimes to us too, a phone that works smoothly and simply is better than the one with the most bells and whistles.
Winners by category:
- Design and construction: iPhone 5
- Feel: Galaxy S3
- Screen quality: iPhone 5
- User interface: iPhone 5
- Operating system features: Galaxy S3
- App stores: Tie
- Personalization: Tie
- Maps: Galaxy S3
- Audio and video: iPhone 5
- Cameras: iPhone 5
- Hardware specifications: Tie
- Voice assistants: iPhone 5
- Voice and LTE data service: Tie
- Charging and connecting accessories: Galaxy S3
- Battery life: Galaxy S3
- Future updates: iPhone 5
Here’s how the math worked out: The iPhone 5 had 7 wins, the Galaxy S3 had 5 wins, and a tie was awarded in 4 categories. What should this tell you? These phones are practically an even match. Figure out which categories are most important to you and do your own math. You can’t make a bad decision here. And if you still want to know more, please read our full Samsung Galaxy S3 review or our new Apple iPhone 5 review.
This is just garbage
Screen – Tie. S3 has a Higher Resolution, bigger screen…but iPhone 5 looks a little better cause of the smaller screen.
User Interface – are you joking? You can fully customize the S3 UI to your liking. What can you do with IOS6? Nothing.
Audio/Video – Tie easy, Even though the front facing camera is a higher res on the S3.
Camera – Is someone forgetting about the Purple haze when taking pictures? My friend with his new iPhone 5 sure hasn’t.
Hardware specs – Just the expandable memory in the S3 is enough to give it a win. Like c’mon, up to 64gb of extra memory per card. microSD limit is software based on the S3, so updates could give it a boost in usable microSD space.
Voice assistant – Tie.
So how is that new iPhone 5 that Apple sent you? I’m sure it’s working well.
And you are paid by Samsung.
Gotta agree. Awarding the iPhone the win in customization based solely on third party cases (ooooh, you can put a sparkly bedazzled case on your iPhone!) versus the inifinitely more customizable home screens of the actual phone (GS3) is downright ludicrous. The category was “customization” not who has more cute teenage girl type cases available from third parties. That “win” by Apple stinks of a compromise when it was realized that this would end in a tie at best. PS, I agree with others. The GS3 pics look better to me as well. BTW, you forgot one VERY important category (even more so than your sparkly case category): PRICE. Sincerely, a current iPhone 4S owner about to buy a GS3 for $80 instead of an iPhone 5 for $200
BTW, one more thing I forgot to include. The very reason I’m here reading this in the first place is because I was trying to decide whether to go GS3 or iPhone 5. I was reading some comparisons but I can’t take the obviously biased ones. Siri? Are you kidding me? She almost NEVER answers a question correctly when you ask anything beyond the most basic of commands. If you ask her what time it is or what is the weather, she’s fine. Just try asking what your favorite player’s batting average was for 2012 or even an easy one like “what is the most popular movie in America right now”? She will either give you a generic wikipedia page for the athlete (assuming she can even comprhend the name), and as for the movie, she’ll list theaters in your area. Whenever I even ask it to read me the last text from someone and it says “no new texts”! So basically, Siri is so dumb, it can only read new texts or compose them. Sorry, but no Apple fanboyism here, even as a current owner. I have to stay objective.
how could you embarrass yourself by saying that the iPhone’s screen size makes the screen look better? That proved how intelligent you are. The iPhone’s screen looks better because it IS better. You cant blame the size of the screen as an excuse. Voice assistant is equal? Are you serious?! Are you really going to lie to yourself? The voice control on the S3 doesnt even come close to the first version of Siri. And now Siri is even smarter than ever. Purple haze? Does your friend imagine things or need glasses or need laser eye surgery? Even my 3GS doesnt have a purple haze and neither does the 5. Ill admit that the size of the S3 is fantastic for movies though. When has Android ever made an update that increases the storage capacity for microSD? And when has Android even made more updates than Apple? If you want more space on the iPhone, just download N2Drive. Its a free app that gives you 1TB of free storage. Trust me, a microSD will never go up to 1TB in the next 60 years. Im assuming Samsung has paid you to type false comments with convincing words as a desperate attemp to make the S3 seem better. Dont be retarded, Apple has defeated every phone company year after year. As a smartphone collector who owns every Nokia, Apple, HTC, Samsung, and Motorola smartphone, the iPhone 5 is the best overall. I pity your foolish judgement.
The AMOLED screen on the S3 produces darker blacks and better colors compared to the RETINA (IPS) display, the only thing that the IPS has over the AMOLED is brightness. The iphone looks better because of the higher PPI of the smaller screen.
Google voice is just as advanced as Siri, look at how well Apple did their map system…you’re a complete fan boy if you think siri is so much better.
Purple has exists because of the sapphire crystal causing a purple lens flare, it well documented so go look it up.
You can get anything bigger than a 64gb MicroSD, 128GB wont be available on the market for another year, and then it’s just a software limitation which can be updated via firmware.
N2Drive??? Unless you’re special and have app that no one else has you’re dreaming. There is no way for an app to “magically” produce 1tb of storage on a device. Unless you’re talking about online storage which is already available and isn’t the same, even remotely.
You call yourself “THEPHONEKING” and you know nothing about the current technology. Pretty sad….
Nothing about current technology? Your pathetic assumption proves your stupidity. If you don’t believe that app exists why don’t you go to the App Store and check it out? I have it on my iPad for proof. A fan boy, you say? Don’t be silly, I only concluded it was better after testing it in various ways. And Google Voice is an app that allows you to call and text with another number that you choose and register for free. I can’t believe you can’t even get the name of the voice control Samsung uses. You’re the sad one here.
I just looked like last time for “N2Drive”, no results. Like i said before, you can’t magically make a device increase the amount of flash memory that’s onboard, even if you click your heels together 3 times and wish it. If you have an iPhone with 16gb you get 16gb (minus OP System/Files)…that’s it. Cloud storage doesn’t count because every smart phone has cloud storage. Sorry it’s called S voice, i typed the wrong name, oh no….i just didn’t care to look it up. Siri is a catchy name and you don’t forget it.
You still call yourself “THEPHONEKING”, guess what, you have no credibility anywhere. You can call yourself steve jobs, no one cares lol
ThePhoneKing is just a username. Why are you taking something so trivial so seriously? You already said this twice. Even I don’t care if I’m called Steve Jobs. At least MY username isn’t something dumb like huhh. I’ll send you a screenshot of the app if you like.
I agree with ThePhoneKing you are a dildo
Why do you keep buying all of these other smartphone brands if the iPhone is so superior? Doesn’t seem too smart which makes me wonder about your judgment regarding the iPhone. And…anyone who has to call some one a “retard” because they disagree with something…in my mind loses al credibility anyway.
I buy other smartphones for testing to see which is better. Then I sell the bad ones and keep the good ones. Even your should be able to understand that.
IPHONE 5 is BETTER
face it
IOS6 you cant change it because it already amazing
camera is crystal literally
who really buys a 64gb memory card
hello SIRI
of-course the IPHONE 5 works
WHY would it not?
Sarcasm in writing c’mon
No it’s not
You’re an idiot
IOS 6 is the same as every IOS in the past, even windows has changed over the years.
Camera has sapphire lens which get a purple lens flare
I have purchased a 64gb card and so have many more have too.
SIRI is the same as google voice…there is no difference.
No saying the iphone doesn’t work, obviosly it does but people praise it for being perfect…it’s not.
You’re still an idiot and it was very hard to write like an idiot….
Look huhh everyone disagrees with you so just stop asshole!
Did you take your avatar picture with the iPhone?