Can the Samsung Galaxy S II deliver a knockout blow or does the iPhone 4 continue its quest for total domination? We’ve decided to let these two heavy-weights battle it out to see who is ‘King of the Smartphones’.
By Rob Gleeson
There’s no doubt that Apple have had led the way for numerous years in terms of innovation and new technology but with the like of HTC and Samsung providing some leading trends of their own of late, surely it’s only a matter of time before the Apple iPhone is knocked off it’s perch?
Increasing competition, coupled with the MIA status of the iPhone 5 have opened the possibilities for a number of high-profile rivals to land a killer blow, in partcular the new Samsung Galaxy S II. Let’s get ready to rumble!
Display
Galaxy S II: Boasting a 4.3 inch capacitive SuperAMOLED Plus display, the Galaxy S II starts off with a bang. With a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels it’s not as high as the iPhone 4 but the sheer quality, size and contrast make up for this and then some.
iPhone 4: A 3.5 inch LCD ‘Retina’ display with a resolution of 640 x 960 pixels is probably one of the best displays on the market at the moment but unfortunately for Apple, the Galaxy S II’s display size and overall quality win this round.
Result: Galaxy S II
Operating System
Galaxy S II: Operating Android 2.3, the Galaxy S II has the fire power in terms of customisation, open source applications and better multi-tasking.
iPhone 4: Apple iOS was something we never experienced before when it was launched on the original iPhone 3G and has come a long way since then. People love the ease of use, user interference and literally hundreds of thousands of applications that are available with Apple’s iOS.
Result: There’s no right or wrong here – it’s a matter of preference. Draw.
Camera
Galaxy S II: 8 megapixel camera with autofocus and a LED flash that takes really impressive snaps. Not as good as some others that are on the market at the moment but combine this with the display and you’ve got yourself a fantastic camera.
iPhone 4: Perhaps Apple are going to introduce a 8 mega-pixel camera in the future but the iPhone 4 only has a 5 mega-pixel camera, which just isn’t up to scratch.
Result: Galaxy S II
Media
Galaxy S II: Watching videos on the Galaxy S II is exceptional but the area in which it lets me down is the music player. Apple began their assault on the smartphone market from a solid foundation of iPods and the like and need a little bit extra in this department to win this round.
iPhone 4: Like I’ve said above, the music function that we all know is the best on the market in terms of smartphones. Combine this with a pretty good display for watching movies etc and we have a clear winner!
Result: iPhone 4
Browser
Galaxy S II: Any phone can have a large screen but it’s what you do with it that counts. The Galaxy S II’s browser supports flash content, coupled with a extremely responsive screen that equals a beautiful web browsing experience.
iPhone 4: While the iPhone did revolutionise the manner in which we use our phones, Apple’s decision not to support Flash content has left and continues to leave many people bemused.
Result: Galaxy S II
Overall
For me the Galaxy S II is the clear and deserved winner. While I’m sure Apple will introduce features that will trump others, I remain unconvinced that they’ll ever be capable of regaining the throne from here on.
Samsung have produced two flagship smartphones one after the other and if they can continue to do so it’s hard to see a comeback from Steve Jobs. It’s a KO result for the Galaxy S II in this bout.
Rob Gleeson is co-founder of Smartphone Republic
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