The smartphone market is centered around two new releases at the moment: the Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Both are solid handsets, but if you're trying to decide between the two of them, here's what's different.
Before we begin, keep in mind the iPhone 5 is only available through AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will launch (near the end of October) through AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular.
The iPhone 5 might just be the poster child for smartphones everywhere. The iPhone 5 comes with a slightly larger (than previous iPhones) display size of 4 inches and 4G LTE. It comes with Apple's new iOS 6, which offers improved Facebook integration along with 200 new features, according to Apple.
The iPhone 5 also sports an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for FaceTime HD.
The iPhone 5 begins at $199 for the 16GB model with a two-year contract, and $299 and $399 for the 32GB and 64GB models respectively. An unlocked iPhone 5 should be available for U.S. customers soon.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a completely different beast. With a massive 5.55-inch screen and a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, the handset is somewhere between a phone and a tablet - a 'phablet.' It will run the latest Android version, Jelly Bean, out of the box, and come with the S Pen digital stylus, allowing you to preview, multitask, and just plain-old write on your screen.
The Galaxy Note 2 also comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.
Carrier U.S. Cellular is the only company to accept pre-orders as of now in the United States. U.S. Cellular lists the 16GB Galaxy Note 2 at $299.99. Expect other carriers to follow a similar pricing model.
In the end, if you are deciding between the two you will decide between 1) iOS and Android, and 2) how big do you want your handset to be?
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
