Google Nexus S vs Apple iPhone 4: Smartphone showdown
- — 08 February, 2011 16:14
Apple's iPhone 4 may be the most popular smartphone on the market, but the latest range of Android smartphones is quickly gaining ground on Apple's juggernaut.
Deciding if you want to purchase the iPhone 4? Check out our HTC Desire vs iPhone 4, HTC Desire HD vs iPhone 4, and Samsung Galaxy S vs iPhone 4 smartphone showdowns.
The latest is Google's Nexus S — the second Google-branded smartphone to hit the market (succeeding the Google Nexus One), and also the first mobile to natively run the 2.3 version of the Android platform dubbed "Gingerbread". So how does the Google Nexus S stack up against the Apple iPhone 4?
Google Nexus S vs Apple iPhone 4: specs
| Feature | Apple iPhone 4 | Google Nexus S | Verdict? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system (OS) | Apple iOS4 | Google Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" | Draw |
| Display technology | Capacitive retina IPS | Capacitive Super AMOLED | Draw |
| Display resolution | 640x960 pixels | 480x800 pixels | iPhone 4 |
| Multitouch | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Camera | 5 megapixels, LED flash, autofocus, geotagging | 5 megapixels, LED flash, autofocus, geotagging | Draw |
| FM radio | No | No | Draw |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Internal memory | 16GB or 32GB | 16GB | iPhone 4 |
| Expandable memory | No | No | Draw |
| Dimensions | 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm | 123.9 x 63 x 10.88mm | iPhone 4 |
| Weight | 137g | 129g | Nexus S |
| Application store | Apple App Store | Google Android Market | iPhone 4 |
| Processor | Apple A4 | ARM Cortex A8 (1GHz) | Draw |
| 3G networks | HSDPA 850/ 900/1900/2100 | HSDPA 900/1900/2100 | iPhone 4 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g/n | Draw |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 with A2DP | 2.1 with A2DP | Draw |
| Quoted talk time | Up to 7 hours | Up to 6.7 hours | iPhone 4 |
| Quoted standby time | Up to 300 hours | Up to 428 hours | Nexus S |
| Removable battery | No | Yes | Nexus S |
| Adobe Flash support | No | Yes | Nexus S |
Both of these smartphones stack up reasonably well, with each possessing its own strengths and weaknesses. The Google Nexus S offers the standard or "vanilla" UI version of Android 2.3. Unlike Apple's closed iPhone ecosystem, Android has a highly user-customisable interface with a big focus on widgets. Out of the box the Nexus S is polished; it offers a revamped keyboard, better copy and paste, improved power management, and overall a much slicker user interface. However, the Google Nexus S still sits behind the iPhone 4 when it comes to overall intuitiveness and ease of use.
Comments
james
Wed 09/02/2011 - 16:55
The importance of the Nexus S screen size cannot be overlooked. 4" totally trumps the 3.5" screen of the Iphone. This is why I bought a Samsung Galaxy S.
And who cares if its made of plastic?! Its so light, doesnt feel like its in your pocket.
Screen size rules!
Ross Catanzariti
Thu 10/02/2011 - 11:51
Plastic sucks iPhone 4 is much better build.
iPhone 4 better screen anyway even if smaller
BillyG
Mon 14/02/2011 - 23:31
The table is a bit dumb really - How can the iPhone 'win' on dimensions? The Nexus S is going to be bigger as it has a bigger screen!
Jp
Fri 02/09/2011 - 02:15
Just got a Nexus S and all my friends have iphones, either 3G or 4. So far I have noticed that the iPhone does feel better built (that said, I have dropped my nexus quite a few times and it has suffered nother other than a few scars on the edge of the casing, where-as iphones have been known to crack screens) and is a bit smaller which is nice, but it is also heavier. However, when it comes to functionality: Android all the way. There is absolutely nothing any of the iphones could do that my Nexus could not. The app store is ample, and there is no app my mates could get that i could not get either the same app, or a different app with the same functionality. However, the Nexus could use widgets, which are extremely useful for getting information on the fly, such as university timetabling and even traffic conditions. Best of all, I paid less than half what they paid. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Nexus was a better value package. I would never pay more than twice as much for less functionality, but slightly better plastic quality.
darran
Sat 08/10/2011 - 05:31
wondering what phone i want. had to choose between the iphone4 or the nexus s4g. did my homework, i got a nexus s 4g with sprint. people don't believe the what you read. the iphone is a joke. most people buy of other people not knowing any about the phone. iphone user go try a nexus s 4g, you will put the iphone up or sell it.
Jonathan
Thu 20/10/2011 - 16:57
Nexsus S all the way. Join the resistence. iphones limit what you can do so much.
Krishna
Tue 08/02/2011 - 17:08
Somehow the build of Nexus S is not too convincing..you can use an Apple for more than a year and a half and still not get bored with its look and feel..but with the Nexus S it I would like to hop to the next big thing within 6 months...the wow factor seems to be missing...