Samsung, HTC and the Future of Apple

Change is in the air. Yes, that is normally indicative of winter transitioning into spring.  This year, however, change is more powerful and potent in the smartphone world.  Samsung and HTC are beginning an epic battle for Android supremacy led by their super hero flagships, the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Being pushed out of the spotlight (for the first time ever) is the iPhone.  Apple was praised for the release of the iPhone 5 in October. This device was faster, thinner, lighter and bigger (in screen size) than any iPhone before it.  And although it packed a dual core processor when other phones were beginning the quad core attack (ahem, Samsung), the iPhone 5 demonstrated it could be as fast and as powerful as any phone on the market. But that was 2012. Times are changing and Apple needs (although I suppose not desperately) to make the next iPhone on par with the juggernauts of 2013.

Here's what Apple has to contend with right now:

HTC One

What strikes me most about the HTC One is the design similarity to the iPhone 5.  The heavy use of aluminum and glass gives the One a premium feel with a bigger screen and more powerful internal specs compared to the iPhone 5. 

Here's the rundown:
-Display: 4.7 inch, Full HD 1080p, 468 ppi
-Weight: 143g
-Size: 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm
-Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, quad core, 1.7 GHz
-RAM:  2 GB
-Storage: 32 GB or 64 GB, no expandable storage
-Battery: 2300 mAh, non-removable

Samsung Galaxy S 4

This is truly a phone on steroids.  Plus, Samsung added a plethora of new features that could be extremely useful in the right situation or just a gimmick.  I like gimmicks.

-Display: 5 inch HD Super AMOLED, 441 ppi

-Weight: 130g

-Size: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm

-Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, quad core, 1.9 GHz

-RAM: 2 GB

-Storage: 16, 32, 64 GB, expandable an additional 64 GB

-Battery: 2600 mAh, removable 

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

This phone is steroids on steroids.  This is actually my personal preference, with a massive screen in a thin body and amazing batter life.

-Display: 5.5 inch, 720p HD, 267 ppi

-Weight: 180g
-Size: 151 x 81 x 9.4mm
-Processor: Samsung Exynos quad core, 1.6 GHz
-RAM: 2 GB
-Storage: 16, 32, 64 GB, expandable an additional 64 GB
-Battery: 3100 mAh

Deciphering the information

Let me start by saying there are other smartphones out there. LG will be announcing their own phablet next month, the Optimus G Pro, that promises to have better internal specs than the Galaxy Note 2, but without an S-Pen.  Sony actually has some really good smartphones as well, with the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL.

But for all intensive purposes, HTC and Samsung have the best Android operated phones available.  There are clear differences between each device. Screen size is one. I believe a 5 inch display is the upper limit for normal consumers without freakishly big hands (like mine), although some reviews suggest the Galaxy Note 2 can become comfortable after a few weeks of use.

You should get the HTC One if you....
1) Want a premium feeling device made of high end materials which are inspired by the iPhone 5
2) Want a screen that is not too large
3) Want the best possible screen resolution
4) Do not plan on projecting photos from the device (with a 4 MP camera) on a larger screen

****Point 4 is important. PocketNow.com has a great article about the importance of megapixels. The HTC One has a 4 megapixel camera that uses 'ultrapixels' which primarily allow much more light to enter each photo. This makes the HTC One superior to any other smartphone in terms of low light pictures. However, while these pictures will look great on the smartphone, enlarging the pictures would be a mistake. There are just not enough pixels in the photo to enlarge them for a bigger display.  Pictures will appear grainy/fuzzy on your HD TV. If this is something you do often, the HTC One is NOT for you.

You should get the Samsung Galaxy S4 if you....
1) Like the Samsung Touchwiz skin over Android Jelly Bean
2) Want a large screen with extremely bright colors
3) Want expandable storage and removable battery
4) Like the plethora of new software features like SmartStay and SmartScroll
5) Want a 13 MP camera with a large list of cool features

The S4 may not be made of the premium materials of the HTC One, but the screen and internal specs are enough to distract you from the plastic construction.  My one general worry about the phone are the potential gimmick features that will need the bugs worked out. I have a previous post about my concerns with features like SmartStay,  but I just want to point out these features could be useful to some people some of the time.

You should get the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 if you....
1) Must have the biggest possible smartphone screen
2) Like the idea of the S-Pen for added features
3) Do not need a full 1080p screen
4) Want the best battery life
5) Want to save money on an unlocked phone

With a 720p HD resolution, the Note 2 looks very nice, especially when you consider the size. You will almost certainly notice the difference against the S4, but maybe more in terms of brightness and color saturation than pixel density. I personally see a lot of value in a very large display and I see usefulness for the S-Pen, which lets you take quick notes, preview messages and photo albums and a lot more.  The battery is also massive, giving the Note 2 possible the best battery life in the business. Tests have shown the S4 to last nearly, but not quite as long as the Note 2 in battery comparisons.

Finally, it's important to mention pricing. The Note 2 is selling online for between $450-550 unused and unlocked, while the S4 is going for around $700 or more without a contract. The HTC One, however, is surprisingly going for about $570 on the HTC website unlocked.

Getting back to Apple.....

Tim Cook has recently shed a lot of light on the future of Apple. Around the time of Apple's second quarter report for 2013, Cook publicly said to expect new products and product categories in the fall of 2013.  Sounds like it will be a quiet summer, although Apple will make some software announcements at WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) in June, including the new iOS 7 and OS X and a music streaming service similar to Pandora.

But for the foreseeable future (end of the summer), Apple will not be tackling Samsung or HTC in the hardware department.  That kinda frustrates me. I am very close to getting a Note 2 to compete for my love with the iPhone 5.  As I have become more tech savvy, I want my smartphone to do more than iOS allows.  Plus, a bigger screen would be great.