iPhone 5c/5s vs Samsumg Galaxy S5

[take_yer_points]

I'm due an upgrade on my phone and after about 5 years of iPhones I'm now considering moving to the latest Samsung device. Has anyone got the Samsung and if so what's your thoughts on it?

Other than the obvious SMS/Phone functionality, I use the iPhone (currently 4s) for browsing the web, SkyGo, watching other TV on the odd occasion, reading (downloaded a few thousand books so handy for a bit of variety), livescore, music and RunKeeper. I also play the odd game on it.

Will I still get all those apps/functionality on the Galaxy? What about banking apps (Ulster bank, etc...), sky+, rte player, etc...?

I also see a few people talking on the TV Recommendations thread about streaming to the TV with either a HD cable or a dongle? Can you stream premiership matches live (my friend wants to know that one)? What's the quality like?

Is there anything else the Galaxy does/doesn't do when compared to the iPhone? Is it a fair bit bigger than the iPhone?

[J OGorman]

Skygo, watching TV and reading? The Samsung has a much bigger screen.

I've used both and the Samsung would be my preference. Currently on the S4 (though it feels no different to the S3 I had before it)....Video and camera are first class

[laoislad]

I'd have a look at the new HTC One if I was you.
Due an upgrade myself and will probably go for that one.
New iphone due out a few months as well if you wanted to wait.
Yes you can stream football with an android. The quality depends on where you stream from You won't be able stream Sky Go though.
Personally I'd find it hard going back to a iPhone after using a Android for past few years.

[NAG1]

Only thing I have noticed being with the Samsung is that be careful on the size of memory that you for. Yes you can add storage to the device with a card, but the phone will not allow you to move app's onto this, so therefore your memory can be used up quite easily with a number of larger apps.

Just something to consider, otherwise I would highly recommend the Samsung.

[take_yer_points]

I'd have a look at the new HTC One if I was you.
Due an upgrade myself and will probably go for that one.
New iphone due out a few months as well if you wanted to wait.
Yes you can stream football with an android. The quality depends on where you stream from You won't be able stream Sky Go though.
Personally I'd find it hard going back to a iPhone after using a Android for past few years.

Do you use the Galaxy when running? Is it a bit big for strapping to your arm or carrying in a pocket?

Is the battery life better on the Samsung?

[laoislad]

I'd have a look at the new HTC One if I was you.
Due an upgrade myself and will probably go for that one.
New iphone due out a few months as well if you wanted to wait.
Yes you can stream football with an android. The quality depends on where you stream from You won't be able stream Sky Go though.
Personally I'd find it hard going back to a iPhone after using a Android for past few years.

Do you use the Galaxy when running? Is it a bit big for strapping to your arm or carrying in a pocket?

Is the battery life better on the Samsung?

I did at the start but have a gps watch now. It was grand with an arm strap though when I did use it. The battery on my S4 isn't great to he honest.  The newer models may be better.

[Zip Code]

I currently have this, was thinking of upgrading also.

[southdown]

I currently have this, was thinking of upgrading also.

Does that yoke have colour screen?

[Zip Code]

Yip 

[Syferus]

The Android app store is a mess. And even then it'll only gets many of the best apps after iOS has had them for months, that is if it gets them at all.

It sounds like a nice change to switch to Android but with the Galaxy you'll be dealing with Samsung's horrible TouchWiz bloatware user interface that they layer on top of the stock Android OS and if you want a pure (and better) Andorid experience you'll need to thumb up on how to root your device and flash Cyanogenmod or something similar on it (not too hard).

You'll also lose access to every paid app you've bought on your iPhone.

If you can wait till the iPhone 6 with the bigger screen is released in September then it would be the best option, but also the most expensive option. If you're dead-set on an Android you should wait to see what Google announce at Google IO next month, the new Nexus will likely be a better and cheaper Android phone than the S5.

[gallsman]

Neither. Buy your own handset and move to a SIM only contract. Nexus 5, Moto G less than half the price of a flagship or, if you can wait, the confusingly named One+ One is a flagship at less than half the price.

[whiskeysteve]

Took out the HTC One M8 on a 28/month contract from Carphone Warehouse last week. As Gallsman says I was very tempted to just buy the Nexus 5 outright at 250 and get a sim only deal. Nexus 5 sounds like the best value of all the quality androids.

Anyway, just opted for quality and very happy with the HTC, had the Galaxy S3 and the new phone is much slicker, one thing I like is the sound quality, for a mobile its outstanding. Played the same song on it and the brothers iPhone 5s to compare and its distinctly deeper and richer, big advantage for me as I'd get a lot of use out of Spotify.

Would probably have more to say about it after another few weeks. For value I'd say the Nexus 5 would be hard to beat though.

Showbox is a great app, the guy in Carphone put it on for me.

Like putting widgets on the home screens with Android phones, once you have it customised to your taste you will not miss an iphone.

Personally I will be sticking with a mix of Android mobile devices and Linux OS laptops for the forseeable. Slicker, cheaper and more innovative. Linux in particular I am enthusiastic about, a bit of perserverence and you'll wonder why anyone wants to throw money at Microsoft. Oh, and laugh and at these e-mail virus scares in the news as they have no registry to write to in Linux

[gallsman]

Took out the HTC One M8 on a 28/month contract from Carphone Warehouse last week. As Gallsman says I was very tempted to just buy the Nexus 5 outright at 250 and get a sim only deal. Nexus 5 sounds like the best value of all the quality androids.

Anyway, just opted for quality and very happy with the HTC, had the Galaxy S3 and the new phone is much slicker, one thing I like is the sound quality, for a mobile its outstanding. Played the same song on it and the brothers iPhone 5s to compare and its distinctly deeper and richer, big advantage for me as I'd get a lot of use out of Spotify.

Would probably have more to say about it after another few weeks. For value I'd say the Nexus 5 would be hard to beat though.

Showbox is a great app, the guy in Carphone put it on for me.

Like putting widgets on the home screens with Android phones, once you have it customised to your taste you will not miss an iphone.

Personally I will be sticking with a mix of Android mobile devices and Linux OS laptops for the forseeable. Slicker, cheaper and more innovative. Linux in particular I am enthusiastic about, a bit of perserverence and you'll wonder why anyone wants to throw money at Microsoft. Oh, and laugh and at these e-mail virus scares in the news as they have no registry to write to in Linux

I have the N5 and love it. 90% of the specs of a flagship for 50% or less of the price.

Anyone into Android should check out the imminent OnePlus One though. They're a subsidiary of Oppo that are working with Cyanongenmod to produce handsets. Their first one has specs that will either match or exceed those on a M8 or S5 and through Cyanogenmod delivers an enhanced upgrade on stock Android that avoids forcing all the crap HTC and Samsung inflict with Sense and TouchWiz.

[macdanger2]

Linux in particular I am enthusiastic about, a bit of perserverence and you'll wonder why anyone wants to throw money at Microsoft. Oh, and laugh and at these e-mail virus scares in the news as they have no registry to write to in Linux

Without getting into too much of the technical details, what's involved in putting Linux onto a laptop? Is it possible for someone who's not super techy? And are there any disadvantages?

[Syferus]

Took out the HTC One M8 on a 28/month contract from Carphone Warehouse last week. As Gallsman says I was very tempted to just buy the Nexus 5 outright at 250 and get a sim only deal. Nexus 5 sounds like the best value of all the quality androids.

Anyway, just opted for quality and very happy with the HTC, had the Galaxy S3 and the new phone is much slicker, one thing I like is the sound quality, for a mobile its outstanding. Played the same song on it and the brothers iPhone 5s to compare and its distinctly deeper and richer, big advantage for me as I'd get a lot of use out of Spotify.

Would probably have more to say about it after another few weeks. For value I'd say the Nexus 5 would be hard to beat though.

Showbox is a great app, the guy in Carphone put it on for me.

Like putting widgets on the home screens with Android phones, once you have it customised to your taste you will not miss an iphone.

Personally I will be sticking with a mix of Android mobile devices and Linux OS laptops for the forseeable. Slicker, cheaper and more innovative. Linux in particular I am enthusiastic about, a bit of perserverence and you'll wonder why anyone wants to throw money at Microsoft. Oh, and laugh and at these e-mail virus scares in the news as they have no registry to write to in Linux

The reason the sound on the One is deeper is because of they used the Beats Audio software drivers on the M7 that blows up the bass to insane levels. The M8 isn't Beats branded but obviously they've taken their cues from the Beats Audio settings.

Nothing much to do with any tech in the One and nothing to stop you doing likewise with another phone with the right app if that's the sound you want.

Oh, and before the Linux love train goes crazy - you can thank Linux servers for the Heartbleed bug that could end up having catastrophic and far reaching implications for just about everyone that uses the internet