Deciding on a new phone

[ryker002]

Hey, I'm a Windows Phone user and have been since November. Before that since 2009 I was an android user, and I dropped that due to its instability with every single phone. It certainly becomes a normal trend. Anyways I love my windows phone, its stable, allows me to do everything a phone needs to do however there are certain things I would like that I have no idea will come out for it yet. That includes live scrobbling, better and more apps, and certain other features. Those two being the biggest.

Recently, and by recently I mean this morning I thought maybe I've been rough on iPhone and I want to know a little bit more about it, and as well what anyone knows about the 5s. Somethings to keep in mind however.

a) My phone battery lasts about 14 hours a day with moderate usage, 3 days with barely any usage (as long as you turn it off at night). and about 6 - 8 hours with heavy usage. I want to know if iPhone can match this.

b) I dropped my phone onto my hardwood floor. It scratched the floor without a dent in the phone. Can iPhone as well match that.

c) Wireless charging, I use it everyday. Will that be available at some point?

Any help would be amazing.

 

[anon(4698833)]

A.) Yes...the iPhone 5's battery life is relevant to those numbers, but it's really dependent on where your "Light, Moderate and Heavy" usage definitions are.
B.) Almost impossible to answer, since i could drop mine from the same distance as the guy next to me and we could experience different damage (or no damage) with any phone. Suffice to say, the iPhone 5 is a pretty tough phone when it comes to damage from drops.
C.) At some point? Almost assuredly, but in the next generation? Nobody knows.

...nobody knows anything about the 5S yet, so asking about it will yield no legitimate help.

 

[ryker002]

Do you have any idea how good the camera is on iPhone compared to windows phone?

 

[sting7k]

Hey, I'm a Windows Phone user and have been since November. Before that since 2009 I was an android user, and I dropped that due to its instability with every single phone. It certainly becomes a normal trend. Anyways I love my windows phone, its stable, allows me to do everything a phone needs to do however there are certain things I would like that I have no idea will come out for it yet. That includes live scrobbling, better and more apps, and certain other features. Those two being the biggest.

Recently, and by recently I mean this morning I thought maybe I've been rough on iPhone and I want to know a little bit more about it, and as well what anyone knows about the 5s. Somethings to keep in mind however.

a) My phone battery lasts about 14 hours a day with moderate usage, 3 days with barely any usage (as long as you turn it off at night). and about 6 - 8 hours with heavy usage. I want to know if iPhone can match this.

b) I dropped my phone onto my hardwood floor. It scratched the floor without a dent in the phone. Can iPhone as well match that.

c) Wireless charging, I use it everyday. Will that be available at some point?

Any help would be amazing.

Do you have a Lumia 920?

a) The battery on the iPhone 5 is great. As Sean said everyone's usage will vary. For me; Off charger at 7:30am and then I normally have 4-6 hours of "usage" time that includes a bit of music streaming on wifi and I go to bed at around midnight often with 30-40% battery remaining.

b) Every drop is different. But the iPhone 5 feels plenty solid, plus it's made of aluminum.

c) We won't have any idea until Tim Cook holds the next iPhone up on stage.

As for the camera, the camera on the iPhone 5 is great as well. Despite Nokia's claims, the camera on my Lumia 900 was not even as good as my iPhone 4. The iPhone 5 is a lot better than that. Most comparisons I've seen put the Lumia 920 and iPhone 5 cameras on roughly equal footing. I think the Lumia 920 has better low light performance but the iPhone's is not bad.

 

[anon(4698833)]

If you have the Lumia 920, it'll be a downgrade...other than that, the iPhone 5's camera is considered one of the best on the market.

I find it odd that you are asking for a comparison with "windows phone", given how many variants that could include though...

 

[brdl04]

You are asking if the iPhone has the unique features that lumia 920 has. Of course it doesn't.

 

[spiky5]

Stay away from boring iphone. Its too small and battery life is not good at all. Get the new samsung galaxy and you will love it.

 

[tgp]

If you have the Lumia 920, it'll be a downgrade...other than that, the iPhone 5's camera is considered one of the best on the market.

OK Sean, this is going to be interesting because I know you are the resident iPhone evangelist here, but I'm going to correct you in a way I never thought I would! I had a Lumia 920 and about 2 weeks ago I traded it for an iPhone 5. In my experience (admittedly rather limited and certainly not every scenario) the iPhone 5 camera actually performs better than the 920's. I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I was not impressed with the 920's camera performance. Maybe I had too high of expectations because of the hype.

To the OP, in my experience with the 920 and now the iPhone 5, I would say battery performance is roughly the same. I carry 2 phones, and these phones were my 2nd phone so I didn't use them a whole lot. I can't say how they would perform if they were my one and only phone. I will say though that I use the iPhone more than I did the WP simply because there isn't nearly as much you can do on the WP.

I can concur with you on the wireless charging. That's what I miss the most going from the 920 to the iPhone. My main device is a Nexus 4, and I haven't plugged it in at all for probably a couple months. I hope the next iPhone has it, because I believe we would quickly see charging pads widely available in public, such as restaurants.

 

[anon(4698833)]

[Redacted]

OK Sean, this is going to be interesting because I know you are the resident iPhone evangelist here, but I'm going to correct you in a way I never thought I would! I had a Lumia 920 and about 2 weeks ago I traded it for an iPhone 5. In my experience (admittedly rather limited and certainly not every scenario) the iPhone 5 camera actually performs better than the 920's. I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I was not impressed with the 920's camera performance. Maybe I had too high of expectations because of the hype.

To the OP, in my experience with the 920 and now the iPhone 5, I would say battery performance is roughly the same. I carry 2 phones, and these phones were my 2nd phone so I didn't use them a whole lot. I can't say how they would perform if they were my one and only phone. I will say though that I use the iPhone more than I did the WP simply because there isn't nearly as much you can do on the WP.

I can concur with you on the wireless charging. That's what I miss the most going from the 920 to the iPhone. My main device is a Nexus 4, and I haven't plugged it in at all for probably a couple months. I hope the next iPhone has it, because I believe we would quickly see charging pads widely available in public, such as restaurants.

I came a hair away from buying the Lumia 920 to be honest, I do passionately like my iPhones, but when a device comes out that catches my eye or looks to have some features i really want, I'm in no way locked to Apple. The camera on the Lumia is nothing short of amazing in my opinion, i actually got to go to a race recently and my friend was using one to shoot video and pics, and they came out stellar. As with any phone camera, lighting is the key, and between my iPhone 5 and his Lumia 920, you could really tell the little differences...especially color balance. The only thing i thought the iPhone 5 did better was higher speed shots, i was able to capture moving cars better than he was with the Lumia...but for quality, at least what i saw was top of the food chain, with the iPhone coming in 2nd.

 

[aanaya abid]

Get the new phone Samsung Galaxy

 

[Dryland]

A) iPhone battery life is top notch.
B) don't drop your phone.
C) wireless charging cases are already available.

 

[androidluvr2]

however there are certain things I would like that I have no idea will come out for it yet. That includes live scrobbling, better and more apps, and certain other features.

I don't know about live scrobbling, but if any of the features you want require a jailbreak, you are likely going to have to wait until iOS 7 is released since Apple patched the exploits in the latest iOS 6.1.3 and there appears to be little interest in jailbreaking 6.1.3. Of course you could try to find a used phone still running 6.1.2 if you wanted the iPhone 5.

 

[JRDroid]

I used Windows phone (starting in 2010) for about 2 years. I also came from Android and have used both iOS and Android since leaving Windows phone. Android has VASTLY improved since 2009. Android 4.0 was a huge, huge, huge improvement. That said iOS is also very good. I use both and like both. I think the iPhone 5, HTC One, and Galaxy S4 could all give you what you are looking for.

 

[tgp]

I came a hair away from buying the Lumia 920 to be honest, I do passionately like my iPhones, but when a device comes out that catches my eye or looks to have some features i really want, I'm in no way locked to Apple. The camera on the Lumia is nothing short of amazing in my opinion, i actually got to go to a race recently and my friend was using one to shoot video and pics, and they came out stellar. As with any phone camera, lighting is the key, and between my iPhone 5 and his Lumia 920, you could really tell the little differences...especially color balance. The only thing i thought the iPhone 5 did better was higher speed shots, i was able to capture moving cars better than he was with the Lumia...but for quality, at least what i saw was top of the food chain, with the iPhone coming in 2nd.

OK, your experience shows why I thought the iPhone 5 camera to be better. I don't use my phone much for regular picture taking. I mostly use it for things like taking pictures of the kids to MMS to Grandma. I never really compared identical shots side-by-side to check color. I'm capturing moving targets!

I used Windows phone (starting in 2010) for about 2 years. I also came from Android and have used both iOS and Android since leaving Windows phone. Android has VASTLY improved since 2009. Android 4.0 was a huge, huge, huge improvement. That said iOS is also very good. I use both and like both. I think the iPhone 5, HTC One, and Galaxy S4 could all give you what you are looking for.

Most of the bad reputation Android has was well deserved, but since Jelly Bean it's not valid. If Android is an option you should consider a Nexus 4 as well. It's low cost, updates come straight from Google without manufacturer and carrier intervention, and it has wireless charging.

 

[natasftw]

Stay away from boring iphone. Its too small and battery life is not good at all. Get the new samsung galaxy and you will love it.

You're about useless.

Your third party experience with the phone offers the op zero new information.

The op isn't blind. He's aware there's a size difference.

Ranting is unproductive. If you don't have anything USEFUL to say, quit being a fanboy and let the op decide which way he wants to go. If you were capable of the most basic reading comprehension, you'd have read that he's happier with his current choice than he was with android systems. Lets not try to persuade him he's not intelligent enough to know when he's unhappy?

 

[serwan]

a) my iPhone 5 stand out something between 6-10 hours.
b) I dont think so, I have some scratches on the back of the phone while I use cover !!!
c) no, not like your current one. ( but with MOPHIE, charger case) you can do so.

 

[ryker002]

Stay away from boring iphone. Its too small and battery life is not good at all. Get the new samsung galaxy and you will love it.

Android is disgusting slow, and sluggish, and I'd rather not get stuck with all of Samsungs bloatware.

To everyone else, thank you. Its been a great help so far. I have an upgrade available and the only thing really keeping me at the Windows Phone at the moment is the Xbox Music Streaming app, the interface, and the camera. But as you all said, the camera is pretty equal but I understand where Sean is coming from. I've compared pictures to a friend with a 4s before and it was pretty close (The friend who compared with a Samsung S3 had to use a filter.) The only area it really made a change in is as you said, low light areas.

Its just disappointing knowing that everyone else is using a certain app and I can't use it.

I would like to ask one more thing however. One thing I've grown really used to (Because Android sucked at this.) is the speed of the phone for no longer how long you have it.
Does at any point, such as 1 year, the phone slow down and run worse? Or is it overall always working well.

As well, am I forced to be attached to iTunes?

 

[pappy53]

Do you have any idea how good the camera is on iPhone compared to windows phone?

According to most reviews, the Lumia 920 has a better camera than the iPhone 5.

 

[natasftw]

Android is disgusting slow, and sluggish, and I'd rather not get stuck with all of Samsungs bloatware.

To everyone else, thank you. Its been a great help so far. I have an upgrade available and the only thing really keeping me at the Windows Phone at the moment is the Xbox Music Streaming app, the interface, and the camera. But as you all said, the camera is pretty equal but I understand where Sean is coming from. I've compared pictures to a friend with a 4s before and it was pretty close (The friend who compared with a Samsung S3 had to use a filter.) The only area it really made a change in is as you said, low light areas.

Its just disappointing knowing that everyone else is using a certain app and I can't use it.

I would like to ask one more thing however. One thing I've grown really used to (Because Android sucked at this.) is the speed of the phone for no longer how long you have it.
Does at any point, such as 1 year, the phone slow down and run worse? Or is it overall always working well.

As well, am I forced to be attached to iTunes?

Define "attached to iTunes"

If you want to put music on your phone, you'll need either iTunes or the iTunes store. You can put whatever music you'd like. Apps follow the same rules.

Was it really the speed of the phone? A lot of electronics, computers included, feel slower the longer you have them. That's a mixture of you becoming acclimated to the device and seeing other newer devices reacting. I had the 4 for a couple of years before upgrading to the 5. To me, it was slower than when I first bought the phone. But, when I gave it to my brother, it was the fastest thing he'd ever used.

 

[alicepattinson]

Do you have any idea how good the camera is on iPhone compared to windows phone?

Oh with my experience, iPhone's cam is way much better than any camera phones.