Captivate vs Iphone 4

[♠Ace]

Recently got a Samsung Captivate with Rogers(canada). I have a 15 day returning period, and I'm on my 12 day atm.
I'm currently faced a decision to exchange it for an iphone 4 (paying additional fee for it) or keep it.
I like the captivate, and its ability for customization. Love the screen and swype.

However one of the thing that I'm not quite happy is the lack of applications/games for androids. It seems like most games are often out on iphone first, like Plants vs Zombie, while Android users seems to have to wait a couple of months before we get it.
Since most of the time I go to places with Wifi, i'm planning to cancel the Data plan after my first month.
However I also hate the fact that almost everyone has an iPhone.

Do you have any recommendation?



additional n00b question: If Im planning to use Wifi, does 4g and 3g make a difference?

 

[tylerdurdin]

I like the iphone my wife has one and it has grown on me, but better than a android.......I don't think so. There is alt to learn about android and if you haven't had a iphone before than i will say in some cases you don't know what you would be getting yourself into. From deleting photos to transfering music the iphone is a pain in the a#*. Very pretty to look at but a evil dictator to say the least. Stick with android they are alot more fun alot less headache.
Not to mention nothing good on iphone is free.

 

[CrimsonPride]

yes iphones have been getting some apps first, but android has just recently gotten big and there are many devs crossing over from ios. anyway its a personal choice but android is the top selling os and the android market is growing exponentially faster than the app store, and over the next couple of years i expect android to be getting better games and such

 

[pyrobob4]

Do you really need to play plants vs zombies right now?

I don't know, 15 days just isn't enough time to really understand android and its capabilities. I've had my cap for a few months now, and am only just starting to figure out its potential. I like it more everyday.

It's hard to say that you will regret going with the iPhone, cause you still don't know what you will be missing. But having personally switched from iPhone to android, I know that I like it better, and would regret if it had gone the other way around.

 

[Cuerbo]

I had a Captivate and switched to an iPhone4 due to issues with the phone, a story for another day. Sticking to what's being asked, yes, the games on the iPhone are great (Infinity Blade, NOVA 2, Battlefield Bad Company 2, etc.). Also, there is an App for just about anything you can think of with the iPhone. The Apps are also more polished with the iPhone, coding for Android is a bit more difficult due to fragmentation and all the devices that need to be supported.

I'm sure overtime they'll catch up but that could be years out, if you are looking for instant returns, iPhone is the way to go. You also have to factor in AirPlay and AirPrint which have recently been added to the OS, gives your phone a bit more flexibility without having to install third party Apps. If you can, I say go with the iPhone, I'm glad I did. As for 4G vs 3G, that has nothing to do with WiFi, that strictly applies to when you are on the cellular network.

 

[jonE5]

After having 3 phones and then the captivate and android for 6 months i am switching back to iphone.

I like andriod, i love the notification system, the widgets, etc... But the battery life is horrid, and the GPS on my captivate would never work right. It is so frustrating since i use that a lot, and after getting lost a few times i just couldnt deal. They sent me replacements but none of htem work. Sad, i love the openess of android, but samsung and att really dropped the ball here.

My new iphone 4 will be arriving today. Im not opposed to android in teh future, i will miss my 4" super AMOLED screen, but netflix on the iphone will be glorious!

Make your decision based on your needs, but GPS is a feature i cannot live without.

Also one note, is Captivates are selling for $3-350 on ebay, and iphone 4s which are actually a few monhts older are selling for $5-650 on ebay (16GB model). Just a note for those that upgrade a lot, you will get much better resale value with the iphone 4.

jon!

 

[Snow_Fox]

I had a Captivate and switched to an iPhone4 due to issues with the phone, a story for another day. Sticking to what's being asked, yes, the games on the iPhone are great (Infity Blade, NOVA 2, Battlefield Bad Company 2, etc.). Also, there is an App for just about anything you can think of with the iPhone. The Apps are also more polished with the iPhone, coding for Android is a bit more difficult due to fragmentation and all the devices that need to be supported.

how "polished" they are is left up to user preference. People always say everything apple is more "polished" however, I am beginning to disagree more and more over time


Next do you have any idea what your talking about when it comes to fragmentation? I am just curious if you just listened to steve jobs on the subject or develop for android yourself

They had two devs openly retaliate against steve jobs in an interview because he misquoted them when they spoke about fragmentation. They openly said its a non-issue.

I'm sure overtime they'll catch up but that could be years out, if you are looking for instant returns, iPhone is the way to go. You also have to factor in AirPlay and AirPrint which have recently been added to the OS, gives your phone a bit more flexibility without having to install third party Apps. If you can, I say go with the iPhone, I'm glad I did. As for 4G vs 3G, that has nothing to do with WiFi, that strictly applies to when you are on the cellular network.

Your assuming the user wants AirPlay and AirPrint.

I can't even get AirPort to work half the time on my girlfriends mac.


@OP

Look I am not trying to deter you from getting whatever suits your needs best.

Just keep this in mind. Apple has had a 3 year or more head start.

Android is still growing, you have to think about the next two years.

As android gets bigger, how many devs are gunna jump ship from iOS?

Also.. as tylerdurdin said.

Know what your getting into.

I can't stand that stupid iphone 4 personally.

It is so boring I can't even pretend to be interested in it.

Sure it has a few more games.. which is great if your willing to pay for them.

I personally don't care what games the iphone has.. he operating system itself is boring.

 

[Cuerbo]

Let's get a few things straight, obviously, you don't like Apple so that should be the first warning. Second, the Apps I'm referring to are not from Apple, just gave you some good examples in my post. Third, just compare a simple App like Angry Birds or Cut The Rope for that matter, tell me those Apps aren't polished on the iPhone and no they are not made by Apple.

The comment about fragmentation does not come from Steve jobs and no I'm not an Apple fanboy, just because I use the device doesn't mean I drink the kool-aid. That's the biggest problem with Android Fanboys, they label everyone the same and no outside comments are welcome. How many customized versions of Android are out there? HTC, Samsung, Motorola, Sony and the list goes on. So yes, all these UI tweaks and any other changes to the OS need to be taken into consideration when coding and testing software, that's the bottom line. If you remember Angry Birds and when it first came out for Android, not all the phones supported it. Rovio made a statement mentioning exactly what I just mentioned above, too many variables to support them all. I'm just relaying what I've seen so far.

As for AirPrint, it works like a charm by the way and if you have AppleTV, you can experience AirPlay in the same manner. Those are added features that are worth taking into consideration when deciding whether or not to keep a phone during the return window. Why deny anyone the facts? Is that how Android end users want Google to gain market share by hiding the facts? Come on, let's be real here. It is what it is, let the facts be know and let the people decide. Add to this how often Apple updates their OS and you have a good phone that keeps on expanding. In March, another IOS release will be hitting the streets and will include Personal Hotspots plus some additional changes/fixes. How often is the Captivate updated?

There's nothing stupid about the iPhone, works as advertised and if you want excitement you can jailbreak it. Not only that, there's also Froyo and Gingerbread builds out there that can be run on it. Remember, rooting is not for everyone and not everyone spends $300 on a phone to experiment with it, they actually use it for day to day taks. The iPhone doesn't just have a few more games, it has a ton of more Games and Apps when compared to Android. With that said, it's still up to the end user as to what works best for them, we are all here just sharing information and talking about our experiences with each of the devices.

Last but not least, the resale value is also a plus when taking your investment into consideration. Even today, you can sell a 3Gs iPhone for $300, the demand is there. As the other poster mentioned, this is another plus to keep in mind, especially if you want to update every couple of years. Money in the bank.

 

[Cuerbo]

I like the iphone my wife has one and it has grown on me, but better than a android.......I don't think so. There is alt to learn about android and if you haven't had a iphone before than i will say in some cases you don't know what you would be getting yourself into. From deleting photos to transfering music the iphone is a pain in the a#*. Very pretty to look at but a evil dictator to say the least. Stick with android they are alot more fun alot less headache.
Not to mention nothing good on iphone is free.

How is the iPhone a pain when it comes to transferring photos and music? iTunes does a lot including a backup of your iPhone with each sync. Have never had any issues copying photos or music over to my iPhone, can you provide some details or examples as to how this is difficult for you?

In fact, what I love the most about the iPhone so far is iTunes. I buy my music, apps, games and even movies if I wanted to all from the same place then it syncs it to my phone. How much easier does it get? With the Captivate, you have to do this all manually. Also, if you have a car these days with USB, the radio even controls your iPhone out of the box. you can switch songs, look through playlists, sort by Artist, etc. Again, comments like this should be backed up with details so people are not misinformed.

 

[seanmmcafee]

Friend gave me an iphone to try out, had to install itunes and give it my credit card to even turn on the phone......

Been turned off ever since. Too much control for my tastes. Sure it makes for polished software, but the future is not polished....it's chaotic, messy and free.

 

[DT]

However one of the thing that I'm not quite happy is the lack of applications/games for androids.

It seems like there are an endless choice of games for Android? Maybe a few key titles have a little delay, but eventually get a terrific Android port (Angry Birds comes to mind).

However I also hate the fact that almost everyone has an iPhone.

This would be a non-issue for me. Either the device is effective/enjoyable for your use, or not - I wouldn't worry about the popularity[?]

I see people write now and then, so let me ask this (not grilling you, just for fun ):

What do you drive? What clothing brands do you wear? What OS do you use? Where I'm going with this is you probably already share a common/popular product with thousands/millions of other people, so I always wonder why people would pick some, seemingly arbitrary like a phone to decide "I'm not following the majority".

Speaking OS, I have definitely found - being an owner of a Captivate and an iPhone 4 and Winders

 

[Cuerbo]

I agree with DT, you shouldn't buy a device just because of popularity, you should do so because it meets your demands. At the end of the day, it's what makes you happy that counts the most.

The whole Apple control thing is overrated, I say it tailors more to folks who want a product that works well out of the box. Android, on the other hand, gives you the freedom to tweak a bit more and has a variety of ROMs that you can load on your phone. But as far as being polished, without a doubt, Apple has a lead at the moment.

 

[Cuerbo]

Friend gave me an iphone to try out, had to install itunes and give it my credit card to even turn on the phone......

Been turned off ever since. Too much control for my tastes. Sure it makes for polished software, but the future is not polished....it's chaotic, messy and free.

There are ways around this, however, think about what's happening and why the need for a credit. If you are buying music on a constant basis, how often do you want to be entering your credit card? For Apps, Apple has steps in their support site that allow you to create an account without a credit card.

Create an iTunes App Store account without a credit card

Basically, if you are looking to download free Apps, I believe this option will work for you.

 

[92blueprelude]

Seems like a troll attempt right here. What do u expect to accomplish posting this on an android forum. Yes you can defend apple/steve jobs all you want but at the end of the day nobody cares. This is a android forum anything apple should be burned. 2011 is android year.

 

[dell21]

I truly believe the Captivate is being held back by Samsung, with a stable build of 2.2 Froyo this phone is a beast. The GPS even works with Canada's 2.2 release, modified with Cognition 3.01 of course.

Yes, I know the Iphone 4 has better applications and better screen resolution, but this Captivate has made me return it TWICE. The 4 inch screen, browser, google apps and general convenience android allows its apps. to provide trumped the Iphone 4 for me.

But getting back to Samsung, they have ruined their credibility and have soured the android experience for me. All the new features android phones are coming out with don't mean jack if google can't force the manufacturers to support their products.

To the OP, no the Iphone 4 is not better than the Captivate, but Apple is worlds better than Samsung. I can't bring myself to purchase the Iphone 4, but if the Iphone 5 has a 4 inch screen I most definitely will get it.

 

[92blueprelude]

I personally don't care what games the iphone has.. he operating system itself is boring.

lol this is so true every time i look at an iphone its like um I've been seeing that same exact thing for years. Its entirely boring. In fact every time i see a iphone i want to throw up.

 

[DT]

In fact every time i see a iphone i want to throw up.

Weird. I'd go see a doctor about that.

 

[dario69]

Some rebuttals are needed here.

First, I don't consider this initiated by a troll as 92Blueprelude alludes to. I think this is the perfect place considering the ATT offerings that really matter are the Captivate and iPhone4 at this point. I don't see any hybrid Apple/Android sites to ask these types of questions. Granted, the responses will vary from objective to slanted. Like the troll response for example.

I too hated Apple with a passion but I recognized their greatest asset - the app store - being the only real separator from the competition. After purchasing the iPad for both the apps support and the lack of any real tablet competitor, yet - I have grown to appreciate Apple and see my hate as just being childish.

Excellent battery life, works as designed, and a very generous app store that blows away the Android market. And yes, I know the "garden wall" I am living behind. But for a tablet I can accept that.

My point for all this. I am now considering buying an iPhone4 now after my experience with the iPad, the Captivate 2.2 debacle, and what I see as the continuing stagnation of the Android market.

Contrary to what some haters are saying here, the Apple apps are more polished than their Android counterparts. For example, Pandora looks like crap compared to iPhone version. Weather.com, USA Today, etc.

And that comment about Apple having a few more games than Android? Are you freaking kidding? My iPad has more better games than my Captivate. The selection is still so weak. And beyond games, the productivity apps, news apps. The list goes on. The Android apps are its weakest point right now. And I don't see it stopping anytime soon.

I can counter the arguments that say Android apps will go gangbusters now that the Android is outselling Apple with the huge influx of iPhone customers coming from Verizon next month. 8-10 million by the end of the year. Huge numbers on both sides of the fence but at the end of the day which OS will the developers support? I say Apple at this point because I have yet to see anything that will tell me otherwise.

iTunes blowing away media files? I have never used iTunes until three months ago and I haven't had any issues whatsoever. Granted, giving up USB storage access and even the old Activesync approach is hard to get over but the files that matter make it over. That is all that matters.

Finally, the comments about fragmentation. Again, what reality are you folks dealing with here? While Apple is more fragmented than the Apple fanboys would like to admit (fragmentation = 0), the Android still leads in this category. Hardware, OS (obsolesce, fragmentation, whatever you feel like calling it). It it out of control and getting worse with every hardware variation and new OS announcement.

I think that is it.

I am coming from WinMo. I have done the custom rom thing since they were introduced on XDA so many years ago. I am not foreign to this stuff. But for now I just want a phone that works without the tweaks. It was fine before the iPhone but now the idea of having a phone possessing a high res screen, excellent battery life, with a very strong software library? The one caveat being the whole "Apple knows best" methodology applied to my phone? It doesn't sound so bad right now.

Ace, If I was in your shoes I say go with the iPhone4. I might be joining you very soon myself.

 

[dario69]

lol this is so true every time i look at an iphone its like um I've been seeing that same exact thing for years. Its entirely boring. In fact every time i see a iphone i want to throw up.

I would agree with you but the Android OS doesn't look any better. They both look 'blah' to me. Now Windows Phone 7, that is an OS that should be taken more seriously.

 

[dario69]

Seems like a troll attempt right here. What do u expect to accomplish posting this on an android forum. Yes you can defend apple/steve jobs all you want but at the end of the day nobody cares. This is a android forum anything apple should be burned. 2011 is android year.

It would have been if the Verizon iPhone deal wasn't announced. I see it balanced between the two this year actually. The Verizon numbers will offset the Android momentum. For now at least.

Again, I can appreciate what Android has to offer. But I see some very serious issues with Android with so many different phones and OS flavors out there. This is WinMo all over again but at an epic scale. The only difference is Google is serious about the smartphone market and Microsoft wasn't. But Google is just one player in this game. But like WinMo, the other players are at the sidelines goofing off.

 

[blueluck77]

I had an iPhone 4 and whenever I had it really liked it as I have had iPhones since the original 3G, BUT my Android...I LOVE it. I get really bored looking at the same old screen all the time, and that is exactly what I had for so long with my iPhones. I change my screen weekly on this phone. Sure the phone can look boring as all hell with the stock home screen, try downloading Launcher Pro (an app not available on iTunes) and play with widgets, play with the phone nonstop. The battery life you will love, sure the iPhone gets apps first, but really...wait a couple months, itll come. If you were to go back and get the iPhone4 youd see someone the NEXT day the android could do that the poor little iPhone could not. I was a die hard iPhone fan until i saw the iPhone4's were selling on eBay for such a great price. I sold my phone for $650 (with some accesories) and bought my captivate, and a 32GB memory card (cant do that with the iPhone) and now I have a 48GB phone that runs as smooth as baby poop. Eff the iPhone. :-D

 

[blueluck77]

It would have been if the Verizon iPhone deal wasn't announced. I see it balanced between the two this year actually. The Verizon numbers will offset the Android momentum. For now at least.

Again, I can appreciate what Android has to offer. But I see some very serious issues with Android with so many different phones and OS flavors out there. This is WinMo all over again but at an epic scale. The only difference is Google is serious about the smartphone market and Microsoft wasn't. But Google is just one player in this game. But like WinMo, the other players are at the sidelines goofing off.

Boooooooo @ people trying to jump on the iPhone bandwagon, Apple sees a competitor with Android, I had a windows phone and it was boring, you think Android apps suck? Try a Windows phone out for a bit. They have like 7 apps worth downloading. The rest is just crap, waste of time, unless you are part of corporate America, and even still those apps are available on Android and iTunes. I am very pro android, after trying all the other smartphones out. (I intentionally left Blackberry out of this, because we can all agree they suck).

(iPhone users are jealous of my Captivate HA!)

 

[92blueprelude]

well it seems there are apple lemmings among us... having played around with iOS for awhile and than going to android i think the scale has tipped towards android. This year will be the year of the android just watch. (yes iphone users are jealous of captivates i know a few.) and to the OP stick with the captivate because everyone has a boring iphone *gag*

 

[TripsYou]

I was in your shoes not to long ago, Captivate....or Iphone 4? I decided to go with Android because you decide what you do on your phone, not Steve Jobs. True, the apps are not quite what the Apple App store's are BUT the Android market is growing so fast and when you look at the charts, more people are choosing Android over the Iphone everyday so as a Dev (Hypothetically) who would you start creating apps for? The Devs will go where the money is at and that is Android. This will not take "years" to happen. Anyone is smart enough to know that the sooner a good Dev jumps on the Android Market with a good game the more it will sell with less competition and more possible customers. I also stuck with the Captivate because it isn't the same phone that the guy next to you has. The phone has stayed the same (pretty much) as far as looks go since day one. Iphone users just got the ability to put a background on their phone for crying out loud. It takes 2 phones to be able to change the background on your phone? Wow. The Iphone is the most sturdy phone out in my opinion. But its up to you. A phone that is sturdy and boring or a chance with amazing customization possibilities.

 

[♠Ace]

Wow, didn`t expect so many replies. I see my topic built a debate. I read every single posts, but I am still stuck on what to make.
Well like I said, I love Android`s customization and it`s unique from the person next to me.

What frustrate me the most is that most games seem to be released in the iphone first. My friend was showing me his jailbreak iphone with games such as Nova 2(release Dec 2010) and Modern Combat 2(Oct 2010) that he just downloaded off. While the Android only has the older version. I mean I don't even mind paying for the game, but it's not even out yet(new version) for android. While iphone users can get it for free if they jail break the phone. The Iphone version has already been out 3-4 month already, and still no sign for android. My major concern is by the time that is out, the iphone will have newer stuffs.