iPhone 4S vs. Competition for my 16 year old daughter?

[TripleB]

I've got a daughter turning 16 on Sunday (Heaven help me!!!) who wants a new phone...of course an iPhone!

I'm going to spend $100 max (because we've bought her other items and we have to spend $125 to cancel the phone she has now) so I'm trying to decide between an iPhone 4S and the competition.

The quality competition (in that price range) for the 4S seems to be (at least going by reviews):
- Motorola Droid Razr M
- Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
- Samsung Galaxy SIII

Her current phone doesn't have internet access (not sure how much she would use that feature of the phone) so she only uses it for music, to call friends, and send 5000 (or so it seems) texts a month...and of course to check Facebook!

Several concerns I have about the 4S (some mentioned by a Verizon rep today): it seems the 4S isn't "4G" (whatever that means), the cost of downloading Apps or Songs (rep said you could get them free on a Droid, not so on iPhone), durability (rep said iPhone would break easier (especially the screen) than the others mentioned above.

So, is the iPhone 4S my best bet for under $100?

Thanks for your input.

TripleB

[Feña14]

You say she wants an iPhone? Phone's these days are about making a statement in many ways. If that's what she wants then anything else probably won't do.

Is the 4S the best out of the bunch? Well, no. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is from the ones you've listed, it's only been out for a few months so it's more up to date.

There is a thread here about the new iPhone 5 and the S3 where we all compare specs and the like, it's a bit geeky I suppose. For a 16 year old girl, i'm guessing things like that don't really mean much to her.

So if it's the prestige and look of the iPhone she want's, i'd say that's your best bet.

[krz]

No 4G. No Care.

If you're going to be paying 30 bucks on top for a dataplan you really should get a 4G capable phone. The speed difference is night and day.

Of the phones you listed the Galaxy S3 is the best.





Sent from my IPhone

[TripleB]

Originally Posted by krz

Sent from my IPhone

Really?

TripleB

[db10s]

Originally Posted by krz

Sent from my IPhone

FAIL, the I isn't supposed to be capitalised, the proper way is iPhone.

[krz]

Originally Posted by db10s

FAIL, the I isn't supposed to be capitalised, the proper way is iPhone.

haha caught me. I sent that from my computer.

However, I do actually have an iPhone for work. But, I would never EVER purchase a 3G phone with my own money after experiencing 4G LTE. The whole point of a smart phone is internet connectivity.

That being said I don't think children need iPhones.

[Blaxican10s]

Originally Posted by krz

No 4G. No Care.

If you're going to be paying 30 bucks on top for a dataplan you really should get a 4G capable phone. The speed difference is night and day.

Of the phones you listed the Galaxy S3 is the best.





Sent from my IPhone

Disagree, a 16 year old isn't going to be using a ton of network data. 90% of the time she'll most likely be in a wifi spot. a 16 year needs something that works consistantly and is easy to use. I tried the GSIII and its much more complex than an iOS is. Not to mention all of the bloatware that they come loaded down with.

The speed difference between LTE (4G) and 3G is night and day but I just don't think that most people care all the much. In fact its been shown that people actually burn through more data (and incur overage charges). I'd personally rather have a phone that runs smooth and not at risk for viruses and malware. Had the 4S for a year and it worked the same a year later as it did the day I got it.

[Ico]

Aside from Facebook, it sounds like she doesn't even need a smartphone. A regular phone with unlimited texting should suffice.

If she insists, the 4S is definitely the way to go. 4G isn't quite a gimmick, but it's mostly a marketing term for high-speed internet that's really only been activated in major cities. I also think a young girl doesn't want the ridiculously large GSIII. I don't recommend Motorola phones because they rarely get updated and are bloated by the UI skin and preinstalled apps.

An iPhone 4S is ideal, and free texting to other iPhone users should be a nice perk. Your rep also seems to be talking out his ***. First off, the iPhone is certainly as durable as the GSIII (which is made out of cheap plastic), but most people just get cases anyway. More importantly, you'd have to be extremely misinformed to think Android gets free apps and songs. That makes absolutely no sense. You have to pay on either platform. I think the Verizon dolt must only get commission from Android phones.

[tenniscasey]

I have a Motorola Razr Maxx and I love it, but I would not recommend it for a 16 year old girl. It's heavy / bulky / feels like a Craftsman phone. Meanwhile, my wife has an iPhone and loves it, but she's broken the front glass of it twice. iPhones are not durable.

You should know that 4G is not an empty marketing gimmick; the difference between 3G and 4G is honestly stunning. But if your kid doesn't really want to use the internet on her phone, 3G is probably fine.

Apps and songs are generally fee-required on Droid; if the rep told you otherwise, they're incompetent or dishonest.

[Blaxican10s]

Originally Posted by tenniscasey

I have a Motorola Razr Maxx and I love it, but I would not recommend it for a 16 year old girl. It's heavy / bulky / feels like a Craftsman phone. Meanwhile, my wife has an iPhone and loves it, but she's broken the front glass of it twice. iPhones are not durable.

You should know that 4G is not an empty marketing gimmick; the difference between 3G and 4G is honestly stunning. But if your kid doesn't really want to use the internet on her phone, 3G is probably fine.

Apps and songs are generally fee-required on Droid; if the rep told you otherwise, they're incompetent or dishonest.

Tell your wife to stop dropping (or abusing her phone). Any phone can break if dropped in the right way. I've never had an issue with my iPhone.

[tenniscasey]

Originally Posted by Blaxican10s

Tell your wife to stop dropping (or abusing her phone). Any phone can break if dropped in the right way. I've never had an issue with my iPhone.

I'd guess you're in the minority. Apple is known for making fragile chintzy products that are more form than function.

The thin charging cord on pre-5 models was a typical example of this; there's more than one reason they're leaving the old design behind. Apple also couldn't get the antenna right on its 4, and embarrassed itself with maps on 5.

Droids have flaws too. The question becomes which flaws are easier for your daughter to tolerate.

[Mauvaise]

Originally Posted by tenniscasey

Apple also couldn't get the antenna right on its 4, and embarrassed itself with maps on 5.

Just to be clear: the antenna issue was on the 4, not the 4S.

[Blaxican10s]

Originally Posted by Mauvaise

Just to be clear: the antenna issue was on the 4, not the 4S.

And they put out a software update for the antenna issue fairly quickly as well. There are technical flaws with all sorts of new products, the thing to look at is (1) does the company take accountability and own up to the issue and take corrective action to fix the problem and (2) will the company continue to support the device for a reasonable amount of time after purchase. In Apple's case the answer is yes!

Can't say that for all Android products. Case and point, look at the Droid Bionic. This time last year is was all the rage and was being touted as the next big thing! Android is now rolling out Jelly Bean (4.1) to new and older phones but the Bionic is still running 2.3 and has yet to even receive its ICS (4.0) update. There are rumblings that they will either push is to next year or even that Bionic owners will not receive the updates at all. Thats a bunch of crap! The Bionic was released in November and people are less than a year into their contract and stuck with a device that is already being surpassed in terms of specs and now also has an outdated OS.

[Ico]

4G still covers a small minority of US citizens, although this will hopefully change rapidly in the coming months/years.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/21/33...markets-cities

[tenniscasey]

Originally Posted by Ico

4G still covers a small minority of US citizens, although this will hopefully change rapidly in the coming months/years.

That's simply not true. Verizon's 4G network alone currently covers about 2/3 of the US.

[Blaxican10s]

OP- the iPhone 4S would be a great choice for a 16 year old. Its simple to use and most likely she's already using iTunes (i'm guessing). Androids (Droids & Galaxy) are a much more complex operating system that are much more easily susceptible to getting viruses or malware which will really hurt the phones performance. Apple stands by their products and is perfect for someone getting their first smartphone (or their 10th like me - I use an iPhone BTW)

[Blaxican10s]

OP- couple more thoughts: You're Verizon rep is wrong in a couple of areas- Most Android phones are about as breakable as the iPhone. Androids are plastic and can break quite easily, the 4S is made of two glass panels that are held together by a steel band- if your daughter would put a case on it she's more than likely going to be ok. A front panel can break on either type of phone.

4G isn't a big deal. You're 16 year old isn't working a full time job where she'd be streaming music or whatever straight from the Verizon network so I'm guessing 95% of the time when she's using her iPhone she'll be on a WI-FI connection that will make her phone as fast as "4G". My iPhone 5 is on 3G and it's plenty fast for what I need for business needs.

As for the songs, itunes does charge but the audio quality is the best and isn't compromised which is very often the case when you download free music on an Android device. I used an Android for a month and struggled to get great audio sound. If your daughter uses an iPhone / iTunes there are iTunes gift cards that can be purchased everywhere which will let her download what she wants (great gift idea for people to give to her). Also, iTunes requires a credit card so you can set up the account if she is buying too many songs you'll know exactly what she's buying.

[DRII]

Originally Posted by Blaxican10s

OP- couple more thoughts: You're Verizon rep is wrong in a couple of areas- Most Android phones are about as breakable as the iPhone. Androids are plastic and can break quite easily, the 4S is made of two glass panels that are held together by a steel band- if your daughter would put a case on it she's more than likely going to be ok. A front panel can break on either type of phone.

4G isn't a big deal. You're 16 year old isn't working a full time job where she'd be streaming music or whatever straight from the Verizon network so I'm guessing 95% of the time when she's using her iPhone she'll be on a WI-FI connection that will make her phone as fast as "4G". My iPhone 5 is on 3G and it's plenty fast for what I need for business needs.

As for the songs, itunes does charge but the audio quality is the best and isn't compromised which is very often the case when you download free music on an Android device. I used an Android for a month and struggled to get great audio sound. If your daughter uses an iPhone / iTunes there are iTunes gift cards that can be purchased everywhere which will let her download what she wants (great gift idea for people to give to her). Also, iTunes requires a credit card so you can set up the account if she is buying too many songs you'll know exactly what she's buying.

Way to over-generalize!

All Androids are not made of plastic, to say so is quite ignorant! Samsungs tend to be plastic on the outside, yet have great internals. Motoralas, especially the Razr, are stunning in design and durability and build quality and are not plastic! As a matter of fact the Razr's build is a close second to the iphone 4 but better than that of the new iphone 5! HTCs are known for their unibody design and tight construction...

Lets get the facts correct shall we..

However, overall I agree that for a teenage girl the Iphone 4 is probaly the best choice.

[Blaxican10s]

Originally Posted by DRII

Way to over-generalize!

All Androids are not made of plastic, to say so is quite ignorant! Samsungs tend to be plastic on the outside, yet have great internals. Motoralas, especially the Razr, are stunning in design and durability and build quality and are not plastic! As a matter of fact the Razr's build is a close second to the iphone 4 but better than that of the new iphone 5! HTCs are known for their unibody design and tight construction...

Lets get the facts correct shall we..

However, overall I agree that for a teenage girl the Iphone 4 is probaly the best choice.

Hey *****neck, I said most because there are droids like the Razr that seem like they can take a pounding. The Galaxy is as likely to break as much as the iphone is dropped. They have glass screens that shatter just as easily. Glass shatters- fact! How am I overgeneralizing? Samsung has a huge % of the Android Market therefor a lot of them are plastic!

[DRII]

Originally Posted by Blaxican10s

Hey *****neck, I said most because there are droids like the Razr that seem like they can take a pounding. The Galaxy is as likely to break as much as the iphone is dropped. They have glass screens that shatter just as easily. Glass shatters- fact! How am I overgeneralizing? Samsung has a huge % of the Android Market therefor a lot of them are plastic!

Look back at your post, tinkerbell...

You said, blanketly, Droids are made of plastic. Wrong!

Also, the new Iphone 5 scratches very easily. Some are even coming with nicks and crannies out of the box even though its made out of aluminum (probably because its made out of aluminum instead of stainless steel like the 4)...

Samsung is the leader right now in the Android market but has not been always. More accurately you should have said that Sumsungs are plastic, not all 'Droids'!