Flagships 3 years later - S3 vs 4S - which held up better?

[Adriel]

Great write up. I happened upon an S3, and I agree with most of the points you've listed.

[typographie]

Also keep in mind that the 4S has much better build qualty, the OS is still updated regularly, and the phone itself still runs pretty well - the SIII has an outdated OS, and that alone should convince you of which to go for. Plus it looks worlds better and the app store (due to a newer OS) is much more compatible.

 

As for WiFi issues, I've had three iPhone 4Ss and never had a single issue with WiFi.

 

A huge part of this thread has been about all the custom ROMs you can use with the Galaxy S III. Apple may continue to update the 4S, but you're entirely at their mercy to continue doing so. Apple can and will artificially force it into obsolescence eventually, it's their business model to eventually do so. At that point someone with an S3 may have a custom ROM based on the latest Android kernel.

 

Build quality is important, but I've been using the S3 with no case ever since it was brand new. Aside from some scratches and weathering over the years, it's still in great condition. Plastic construction isn't anything to be proud of, but it's lightweight, thin, and very ergonomic.

[Arcanekitten]

Did someone say Lollipop

 

custom ROM ?

[Guest]

A huge part of this thread has been about all the custom ROMs you can use with the Galaxy S III. Apple may continue to update the 4S, but you're entirely at their mercy to continue doing so. Apple can and will artificially force it into obsolescence eventually, it's their business model to eventually do so. At that point someone with an S3 may have a custom ROM based on the latest Android kernel.

 

Build quality is important, but I've been using the S3 with no case ever since it was brand new. Aside from some scratches and weathering over the years, it's still in great condition. Plastic construction isn't anything to be proud of, but it's lightweight, thin, and very ergonomic.

But why isn't it awesome how Apple still supports a phone four years on when the SIII got dropped in 2013? Sure, you CAN modify Android to do whatever you want, but it should be more important that device support and features come directly from a manufacturer who actually cares about the longevity of its products, not one who releases four models of the same thing and drops support for all of them within two years.

[stconquest]

But why isn't it awesome how Apple still supports a phone four years on when the SIII got dropped in 2013? Sure, you CAN modify Android to do whatever you want, but it should be more important that device support and features come directly from a manufacturer who actually cares about the longevity of its products, not one who releases four models of the same thing and drops support for all of them within two years.

 

What features?  It is a phone.  It makes calls and texts.  Firmware does not make the camera capable of a higher resolution picture, or video.  What can they do in their OS that is so good?

[Aniallation]

 Firmware does not make the camera capable of a higher resolution picture, or video.

But it can make the pictures better, as Sony has showed us with their very capable camera sensors but relatively crappy camera software.

[typographie]

But why isn't it awesome how Apple still supports a phone four years on when the SIII got dropped in 2013? Sure, you CAN modify Android to do whatever you want, but it should be more important that device support and features come directly from a manufacturer who actually cares about the longevity of its products, not one who releases four models of the same thing and drops support for all of them within two years.

 

I suppose it's good of them to continue supporting the 4S for so long, but I still prefer a situation where I am in complete control of the product and I can continue modifying it to keep it up to date until such time that there is a practical, technical reason why I cannot continue. The 4S will be EoL'd someday, at which point Apple will prevent it from receiving updates, and probably only because they decided it was time.

 

To be clear, I'm not defending Samsung. I don't particularly even like their products until I'm rid of their software. Once I have a custom ROM installed, I'm casting their product support aside anyway.

[Aniallation]

I kinda love the One M7, I think I've found new ones for around 160€. But of these two, well yes, the S3 it is. If you ask me, One M7 and SGS2 were  geniously designed for the time, others are kind of dissapointment. Would still love to have M7, still a good phone, if only it had detachable battery and supported LTE.

M7 supports LTE

[Maheshvara]

But why isn't it awesome how Apple still supports a phone four years on when the SIII got dropped in 2013? Sure, you CAN modify Android to do whatever you want, but it should be more important that device support and features come directly from a manufacturer who actually cares about the longevity of its products, not one who releases four models of the same thing and drops support for all of them within two years.

They actually create an illusion where they're supporting it. My sister has an iPhone 4s, and she's currently using iOS 8 (the original, not 8.1 or whatever it's called...). Ever since iOS 7, her phone got more and more buggy. It started lagging  a lot more and a lot of apps are being forcefully closed.

 

Apple creates an illusion where they update a lot of their older phones with newest software, but it's basically a change in aesthetics, nothing else. There's rarely a new function implemented (and no, that menu you get from swiping up from below isn't a new function, it's just something that should have been there, but it wasn't)... They go on and on how they regularly update their phones, smartly using that as a marketing material to users that don't know better (which is most of them)...

 

No, i'm not defending Samsung, hell, i don't like most of their phones (the only ones i like are Note 4 and S6), and i especially don't like TW...

[Guest]

They actually create an illusion where they're supporting it. My sister has an iPhone 4s, and she's currently using iOS 8 (the original, not 8.1 or whatever it's called...). Ever since iOS 7, her phone got more and more buggy. It started lagging  a lot more and a lot of apps are being forcefully closed.

 

Apple creates an illusion where they update a lot of their older phones with newest software, but it's basically a change in aesthetics, nothing else. There's rarely a new function implemented (and no, that menu you get from swiping up from below isn't a new function, it's just something that should have been there, but it wasn't)... They go on and on how they regularly update their phones, smartly using that as a marketing material to users that don't know better (which is most of them)...

 

No, i'm not defending Samsung, hell, i don't like most of their phones (the only ones i like are Note 4 and S6), and i especially don't like TW...

First of all, they are still supporting it, period. It doesn't matter the difference between the 4S and the 6's software features, because the phones are wildly different.

 

Second, the 4S will get the performance improvements in iOS 9 that every other device will (other than Metal UI rendering for hardware reasons), it will get the new app updates, Siri enhancements, the Wallet app, and so on. It's not like Apple is shipping iOS 8 with a new number because the 4S is 'too old to support.' I'm amazed they're still supporting A5 devices, but I'm also really happy about it - my iPad 2 still lives another year.

 

They go on and on how they regularly update their phones, smartly using that as a marketing material to users that don't know better (which is most of them)...

​That was both rude and stupid to say. Apple DOES regularly push updates, iOS is a much more mature platform than you seem to think, and updates hit every device on every carrier at the exact same second.

 

Please, tell me how that's just marketing. Get your head out of the dirt and realize that Apple just supports things for longer. Don't try to turn that into a negative thing,

[IMPERIUS]

I'd pick up a 5 for a bit more, I really hate the s3's plastic. Or the best option would be the one m7

[IreMinMon]

M7 supports LTE

My bad, it does.

[flibberdipper]

You know, all these years and I never thought of that.  I never had battery issues... and I bought 3 extra batteries for $13 that I usually had with me if I was out for the day.

 

Just "underclocked" it to 1GHz from 1.5GHz... let's see

 

@tmcclelland455

 

I grabbed two ROMs when I first decided to root it and install a custom OS.  The first Cyanogen failed (tried it twice), but the LiquidSmooth (also a cyanogen 4.1.1) worked great.  F*ck Kit Kat, who needs that sh*t. :mellow:

Never got the notification...

 

But yeah, I honestly think it has something to do with my phone being from Verizon. Either way, it's more or less a camera now and a work phone, so it's just rolling with the stock 4.4.2 flash again.

[DumbAsshole32]

.

[Guest]

two words have to be said: FUCK ITUNES

 

I use it as my music player... and it works fine.

[melias24]

Or spend more and get a Nexus 5

[Aniallation]

Or spend more and get a Nexus 5

Honestly I'm really tired of "spend more and get X"... a used Nexus 5 where I am costs more then the price of both these phones combined.

[Beskamir]

Personally, I'd go with the S3 and install Cyanogenmod on it to get better performance since Touchwiz sounds awful. Also having owned an iphone 4, I don't expect a stock iphone 4 to perform that much better than a stock S3. I currently have an S4 and I really like it so if you can afford to get an S4 over an S3 I'd recommend getting an S4 and of course rooting it.

 

Edit: Just noticed you live in the same city as me.