iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy S2 & S3

[wizwor]

Probably a bit of a language barrier. I should have picked up on that and been more explicit. I'm just saying that a guy selling stuff commenting on repairs and reliability is not a credible authority. He could be expressing personal biases or simply working with a small set of data. Here is a personal anecdote for you...

Around 1984, I was working in a department store. One day I walked in and there were a dozen Atari computers in a carriage at the service desk, "All defective," the manager complained. The problem? The computers were all reporting 48k of RAM in the memory test while the box clearly advertised 64k. The manager did not know the other 16k was running the test program.

Both manager and purchaser had a very unrealistic impression of Atari computers before I explained the defect. As it turns out, I have a couple of those computers 30 years later and they still work fine. I might believe that these computers are very reliable. Just the same, my small pool of data is insufficient to calculate the reliability of these computers any better than that manager had done in 1984.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

In this mall, there's one of the few Apple stores in the south of Germany (next one in Munich is ca. 80km away).
I can imagine, lots of Apple fans drive to this mall specifically for the Apple store.
Get informed in the Apple store, but then buy from Saturn Markt.

And in this case, as I suggested above, they take their iPhones to that nearby Apple Store when they have a problem.

You said above that the Apple Store would direct them to the place they bought it, but I'm pretty sure that iPhone users can always go into an Apple Store for support. Isn't that one of the key benefits?

Graham

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Graham

And in this case, as I suggested above, they take their iPhones to that nearby Apple Store when they have a problem.

You said above that the Apple Store would direct them to the place they bought it, but I'm pretty sure that iPhone users can always go into an Apple Store for support. Isn't that one of the key benefits?

Graham

They certainly could send it in for repair via that Apple store.
But if they hope for an exchange model (and I guess, most will try that first instead of giving the phone away and wait for repair), they have to go through the place they bought it from.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

71% Android.
But how much of that is Samsung?
Let's assume, it's close to 50% of the Android share.
Then Apple and Samsung would be about even in total.

Why does it matter the Samsung percentage? Your source said Apple outsells Android 3 to 1. Given that Android increased the percentage over the last year to 71%, and iOS lost a couple of percentage points, I can't see how the 3:1 figure could be remotely close to the truth, it's more likely to be the other way around, maybe even 4:1.

[danskmacabre]

Interesting report.
However when considering what phone to get on a contract about 6 months ago I asked about return rates and was told the Iphone 4, (not sure if the Iphone 5 was available then) had the highest return rate, followed by the Galaxy S3 and the S2 had a really low return rate. The returns were usually due to broken screens.

He could have been lying I guess but I got the cheaper contract for the S2 so if he was trying to con me, you'd think he'd be pushing the more expensive phones.
I should point out I got very chatty with them and I'm pretty technically aware in general, so I didn't come off as an easy target to rip off.

I live in Queensland, Australia.

Either way it's not like I'm a "loyal" Samsung customer or anything like that, it just looked like a decent phone and I had read reviews it was pretty good, so went with the S2.

Whatever the case the OP's original experience varies wildly from my experience, so it's likely both his and my information is highly anecdotal.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by afv011

Why does it matter the Samsung percentage?..

The first statement was about return rate and it was specifically about Samsung.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

...Whatever the case the OP's original experience varies wildly from my experience, so it's likely both his and my information is highly anecdotal.

It's not my experience.
Just what the technical support told me.
I never claimed this to be statistically correct or anything like that.
Only wanted to share the statement.

BTW. Another technician, when finally sending in my Nokia Lumia 920 for repair, stated the same: "We have lots of problems with Samsung".
But who knows:
Might have been a batch of "Monday units"?
Maybe lots of the returns aren't for quality issues but simple loss of interest? Maybe Apple fanboys get well informed in the Apple store and then buy where it's cheapest? Whereas maybe lots of Samsung/Android phones had been bought without previous testing and simply didn't match up to unrealistic expectations?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by afv011

...Given that Android increased the percentage over the last year to 71%, and iOS lost a couple of percentage points, I can't see how the 3:1 figure could be remotely close to the truth, it's more likely to be the other way around, maybe even 4:1.

There may be a simple explanation for the ratio of Saturn and Media Markt, which seems more or less the opposite of the market.

I never compare prices myself. I buy "in the mood". If infected by gadgetitis, I want to have it here and now.
But for example, yesterday I saw a guy checking Android phones and asking an older guy (probably his father): "How much was it on the web?".
So I imagine, most consumers go for the lowest price.
And maybe, just a thought, Apple rigidly dictates the prices, so there's not a huge difference in prices between the stores, whereas there might be way bigger differences in price for most other brands?
If so, it would make sense to buy your iPhone in Media Markt or Saturn Markt, as you can't get it much cheaper elsewhere.
But maybe you only check out the Android phones and then order from the web way cheaper?

Just a thought. But I wouldn't be surprised, if Apple controlls prices more rigidly than others.

[tvuongpham]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

...

Actually, I don't really like iPhone 4 and 4S that much. Their design, in my eye, by far is the best (I don't like iPhone 5, though. Too "plasticky" for me).

Re. Samsung I can't say much from personal experience. I'm not buying any of their products anymore. I've checked out Samsung ATIV, but like the other Samsung gadgets I simply can't stand the "cheap plastic" housings ...

hmm my iPhone 5 is all aluminum and glass... the iphone 3 series had plastic back case, iphone 4 had no plastic- even the buttons are made of metal.

I like the solid metal construction, but am paranoid of getting scratches, so I usually put it in a tpu type simple case and or invisible skin .. more grippy.

ebay is a great place for cases a fraction of the cost vs the local kiosk.

And when the phone is out of warranty parts are really easy to find and instructions readily available to DIY repair (or take to a kiosk)

More over IOS experience is way superior --unified for my personal experience. YMMV

[covingtoncat73]

I got a Galaxy S3 on Monday. I love it so far. I have played with my mother's iPhone 4 and that is a fine little device as well. Mom has had hers for about a year and seems to like it.

I had an Android, a Samsung Replenish, as my first smart phone. It had very little memory on the phone itself, sacrificed screen for the read keyboard and the Android OS on it was outdated before my 2 years was up but, despite that, I think it worked fairly well. My apps worked and, despite how many times I dropped it, it was in good shape.

The S3 has a huge screen, a more up-to-date OS, and a lot of memory, so I think I'll be happy.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by tvuongpham

hmm my iPhone 5 is all aluminum and glass..

By "plasticky" I meant, it feels extremely light and just not as "valuable" as iPhone 4/S to me.
When I hold iPhone 5, it reminds me a bit of Galaxy Note which was a great gadget, but lacked a bit design-wise imho.

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

It's not my experience.
Just what the technical support told me.
I never claimed this to be statistically correct or anything like that.
Only wanted to share the statement.

OK, change what I said by "My experience" to "What the guy in the phone shop told me".

BTW. Another technician, when finally sending in my Nokia Lumia 920 for repair, stated the same: "We have lots of problems with Samsung".
But who knows:
Might have been a batch of "Monday units"?
Maybe lots of the returns aren't for quality issues but simple loss of interest? Maybe Apple fanboys get well informed in the Apple store and then buy where it's cheapest? Whereas maybe lots of Samsung/Android phones had been bought without previous testing and simply didn't match up to unrealistic expectations?

I don't think Samsung phones are particularly more fragile than other brands. My S2 has been dropped, got wet, left in my pocket with keys, sat on etc etc and is going strong, although I do have a screen protector and cover for it, but most people do that anyway.

As I have no brand loyalty, I have used plenty of brands.
When it's time for a new phone I DO make the effort to read reviews, ask friends about specific models of phones, rather than say "I will get a Samsung or whatever".

As a result of this I have owned, Sony, Erikkson, Sony-Erikkson, Nokia, HTC, other brands I expect.

Definite non-starters for me are:
No file manager access
Mo support for external cards
Format lock in
So that leaves out pretty much every Apple product for me, regardless of build quality.


Apart from that, I'll just see what's out there and do the research before getting a phone. I usually have an idea what specific model I will get before I even get to the shop when contract renewal or contract change time comes up.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

What friend are you talking about?
When did I mention any friend at all?

If you accidentally say something nice about Apple on MR, Apple haters will come out of the woodwork, call people who buy Apple products iFans, insult them, and question their honesty simply for stating a preference that they so vehemently disagree with.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

If you accidentally say something nice about Apple on MR, Apple haters will come out of the woodwork, call people who buy Apple products iFans, insult them, and question their honesty simply for stating a preference that they so vehemently disagree with.

Replace apple with android, and the same applies.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

Apple haters call people who buy Apple products iFans

iFan is more offensive than Apple Haters?