The A4 in the iPhone has in general higher performance than the Qualcomm Snapdragon in the HTC Incredible, Desire, Evo and myTouch. So they are no match for the iPhone. The major performance-related difference between a Galaxy S and iPhone is the Samsung Hummingbird processor in the Galaxy has a faster GPU. Otherwise, they are almost the same chip, except that Apple adds hardware video decoding to increase battery life during video playback.
Phones that dwarf the current iPhone in power are coming this year, especially dual-core phones. But then Apple is coming out with a faster chip too. I doubt they spent $400 million on chip design firms in the last few years for nothing. One of those firms designed that Samsung Hummingbird.
The A4 is marginally faster than the second generation Snapdragon. Akin to the difference you’d see between Intel’s Q9400 and Q9550 quad core processors. Yeah, the 9550 is faster, but it’s not enough of a difference that you’ll likely notice. We won’t see phones that offer significant improvements over the current crop, whether they be A4 or Snapdragon until multiple core processors are released.
Where the Iphone falls short of the phones in my list is functionality, and the experience. The Iphone has many advantages that exist primarily on paper. Faster processor, better display, and a host of other things that the user isn’t likely to even notice. Sort of a like a 720p vs 1080P video on a small flatpanel TV, or LED edgelit vs LED array lit for a new TV. Both have phenomenal pictures, and the actual advantage is small in either case.
Examples:
Hotspot. It works, and Apple doesn’t have it. I occasionally create one for my non-3g Nook, and I regularly create a hotspot in my car so my children can connect with their Ipod touches. It’s a great irony that I couldn’t do that with my Iphone which is a sister device to theirs.
Apple’s internet experience is crippled with it’s sub-par flash support. Not the case with the high end androids with the latest flash player.
Voice navigation. Can’t be beat My phone sit’s in a dock on my dash and speaks to me (and I to it) just like my previous dedicated navigation system that it replaced. To get the Iphone to do the same, it’s an expensive app as the free and cheap ones aren’t even remotely close.
Iphone has a decent keyboard, but it can’t compare to the speed I have with swype. Apple doesn’t have it. My wife uses the Dragon dictation software on hers, and rarely uses a keyboard at all. Again, apple doesn’t have it.
I video chat with the wife more than I call her now. Apple won’t do it unless you’re in a hotspot.
The videos from my iphone looked ok on my television, but not even close to my android. Difference: HTC was considerate enough to realize that it’s the 21st century and component cables are so 1999, so they game me HDMI support.
Nah, I repeat. The top of the line androids smoke the Iphone in every relevant category. I’m not a brand fanboi. If apple comes out on top again, I’ll buy another Iphone. Until then, I’m buying what’s most useful, which right now, isn’t an apple product.
Where did you read that the A4 has HD video decoding and the Hummingbird does not.
Samsung claims full HD hardware decoding and encoding on the Hummingbird. I personally suspect the two chips are nearly identical excluding the GPU.