iPhone 4S vs Android Smartphones: Price, Specs, and Data Compared
Oct 5, 2011 03:50 PM EDT by 
Now that the iPhone 4S is out of the gate, it’s time to take a look at how it stacks up against the Android competition.
In case you missed it, the latest iPhone will cost $199, ride on three carriers’ networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint), house a faster dual-core processor, and offer a sharper 8-megapixel back-facing camera with 1080p video capture. With that new camera and processor, Apple’s cellular device is now on a par with three popular Android phones—the Droid Bionic for VerizonWireless, the Sprint Galaxy S II Epic 4G, and T-Mobile’s HTC Sensation 4G, each of which offer dual-core processors and 8-MP cameras with 1080p video capture of their own.
Each of those handsets includes a display that exceed 4 inches, while the iPhone 4S remains the same size as its 3.5-inch predecessor. Where the iPhone 4S wins out is its 960 x 640-pixel screen resolution, which bests the res of many Android phones, including the Motorola Droid Bionic (960 x 540 pixels).
While all three Android handsets use next-generation 4G networks, the iPhone 4S supports only 3G connectivity. Not all 4G networks are created equal and, to be fair, the T-Mobile based HTC Sensation 4G got speeds that were only on a par with 3G in our testing. However, Verizon’s Droid Bionic managed downloads that were more than 10 Mbps, more than five times 3G speeds.
To find out where the iPhone 4S stands on price, weight, and memory capacity, check the chart below.
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| Devices | iPhone 4S | Droid Bionic | Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G |
HTC Sensation 4G |
| Price | $199 | $299 | $199 | $199 |
| CPU | Dual-Core A5 Chip |
Dual-Core TI OMAP 4430 |
1.2-GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos C210 |
1.2-GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon |
| OS | iOS 5 | Android 2.3.4 | Android 2.3.4 | Android 2.3.3 |
| Display | 3.5 inches (960 x 640) |
4.3 inches (960 x 540) |
4.5 inches (800 x 480) |
4.3 inches (960 x 540) |
| Carrier | AT&T, Sprint, Verizon | Verizon | Sprint | T-Mobile |
| Wireless | 3G Only | 4G (LTE) | 4G (WiMAX) | 4G (HSDPA+)* |
| Size (Inches) |
4.5 x 2.3 x 0.4 | 2.6 x 5 x 0.4 | 5.1 x 2.7 x 0.4 | 5 x 2.6 x 0.4 |
| Weight (Ounces) |
4.9 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 5.2 |
| Storage (Included / Expandable) |
16GB / N/A | 16GB / 32GB | 16GB / 32GB | 1GB / 32GB |
| Front Camera | VGA | VGA | 2MP | VGA |
| Back Camera | 8MP (1080p video) | 8MP (1080p video) | 8MP (1080p video) | 8MP (1080p video) |
| Battery Life (Rated) |
8 Hours | 11 Hours | 8.7 Hours | 8 Hours |
* The HTC Sensation 4G is billed as a 4G device, but its actual download and upload speeds are more on a par with 3G devices. Read our full review for more details.
- iPhone 4S Hands-On Impressions: Siri Test Drive, Superfast Camera
- 12 Reasons Why Android Beats the iPhone 4S
- $199 iPhone 4S vs. $99 iPhone 4: What’s the Better Deal?
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