HTC One Or iPhone 4S – Summary
The only reasons people would be choosing between the HTC One Or iPhone 4S is to save a few bucks a month. And even then, you’re not saving much. In my opinion, the HTC One is the best Australian mobile phone ever released. It simply dwarfs the capabilities of the Apple iPhone 4S in every regard. The HTC One looks better than the iPhone 4S. The HTC One is 4G / LTE enabled. Next to Android, Apple’s Operating System, iOS is boring and restrictive. It’s only redeeming feature is that it’s familiar.
If you’d like chapter and verse on features and comparisons of the HTC One Vs the iPhone 4S, they’re here. And my advice is : Save yourself the time. Don’t bother reading it. Do yourself a favour and buy an HTC One instead of an iPhone 4S.
HTC One or iPhone 4S Specs
HTC One Or iPhone 4S – Similarities Are Hard To Find
Both the HTC One and iPhone 4S make phone calls and have screens. That’s about the only similarity they have. It’s been 20 months or so between the October 2011 Australian launch of the Apple iPhone 4S and the April 2013 release of the HTC One. In that time, the market has moved so substantially that these phones are from blindingly different generations of device.
HTC One Or iPhone 4S – Different In Every Way
The first two things you’ll notice in comparing these products are how they look and the screens they have. The HTC One is ahead on both counts. They’re both made of metal and glass but the HTC One appears more modern. The screen stretches further across the front of the HTC product.
Judged alone, the iPhone 4S is recognisable to the point of iconic and nothing to be ashamed about using in public. Next to the HTC One, the iPhone 4S’s aesthetics are out-dated and blocky. Machine drilled holes on both sides of the screen on the HTC One make it look current. The slightly bowed edges and rear make it easier to hold. The HTC One is such a thing of beauty, I want to pick it up and sniff it. The iPhone 4S has been around so long, I’d rather put it in a cupboard and use it as a backup.
The screen on the HTC One is a full 1.2 inches wider across the diagonal. It looks a good 50%-60% bigger than the iPhone’s. The last 2 years have taught us that physically bugger mobile phones can not only be accommodated in pockets and handbags, the extra size is a negligible inconvenience. Indeed, the benefits of a true high definition 1920 x 1080 screen on the HTC One significantly outweigh them. Use of neither screen reveals blocky edges to browsed web pages. Apple’s Retina Display set the standard back in the day. The HTC One has a higher PPI index ( Pixels Per Inch ) but it’s not noticeable. Both outperform the capabilities of your eye to discern a difference.
Screen colour rendition is very similar. I prefer the clearer whites and better contrast on the HTC but this is a real personal taste thing.
HTC One or iPhone 4S – Software Is Much Better on HTC One
Most Australians have a Smart Mobile phone these days. If you don’t know how to use them, the person next to you at home or work will be able to explain. Gone is the advice to start with an Apple iPhone because it’s easy to use. The iPhone 4S has been out for so long, in Australia, you’ll probably have to go direct to a telco ( Optus, Telstra, Virgin Mobile or Vodafone Australia ) if you want to get one. Out of the box, it’ll probably come with iOS 5. It can be simply upgraded to iOS 6 using iTunes although many people will be too scared of losing their data to do that.
iOS is simple, reliable and easy to use. The iTunes app store has a lot of apps. That’s where the good news ends. Compared to the HTC One’s software, it’s boring, staid and static.
The HTC One’s home screen collects and presents information from a variety of news and social media feeds you give it. The result is an engaging, constantly updated plethora of scintillating tidbits which will keep you entertained and informed with the things that matter to you. Some find this feature overpowering and it’s difficult to replace but I love being able to overview everything and deep dive in to the parts of the ‘Blinkfeed’ flow which appeal.
We’ve provided detailed articles comparing Android and iOS in detail ( along with Windows 8 ) and gone to great lengths to make sure that you have all the information you need to make your choice., elsewhere on WhatPhone. What you won’t get from them is the difference in the way the HTC One feels to use that comes from the faster processing capabilities it has. The iPhone 4S has Dual Core 1.0 GHz processors. The HTC One Quadcore 1.7 GHz processors. The result is a smoother browsing and scrolling experience on the HTC phone. Side by side with the iPhone 4S, the Apple phone feels like it’s opening apps in treacle.
The HTC One has 4G / LTE capabilities. The iPhone 4S was the last exclusively 3G iPhone that Apple produced. If you find yourself loading maps, browsing image heavy web pages or if you watch You Tube at any point, you’ll love the new network speeds 4G provides.
The camera is another feature which has moved on in leaps and bounds between the release of these two phones as you’ll see below. In this software section, it’s worthwhile pointing out another key software feature provided with the HTC One – Zoe. Zoe automatically gathers all of your images and videos from a chunk of time and collates them for you in to a brief summary video. Instead of leaving this personally valuable content on your phone, as almost everyone does, Zoe frees it to share over Social Networks and when you put your phone under a friend’s nose. Zoe is a feature you never knew you’d love until you try it. It’s another leap forward from the iPhone 4S.
HTC One vs iPhone 4S – Don’t Be Fooled By Camera Specs
Finally, the iPhone 4S has an 8MP camera. The HTC One has a 4MP camera. Compare the headlines of the two and you’ll probably think the iPhone 4S wins this one. I can see why but the HTC One is an exception to common Megapixel thinking. The HTC one has been equipped with a number of features which improve the quality of the images it takes. A larger ( f/2.0 ) aperture allows 3 times as much light in ( they say. ) The result, whatever the technology which enables it, is better performance in low light conditions on the newer HTC One’s camera.
To be fair to the iPhone 4S, in normal daylight, the Apple device keeps it’s end up respectably against the HTC One. Video recording on both devices is also at the current market best of 30 frames per second.
HTC One vs iPhone 4S – Summing Up
Whatever your fears about buying an Android device, get an HTC One. They’re very slightly harder to learn but you should still get an HTC One. People love the Apple brand far more than they respect the HTC brand but the HTC One is a better product. It’s more modern, it looks better, it’s faster to use, whatever you’re doing. If you’re out and about and using the wireless data network ( erm, which is why you bought a phone ) then 4G will rock your world on the HTC One.
I very rarely give advice. The purpose of WhatPhone is to inform your decision about the right phone for you. In this case, I’m making an exception. If you’re considering the iPhone 4S or HTC One, get an HTC One.