Do I choose an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy or something else?

[YoullLaughAboutItOneDay]

I have decided to embrace the 21st century and buy a smartphone. Problem is I can't work out which one to get.

iPhones are most expensive, but would fit with our other products (apple laptop and all our music on iTunes, iPod dock on our speakers).

Other phones seem to give your more minutes/data/texts for your money (and the handsets are cheaper), but is this because they are less good?

Are there any experts out there who could help me make up my mind?

DH had an Iphone through work and DS has the cheaper Samsung Galaxy Ace and he preferred ds's galaxy

Ooh, that's interesting. Do you know why he preferred it?

I've just bought a Samsung Galaxy Y Pro and I really love it. I particularly love the keyboard because on my last smartphone typing on the screen was just impossible.

I've never had an iPhone so can't comment, but I think I will always stick with android phones.

So two people who prefer the Sumsung so far. Thanks both of you. Any other views?

DS's galaxy ace is only £15 a month so the bottom end of the range of Galaxy but DH didn't think the iphone really offered anything more for the money other than a larger screen, which the more expensive galaxies have.

That's good to know Bruffin. I'm tending towards a Sumsung I think. I'm a bit worried about how easy it is to transfer music if it's all in iTunes though. I don't download masses so wouldn't need doing often, but I wonder if it would be beyond my technical abilities.

Youlllaugh

There is an appt to transfer itunes music to android. Looks straight forward.

I have an iphone 4. Had it nearly 2yrs and falling out of love with it. THinking of going to samsung myself eventually. Apple is a very straightforward option. Works out of the box and that's it (except the "glitches" around updates...)

However I'm fed up with the "stranglehold" apple applies to it's technology. No easy way to make a wifi hotspot (without paying extra on a contract tarriff) the "half compatible" bluetooth etc etc. No flash player except via modified websites eg iplayer

If a phone is for function rather than status I hve recently got a galaxy y for both my 18yr old son and ahem yr old DH!! (his 1st smart phone ever).

For a budget phone it is brilliant.Fast, effective, does everything DS wants (DH doesn't know what he wants it to do really yet!). Slightly crap camera and lack of flash player (or iplayer) would probably put me off but see iphone notes as well!

Galaxy ace gets slightly odd reviews- either great or rubbish- I think maybe it's quite a buggy phone...

Thanks for the info about the iTunes stuff.

Interesting what you say about falling out of love with the iPhone. DH has an old iPhone 3 and is saying much the same thing.

I was looking at the Galaxy SII as can get is quite cheaply (compared to an iPhone) and that's meant to be an improvement on the Ace isn't it? I read a really geeky review which loved it, but since I'm not a geek I wonder whether the 'out of the box' element of apple is more important to me than them.

It's coming through that a lot of people prefer Samsung. I need to give it some serious thought. I don't want to get the Beetamax of phones, but I don't think that's happening and Android does seem to be building a serious presence.

I've got a galaxy s2 and it's fab. Get the double twist app to get your iTunes music onto your phone, it is simple. Phone is brill.

I'd have to say that for a beginner, if you can afford it get the iphone. Especially if you already have Apple products, apple docks and iTunes music already.

The SGS2 is an amazing phone but I've found that Android isn't as reliable, nor as easy to use. I've many MANY friends who are not geeky like me and have gone from Android to Apple. I think often what happens is that people ask geeks like us for advice and forget many of us simply recommend the most technically advanced.

If you want the most technically advanced phone then I'd say get Android, probably something like the SGS2 or even the newer HTC One X.

If like most people you just want something you can use. Something that will be compatible with your hi-fi and car then get yourself an iphone. You can go into almost any shop, even Tesco's and pick up a range of iphone accessories. So many cases to suit your tastes.

With Apple, the mantra is "It just works". If that's what you value then get Apple. If you want the bleeding edge phone, one where you can compare megapixel's with your friends, laud over them the fact you are running Cyangenmod nightly builds and revel in the fact you can root your phone.....get Android.

I am not technologically minded at all and have lusted after an iphone for ages . I recently got a Samsung galaxy ace as i couldn't justify the cost of an iphone. I have to say im really pleased w it. It took me an evening to find my way around it and does everything i want it to. Id sayget the most advanced galaxy you can afford

I've got a Galaxy S2 and it's brilliant. I nearly always recommend it except where, as in your case, you've already got a load of Apple kit. iPhones work with Macs so much better than Android ever will.

Thanks for the further input. I'm getting less worried about compatibility with our other apple stuff. It won't be a great hardship not to be able to put the phone on the speakers, as I already have an iPod and it will therefore always be knocking around the house (since I won't need to take it out any more). And it sounds like transferring music from iTunes isn't as difficult as I thought it might be.

I guess it comes down to what niceguy says. Being able to work it out the box and not worry about complicated geeky stuff. On the camera, I think I'd have to go for an iPhone 4 not a 4S as I couldn't justify the extra for what seems to just be a better camera. Would only be snaps, but maybe I'd regret that? (We have an SLR as our main camera, so wouldn't be any important photos - DH is a camera geek). Couldn't care less about accessories, but reliability would bother me.

Oh god, I am going round in circles. This is why I currently have an ancient Nokia. I am rubbish with tech decisions and they are totally outsourced to DH for all other purposes as he gets a kick out of all the research, comparing and stuff.

I have an iPhone 4s which is fab, love it. Dh as a galaxy s2 and it's good but not as good as the iPhone, we both agree.

For me the main (and perhaps the only) reason I'd consider an upgrade to a 4S is Siri.

For a forgetful sod like me, the ability to say something like "Siri, create a reminder for me to call bob tomorrow at 10am" would be a godsend. I have a memory like a sieve and am cursed with being lazy too. Too lazy to unlock my phone and type in a long to-do.

If you don't NEED Siri, get the 4.

Android doesn't need to be considered Geeky, in all honesty !

Don't be put off by niceguy2's comments about chatting with geeky friends about rooting the phone, or megapixels (bet some iPhone users do that too!) or Cygenwhatsit (limited to maybe 5% who are keen to tinker, like the 5% of iPhone users who might have used some code to 'jailbreak' their iPhone).

It's just a phone, with some extra features, and whether it's Android or iPhone, you can send texts, talk to people, and has the bonus of also being able to handle e-mail, YouTube, and many other things the internet has to offer, such as Skype, etc.

I'd go into a few mobile stores on Monday and try whatever phones you can get your hands on, especially how well they handle for typing texts or e-mail, as that might be the deciding factor (I advise the same when people look at laptops as a rubbish keyboard will be with you for months and annoy every time you use it, if you aren't comfortable with it).

The Galaxy Y (Y for youth) is one with a 2Mp camera as it is aimed at being cheap but functional and for the younger end of the market. As you have an SLR it's hardly the be-all or end-all if the camera is OK only for snaps. But that's just one phone and there are all sorts, from the cheap and compact Europa (50 quid on Three) up.

One of the best features of Android phones is their use of microSD cards so you can copy all the music you want onto the card and shove it in easily!

Various phones have different size screens and capabilities. I have the Galaxy Ace, Europa and Mini, a Huawei Blaze, a Vodafone 855 (maybe!) and an Android tablet too. I'm using e-mail on all of them (different GMail accounts) via one which I am using on a 12 month contract from Three giving 3000 texts, 600 minutes and unlimited internet access (15 quid).

I bought each phone as a PAYG (my credit rating was poor after bankruptcy and was on the electoral roll where I've moved to, so a deal with a phone wasn't possible, though I did see the Galaxy S II for 18 quid a month recently on Groupon). The SIM only contract was Three's 600 minutes at 12/month with an 'unlimited' internet add-on at 3/month.

I see they sell the pay monthly SIM deal online without the breakdown of 12 + 3 pounds *> Here

No, you're right - I have a second battery for camping trips for my Samsung.

I love my Samsung Galaxy (£10 a month through Tesco) but have never had an iphone so can't compare.

I'm still on a pay as you go but if I was to take the plunge I'd get an android as there are plenty of free apps and games (unlike Apple) and the handsets are cheaper and better, more scoop for modding.