Figuring out which smartphone to buy is a tall order with so many options on the market. People on the hunt for a higher end smartphone look at the offerings of Apple and Samsung at some point. These industry titans have battled it out for years for customers.
The battle has hit a whole new level with the iPhone X set to debut at the end of November. One of its competitors is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Both phones are solid choices for different reasons. Choosing one phone over the other is a dilemma that this article intends to solve by going over several features that they both offer.
Bio-metrics
The use of biometrics in smartphones is seen more frequently now. While the iPhone X has made the news with its facial recognition feature, the Samsung Gallery Note 8 also has its own set of biometrics. Here’s a comparative overview what both smartphones have to offer:
Apple iPhone X:
• Face ID
• No fingerprint reader
• No iris scanner
Samsung Galaxy Note 8:
• Fingerprint reader
• Iris scanner
• Facial Detection
Conclusion : Apple’s Face ID has an advantage over the Galaxy Note’s facial detection because does not have the same risk of being fooled by a photo like facial detection does.
The Note also has issues with its fingerprint reader. It is in an awkward spot next to the phone’s camera and it has trouble reading the print at times. The phone is also slow to wake upon fingerprint recognition. Apple dominates this round for the moment largely because Face ID seems like it will be better. But only time will tell since the iPhone X hasn’t been released yet.
Headphones, Payments, and Water-Resistance
As far as the ability to use headphones goes, the Apple iPhone X has followed in the footsteps of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 lines and not included the 3.5mm headphone jack. Bluetooth is the only option unless a somewhat pricey adapter is purchased to allow charging and listening to a traditional pair of headphones. Samsung includes the jack so consumers have a choice to use Bluetooth or headphones.
Both Samsung and Apple have payment systems for their phones. Samsung bought the existing payment company LoopPay. As a result, Samsung Pay is still more widely accepted than ApplePay even though the latter is on the rise.
Samsung has had water-resistant phones for a while now. The Galaxy Note 8 is no exception. Apple is adding this for the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X.
Conclusion: Samsung wins this round of features because the company has either had them longer and elected not to sacrifice function for design.
Charging, Cameras, and Screens
Wireless charging is something that many Apple iPhone users have clamored for many years. It’s finally happening! Starting in 2018, Apple will introduce a wireless charging pad. The downfall to this charging method is that it is relatively slow.
Samsung has worked on its wireless charging technology for a while now. Its latest wireless charger takes just under three hours to charge a phone completely and will stop charging it once the battery is full. The only complaint leveled against this new charger is that it doesn’t come with power adapters and therefore requires accessories.
In terms of cameras, the iPhone X is ahead of the game with its new front facing camera which is designed to take portraits. The Galaxy Note 8 doesn’t come with this features.
Screens are typically a significant factor when it comes to purchasing a new phone. Samsung offers far and away some of the best screens out there. The Galaxy Note 8 offers a large 6.4 -inch screen to use with its included stylus. So for people who are looking for a larger screen, Samsung wins here too. Both companies use OLED screens in the phones. The support of a stylus is a nice addition too.
Conclusion: Samsung dominates this part of the comparison mostly due to the fact that they’ve had two out of three features for a while now and they work well. For the most part, Apple is behind the times. While they are known for gorgeous design and great execution, Samsung has a proven track record while Apple is largely still an unknown.
Final Considerations
In terms of pricing and software, it comes down to personal preference for each smartphone. Both phones are comparable in price. The Note starts at around $930 while the iPhone X starts at $999. Some cost savings do exist by choosing to go with Samsung. But since a lot of people opt to do payment plans, a few extra dollars a month won’t make much of a difference.
As for software, Apple is a few versions ahead of Android in terms of pure numbers. Android Oreo is the 8th generation of the software and it released back in August. iOS 11 just debuted in September. Both systems have gone through quite a few iterations. While Apple has three more generations under its belt, it just like Android has its share of issues so it comes down to personal preference.
When all is said and done, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 is still the winner when it comes to deciding on a phone. Regardless of personal preferences, Samsung is ahead of the iPhone X based on its experience and reliability. The iPhone X looks great and it will certainly attract consumers. But it is untested and a starting price tag of $999 has turned off possible iPhone X users. With iPhone 8 now out, it is a viable alternative to the X at a lower price point.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8, by contrast, is functional with its large screen and stylus. Plus it has wireless charging that works and is available right now even with the extra cost of accessories. So for those who want a dependable and proven phone, the Galaxy Note 8 is the way to go.
Ian Andrews is the partner and co-founder of the Ian Leaf Corporation. It is a public facing company dedicated to helping educate the public about scams, schemes and other types of fraud.