The Google Nexus 4 As An Alternative To The Apple IPhone 5

Google and Apple are both well-received newcomers to the smartphone market. Apple entered the market in 2007 with the beginning of the IPhone series. Initially, they had been looking to partner with Motorola in order to deliver their ITunes platform, but after a failure to come to an arrangement, to sort out a really good phone, they decided to do it on their own and have been proved right.

Introduction

Google have always been looking for diversification and their movement in to the smartphone market has been swift and impressive. With brand recognition already high, with most people aware of the Google search engine, the entry in to the smartphone market will expand this brand awareness still further and create more opportunities for lucrative avenues in the future.

Both phones are widely available on Orange, Vodafone and T Mobile phone contract deals, though the Apple will cost you more. So how do the iPhone 5 and the Google Nexus 4 stack up against each other?

The Screens

The Google Nexus 4 has the bigger screen. The screen comes in at 4.7 inches; a full 0.7 inches bigger than the iPhone. On most other measures of screen quality, the phones are very similar. The pixel density on the Nokia is 318 ppi and on the iPhone it is 326 ppi.

This represents barely any difference. The Nexus screen is a true HD IPS plus display and the iPhone also uses their own “Retinal” technology to create a super screen. Overall, there is little difference between the screens.

The iPhone 5 perhaps has the edge in performance with a better level of sensitivity, which can mean faster operation is more accurate on the iPhone. The iPhone 5 also arguably has better viewing angles as the Nexus performs less well when viewed from more extreme angles.

[Image Source: alienbabeltech.com]

The Camera and USB

The front camera on the Nexus4 is better than the IPhone and is 1.3 megapixels instead of 1.2. The main cameras are very similar. The Google microUSB is a real bonus. microUSBis the standard for many phones these days, Apple still held to theirown method for charging and connecting, stubbornly retaining their belief that this is the way forward., despite most of the industry saying it isn’t.

The Sales Figures

On sales figures, the iPhone 5 tops the Google Nexus4. The iphone5 sold 5 million handsets in just three days and over 45 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. The Nexus sales figures are much lower but then, Apple benefits from huge brand loyalty and for many the iPhone is the default sexy device they will opt for when it comes to an upgrade.

Many consumers do not understand the merits of the Android platform, which is widely agreed by techies to be the best platform out there.

Summary

Although both the two phones perform superbly well for me the Google Nexus 4 is a breakthrough phone for Google and tops the offering from IPhone. iPhone also suffers from the fact that there is very little progress in the iPhone 5 from the iPhone 4, and this has been a common criticism from experts in the industry. I'll give the Google Nexus 4 a score of  9.5/10 and the Apple iPhone 5 a 9/10 score.

  Phil Turner

About the Guest Author:

Phil Turner is currently looking for an upgrade for his own T Mobile phone and is drawing up a shortlist of phones he would love.