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Data Speed: Apple’s iPhone 4S, while not 4G, is running low-end “4G-type” speeds at 14.4 mbps. This speed is comparable to 4G phones available today, but just doesn’t stack up to the 4G LTE found in the Droid Razr, which can operate between 10 and 20 mbps.
Cameras: The iPhone 4S has an 8-megapixel camera with flash, autofocus, and a state-of-the-art hybrid infrared filter. The Droid Razr will feature a similar 8 MP camera with flash, auto focus, and an image stabilizer. Both rear cameras record video in full 1080p HD. The Razr’s front camera, however, features a 1.3 megapixels, while the iPhone 4S only has a VGA camera.
Where Apple’s iPhone 4S Wins:
Global roaming: The iPhone 4S has CDMA and GSM chips, negating the need for global users to use another phone outside the country. The Droid Razr is CDMA only.
Dimensions: While the Droid Razr is thinner than the iPhone 4S, the 4S is actually a smaller phone overall. The Razr measures 130.7 x 68.9 x 7.1mm, while the 4S measures 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm.
Battery Life: The iPhone 4S can provide between eight to 14 hours of talk time, but has a standby time up to 200 hours. The Droid Razr can reach up to 12.5 hours, but its average battery life is about eight hours. Its standby time slightly edges the iPhone 4S with 204 hours, but phones are meant for talking, not standing idle.
Operating system: The iPhone 4S runs iOS 5, which has 200 new features from the last version. At launch, the Droid Razr will run Android Gingerbread, instead of the long-awaited Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade.
Storage options: iPhone 4S is available in 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB. The Droid Razr will come with 16 GB built in.
Personal assistant: Apple’s newest and most exciting feature, Siri, is a smart personal assistant that can write and send off texts and e-mails, set reminders, schedule meetings, call friends, tell you the weather, and even answer complicated context-sensitive questions, converting currencies or figuring out the number of days until Halloween. Better yet, Siri understands context, so the user doesn’t need to adjust to the system; the system adjusts to the user.
The Verdict: Both companies have turned out excellent smartphones that will keep users more than satisfied; however, the phones themselves are entirely different from one another. The iPhone 4S is first and foremost about accessibility, but besides an easy-to-use interface, Siri further assists its user by answering questions, calling friends, writing e-mails, and performing a handful of other hands-free applications.
The Droid Razr is a much glitzier offering. The phone features a larger screen, blazing fast speeds, and incredible photo and video quality. The phone doesn’t offer fantastic battery life, but the Droid Razr does deliver what many were hoping for the alleged iPhone 5: A thinner construct. The outside is extremely thin, but its infrastructure also beats Apple by being as strong as the iPhone cases, which are purchased separately from the phone. The Droid Razr is constructed out of KEVLAR fiber and Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the phone against scratches and scrapes, and is also built to resist water attacks, although dunking is still not recommended.
The Droid Razr offers similar features to the iPhone 4S, and then some. Motorola developed an iCloud-like system called MotoCast, which allows the user infinite access to share documents, pictures and music with an unlimited amount of libraries. But one of the best features of Droid Razr is its Smart Actions app, which alters the phone’s settings based on the user’s location. So if you want your phone to save battery at home, go silent at work, and dim at the movie theatre, the phone can adapt to your desired settings automatically.
The iPhone 4S is the undisputed king of smartphones, but the Droid Razr gives it a run for its money by delivering what the people want: a thinner build, a better display, and the fastest speeds available. While it currently runs Android Gingerbread, hopefully it can be upgraded to Android Ice Cream Sandwich once that becomes available. we will have to see how people react when the Droid Razr becomes available in early November.
The iPhone 4S starts at $199, while the Droid Razr will sell for $299 with a new two-year Verizon Wireless contract.