Which new smartphone do I buy?

[BankShot]

I'm moving from T-Mobile to Verizon next week, and with a 2-year activation (standard) I have a ton of options for my next phone.

For the last 3+ years I've been using Android on a Samsung Vibrant, which for the most part has been good.... other than the shoddy service that T-Mobile provides in my area.

Everyone that I know who owns an iPhone says why not switch to an iPhone... especially since the price-point is the same as any high-end Android phone ($200).

With that being said, I have been very satisfied with Samsung products in the past (LED TV, LCD TV, Blu-Ray Player, Smartphone) so I'm not completely sold on abandoning that for what seems to be simply popular opinion.

I like how iPhones seem to be at the forefront of the app market, as there have been many instances of certain apps in which I have had interest being unavailable on the Android.

As of yet I haven't used my mobile device for hardly any gaming, so its not a huge selling point either way.... but I'd like the camera to be solid. Other than that I really only use it for calls/texts, mobile internet, mobile e-mail, and a number of non-essential apps.

Lets hear it ISH. Please refrain from fanboy/anti-fanboy nonsense.... I'm really just looking for some real info on a future purchase.

[aj1987]

HTC One. You won't be disappointed. Looks better than 99% of the phones out there and is powerful with a pretty decent battery.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Any screen-size preferences? Do you need the phone to have a micro-SD card reader?

[BankShot]

Any screen-size preferences? Do you need the phone to have a micro-SD card reader?

For screen size... not really.... but with that being said I saw some at the Verizon store today that looked way too big, but on first glance the iPhone 5 seemed a bit small compared to my old Samsung Vibrant (larger than average)

As for the micro-SD..... I guess my initial answer is no... but I don't know. What use does it have?

[BankShot]

HTC One. You won't be disappointed. Looks better than 99% of the phones out there and is powerful with a pretty decent battery.

Okay.... so "looks" and "power" sounds good... but what exactly does that mean?

As for battery I charge it overnight, every single night, so that really shouldn't be an issue for me in 2013

[HoopsFanNumero1]

For screen size... not really.... but with that being said I saw some at the Verizon store today that looked way too big, but on first glance the iPhone 5 seemed a bit small compared to my old Samsung Vibrant (larger than average)

I'm guessing you're talking about one of those phablet phones, like the Galaxy Note 3.

As for the micro-SD..... I guess my initial answer is no... but I don't know. What use does it have?

It's inexpensive storage whereas Internal memory is more of a rip-off. I'm pretty sure the Vibrant has a micro-SD card slot. How much storage space do you have on that phone and is it enough for you?

[Meticode]

personally to save money I would get a Samsung Galaxy S3, root the son-of-a-bitch and run Cynoganmod on it. It'll run super-smooth without bugs. Otherwise if you're looking for a great Flagship phone i would suggest either the S4, HTC One, Motorola X or the Galaxy Note 3 coming out soon.

The Note 3 will have 2 quad core processors in it.

Great review on Note 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NSBB-kFDGQ

Also S3 rooted aka SuperNexus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQy0NeVnxLo

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Okay.... so "looks" and "power" sounds good... but what exactly does that mean?

As for battery I charge it overnight, every single night, so that really shouldn't be an issue for me in 2013

It has an aluminum body so the phone feels more premium. I know a lot of people complain about Samsung phones because their body feels fragile.

As for power, it doesn't matter much. In this day and age, any high-end phone will more than handle anything you throw at it.

[BankShot]

How much storage space do you have on that phone and is it enough for you?

On my current phone I have a number of non-essential apps, and maybe 20 albums and I've never had any storage issues. I don't really use my phone for music storage so the amount of music I can store isn't really an issue... and I know for the most part the practical storage capability of, say, a 16 GB iPhone 5s

So with that being said the storage capacity of the phone really isn't a huge issue, as I can only assume that at this point any high-end smart phone will have a decent amount of storage space

[BankShot]

personally to save money I would get a Samsung Galaxy S3, root the son-of-a-bitch and run Cynoganmod on it. It'll run super-smooth without bugs. Otherwise if you're looking for a great Flagship phone i would suggest either the S4, HTC One, Motorola X or the Galaxy Note 3 coming out soon.

The Note 3 will have 2 quad core processors in it.

Great review on Note 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NSBB-kFDGQ

Also S3 rooted aka SuperNexus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQy0NeVnxLo

That sounds fun and all, but honestly I don't use my phone for nearly enough to go through with "rooting" or have to worry about bugs, or really even too much detail about the processing power.

For the most part its a calls/text/email/internet/fun machine

[HoopsFanNumero1]

On my current phone I have a number of non-essential apps, and maybe 20 albums and I've never had any storage issues. I don't really use my phone for music storage so the amount of music I can store isn't really an issue... and I know for the most part the practical storage capability of, say, a 16 GB iPhone 5s

So with that being said the storage capacity of the phone really isn't a huge issue, as I can only assume that at this point any high-end smart phone will have a decent amount of storage space

Yeah, pretty much any high-end phone out there will have at least a 16 GB model, which sounds like it's enough for your needs.

I doubt you want to look at Windows phones, so these are the high-end phones on the market right now with a high-end camera:
1) Galaxy S4
2) HTC One
3) iPhone 5s

I used to have a Galaxy S2, but going by the hardware aesthetics and the software UI, I'd recommend either the HTC One or the 5s. It really depends on which OS you're more familiar with and which screen size you prefer.

[BankShot]

Yeah, pretty much any high-end phone out there will have at least a 16 GB model, which sounds like it's enough for your needs.

I doubt you want to look at Windows phones, so these are the high-end phones on the market right now with a high-end camera:
1) Galaxy S4
2) HTC One
3) iPhone 5s

I used to have a Galaxy S2, but going by the hardware aesthetics and the software UI, I'd recommend either the HTC One or the 5s. It really depends on which OS you're more familiar with and which screen size you prefer.

I was at my local Verizon store today and those were the three options that stuck out the most.... Samsung for being relatable, iPhone for being the most popular, and the HTC was what the service rep talked up the most (outside of the fact that he said he owned an iPhone)

[HoopsFanNumero1]

I was at my local Verizon store today and those were the three options that stuck out the most.... Samsung for being relatable, iPhone for being the most popular, and the HTC was what the service rep talked up the most (outside of the fact that he said he owned an iPhone)

Yeah. I'd say go with the HTC One since imo it's the best Android phone out right now and it has a bigger screen, which personally is why I wouldn't go with the 5S.

[BankShot]

Yeah. I'd say go with the HTC One since imo it's the best Android phone out right now and it has a bigger screen, which personally is why I wouldn't go with the 5S.

For what reasons would you go Android over iPhone?

I don't really watch videos or game on my phone (so less or very little need for a large screen) and I haven't like in the past how some apps (social games, social apps, certain GPS apps) haven't been available on the Android market

[gts]

I've had zero problems with the iPhone. sounds like you use a phone about the same as I do, phone calls, texts, emails some social media stuff and plug it into the car now and again for the music. It's a good product...