Samsung's New Galaxy S III Phone Offers 4.8-Inch Screen, Siri-Like 'S Voice' Feature

[marksman]

Actually, your opinion is what I see in other Android dedicated forums. Many vivid Samsung fans are disappointed with it. I'm quite surprised that in MacRumors it receives so much applause.

It is not really receiving applause here as it is simply being used by the battalion of apple disenthusiasts as a tool to bludgeon the normal users here. It is likely very few people shouting for Samsung ever plan on buying this device. It seems in about 40% of the cases they likely don't own any smartphone at all.

Do not take the discussion here as some kind of high minded acceptance of this phone. It is simply being used by a few hundred regulars to protect their image as apple contrarians and not an actual groundswell of support for this device which would, as you noted, contradict the general sentiment of most android / Samsung owners and enthusiasts.

 

[MacCurry]

It is not really receiving applause here as it is simply being used by the battalion of apple disenthusiasts as a tool to bludgeon the normal users here. It is likely very few people shouting for Samsung ever plan on buying this device. It seems in about 40% of the cases they likely don't own any smartphone at all.

Do not take the discussion here as some kind of high minded acceptance of this phone. It is simply being used by a few hundred regulars to protect their image as apple contrarians and not an actual groundswell of support for this device which would, as you noted, contradict the general sentiment of most android / Samsung owners and enthusiasts.

Not true. Many of us are Apple OS X users who are not happy with iOS and iOS devices. For us, Android and Samsung offer alternatives and I am very happy with my Galaxy Nexus and will not trade it for an iOS device.

 

[marksman]

ya buying a 500 bucks phone (if unsubsidized) or a fairly expensive contract with a reduced price.. and ya can't afford 15 bucks for a sd card?

I don't have a need for any 64 gig sd cards but 15 dollars for one is just too good to pass up. Can you let me know your source? I might pick up one or two in case i find an SIII in a bin or something.

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Right, computer manufacturers have NEVER gone outside of their domain/industry for ideas.

besides.. can ya really count Apple as a COMPUTER company? I mean seriously.. I've been patiently waiting for a MAC COMPUTER REDESIGN/REFRESH for a while now!

He is wrong anyways. Gateway had retail stores long before apple.

The one thing apple does not always get enough credit for is it's retail success. For all the surprises they have made successfully entering the cell phone market their success in the much longer established and much more competive retail market might be the more amazing of the two things.

For me the specs and hardware mean very little. Spec victories were all the rage before and when the original iPhone came out. I think apple still has a very large os experience advantage, an even bigger ecosystem advantage and a monstrous support and service advantage.

I don't carry if they used hardware imported from 2019, these other factors would still lead me to have a significantly inferior experience.

What amuses me is 5 years later you still have people whose primary attacks are still just spec sheet stuff. That is very 2007.

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NEWS FLASH: APPLE WILL RELEASE a 7" iPhone at the next refresh.

The much maligned, rumoured concept of the mini-iPad is actually that of the next generation iPhone.

Woo hoo. Bigger is better. Better take my clown's outfit for dry cleaning in preparation because those are the only clothes I own with big enough pockets.

Many of the people who said an iPad is just a big iPhone are the same ones who now tout this oversized to the point of hindrance android screen

 

[danahn17]

It is not really receiving applause here as it is simply being used by the battalion of apple disenthusiasts as a tool to bludgeon the normal users here. It is likely very few people shouting for Samsung ever plan on buying this device. It seems in about 40% of the cases they likely don't own any smartphone at all.

Do not take the discussion here as some kind of high minded acceptance of this phone. It is simply being used by a few hundred regulars to protect their image as apple contrarians and not an actual groundswell of support for this device which would, as you noted, contradict the general sentiment of most android / Samsung owners and enthusiasts.

To be fair, the SIII on this thread has been ridiculed and misrepresented starting from post #2.

And your claims about who's going to buy the device or if they own a smartphone..... Ad hominem attacks and unfounded stats aren't going to make your argument any more stronger.

What I've been reading online are mixed reviews. Positive and negative. It's hardly the hatefest you say Android/Samsung owners are having. And in the end, we won't really know how good/bad this phone is until it hits the market. In some ways, it reminds me of the mixed reactions with the iPhone4 redesign ("it's so ugly!") and even the 4S update ("thats all?")...but we know how both phones ended up being popular.

The one thing apple does not always get enough credit for is it's retail success. For all the surprises they have made successfully entering the cell phone market their success in the much longer established and much more competive retail market might be the more amazing of the two things.

I will say I totally agree with that though! When Apple first started their retail stores, I think most business insiders thought it was going to be business suicide.

 

[lilo777]

I don't have a need for any 64 gig sd cards but 15 dollars for one is just too good to pass up. Can you let me know your source? I might pick up one or two in case i find an SIII in a bin or something.

Can you let us know where in his post did mobilebuddha say $15 price for a 64 GB card? There are plenty 16 GB cards for that price. 16GB is less than 64 but it's probably just as much as in your iPhone. And, in case you did not know, you can replace them. So if, for example, you are traveling and want to have, say, 6 movies with you - it's just two 16GB cards (would be less for iPhone - no need for HD on such a small screen).

 

[marksman]

How does it not compete with the 4s? It can do everything the iphone does and a lot more. Plus the hardware on it is incredible.

It doesn't run ios for one. It likely won't get any timely os updates. It is part of an inferior ecosystem and the support and service for it is not even comparable.

 

[lilo777]

What amuses me is 5 years later you still have people whose primary attacks are still just spec sheet stuff. That is very 2007.

Oh, really? So why do I see threads in iPhone forum where people ask why can't they open more than 8 tabs in Safari on iPhone? They probably though that the specs did not matter until they figured out that they did. iPhone just does not have enough RAM to open more than 8 tabs. BTW, Galaxy Nexus, with its meaningless 1GB RAM, can open up to 16 tabs in the browser.

 

[marksman]

Well, when the SGS III hits the US in late June for a median price of $199 they will be able to compare it to the iPhone4s or iPhone5 and be able to make up their minds. A phone that has a bigger screen, but is thinner, lighter, and stronger will appeal to enough people to peel off sales on both the iPhone4s and iPhone5. But AAPL has so much cash, it may undercut the price on both iPhones. It should be an interesting summer.

I guarantee you by the end of 2012 the 3GS, the 4, the 4S and the 5 will all have out sold the Galaxy III for the year.

 

[lilo777]

It doesn't run ios for one. It likely won't get any timely os updates. It is part of an inferior ecosystem and the support and service for it is not even comparable.

iOS - superior ecosystem that offers one phone and one tablet (plus one outdated model). This superior ecosystem does not offer:

* any phones with screen sizes smaller than 3.5"
* any phones with screen sizes larger than 3.5"
* 4G phone
* phone with NFC
* phone or tablet with pressure sensitive stylus
* phone with HD screen
* tablet with screen size smaller than 10"
* phone or tablet with quad core CPU

and so on. I am not sure iOS even qualifies to be called "ecosystem". Once again, it's just one phone and one tablet.

 

[Ubuntu]

I hope all the phone companies remember that consumers like choice. I will not upgrade my iPhone 4 if the iPhone 5 is any bigger than 4 inches. I don't need the bigger screen, it seems to give a bit more space but the phone ends up being quite inconvenient to use sometimes (in my opinion), taken from my experience with a friend's Galaxy Note. He can rarely fit it in his pockets so he has to carry a man bag for it. Obviously it depends on how people are using it - I think if one is using the phone for a lot of internet browsing, the larger screen might be a bit nicer, but I'm just really happy with my iPhone 4's screen size and hope that Apple and everyone else remember that not everyone wants the larger screen.

 

[lilo777]

I guarantee you by the end of 2012 the 3GS, the 4, the 4S and the 5 will all have out sold the Galaxy III for the year.

And I can guarantee you that Samsung Galaxy Nexus, SIII, Note etc. combined will outsell all iPhones (combined).

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I hope all the phone companies remember that consumers like choice. I will not upgrade my iPhone 4 if the iPhone 5 is any bigger than 4 inches. I don't need the bigger screen, it seems to give a bit more space but the phone ends up being quite inconvenient to use sometimes (in my opinion), taken from my experience with a friend's Galaxy Note. He can rarely fit it in his pockets so he has to carry a man bag for it. Obviously it depends on how people are using it - I think if one is using the phone for a lot of internet browsing, the larger screen might be a bit nicer, but I'm just really happy with my iPhone 4's screen size and hope that Apple and everyone else remember that not everyone wants the larger screen.

Unfortunately for iFans, it's Apple that never offers them a choice. 3.5" screen and that's it. Samsung smart phones have a range of screens from 2.8" to 5.3" - for any size of a hand, a pocket or an ego.

 

[Abazigal]

iOS - superior ecosystem that offers one phone and one tablet (plus one outdated model). This superior ecosystem does not offer:

* any phones with screen sizes smaller than 3.5"
* any phones with screen sizes larger than 3.5"
* 4G phone
* phone with NFC
* phone or tablet with pressure sensitive stylus
* phone with HD screen
* tablet with screen size smaller than 10"
* phone or tablet with quad core CPU

and so on. I am not sure iOS even qualifies to be called "ecosystem". Once again, it's just one phone and one tablet.

None of which particularly bother me, IMO. There is no 4G in my country, there is a dearth of apps or process that make full use of quad-cores, so you are really just looking at more battery drain, I find the 3.5" size is perfect for using on one hand while maintaining a firm grip, and what do I need a pressure sensitive stylus for?

Conversely, the wide selection of apps allow me to use my phone and ipad for just about any purpose I need.

So yes, there definitely is an ecosystem.

 

[Ubuntu]

iOS - superior ecosystem that offers one phone and one tablet (plus one outdated model). This superior ecosystem does not offer:

* any phones with screen sizes smaller than 3.5"
* any phones with screen sizes larger than 3.5"
* 4G phone
* phone with NFC
* phone or tablet with pressure sensitive stylus
* phone with HD screen
* tablet with screen size smaller than 10"
* phone or tablet with quad core CPU

and so on. I am not sure iOS even qualifies to be called "ecosystem". Once again, it's just one phone and one tablet.

That's quite an impressive list. It sort of boggles the mind that Apple has been so successful as it is when they don't have any iOS devices that meet the criteria you listed.

Also, I'm not sure that any operating system qualifies to be called an ecosystem, considering this is a totally different context. I mean, if the person you quoted was talking about the iOS platform, rather than the number of devices available, then I sort of agree. While iOS does not support that list that you compiled, one could quite easily argue that the entire iOS "package" that forms the user's experience. So this would involve things like:

Support, frankly Apple's is better in my experience.
The app store (although I think Google Play has improved significantly, app quality has improved and the App store having more apps than Google Play is a non-issue in my experience as the apps that people care about are on both platforms)
Software updates (which are pretty appalling on Android, at least in my experience with my developer's SII which has yet to receive Android 4.0 because of my carrier)

A lot of these benefits are probably due to Apple having total control over the experience. This is why I'm not a huge fan of Android phones, there's one company that is focusing on the hardware, and then another that focuses on the software and they don't have the same goals so the user's experience is caught in the crossfire, in my opinion.

Generally speaking, I think iOS trumps Android in just providing a relatively hassle-free environment, which is what a lot of people seem to like. I'm a complete nerd (as one could expect from a programmer I guess) and I love tinkering with gadgets but when it comes to my phone I just want it to be as hassle-free as possible. Having used both an SII and an iPhone 4 over the last 6 months I have to say in that respect that iOS is significantly better - but I'll see when I finally get ICS!

 

[danahn17]

I hope all the phone companies remember that consumers like choice. I will not upgrade my iPhone 4 if the iPhone 5 is any bigger than 4 inches. I don't need the bigger screen, it seems to give a bit more space but the phone ends up being quite inconvenient to use sometimes (in my opinion), taken from my experience with a friend's Galaxy Note. He can rarely fit it in his pockets so he has to carry a man bag for it. Obviously it depends on how people are using it - I think if one is using the phone for a lot of internet browsing, the larger screen might be a bit nicer, but I'm just really happy with my iPhone 4's screen size and hope that Apple and everyone else remember that not everyone wants the larger screen.

Ironically, you're arguing for choice by saying you hope Apple listens to your preferences and won't increase the iPhone5's screen. But Apple has never released a phone with a different screen size (no choice) and the Android phones run a wide gamut of sizes (lots of choice).

That being said, I think you'd be surprised at how some of the larger Android phones feel in person. The Note is an extreme and outlier.. but phones like the current SII have the bigger screen but are (IMO) comfortable to hold and put in pockets.

 

[Ubuntu]

And I can guarantee you that Samsung Galaxy Nexus, SIII, Note etc. combined will outsell all iPhones (combined).

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Unfortunately for iFans, it's Apple that never offers them a choice. 3.5" screen and that's it. Samsung smart phones have a range of screens from 2.8" to 5.3" - for any size of a hand, a pocket or an ego.

True, although Samsung appear to be focusing more on larger handsets now, that probably appeal to the egomaniacs. I hope they remember to reinforce the 3.5 inch model line, too. The SII pushed the limit for me (plus I didn't have to pay for it \o/) and it being so thin did help anyway. But I still prefer the 3.5 inch size, really.

And nice comment about the ego. It's funny because the people I know who own Notes also own 17-20 inch laptops, too. I'm sensing a pattern here.

 

[danahn17]

The app store (although I think Google Play has improved significantly, app quality has improved and the App store having more apps than Google Play is a non-issue in my experience as the apps that people care about are on both platforms)

I got to disagree with you there. The Apple App Store still is superior in my book and contains many more apps that you can't find on the Google ecosystem (especially music related ones such as those made by Korg). The Google Play store has improved a lot... but it's still kind of lacking in my opinion (and that's coming from a former iPhone/current SII user).

I suppose you can argue if you have a rooted Android, your choices increase exponentially... but those tend to be more performance and UI apps, not actual apps like the aforementioned music apps.

 

[Ubuntu]

Ironically, you're arguing for choice by saying you hope Apple listens to your preferences and won't increase the iPhone5's screen. But Apple has never released a phone with a different screen size (no choice) and the Android phones run a wide gamut of sizes (lots of choice).

That being said, I think you'd be surprised at how some of the larger Android phones feel in person. The Note is an extreme and outlier.. but phones like the current SII have the bigger screen but are (IMO) comfortable to hold and put in pockets.

Yeah, I'm currently deprived of sleep so I do apologise if my posts don't make much sense.

I guess what I mean is that I hope there's always a good, recent 3.5 inch option in the Apple and Samsung range (Samsung's my favourite Android phone manufacturer), although I see this to be the case with Samsung rather than Apple.

I think the Note is hilarious. I mean, I'm incredibly impressed by its success, but at the same time from the ones I've seen in the wild it seems to be less practical than the owners probably hoped it would be when they purchased it. The SII is the max for me, which is why I'm a bit disappointed by the SIII although of course I'll be waiting till I can actually try one out.

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I got to disagree with you there. The Apple App Store still is superior in my book and contains many more apps that you can't find on the Google ecosystem (especially music related ones such as those made by Korg). The Google Play store has improved a lot... but it's still kind of lacking in my opinion (and that's coming from a former iPhone/current SII user).

I suppose you can argue if you have a rooted Android, your choices increase exponentially... but those tend to be more performance and UI apps, not actual apps like the aforementioned music apps.

Fair enough, it's all purely personal preference anyway, I rushed my post a bit and shouldn't have just generalised.

 

[danahn17]

Yeah, I'm currently deprived of sleep so I do apologise if my posts don't make much sense.

I guess what I mean is that I hope there's always a good, recent 3.5 inch option in the Apple and Samsung range (Samsung's my favourite Android phone manufacturer), although I see this to be the case with Samsung rather than Apple.

I think the Note is hilarious. I mean, I'm incredibly impressed by its success, but at the same time from the ones I've seen in the wild it seems to be less practical than the owners probably hoped it would be when they purchased it. The SII is the max for me, which is why I'm a bit disappointed by the SIII although of course I'll be waiting till I can actually try one out.

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Fair enough, it's all purely personal preference anyway, I rushed my post a bit and shouldn't have just generalised.

No worries Totally understand about being sleep deprived...yet still posting on MacRumors. If Apple doesn't steal our souls, I guess MacRumors will

And totally agree with you on the Note. Saw one in real life and know people who love theirs or want one... but to each their own I guess

 

[ani4ani]

So if you bought a new car and the key for it was a brick it would be okay because you could still physically fit it in your pocket?

Why not make wallets 3x bigger? You could still fit them in your pants.

It seems clear to me none of the other smartphone makers have done any rational research or think tanking on the hows and whys of the size of a PHONE.

You think as long as a device can fit inside the largest pocket a person has that is good enough. Apple has not been about good enough for a while.

I disagree.

Bottom line is, with the iPhone you have no choice but a small screen and so by implication you have to like the size, if you like the iPhone. There are two things that I believe is true, most iPhone users if they were truly honest, would prefer a bigger screen and secondly, if a 4.5" iPhone came out tomorrow they would buy it.

I would like to "like" the iPhone, and ever since the first gen have tried to justify each time picking it over something else (currently using a note). I used to pass it by because of cost alone, but with each generation, for me at least, they were more and more compromises, no 3g, no memory expansion, no flash and now, these days screen size.

I have a lot of Apple products and in the main admire and use them all, but, for me the iPhone is now their weakest product (against what their peers now offer) which I acknowledge is not commensurate with their sales figures.

 

[Fatboy71]

Comes a size where it's not a phone, it's a tablet with a voice app.

I completely agree. There comes a time when phones are not really pocket sized anymore, but some phone manufacturers seem to be forgetting that and trying to claim the prize for 'our phone has the largest screen'. In my opinion, a 4 inch screen is the cut off point where the phone becomes no longer really pocket sized.

 

[ani4ani]

No worries Totally understand about being sleep deprived...yet still posting on MacRumors. If Apple doesn't steal our souls, I guess MacRumors will

And totally agree with you on the Note. Saw one in real life and know people who love theirs or want one... but to each their own I guess

In order of things that are more annoying to carry for me than my Note....my house/car keys, my wallet, my iPad and lastly my phone.! My iPad is my single most used "gadget" I own, but I hate carrying it around. ( i want everything inside a pocket) I have no choice with the keys and wallet. I picked the Note simply because it allowed me to carry my "phone and iPad" combined.

What I want is a decent web experience on the go...the Note does this. To define decent, for me anyways, is being able to see an entire web page (width of one) without scrolling and by default see the full site and not the mobile one. Each to their own, I guess.

 

[ade2bee]

Sorry to burst your Mac bubble... But i've got a Samsung S2 with all these feature from when it was released last year months before the iPhone 4S... Oh and the real estate on the screen is glorious, the reason why the iPhone looks small is because it is.

Mac Rumors, get the facts straight, that most, if not all of these feature were already available loooooong before Apple released them, in fact that is true with most things Apple do... It took a long time and a slap on the face with my iPad being trashed by 5.0 that Apple aren't what they're cracked up to be... The PC division is still amazing, but is beging to look more like iOS EVERYDAY,,,,, Why?

Keep up the healthy competition guys so aspple can copy and improve things

Some of the things Samsung launched today:

• S Voice
• S Cloud
• Scan and Match
• Display sharing
• S Pebble
• Retail stores

In other news, Apple has had these for awhile:

• Siri
• iCloud
• iTunes Match
• AirPlay
• iPod Shuffle
• Retail stores

Also:

Image

Image

 

[cube]

And totally agree with you on the Note. Saw one in real life and know people who love theirs or want one... but to each their own I guess

I had only seen the black Galaxies, which look too plastic on the back. But the white ones look very nice.

 

[Nightarchaon]

Dear APPLE,

Look at the Samsung Galaxy SII and SIII, thats the size of phone/screen i want, the iPhone is just to small for the ungainly meat plates that i use as hands, also, my eyes are going in my old age and i need more screen real estate so i can read more when i zoom in and make the letters THIS BIG lol.

But Seriously, i went iPhone 1st gen to the iPhone 3gs, then i looked at the 4S and opted for the superior IMO, and larger screen on the SII, what i found was, the SII had a nicer screen IMO than the iPhone 4s, and the battery life is MUCH better than any iPhone i owned, or any that my friends own, only downside, the Android OS is about a billion years from being , you know, user friendly.

My perfect phone would be the Samsung Galaxy SII or SIII running IOS, Apple MAKE A LARGER IPHONE DAMMIT !! then i wouldn't need to carry an iPad about so i can use my IOS apps

random rant over

 

[cube]

I hope the new Note does NOT get a more rounded footprint, like what has happened to this SIII.