My quick answer?
Galaxy S4.
Why?
If you’re like me and you use your phone A LOT, a larger screen just makes sense (iPhone has a 4 inch screen whilst the S4’s is 5 inches). I also think some of Android’s standard features along with the S4’s new features could enhance everyday phone use. iOS 6 is stale and after using the S3 with Android 4.1, I was hooked by how much more use and customization I could get out it.
S4 vs iPhone 5
Both phones perform basic functions extremely well. This means calls, texts, emails, maps, calendar, taking photos and some apps. In some cases, the S4 makes those functions even more useful with features such as Air View. Samsung’s objective to make the S4 a “Life Companion” lays the foundation to turn phones into true “all-in-one” devices. Want to change the TV channel? Use the S4’s “WatchON” app! Want to track your fitness efforts? Use the S4’s native “S Health” app! Check out this list to see what else the S4 has to offer; there are some photo/video features that could be really cool.
Android 4.2 vs iOS 6
If you’re an iPhone user and you haven’t tried a recent Android phone, you’re not going to know how far you can customize phones to be more useful and visually appealing.
- On iOS 6, you tap an icon to open an app. Android works the same way, but you can also create “widgets” where information FROM an app, such as Calendar, Weather Channel and even Gmail, is displayed on the home screen. Most Samsung/Android apps, third party included, have widgets.
- To customize iOS 6, you can change the lock and home screen wallpapers, switch around app icons and create folders that hold up to 20 apps. Same on Android…but more. For example, you can customize the appearance of icons themselves, as I have done below on a Galaxy S3. (I replaced the original app icons with simpler, white icons because, hey, I could! I left the Gallery icon to have SOME color. Also notice the weather widget on the top-right). You can also have live (moving/interactive) wallpapers.
If hardware matters to you…
…the S4 blows the iPhone 5 out of the water. “Why does this matter?” you politely ask. Indeed, even if the iPhone 5’s hardware isn’t as good as the S4’s, it works extremely well. One reason is Samsung needs its hardware to run Android AND their own software on top, called TouchWiz, which offers all those fancy shmansy Samsung features. Apple doesn’t need to compensate for any additions on top of their OS.
So, where are you in all this? Are you satisfied by the iPhone’s 4 inch screen? Not satisfied? Wish you could customize it? Converted from iPhone to Android or vice versa? Why? What other ways do you customize your Android phone?
Tony VS Tech 
I like my iPhone 5, I’ve tried the S4 but i can hardly use it in one had let alone type so the iphone just makes life a little bit easier – true it would be better if we could make the iPhone more ours and less Apple’s but hey, I just typed this on my iPhone in one hand a cup of tea in the other. Now the S4 won’t let me do that.
You didn’t use an S4. It was the S3. S4 is not released anywhere in the world yet. It was just announced last week. In any case, dimensions of both are nearly identical, but the S4 is thinner. I am also typing this with one hand… a beer in the other. Customizable keyboards are nice.
Thank you Tony, I just got my Galaxy phone and I love the fact that it is large and I can speak my texts and emails and the photos it takes are amazing…over time I will learn all the other techy cool stuff I can do with it but for now it is soooo much better than my kids teeny tiny iphones. For me it is a great answer to the ipad as well bc I can read ebooks and watch my Netflix movies on it….soooo cool!