Samsung Galexy S4 vs Apple iPhone 5

The biggest feud in the smartphone industry comes to a head with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4, but should the latest Android powerhouse have Apple shaking in their boots? We got down and dirty and crossed platform lines to see whether the now 6-month-old iPhone 5 could still give the brand-new Galaxy S4 a run for its money.For more in depth analysis, don’t forget to check out our full Galaxy S4 review. If
you’re on the fence about another Android flagship, check out our Galaxy S4 vs. HTC One
comparison. But now let’s jump right into our point-to-point comparison of some of the main features of the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4.

Design and Build Quality

In the past, it was no secret that Samsung looked to Apple’s design language for a little bit of inspiration, but, after a few lawsuits, the look and feel of the latest Galaxy S and  iPhone handsets couldn’t be more different. For starters, the iPhone 5 looks like a little baby next to the sizable Galaxy S4.n pure measurements, the GS4 sits at 5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches. The iPhone 5 measures 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 inches. Because the 5-inch versus 4-inch display size causes a large variation in height and width, the easiest comparison is in thickness. Both phones come in at just a hair apart, with the Galaxy S4 0.01 inches thicker than the iPhone 5.In terms of build quality, Apple has crafted the iPhone to be as much a work of art as a useful machine. While we’re sure Samsung’s staff had the same intentions, there is no denying the craftsmanship of the iPhone. Its solid aluminum and glass design tends to make the Galaxy S4 feel cheap by comparison. Still, the Galaxy S4 gains some benefits from a removable back cover.

Display

When Apple introduced their Retina Display, they ignited a new trend in mobile. For the first time, pixel density became as important a factor in marketing smartphones as did HD resolutions. This leads us to the 4-inch Retina Display found in the iPhone 5. It’s a full inch smaller than Samsung’s Super AMOLED screen. This equates to a pixel density of 326 ppi for the iPhone 5 (1136 x 640 resolution) and 441 ppi for the Galaxy S4 (1920 x 1080). Technically the Galaxy S4 features a crisper image, and it definitely looks amazing
stacked next to the iPhone 5. It’s arguable how much a difference the greater pixel density makes, but what there is no debate about is the size difference. The Galaxy S4 is like a spacious penthouse suite while the iPhone 5 is a totally accommodating, yet cramped, room at a 5-star hotel. Navigating the web and interacting with apps is definitely roomier on the GS4. Going back and forth, the GS4 was the clear choice for such activities.The iPhone 5′s display offered a color profile that could be considered a bit truer to life, while the Galaxy S4 opts for a saturated image with great reproduction of darker tones. Both look great, but we’re naturally drawn to the richer image quality and greater screen real estate of Samsung’s offering.

Processing Power & Performance

When matching the iPhone 5 against the Galaxy S4 on the basis of hardware, there is no argument that Samsung’s phone features the superior component compliment. The Galaxy S4 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor clocked at 1.9GHz (an Exynos 5 Octa in some regions) coupled with 2GB RAM. The iPhone 5 sports Apple’s dual-core A6 chip clocked at 1.3GHz and 1GB RAM.While a large portion of performance is directly tied to pure power, optimizations make up the remainder. The iPhone is tailored to its iOS interface and operates as smoothly as any smartphone out there, but we suspect a benchmark would show the Galaxy S4 blowing it out of the water. We can attribute the gap in hardware to the fact that the iPhone 5 was released over half a year ago, but we still have to give the Galaxy S4 the edge
based on its upside.

iOS vs. Samsung TouchWiz

It’s almost impossible to begin making software comparisons between the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4. As much as iOS and Android set out to achieve many of the same tasks, they are accomplished in much different ways. The most basic difference comes in a lack of an app drawer in iOS, putting all app icons directly on the homescreen. This also means you can forget about widgets in iOS. But aside from surface level differences such as the notification shades found in both iOS and Samsung’s TouchWiz interface, there are also plenty of software enhancements that set each device apart. Samsung has built in plenty of hands-free and touch-free input methods to the Galaxy S4, including AirView and Smart Scroll. Don’t expect anything so experimental from the iPhone 5 (other than Siri voice commands, something
Google Now does equally well).Perhaps the best way to compare the two is this: if you are looking for a simple, clean, and intuitive interface, iOS might be a good place to start. For those seeking a deeper
level of control and customization, as well as some more advanced interface options, TouchWiz and the Galaxy S4 provide the answer.

Multimedia

The iPhone’s roots in the iPod have made media a big part of the handset’s success, and while the focus in recent years may have started shifting away from iTunes and earbuds, syncing, sorting, and playing your favorite music is still a real strong suit of the phone. The Galaxy S4, and Android in general, isn’t so blessed, but things are a lot better off than they were in year’s past.iTunes offers a complete solution for organizing tunes and moving them between smartphone and computer. It’s a super refined experience, as is the separate Music app found on the iPhone. Samsung’s default music player isn’t as slick, nor is it backed by
such tried-and-true desktop software. Samsung Hub does offer a one-stop shop for content, including videos and music, but it’s not quite where iTunes is.Of course, there is Google Play, which is a bit more evolved in terms of available content. And there is Play Music, as well, which provides one clear edge over the iPhone. Cloud storage and streaming of your tracks is 100 percent free for Android users. iTunes Match, a service providing the same function on the iPhone, costs $24.99 per year. No official Google Music app exists for iPhone. Despite that final caveat, it’s still hard not to give the edge to a device that was
born from the iPod, the undisputed portable media king of the past decade.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 13MP camera with LED flash capable of capturing 1080p video. Likewise, the iPhone 5 features an 8MP camera with LED flash and 1080p video capture. Both handsets squeeze every last ounce of picture quality out of the hardware they are equipped with. The Galaxy S4 performed a bit better in lowlight situations, giving a better representation of color in a dimly-lit indoor environment. Outdoors, the Galaxy S4 once again provided a brighter image with more vibrant colors, but in terms of clarity it was a wash. Both cameras can produce some stunning images in the right lighting and with a bit of planning. Also, notice the Galaxy S4 is capable of capturing a much wider image (16:9) than the iPhone 5.

Storage

Apple offers the iPhone in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities. Likewise, so does Samsung for the Galaxy S4. Where to two differ is expandable storage. The iPhone features none, while the GS4 can add up to 64GB of additional storage via a microSD slot located under the battery cover.Pricing is a consideration here. Both the 16GB Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5 start at $199 when purchased from most US carriers. Since the GS4′s storage can be expanded, consumers can spend less up front and add more memory later. On the other hand, an iPhone buyer will have to spend more up front to secure a larger storage volume.

Battery Life

Looking at the numbers, you can predict which phone is expected to come out on top in terms of battery performance. Though Apple doesn’t advertise the fact very loudly, the iPhone 5 contains a meager 1,440 mAh hour non-removable battery. It’s touted as providing up to 8 hours of 3G talk time and 225 hours of standby. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 2,600 mAh removable power cell.

Samsung doesn’t provide battery life estimates, but the Galaxy S4 was clearly dominant in this area. However, the gap wasn’t as huge as the milliAmp hours suggest. Credit this to the larger display and its AMOLED technology, a well-known battery hog, as well as the Snapdragon 600 CPU clocked up to 1.9GHz.

Verdict

Head-to-head, it’s pretty clear that the Samsung Galaxy S4 outdoes the iPhone 5 in the majority of our categories. But in the few categories that the iPhone did win, it was an obvious and decisive victory. Here’s the breakdown:

    Design & Build Quality: iPhone 5
    Display: Samsung Galaxy S4    Software: Toss-up
    Multimedia: iPhone 5
    Camera: Samsung Galaxy S4
    Storage: Samsung Galaxy S4
    Battery Life: Samsung Galaxy S4

Specific Absorption Rate

SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate : which is the unit of measurement for the amount of RF energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone.  The SAR is determined at the highest certified power level in laboratory conditions.  However, the actual SAR level of the phone while operating can be well below this value.   This is because the phone is designed to use the minimum power required to reach the network.  Therefore, the closer you are to a base station, the more likely it is that the actual SAR level will be lower. To communicate with the network, mobile phones emit low levels of radio waves (also known as radio frequency or 'RF' energy) when being used. Governments around the world have adopted comprehensive international safety guidelines, developed by independent scientific organizations, governing the exposure to RF energy. Mobile phones are designed to operate within these stringent limits.

 

  
How is SAR measured for mobile phones?
Specialized laboratory test equipment is used for conducting SAR measurements. The equipment consists of a ‘phantom’ (human or box), precision robot, RF field sensors, and mobile phone holder. The phantom is filled with a liquid that represents the electrical properties of human tissue

Head Measurements - SAR test inside a head phantom:

1. The mobile phone is positioned against the phantom head and switched on to full power.
2. The precision robot moves the RF probe throughout the phantom head measuring the radio signal level in the head phantom.
3. The computer analyzing the data converts the radio signal levels into SAR (W/kg).
4. The full test is conducted at all operating frequencies and using different phone positions.
5. The maximum level measured is recorded as the SAR value against the head.  

Body Measurements - SAR test inside a body (box) phantom:

1. The mobile phone is positioned against the phantom body and switched on to full power.
2. The precision robot moves the RF probe throughout the phantom body measuring the radio signal level in the body near the phone.
3. The computer analyzing the data converts the radio signal levels into SAR (W/kg).
4. The maximum level measured is recorded as the SAR value against the body.

Is there a separation distance from the body required for mobile phones?
Mobile phones generally get better reception when used away from the main part of the body. Some mobile phones are designed to have a small minimum separation from the body when in use, typically 15 – 25mm depending on the phone.  The minimum separation often represents the spacing created by a phone holder or clothing.  This is to ensure the phone operates more efficiently and also meets the SAR requirements.
If a minimum separation is specified, the SAR test against the body will be conducted at that distance. 
A mobile phone can always be used up against the head without separation. This is because the antenna in the phone is designed to be far enough away from the head to meet SAR requirements and operate most efficiently.

Do the SAR limits apply to children?
Yes. The EMF exposure guidelines are designed to offer protection for all persons including children with a large built-in safety margin.

How is SAR measured for base station antennas?
EMF exposure guidelines for radio communications transmitting antennas (like base stations) specify the maximum level of radio frequency energy (SAR) that can be safely absorbed by the whole body. This is because exposure from a radio communications transmitting antenna is typically over the whole body, for example a technician working on a rooftop near base station antennas.
SAR due to exposure to small base station antennas can also be tested using a similar procedure to the SAR test for wireless devices. The base station antenna is placed up against a human phantom and the precision robot scans the entire body and measures the absorbed radio signals. The computer analyzing the data converts the radio signal levels into SAR (W/kg).
The SAR test procedures are specified in international standards.

Why software testing is required?

Software testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the product or service under test. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to appreciate and understand the risks of software implementation. Test techniques include, but are not limited to, the process of executing a program or application with the intent of finding software bugs (errors or other defects)

Software testing can be stated as the process of validating and verifying that a computer program/application/product:

• meets the requirements that guided its design and development,
• works as expected,
• can be implemented with the same characteristics,
• Satisfies the needs of stakeholders.

Software testing, depending on the testing method employed, can be implemented at any time in the development process. Traditionally most of the test effort occurs after the requirements have been defined and the coding process has been completed, but in the Agile approaches most of the test effort is on-going. As such, the methodology of the test is governed by the chosen software development methodology.

Different software development models will focus the test effort at different points in the development process. Newer development models, such as Agile, often employ test driven development and place an increased portion of the testing in the hands of the developer, before it reaches a formal team of testers. In a more traditional model, most of the test execution occurs after the requirements have been defined and the coding process has been completed.

Apple iPhone 5S with 13MP camera coming in July

Apple launched iPhone 5 with much fanfare just five months ago, but reports say the company is already working on not one but two iPhones as well as next generation iPad and iPad mini.

Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities, says that Apple is working on an iPhone 5 successor that will have new features like snappier processor, fingerprint sensor, better camera and more powerful LED flash. Kuo's claim of fingerprint recognition system gains a little credence from Apple's 2012 acquisition of Authentec, which deals with this technology.

Coming to the cheaper iPhone being developed by Apple, Kuo says this device will be same as iPhone 5 but will be a little stockier. Instead of the aluminium body and waistline of 7.6mm, the cheaper iPhone will have a plastic casing and measure 8.2mm around the sides. He also said this device will be available in six colours, a rumour that has done rounds in the past as well.

Technology blog iLounge has also reported about the upgrade in camera sensor, saying that the upcoming phone may have Sony's 13MP unit. The report also says that the two prototypes under development are named N51 and N53.

Over the past few weeks, there have been reports of Apple facing low demand for iPhone 5. However, the company's CEO Time Cook shot that down by saying, "The supply chain is very complex and we have multiple sources for things. Yields can vary, supplier performance can vary. There is an inordinate long list of things that can make any single data point not a great proxy for what is going on."

Android Operating System

A Linux-based operating system designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. Initially developed by Android, Inc., which Google backed financially and later purchased in 2005, Android was unveiled in 2007 along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance: a consortium of hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices. The first Android-powered phone was sold in October 2008.

Android is open source and Google releases the code under the Apache License. This open source code and permissive licensing allows the software to be freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless carriers and enthusiast developers. Additionally, Android has a large community of developers writing applications ("apps") that extend the functionality of devices, written primarily in a customized version of the Java programming language. In October 2012, there were approximately 700,000 apps available for Android, and the estimated number of applications downloaded from Google Play, Android's primary app store, was 25 billion.

These factors have allowed Android to become the world's most widely used smart phone platform and the software of choice for technology companies who require

• Low-cost
• Customizable
• Lightweight operating system for high tech devices without developing one from scratch

As a result, despite being primarily designed for phones and tablets, it has seen additional applications on televisions, games consoles and other electronics. Android's open nature has further encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open source code as a foundation for community-driven projects, which add new features for advanced users or bring Android to devices which were officially released running other operating systems.

Android had a worldwide smart phone market share of 75% during the third quarter of 2012, with 500 million devices activated in total and 1.3 million activations per day. The operating system's success has made it a target for patent litigation as part of the so-called "smart phone wars" between technology companies.

Usage share of Android versions:

Version	Code name	Release date	Distribution (December 3, 2012)
4.2	Jelly Bean	11/13/12	0.80%
4.1.x	Jelly Bean	07/09/12	5.90%
4.0.x	Ice Cream Sandwich	12/16/11	27.50%
3.2	Honeycomb	07/15/11	1.20%
3.1	Honeycomb	05/10/11	0.40%
2.3.3–2.3.7	Gingerbread	02/09/11	50.60%
2.3–2.3.2	Gingerbread	12/06/10	0.20%
2.2	Froyo	05/20/10	10.30%
2.0–2.1	Eclair	10/26/09	2.70%
1.6	Donut	09/15/09	0.30%