Let the battle lines be drawn. Below are comparisons of the new iPhone 5 vs. the top Android competition this year (the Samsung Galaxy SIII and the Motorola Droid RAXR Maxx HD). The race is fairly even in most areas but Android’s open platform widens the gap with its inclusion of new technologies such as WiFi 802.11 a, wireless charging, expandable storage, USB, and HDMI connectivity (and the ability to do simultaneous voice and data). In the OS realm, the iPhone 5 introduces features such as Passbook, turn by turn navigation, Facebook integration, snap pic while shooting video, and pull-down notifications that Android users have had for years now. Sorry Apple geeks, we’re giving this one to Android but kudos to Apple for tightening up the race.
| iPhone 5 | Samsung Galaxy SIII | Droid RAZR Maxx HD | |
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| OS | iOS 6 | Android 4.0.4 | Android 4.0.4 |
| Screen Size | 4 in 1136×640 326ppi | 4.8 in 1280×720 306ppi | 4.7 in 1280/720 312ppi |
| Processor | A6 dual-core | 1.5GHz dual-core | 1.5GHz dual-core |
| RAM | 1GB | 2GB | 1GB |
| Storage | 16/32/64GB | 16/32GB + 64 GB SD | 32GB + 64GB |
| Rear Camera | 8MP, f2.4 | 8MP, f2.6 | 8MP, f2.4 |
| Front Camera | 1.2MP | 1.9MP | 1.3MP |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0, EDR |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n |
| Sensors | l/a/c/g | l/a/c/g/b | l/a/c/g/p |
| TV Out | Airplay, Apple TV | DLNA, HDMI | DLNA, HDMI |
| Size | 128.8×58.6×7.6mm | 136.6×70.6×8.6mm | 131.9×67.9×93.mm |
| Weight | 112g | 133g | 157g |
| Battery | ? 8 hours | 2100mAh | 3300mAh |
| microSD? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless charge? | No | Yes | No |
| NFC? | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $199/299/399 | $249 | $299 |
| Available | 9/21/12 | Now | 11/2012 |
Click here for a in-depth discussion of the new iPhone 5.
