Motorola Droid vs iPhone 3GS: Review
Verizon has managed to create great hype for the Droid (with Google’s support thrown in). Partly the drama before launch and the feature set including first time Android 2.0 with Google Navigation helped. So how does the Droid do against the iPhone 3GS? Lets take a quick look at the spec sheet first:
Apple iPhone 3GS vs Motorola Milestone / Verizon Droid
| Feature | iPhone 3GS | Droid / Milestone |
| Network | 2G NetworkGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 3G HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 HSDPA supported 7.2 Mbp |
WCDMA/900/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA, GPRS Class 12, WiFi |
| OS | iPhone OS 3.0 | Android OS 2.0 |
| Display | TFT capacitive touchscreen,16M colors 320 x 480 pixels, 3.5 inches | 3.7″ Capacitive touchscreen854×480 (16:9 widescreen) |
| Camera | 3.15 MP / Autofocus 30 fps Video recording with audio |
5MP, Autofocus / LED Flash Video recording 30 fps with audio |
| Internet Browser | Mobile Safari Full HTML without Flash | Location enabled, multi window HTML5 webkit browser |
| Messaging | SMS (threaded view), MMS, Emails | SMS, MMS, Email |
| FM | No | No |
| Processor | 600 MHz CPU | 550 Mhz CPU |
| Battery | Unknown Talktime Up to 12 hours on 2G / 5 hours on 3G |
1400 mAh Li-ion GSM: up 350 hrs; 3G: up to 380 hrs standby. No info on talktime |
| Colours | White and Black | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth AD2P (headset support only) Bluetooth P2P games WiFi, aGPS |
MicroUSB Stereo Bluetooth 2.1 aGPS, WiFi |
| Memory | 256MB RAM 16 GB/ 32 GB internal storage |
256 MB Ram 512 MB Rom (MicrosSD card slot) |
| Weight | 135 gms | 169 gms |
| Others |
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Motorola Droid brings with it a renewed Android 2.0 OS that supports much better games and matches up with the iPhone by bundling multitouch support. With a maturing Android Market you will surely see much better apps / games for the Droid / Milestone in the coming months. Though probably the gaming won’t match up to the level that 3GS supports, but there are rarely any games that use the 3GS GPU to the fullest. A bigger touchscreen and high resolution on the Droid 3.7″ is a win. Though the iPhone 3Gs would feel much lighter and somewhat sleek.
Droid is the slimmest handset out in the market with a physical QWERTY and it does well to please a big segment of the market that Blackberry holds. However I prefer the Palm Pre style qwerty which comes right below the screen. The onscreen keyboard of the iPhone (though very good), lack of Flash, MicroSD card or a usb mass storage option works against the 3GS and I won’t be surprised if the Droid/Milestone actually does better business in some parts of the world. The pricing of the Motorola Droid is competitive (and does better than Cliq in terms of features) and helps Verizon compete with the iPhone. Google has already blessed the Android 2 with its Navigation app and it will take some time for the same to hit the iPhone or probably we would need to see the PlaceBase solution to come up.
iPhone 3GS counters the Verizon Droid / Motorola Milestone only by its multitouch UI and the amazing App Store application (at the same time we do know a little issue with Apps on the Droid). It would take time for Android to catchup to that. But Droid is certainly something that will attract Verizon a lot of customers.
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I am a Verizon customer and have been with them for 4 years. My 1st service was Sprint (Boy that was a mistake), MetroPCS than finally Verizon. I’ve been very happy with Verizon because of their customer service over the phone (not in person or in store). I want to change my service because and only because Verizon has the most and I do mean “MOST” ugliest phones out there. Their phones are bulky and not very sleek looking. I have Venus and I had to change that phone twice because the 1st one wasn’t right it still has some problems with the navigator. I called and they told me that I’d have to pay to get another phone so I could pay again to use their navigation (I don’t think so). My husband had to change it 3 times because there were some software issues. Finally I have decided to change my service, if I am to be miserable, than I want to be miserable with the phone that I like. I would pay AT&T rather than Verizon. With all the loyalty of their customer you’d think that they would get better phones on their side. You’d think they’d be able to persuade Apple to come to their side. It’s just a problem with two GIANT egos. That’s all!
Leaving verizon and paying the 135$ that it cost me to get out of my contract was the best money I have ever wasted. GO IPHONE
The Droid doesn’t have multitouch (or muitltouch) UI, only the Milestone does and that is not available in america. Oh and the droid also doesn’t have Flash support. Perhaps you should do more research before posting something or at least do a spellcheck.
Well I did mention “iPhone 3GS counters the Verizon Droid / Motorola Milestone only by its multitouch UI and the amazing App Store application”
Even the Droid supports multitouch but only with 3rd party apps currently. Perhaps a firmware upgrade will bring it to the native apps aswell. But the iPhone UI still wins for me.
[...] submitted an app called ‘iDroid’ to Apple. This app does nothing but promotes the Motorola Droid by Verizon with the same iDon’t taunts that we saw [...]
Wow, the list of specs are horribly wrong on both sides. iPhone side seems to be biased too. Should get the specs correct before writing an article about it.
This is a crackpot post.
I think that both phones are cool. the iphone to me is a problem because of apple’s limitations but i will never doubt its superiority and quality just by owning a macbook pro. all their hardware is classy and estate worthy. Now verizon’s comparable phones do more and limit less and yes they need only time. apple has been on this for a long time and have many superintelligent people behind them 4 years. so verizon’s adoptions are new and they come out of europe and sometimes they wait a few years before they bring it over here. i went to germany and saw phones i never saw before and movies … so since this is the case we might see better technology coming but regardless i think that apple quality cant be beat. i love apple and verizon.
You snot nosed punk .. go back to school. Your story is total crap A-Hole!
@… Seems like this comes from a die hard iPhone fans
hey I am on your side
[...] pushed out with the Android 2.0 and has managed to please many. Though when it comes to Droid vs iPhone 3GS, the competition looks tough with both phones having their own USP. However the plethora of Android [...]
What about the memory? iPhone holds so much. Can the droid hold any real data, like movies, vids, and pics ect……Can you surf the net while on the phone. I can talk on my iphone while surfing and everything else. The Droid is a neat device. just not ready for real multi taskers like me…
iPhone with 93K+ apps would have to be the better pic. Droid also seems more targeted towards teens. I can run several different types of stock trading platforms on the iPhone.
Chante, please learn about the Droid before saying stupid stuff like that. The Droid comes with 16 gigs and is expandable to 32 gigs which is more than the iphone, You can surf the net while on the phone, just hit the home button and then the browser app. It’s simple. The iphone cannot do all the multitasking the Droid can. Run Pandora while on the internet, go try it.
wow..people really dont know what they are talking about. i honestly dont know much about the i-phone for the simple reason i would never switch to at&t and verizons netowkr, 3g or not is far superior (in the united states) and to those wanting the iphone on verizon…take a deep breath it is coming soon. the exclusivity contract is up and there are rumors (ive talked to a high up at apple…i fixed his tv) the i-phone could be on the verizon network as early as oct 2010. as far as the multitasking..whoever made the comment knows nothin about the droid..only what they read./.which is usually wrong anyways. the droid will surf the net and be on the phone at the same time. and even though its not marketed this way it does in fact work even when not in 3g coverage (obviously a lil slower), which is very rare on the verizon network!!!..and to top it off…i discovered the other day by accident…if your a cop in ct or ri please stop reading…i had navigation set up where i was driving…bluetooth was active…received a call which i answered on bluetooth…the phone switches back to navigator automatically….and asked a question by my “know-it-all” mother. i was able to go to my home screen get on the internet..look -up the stupid statement my mother made, tell her she was wrong and email her a link to the page that proved her wrong….all the while…my navigator was still speaking directions through the phones speaker!! i made 3 turns while browsing the internet…..so like i said i dont know much about i-phone/…but call me when it will do that
p.s…everything chante said….is as dumb as the name makes her sound….no offense