By The Biz Team (Nicholas)
The fall is one of the more popular tech seasons, as it usually hosts a showdown between the iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy annual option. And this 2020 season will not be any different. Due to the steady stream of reveals and rumors, there is an idea about what Apple and Samsung have planned for this year. Thus far, the spec comparison indicates the iPhone 12 may be the better option, though that is yet to be decided.
DESIGN
The iPhone 12 is expected to be different from the recent iterations, by featuring flatter sides and squared-off edges, much like the iPhone 5. It may also be thinner than the iPhone 11, and have a smaller notch. The screen will have a 5.4-inch display, and its navy blue retro aesthetics are expected to provide a nostalgic appeal. The Galaxy S 20 has a reasonable 6.2-inch design, but will be fairly compact. The display is also flat rather than curved, thereby reducing the chances of accidental touch.
PRICING
Apple may have a significant edge in this department, if the rumors about the upcoming phone are accurate. The Galaxy S20 will allegedly retail at $999, while the smaller iPhone 12 will cost $649. Even the iPhone 12 Max reportedly costs $749, which is still more than 200 dollars below its competitor's price. The iPhone Pro Max, which is 6.7 inches and has been identified as the closest competitor of the S20, will cost $1199.
LIDAR SENSORS
The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are both expected to have new LIDAR sensors. These will be able to map an entire room almost in real time. It would be a great advantage to augmented reality applications. The brand is expected to release its new iPhone AR applications for iOS 14, which will capitalize on this sensor. Android devices such as the S20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 10 Plus have "Time of Flight" sensors, and these assess how long it would take for the infrared light to bounce back to the sensor for better depth sense. The technologies of ToF and LIDAR are quite similar, but the manner they capture 3D information is significantly different. Similarly, the LIDAR option is much better.
CAMERA
The S20 has three cameras, including a 64MP lens, a 12 MP wide camera, and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera. Capabilities include a hybrid optic zoom that goes upwards of 3X while the digital zoom provides up to 30x. Other features include the Single Take function, which takes a series of photos while also recording 10 seconds of video. In 2019, Apple opted for three cameras on the Pro options. These included the primary shooter that had telephoto and ultra-wide-angle lenses, which may return with the iPhone 12 Pro. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max will not only have a 3x optical zoom that should match the Note 20 and Note 20 Plus, but it may also have a new sensor-shift image stabilization option; this would offer image stabilization on the ultra-wide lens.
SPECIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE
The Galaxy S20 comes available with a Snapdragon 865, 12 GB RAM, and 128 GB of storage, which means the Galaxy is one of the most powerful Android phones. Unlike what would be expected from the iPhone 12, the S20 has a MicroSD slot for expansion. It features the A14 Bionic, which is a new 5nm chip that is scheduled for release later this year. The chip is rumored to perform as effectively as the Macbook Pro.
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Apple has always had the advantage. IPhones roll out with the latest software, while Samsung devices usually wait for the latest operating system from Google. The iOS 14 will bring a new home screen design allowing for more customization with widgets and options to hide pages of applications. Customers will also benefit from a new fitness application that should integrate with the Apple Watch 6 and other Apple Watches. The Android 11 will reportedly break out and sort the messages and other notifications into relevant groups meaning conversations will appear in an easy to read section. It will become easier to reply and continue with tasks.
BATTERY CAPABILITIES
The S20 will probably not be as good as its Apple counterpart. The 4000 mAh battery lasted about 9 hours and 30 minutes during unboxing tests. Apple does not usually worry about the battery size in its phones, considering the battery life is usually above par. The iPhone 11 Pro Max, mainly lasted just under 12 hours while the iPhone 11 Pro lasted 10.5 hours. That is still above what the Galaxy S20 managed after increasing battery sizes from previous models. It is hard to speculate on the battery life of the iPhone 12 though, as the battery capacity is yet to be specified. The S20 will have a fast 25W charger that will bring the phone to half capacity within 30 minutes. The iPhone 12 will sport a 20W charger, but there are indicators that the brand will not include the charger in the package.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The iPhone 12 Pro will have 5G connectivity. It is the first time Apple has included It in its lineup. There is also a chance that TouchID will feature for the iPhone 12 Pro as well. The regular iPhone 12 and the Max versions are expected only to feature the sub-6GHz band that offers 5G on a long-range basis but not the speed of mmWave networks. The Samsung S20 will allow for sub-6GHz on both AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
RECOMMENDATION
It is a close battle between the S20 and the iPhone 12; however, when the current tally of pros versus cons is reviewed, it indicates that the iPhone may be the better option. Apple's win stems from the operating system availability, pricing, and LIDAR sensors' availability on the Apple devices scheduled this year. Barring a significant setback on the rollout, the iPhone 12 will perform better in the market.
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