iPhone 4 vs HTC Desire

unnddd

unnddd

unnddd

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My upgrade on Three UK has arrived, and I can get these phones at similar prices. I'm leaning towards the HTC Desire due to the Android OS and the fact that it isn't riddled with antenna problems like the iPhone 4 (I actually tested one out in the Apple Store, and it lost all signal with me holding it in my left hand).

However, I would like to hear a few opinions from people who have had experience with both phones. Which would you go for, considering the price is pretty much the same?

Thanks
 
The signal problem with the Iphone 4 can be sorted with a case and lets be honest we all use cases on phones anyway, depends what you want with a phone really nice easy to use interface(iphone) or android that has no limits to what is being done with it.

I have had the Desire and now have a Galaxy S but i still fancy a iphone 4 and am thinking of putting this on ebay to get one.
 
Personally, I would go for the HTC Desire.

My phone history, went from a iPhone 3G to a HTC Desire. I've used the iPhone4, a friend of mine has one and recently had a BBQ at his after playing Golf.

Reasons for me preferring the HTC Desire
  1. I love HTC Sense, this is HTCs UI. The contact list on the phone pulls all your contacts information from Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and you can look at their photos directly in the phones gallery, rather than loading up Facebook and navigating to them.
  2. As someone who works in FMCG, email to me whilst out of the office is vital. I can set out of office, send meeting reqests, see all emails in conversation view - couldn't do that with my iPhone 3G, not sure if the iPhone4 can as my friend didn't have his email setup.
  3. Ability to install applications off the SDCard or via QR codes. Unlike iPhones where every application has to come from the App Store.
  4. I can install any application I like, including Fennec (Mobile Firefox). Apple will not allow alternative web browsers that don't use Safari's inferior engine (Safari doesn't have V8 JScript engine unlike Android).
  5. Full Flash support, so you can view every Youtube video. The Apple Youtube application only shows select videos that have been coded to the supported codec.
  6. Google Services data sync - you have to pay for MobileMe on the iPhone for a similar service.
  7. WiFi tethering on Android, it's locked down on the iPhone, so the carriers can charge you to use it.
  8. Android Widgets, I can control my hardware from my homescreen (such as turning off the wireless controler) to save battery and without having to navigate though several menus.
  9. Chrome to Phone - push links, navigation directions and applications to your phone from your desktop via WiFi or cellular network.

Only thing I miss about the iPhone is the iPod UI as Android/The Desire lack a decent looking player.
 
Mekrel said:
Personally, I would go for the HTC Desire.

My phone history, went from a iPhone 3G to a HTC Desire. I've used the iPhone4, a friend of mine has one and recently had a BBQ at his after playing Golf.

Reasons for me preferring the HTC Desire
  1. I love HTC Sense, this is HTCs UI. The contact list on the phone pulls all your contacts information from Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and you can look at their photos directly in the phones gallery, rather than loading up Facebook and navigating to them.
  2. As someone who works in FMCG, email to me whilst out of the office is vital. I can set out of office, send meeting reqests, see all emails in conversation view - couldn't do that with my iPhone 3G, not sure if the iPhone4 can as my friend didn't have his email setup.
  3. Ability to install applications off the SDCard or via QR codes. Unlike iPhones where every application has to come from the App Store.
  4. I can install any application I like, including Fennec (Mobile Firefox). Apple will not allow alternative web browsers that don't use Safari's inferior engine (Safari doesn't have V8 JScript engine unlike Android).
  5. Full Flash support, so you can view every Youtube video. The Apple Youtube application only shows select videos that have been coded to the supported codec.
  6. Google Services data sync - you have to pay for MobileMe on the iPhone for a similar service.
  7. WiFi tethering on Android, it's locked down on the iPhone, so the carriers can charge you to use it.
  8. Android Widgets, I can control my hardware from my homescreen (such as turning off the wireless controler) to save battery and without having to navigate though several menus.
  9. Chrome to Phone - push links, navigation directions and applications to your phone from your desktop via WiFi or cellular network.

Only thing I miss about the iPhone is the iPod UI as Android/The Desire lack a decent looking player.
Click to expand...

I think your post makes it a lot clearer for me. I'd forgotten about flash, and that's even better on the Desire now that 2.2 is out for it. Also, I currently have an iPod Touch and I don't really like how the email works. Although I haven't tried it, coming from Google Android seems a lot more likely to have good Gmail integration, which is quite important for me.

I like to think of myself as an advanced user, so being able to install all sorts of applications to test would be an advantage.

Thanks for clearing some of the stuff up. Just out of interest, which network are you on? I've heard from some sources that the HTC Desire on Three isn't branded and comes unlocked, but I'd like to be sure, as it's the only way I'll be able to upgrade it to Android 2.2 without debranding it.
 
unnddd said:
I think your post makes it a lot clearer for me. I'd forgotten about flash, and that's even better on the Desire now that 2.2 is out for it. Also, I currently have an iPod Touch and I don't really like how the email works. Although I haven't tried it, coming from Google Android seems a lot more likely to have good Gmail integration, which is quite important for me.

I like to think of myself as an advanced user, so being able to install all sorts of applications to test would be an advantage.

Thanks for clearing some of the stuff up. Just out of interest, which network are you on? I've heard from some sources that the HTC Desire on Three isn't branded and comes unlocked, but I'd like to be sure, as it's the only way I'll be able to upgrade it to Android 2.2 without debranding it.
Click to expand...

my brother has a desire on three and his came unbranded managed to get the update today around the same time i did.
 
The first batch of Desires were sourced outside the Three/HTC network setup and so came unlocked and unlocked (presumably they bought them in the same way that the 3rd party companies get their unbranded, unlocked phones).

Supposedly all the newer ones are the official phones that had Three's custom firmware and were therefore also locked.
 
It's down to preferance and what you need it for.

I prefered the Desire for it's features and it was only 99 Euro on my contract.
The iPhone 4 on the same contract is 199 for the 16GB phone.

So the Desire was an instant buy for me.

Although if you already have the 3GS just say with it, my friends returned their iPhone 4's because they said it was barely better than their 3GS's
 
sarge78 said:
Are they really the same price? Then the iPhone 4 by miles... Sell it it if you don't like it.
Click to expand...

If they cost the same on the contract (which usually means the Desire is overpriced) then I'd get the iphone and sell it. You would make a profit selling the iphone and buying the Desire.

I had a look and the Desire is only available on high tariffs which brings the cost to about £4 less per month with more minutes available on the new customer prices. You should haggle if these are the best prices that are available to you as an upgrade customer in the last 30 days of your contract.

Also keep in mind that there is a retentions team that often calls customers after the PAC has been supplied. This team will often offer loyalty discounts (I got £10 per month, I have heard of others getting £15 per month).
 
htc desire really, i had 3 previous iphones and thought they were amazing, but then i woke up. the new iphone really is an ugly device, to hold and its software is in no mans land. so what you get 100s of apps, nothing new there - but it doesnt make up for its flaws.

although yeh get iphone and sell it to buy a desire and make some money, but i pay less now each month then what i did when i had iphones (o2)
 
They are both really solid phones, the Desire has a better case for me, the rubberised back just doesn't scratch, I just chuck it in my cycling bag and there's not a single mark after months of abuse.

I had my friend convinced about getting an iphone 4, showed him the superior video's and pictures it made and how simple it was to use (for the non tech geek he is). He went to a shop to try them all out in person and walked away with the Samsung Galaxy S :p that screen is such a good feature.
 
Oh look, its this thread again!

We must get 10 of these per day :p

I should make a copy-paste reply.

However, they are both different. Similar prices? I doubt it, at least not with a 32GB iPhone 4 anyway.

With the price factored in the Desire is a far far better buy now it has the 2.2 update to be honest, Apple are riding their fanboys when it comes to pricing, they aren't really very competitive at all.

I think the easiest way to break it down is like this -

Gaming Apps, Camera and Music Player - iPhone 4 (easily)

Everything else and factoring in price - HTC Desire
 
Gaming apps and music player fair enough, but I wouldn't discount the Desire's camera. We were comparing shots and video in the office between an iPhone 4 and a Desire and there really wasn't much to choose between them. Desire has also got 720p now, which is nice (although iPhone 4 does as well, of course).
 
Masterdog said:
Gaming apps and music player fair enough, but I wouldn't discount the Desire's camera. We were comparing shots and video in the office between an iPhone 4 and a Desire and there really wasn't much to choose between them. Desire has also got 720p now, which is nice (although iPhone 4 does as well, of course).
Click to expand...

I have both, and while it's quite close, I think the iPhone 4 has a slightly better camera.

Nothing major though.
 
I have had the desire, now have the iPhone 4. For me, I had a slight preference for the desire in almost every way...apart from battery life. No matter what tweaking I did, couldn't get it to last a working day for me. As battery life is a must have requirement for me, I've gone with the iPhone 4 and am pretty happy. I now get about 1.5-2 working days between charges.
 
Robboftw said:
It might be useful to list your reasons why, the OP didn't ask who had one and who didn't.
Click to expand...

oops sorry.

Desire is a great phone, i got rid because i bought a smart-phone for its apps and so on and android is rubbish compared to apple.

Iphone battery is better, the display is better although i like Desires screen size. Plus the iphone has the forward facing cam, which does come in handy. Plus iphones will hold there value far better should you sell in the future.

The whole flash thing is trivial i think.
 
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