Reviews

Head to Head: Google Nexus One vs Apple iPhone 3GS

The Google Nexus One is Google’s first foray into the smartphone arena, but how does it compare to Apple’s iPhone 3GS, the current touchscreen favourite? We put the two devices head to head.

28 Jan 2010

There's been anticipation surrounding Google's entry into the smartphone race for quite some time and now the Nexus One is here. This has led to some Apple-hating critics claiming (or rather hoping) it'll beat the seemingly unbeatable.

Although Google's Android OS has seen a boom in the past year, the iPhone has still stormed ahead, grasping as much of the market as it possibly can. But as we all know, it takes more than just a good platform to make or break a phone's success. We pit the Google Nexus One and Apple iPhone 3GS against each other in this head to head comparison. Read on to find out which handset giant wins.

Opering system

Apple's Mac OS has always been like marmite; people love it or hate it. We love it.

When it first appeared, the squeezed down version of Mac OS was the most impressive anyone had ever seen on a smartphone. Now in its third iteration this continues to be the case.

Multi-touch support, an almost-full HTML Safari browser, push notifications and a fantastic push email system all stunned those used to alternative smartphone platforms such as Windows Mobile and BlackBerry.

The introduction of Google Android also amazed those used to the dodgy touch interface of Windows pre-6.5, and BlackBerry's antiquated interface. Symbian didn't have a chance.

The Google Nexus One integrates the latest version of Android, 2.1. It adds a load more functionality, including voice-to-text, better-integrated email and an improved weather application.

Winner: Apple iPhone 3GS

Screen

Touch screens have always been a point of debate and contention since they first became mainstream on a sub-500 phone.

OK, so you'll struggle to pick the iPhone up for less than 500, but its screen is probably its best feature, apart from its body, applications offering and well, you get the picture.

It is the most amazing touch screen yet colours are vibrant, crisp and hugely clear, despite its resolution being lower and physical size smaller than on the Google Nexus One (320 x 480 pixels, 3.5in vs. 480 x 800 pixels, 3.7in), but it's super-sensitive to our every touch.