Nexus 4 vs. iPhone 5: Choice Comes Down to Preference

Apple and Google have both released latest versions of their flagship phones, but how do they match up?

The Verge said "the new iteration of Apple's phone is everything it should be: faster, smarter, thinner, and lighter. It boasts LTE data speeds, improved cameras, a larger screen with a higher resolution, and a design which - while not groundbreaking - is unquestionably beautiful. But it's also very much the iPhone you've seen before. Apple's iOS 6 software is not a leap forward, but a small jump, and the phone design is an evolution of the iPhone 4S, not a revolutionary new spin."

Tap Scape called the Google Nexus 4 "a solid smartphone."

"It's the best version of Android that we've seen yet, it's fast, has a great display and looks the goods," the reviewer said. "However, the new Nexus suffers from several weighty drawbacks. Chief amongst the detractors is the lack of LTE in this phone - it seems an incredible oversight in a market where LTE has long-ago become the standard. Yes, you can get very good download speeds with HSPA+, but not LTE good. For U.S. buyers, the fact that the Google Nexus 4 does not have LTE may be an unredeemable nail in the coffin. For international users that don't have access to LTE networks, the Nexus 4 is still a great option."

Display

Apple's iPhone 5 comes with retina display,a 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display and 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. Google's Nexus 4 has a 4.7 inch diagonal and a 1280x720 display.

Weight

The iPhone 5 is lighter and smaller than the Nexus 4. The iPhone is 4.87 inches tall, 2.31 inches wide and 0.30 inches deep compared to t he Nexus 4's 5.3, 2.7 and 0.40, respectively.

The iPhone 5 weighs 3.95 ounces, compared to the Nexus 4's 4.9 weight.

Camera & Video

The Nexus 4 comes with a "high-performance" 8 mega-pixel camera and a 1.3 mega-pixel front camera.

"The first phone with 360° panoramas," Google declares. "It's like no camera you've ever seen. Up down and all around you, with Nexus 4 it's more than panoramic, it's like you're actually there."

The iPhone has a 8-megapixel iSight autofocus camera; Panorama; Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio; FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos and HD video (720p) up to 30 frames per second; Face detection in video or still images; LED flash and photo and video geotagging.

Colors

The iPhone 5 comes in two colors - black& slate and white & silver. The Nexus 4 comes in black.

Connectivity

Both phones offer Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology. The iPhone 5 supports LTE connection and the Nexus can operate on an Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+ network.

The iPhone is offered on Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint's 4G LTE networks. The Nexus 4 is available on T-Mobile's network.

Memory

The iPhone has memory capacity of up to 64GB. The Nexus 4 offers 8 GB internal storage and 2 GB RAM.

Processor

The iPhone 5 features Apple's dual-core A6 processor and the Nexus 4 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon(TM) S4 Pro processor.

Operating System

The iPhone 5 features Apples iOS 6 - "the world's most advanced mobile operating system." The iOS6 integrates all of Apple's features.

The Nexus 4 features Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) - the latest version of the Android platform for phones, tablets, and more.

Prices

The iPhone 5 costs up to $399 with a two year contract. The Nexus 4 smartphone has a price of $299 when purchased with a two-year contract and takes up to nine weeks to ship.