Mobile
iPhone 4S vs. Motorola Droid RAZR: Features, Pricing, Software
A few days ago, Apple launched the iPhone 4S to much fanfare. The carrier has already sold millions of new iPhone 4S’ but we just get the feeling that there are those that decided to hold out to see what Motorola and Samsung had up their sleeves on October 18th, today.
Well, Motorola’s announcement has come and gone and it has introduced the Motorola Droid RAZR, a device that combines two of the most iconic mobile brand names, Droid and RAZR.
The Droid RAZR is shaping up to be a fantastic release, check out our hands-on with it here, but how does it stack up compared to the iPhone 4S?
Motorola Droid RAZR
Let’s take a quick look.
Features
| Features | iPhone 4S | Motorola Droid RAZR |
|---|---|---|
| Weight and Dimensions |
|
|
| Camera | 8 megapixels
|
8 megapixels
|
| Video Recording | Improved HD video recording
|
HD video recording
|
| Display | High-resolution Retina display
|
Super AMOLED qHD display
|
| Cellular and Wireless |
|
|
| Other Key Features |
|
|
Lots of differences here obviously but I’ll point out what I consider the biggest ones. First, the Droid RAZR has LTE capabilities. The iPhone 4S does not. If you want fast data speeds, the Droid RAZR is the one you want.
The Droid RAZR also features a stainless steel core, a Kevlar back, and a splash guard screen. We know how fragile the iPhone 4S’ design is, so, if you need a durable phone, again, the Droid RAZR is certainly something to take a look at.
iOS 5's Siri.
Software
The iPhone 4S runs Apple’s iOS 5 which has the much heralded Siri voice control assistant on board and a swath of improvements from wireless syncing to a new Notification system.
The Droid RAZR runs Google’s Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread operating system which is about be overshadowed by the company’s Android 4.0 announcement later today.
As we told you, the Droid RAZR runs Gingerbread well and the UI that Motorola has put over it is a vast improvement over previous versions of MotoBlur.
Dare we say enjoyable.
No word on when the Droid RAZR will be getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Release Date
Obviously, the iPhone 4S is already out. It was released on October 14th around the world and Apple sold 4 million units in three days. It’s a popular phone.
Unfortunately, Motorola and Verizon did not give the Droid RAZR an official release date. Instead, they just said November. Le sigh. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have a rumored date though.
November 10th is the anticipated launch date so we’re probably just under a month away from an official launch.
Pre-orders for the Droid RAZR begin on October 27th.
Carriers
Pretty obvious here. The iPhone 4S is currently available on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon here in the U.S. It’s also available on an assortment of carriers around the world.
The Droid RAZR?
It will be available exclusively on Verizon but it will also be launching around the world as the Motorola RAZR. Countries and carriers are currently unknown. We’ll know more once we get closer to November.
Pricing
Because the Motorola Droid RAZR is a 4G LTE phone, Verizon is going to be charging a premium to the tune of $299 on a new two year contract. In comparison, the iPhone 4S, which costs the same on all carriers, has an asking price of $199 for a 16GB model, $299 for a 32GB variant and $399 for the 64GB option.
So, the Droid RAZR is on par with a 32GB iPhone 4S, just for reference.
As for the off-c0ntract pricing for the Droid RAZR, it’s currently unknown. The iPhone 4SÂ off-contract pricing starts at $649. If the Droid Bionic’s off-contract price is any indication, we should see the Droid RAZR show up for about $569 off-contract at Verizon.
