SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 OR THE IPHONE 5 : WHAT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE ?

There are dozens of New smartphones out on the market at any given time. When it comes down to it, though, there are really two key models that consumers are buying in massive amounts: The iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3. The iPhone stands as Apple's incumbent; a force in the market that has dominated smartphone sales since 2007. Samsung's Galaxy S3 is meant to provide a futuristic, hip alternative to Apple's offering. If you're buying soon, then you're probably wondering which behemoth you should pick.

Hardware between the phonesis the biggest differentiator. The Galaxy S3 features a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display that is big, beautiful and vibrant. By contrast, the iPhone 5 has a slightly smaller four-inch display. It uses in-cell display technology, which makes everything look a little more realistic. While Apple's phonelays flat and has rounded corners, the S3 is much more curvey with an angle to its back and even more rounded edges.

The major difference between the two, then, is the platform they run on. The iPhone runs Apple's iOS, which is a derivative of its popular OS X software. The Galaxy S3 runs Google's Android opertaing system. The general consensus is that iOS offers a more intuitive experience whileAndroid offers a more involved one. In the end, choosing between the two is more of a matter of personal preference.

Apps are one of the main reasons that people buy Smartphones, so it's a category you won't want to overlook. iPhone apps are purchased through Apple's App Store, while Galaxy S3 apps can be obtained primarily through the Google Play Store. It used to be the case that the App Store had many times the amount of apps offered by Google Play. However, as time has marched on, that has become less and less the case. Today, the vast majority of must-have apps are available on either platform. There are fewer exclusive apps.

One area where Apple's App Store does hold an advantage, though, is in developer support. Because iPhone apps only need to be made for a few different variations of the same phone, developers tend to update iPhone apps quicker than on Android. That's due to the fact thatAndroid's entire design language has changed, and also due to the fact that Android phones come in so many different forms. This isn't necessarily a flaw with the Galaxy S3, but the implications of it do impact the user experience for Samsung buyers.

If you're in need of a phone that's easy to understand right out of the box, then the iPhone is going to be a sure thing. If you're interested in having more technology and don't mind occasional issues with software bugs or a less refined user experience, then Samsung's S3 will probably be the better fit. The best way to choose is to judge for yourself. Play around with both devices, and choose the one that feels more natural to you. Both are great devices, so you'll know you did well regardless of what you buy.