October 18 and 19 may just be ordinary, ho-hum days in previous years–but not this year. With Motorola and Samsung set to hold events on the October 18 and October 19, respectively, these two days might just change the smartphone market forever.
Motorola Mobility, the recent merger company with Google, is expected to launch the “faster, thinner, smarter, stronger” Android smartphone yet–the Motorola DROID RAZR (a.k.a., the Motorola DROID HD or the Motorola Spyder)–on October 18. A few hours after, Samsung and Google are expected to launch the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in Hong Kong on October 19.
Both Android smartphones are expected to carry Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich right out of the box. To say that that is delicious is to completely understate things. Yet, even if Ice Cream Sandwich sets an even playing field at the operating system level, what does each phone have over the other? Read on to find out.
 Samsung Galaxy Nexus |
 Motorola DROID RAZR |
|
| OS | Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich | Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich |
| Processor | dual-core, 1.2 GHz | dual-core, 1.2 GHz |
| Carrier | Verizon and CDMA Verizon | Verizon |
| Price | in line with current market prices | in line with current market prices |
| Internal Storage | 16 GB to 32 GB (estimated) | 16 GB to 32 GB (estimated) |
| Display | 4.65 inches (1280×720) HD Super AMOLED | 4.3 inches Super AMOLED qHD 960×540 (PenTile) |
| Camera | 5 MP, with LED flash | 8 MP, with LED flash |
| Video | 1080p Full HD | 1080p Full HD |
| Front Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Memory | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| External Storage | microSD | microSD |
| App Store | Yes (estimated 500,000+ apps) | Yes (estimated 500,000+ apps) |
| 4G Capable? | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 129 grams | unknown |
| Height | 123.9 mm | unknown |
| Width | 63 mm | unknown |
| Depth | 9 mm | Thinnest phone on the Market? |
| Battery | 1,750 mAh | unknown |
| Unveiling/Launch | October 19 | October 18 |
| Release/Availability | October 27 (rumored) | no data |
Display: The displays on both devices are relatively similar. The DROID RAZR is speculated to be packing a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display . Therefore, whether or not the extra 0.35 inches on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus matters to you is purely your own concern. However, since the Galaxy Nexus is a Samsung device, it will most certainly be taking home the prize for best display.
Operating System: Both devices should be packing Android’s new version, Ice Cream Sandwich. Although no authoritative information about it is available yet, Ice Cream Sandwich has been caught on camera.
Camera: Originally, the Galaxy Nexus was rumored to carry a camera of 8 MP or more. Now, those rumors have moved down towards 5 MP. On the other hand, the DROID RAZR is almost certain to have an 8-MP camera. However, don’t count out the Galaxy Nexus just yet. Although megapixels are the only advertised quality in a smartphone’s camera, lenses are far more important.
I swear Motorola and Samsung could not have made it harder for me to choose. Both phones are set to be announced one day after the other and the specifications are nearly identical. Ice Cream Sandwich, Super AMOLED, Verizon network, and dual-core processors are all characteristics that these devices share.
Therefore, we have a truly close battle on our hands that is literally unraveling in a few hours. With Android taking the lead in the smartphone market, manufacturers are pushing technology to the limit to create the best smartphone out there. In the upcoming months, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Motorola DROID RAZR, and the rumored Samsung Galaxy S III could be sitting in your hands.
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