iPhone 4S or Galaxy Note

[timeruler]

Hello, I plan to buy a new smartphone before moving to China. I want to buy either the iPhone 4S or the Galaxy Note. Could you please let me know your recommendation? I am not asking for a comparison of the specs. As I have not been there, I do not know what practical problem I will encounter. What are the pros and cons of using each system in terms of using the phone in China? I suspect that if the phone is broken, it may be easier to get it fixed if I buy from Apple. Any advice appreciated. Thank you.

[skylee]

I recommend Galaxy Note. If it had been launched a bit earlier I would have chosen it instead of my Galaxy S2. Can't comment on its maintenance but Samsung phones usually perform very well. My last Samsung smartphone lasted for over two years. But my impression is that a Galaxy Note is more expensive than an IPhone4S. Is price a factor to consider?

[timeruler]

I found that the price for iPhone 4S and Galaxy Note are similar (both expensive). So, price is not a factor to consider at this level. My concern is about reliability, security and services. The manager of an Apple Store told me that I could use the iPhone 4S as a secure Wifi hub for the MacBook Pro. Not sure about the Galaxy Note. Have you tried? I know Samsung products are usually very good but not sure about how convenience it is to get the phone serviced in China. (When I lived in the UK, it took Sony UK a few months to fix my friend's laptop. They said that they had to send it to Japan for repairing. Don't know if this will happen if I buy a Samsung phone and use it in China.) I heard that there are many compalins from HK users. For Apple, I can just go to Shanhai's Apple Store.

[Gus]

Can't speak for the iPhone 4S but I use my Galaxy Note in Beijing and it is AMAZING. Just make sure you don't get the Mainland version because it's not only much more expensive but doesn't come with the Play store. I bought my Note in Wangjing for 4400RMB, I think it's the Hong Kong version. AnkiDroid flashcards with the SPen is awesome, and free (as opposed to Anki on iOS). I use a 66RMB/300MB a month plan with China Unicom which never runs out (though I do usually run over on my text messages) and the 3G speed is not ideal but decent. Another tip for using Android in China is to bring an old SIM from your home country with you, that way you can fool the Play store into letting you download the apps from your country's app market too, instead of the Chinese one which I believe only lets you get free ones.

[timeruler]

If I buy the Galaxy Note, I will most likely buy it in Hong Kong. I think it is an international version. One concern I have is that the phone is big enough to attach attention. If I use it with my large, expensive MBP, I am concerned about being followed and getting mudded. Any opinion? How convenience it is to get Samsung smartphones repaired in China?

[panpan86]

Why don't you just buy it in China? Then you won't have any problems with compatability in China. Both of the phones you are looking at are readily available here....

[timeruler]

My main concern is how easy it is to get the phone fixed by Samsung in case it is broken.

[character]

http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-LTE-vs-Apple-iPhone-4S_id2967 shows the size difference between the two. A coworker just got one; it seemed closer in size to the current Kindle eReaders than to the iPhone 4S, but that's just my impression.

[timeruler]

Thanks for the interesting link. I am concerned about the possibility of drawing attention from the bad guys. Is the Galaxy Note popular in China? Do you see people using it often?