Help Me Decide On A New Phone

[lisalover1]

Alright guys, here's the skinny: I moved away to college [Michigan Tech] a couple weeks ago, and anyone who knows about this college knows that it is waaaayyyy out in the middle of nowhere. Thus, my current carrier, Sprint, has only roaming service up here, which can get really expensive. Looking at coverage maps, the only two carriers that get actual service up here are AT&T and Verizon. Add that to the fact that my old Evo 4G is developing a laundry list of hardware and software problems, and it seems that it's time for me to get a new phone.

tl;dr: Help me pick a new phone.

I have narrowed my options down to 2 (or 3, depending on how you count them) phones that have caught my fancy: The Xperia Play on Verizon (or, more recently, the Xperia Play 4G on AT&T), and the yet-to-be-announced-but-surely-imminent iPhone 5. As you can tell, my number-one concern for buying my next phone is gaming. So, I compiled a list of pros and cons.

On one hand, the Xperia Play has a really nice gamepad, as well as a lot of developer support, as well as exclusives like Minecraft or PS1 titles. Most big-name Android releases are now also getting support for the Xperia Play's gamepad. Android has a bunch of exclusive games that were just announced at TGS this week, too, like a free-to-play port of the original Disgaea, a mobile 2D version of El Shaddai, a Dragon Quest Monsters series remake(one of my favorite Portable RPG series of all time!), Chrono Trigger, and a remake of the Final Fantasy Legends series (not an exclusive, but the remake will feature Android-exclusive Xperia Play controls); all of which are games I am interested in. Following that up with Sony's continued support for Android games and Gamestop rumored to release an OnLive-esque game streaming app exclusively for Android, the future of gaming on Android devices looks pretty bright. Additionally, an Android hacker was just recently able to get any PS1 ISO to work with Sony's official emulator, so that's something to consider. I also strongly prefer the actual Android OS to iOS; it feels faster, is more customizable, and overall more appealing to my needs and sensibilities. However, the hardware is pretty dated as it stands, and from a technical standpoint, even the new 4G model is actually a downgrade from my current Evo. Plus, the phone only got good/passable reviews as opposed to great reviews. I also tried the analog pads on a demo unit, and they were infuriating to use correctly. Finally, due to the device's relative age and commercial success, it will more than likely be getting a new device in the PlayStation Phone lineup sooner rather than later. On the plus side, this means I can get it new for really cheap ($50 for the 4G model) and I can get it right away, as opposed to having to wait for the unannounced release of the iPhone 5 (despite almost all rumors saying that it will be released late this month or very early next moth.)

On the other hand, the iPhone 5, while still floating about in the ether of internet rumors, looks like it is shaping up to be an excellent device. For one, it is almost certain to have better specs than the Xperia Play (Dual-core 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 8 MP camera, better battery life, etc.), and, regardless of your opinions about Apple, it's hard to knock the general build quality and longevity of their devices. Additionally, the iPhone 5 is rumored to have 4G LTE support, and more importantly, Verizon has just announced that they will be bringing their LTE network to my hometown (or previous hometown, I suppose) of Kalamazoo, so that is definitely something to consider, and may be a deal-maker for me in the end if it is true. I already have an iPad, which I have bought a bunch of games for, many of which are universal builds of the app, meaning they work on both the iPad and iPhone, so having access to a sizable library of games from the get-go is a notable incentive. iOS also has a famously-big library of available games in the first place, but the point is that Android is really catching up fast. As I am coming away from using an HTC Evo, a big factor for me is the aforementioned battery life. The iPhone has always been known for great battery life, and from what I have read, the iPhone 4 has much better battery life than the Xperia Play. But, there are some pitfalls to the iPhone; the screen size is pretty small compared to today's average smartphone; some more screen real estate would be nice for comfort's sake. Also, as I said, I feel like I have to jailbreak iOS before I can even make it come close to the level of customization and freedom that Android offers me. Finally, the price. A new iPhone is one of the most expensive smartphones you can buy, and will be at least $200 as opposed to the $50 Xperia Play, which may even go as little as free-on-contract if I am lucky and diligent in searching for a deal. If I want a decent iPhone 5, it will probably run me about $250.

So, that's the long and the short of it. I would really like to get some input and opinions from everyone here about what I should get next, with all these things taken into account.

[lisalover1]

Seriously, guys? Not a single post or a single vote?

[AppleQueso]

idk i use a cheapao tracphone

[D.D.D.]

I like the iPhone 4 a lot. I have yet to use another smartphone that feels as good or as fast.
Though I like that the PS phone's emulator has been hacked for ISOs so... I don't like Android but if gaming is your main focus and phone second, get the PSphone. If not, get the iPhone. Games are pretty good but I miss buttons.

[gtmtnbiker]

Save your money and get a tracfone.

[o.pwuaioc]

ATT and Verizon both suck. Tmobile right now has a plan that's $50 for unlimited text, calls, and internet. DO IT.

[Dakinggamer87]

I currently have AT&T with the iPhone 4 which works great for me!! I can't wait to upgrade to iPhone 5 next month.

[lisalover1]

ATT and Verizon both suck. Tmobile right now has a plan that's $50 for unlimited text, calls, and internet. DO IT.

Did you read my post? T-Mobile doesn't have service in the place I will be living for the next 4 years. Not to mention, they are about to be bought out by AT&T, anyway.

Save your money and get a tracfone.

Oh, why didn't I think about this before? The Tracfone has such must-have games as Tetris, Snake, and Brickbreaker! Gosh, how can I refuse?

[o.pwuaioc]

AT&T and Verizon both suck. Tmobile right now has a plan that's $50 for unlimited text, calls, and internet. DO IT.

Did you read my post? T-Mobile doesn't have service in the place I will be living for the next 4 years. Not to mention, they are about to be bought out by AT&T, anyway.

I read the tl;dr version.

And I doubt that T-Mobile is about to be bought out by AT&T, but if they were, then you would come out on top in that transaction, getting AT&T service with T-Mobile prices (if I'm not mistaken).

But anyway, can't comment further on your question, as I never liked the iPhone, everyone I ever knew in real life didn't care for or actively hated AT&T, and my own experiences with Verizon were very negative. Good luck!

[lisalover1]

Alright, I think I'll get the iPhone 5, in that case. I just hope that Apple releases the thing soon; my Evo is falling apart!