iPhone: worth it or over-rated?

issue 5, Justin Yoo, Opinion - By Justin Yoo on Thursday, October 7, 2010 - 02:21

Technology in today’s society has vastly improved within the last three years. When Apple first came out with the iPhone in 2007, it revolutionized the smartphone industry. Even with all the cool applications and the newly invented “Facetime,” the iPhone is not worth the price.

When someone buys a $400 phone, you would expect it to save the world. It is ridiculous how much people are paying for smart phones because generally, most smart phones can all do the same things. Even with a contract, the iPhone will still cost approximately $200.

So if you are thinking of making a purchase, here are some other options that are more cost friendly than the iPhone: HTC Evo (Sprint), Samsung Epic (Sprint), and the HTC Droid (Verizon).

The HTC Evo was the first 4G phone that came out. With instant internet access for up to five computers, the EVO 4G opens up all kinds of possibilities from your phone. One of the best features on the Evo is the HD camcorder. The quality surpasses the iPhone and with an HDMI cable, you can connect it to your flat screen and watch the recorded video in true High Definition.

The Samsung Epic is one of the highest rated phones in any online review. With a Super AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic light Emitting diode) touchscreen, the Samsung Epic 4G displays a bright picture for movies with a large 4-inch display. The anti-reflective, anti-smudge and anti-scratch screen presents a crystal clear resolution for the ultimate HD experience.

According to online reviews, the HTC Droid is also a highly rated smartphone. First off, the HTC Droid is thinner than the iPhone, which makes for more pocket space. It also has a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED (800x480) touchscreen LCD, which is the same technology as the iPhone, except the HTC Droid produces brighter colors. The Droid also displays a crisper screen resolution than the iPhone.

Even though many of the students at Whittier already use iPhones, my point is that there are other options that are just as good. So why buy an iPhone when you can buy a better phone for cheaper?