Nokia 5800 vs iPhone – feature comparison
Dear iFanboy!
"you may feel a slight sting. That’s pride fucking with you. Fuck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps" (Pulp Fiction)
This is not a comparison between the Nokia 5800 and iPhone. This table is a demonstration of how Nokia went for the hit in functionality (as always), while disregarding form (where the iPhone currently cannot be beaten). That being said, let’s take a look at the specifications of the Nokia 5800 XPressMusic phone coming out soon.
|
If we take a look at the feature table (and skip the UI and design elements, by awarding it to Apple), it’s quite visible, where Nokia’s strengths and priorities are. The hardware, especially the screen, GPS, photo optics and video, with a good measure of connectivity (e.g. bluetooth) and personalization (e.g. ringtones) are there, as clear winners. There are a number of options, where the jury is still out (needs actual user experience to decide) or the difference is a matter of taste. Strangely, three of these (input method, web browsing and music playback) are quite significant – and might as well decide whether the 5800 will be the success Nokia needs so much. Last, there is one significant item: e-mail handling (let’s throw the PIM functions in for good measure). While this is not the primary target of the 5800, its missing renewal might be one of the fatal mistakes. 
Want to see more news about the Nokia 5800? Subscribe to the RSS feed of Renegade Fanboy! Reading material update:
- Womworld is now collecting reviews of Nokia 5800 also. Check out their new category for actual reviews.
Related posts:
(7 votes, average: 4.43 out of 5)
Loading ...
Well, there’s no doubt the 5800’s creation was inspired by the iPhone, since Nokia said, more or less outright, that it was a good idea they wanted a piece of. And fair play to ‘em!
I agree with your analysis, though. I’ve always seen the iPhone as function being led by form, which to my mind, is back’ards-way-on way of doing it. The Nokia 5800 looks more like “phone first, spangly fashion accessory second”.
Oh, and if you want to check it out, I did some more digging on the , regarding the 2 year gap between announcement and phones coming out, after you posted on my humble blog. Seems the gap might not be as long as we expect…
Well, I’ve bought the iPhone 3G in July, but got rid of it after some weeks. I see no problem with some phones implementing form over function – but I ended up realizing that if I have to choose: I still choose function over form.
Maybe someday I won’t have to choose? :-)
Wtf? Why should I use my iPhone with two hands? I even browse with one hand only.
@Willie – nobody said, that you have to use it with two hands. Numeric keypads are optimized for one hand usage, qwerty keyboards are optimized for 2 hand usage. Screen size also pretty much defines the one hand-two hand optimization. Those are general statements.
If you use a numeric keyboard with two hands, you don’t gain significant speed – while if you use a qwerty with one hand only, your speed drops significantly.
You might have looked past the fact, that I also did not said that one is better than the other one. It’s just different design choices.
[...] Fanboy has posted on his blog with a table showing the differences between the 5800 and the iPhone, but he stresses it is not a comparison, but highlights how Nokia went for ‘functionality’ over [...]
“E-mail
Nokia 5800 – IMAP, POP, SMTP, Mail for Exchange, push
Apple iPhone 3G – IMAP, POP, SMTP, Mail for Exchange, push
[...]
e-mail handling [...] While this is not the primary target of the 5800, its missing renewal might be one of the fatal mistakes.”
Er…what are we missing here actually? Might be just me but I don’t see the point.
Stay on topic, oh my God! I try :)
I’m very waiting Nokia 5800 XPressMusic phone in my country.
@Breathless: thanks for the comment, I’ve corrected the table. S60 phones basically contain the same e-mail client integrated with messaging as 4 year ago. It still not handles HTML mail or formatting – just to mention the most visible gap.
Ah, now it makes sense! :) Indeed, that’s perfectly right x_x should’ve thought of it myself. … Well, actually, there are so many such “nuances” Nokia should really fix, on some of the newest S60 phones too, that it’s just ridiculous :/ I’ve been planning for some time to write a blog post about them all. x_x
Anyways, thanks for your reply. :)
I missed an important difference in your comparison:
iPhone has hardwired battery, no on the fly swapping for a spare, have to send it in when it dies, which, by my experience with cell phone batteries may well be once a year.
Nokia’s battery can be swapped while riding a motorcyle, if need be :)
Also, there’s an error:
Nokia’s SD Slot memory capacity is 2GB 4GB, 8GB, 16 GB or 32 GB, not just 8GB/16GB
Apples is 8GB or 16 GB, not just 8GB
@Tsais: thanks for the comment.
However, as Nokia officially only supports cards up to 16 GB, I did not want to include the 32 GB, which I’ve also heard that worked in various Nokia phones.
On the battery topic, I’m planning to make a separate entry on that, as it is not just the “spare” topic, but a lot more. Yet, it is not a feature, which is a deciding factor for most people. (It is for you and me, obviously :-)
[...] Renegae Fanboy You might wanna read these too: Special Preview! Nokia 5800 XpressMusic [...]
I’ve always been a Nokia user, but one of the one biggest holes which I’ve noticed in Nokia S60 devices is its VPN implementation.
Even the version 1 iPhone can do basic PPTP connections. Nokia can only do the horrible and expensive to implement IPsec.
Eseries has been out for years, why isn’t Nokia covering PPTP and Open SSL/OpenVPN? It’s just softwares isn’t it?
This means a lot to those like me, who live in countries like UAE, China, & KSA where most of the cool sites/services like Last.FM, SIP, Skype etc, have been blocked for years.
This lack of proper VPN support hurts us financially, Nokia enough of this!
If you can pass on this message to Nokia, please do so!
Very detailed comparison. You missed some points though. Here is a 20-point comparison for Nokia 5800 vs Iphone-
http://www.tube5800.com/20-reasons-why-nokia-5800-is-better-than-apple-iphone/
[...] times we struggle to find the next big thing – and overlook market changing forces. This is why I bring you Nokia’s iPhone-killer 1202 in [...]
[...] trend analysis. But it does show, that even if Nokia is missing the Christmas craze and even if the 5800 is not an iPhone-killer, Nokia’s first attempt at a touchscreen competitor is quickly measuring up to the iPhone – at [...]
[...] and announced and finally shipped to the first countries. Far from revolutionary, the 5800 is a very solid device and one of the sleepers of the year – seemingly surprising even Nokia with it’s initial [...]
[...] Nokia 5800 vs iPhone – feature comparison [...]
hmm i was thinking to buy an iphone until i heard about the nokia, yes, the 5800 has demolished the iphone in terms of specs however i have heard its not as fun :S
is this true?
and what is express music?
how is this used or intepreted!
thanks
Hi willy, the 5800 is better in specs and a lot cheaper (if bought unlocked). It is also more open than the iPhone.
But you heard right, it is not as much fun as the iPhone, depending on your definition of fun. It does not have zooming with two fingers and the User Interface is not as intuitive as the iPhone. It also doesn’t have quite a big App Store.
But for me fun means also being able to take good photos and videos and upload them immediately, so that my friends can see it. It means for me automatic sync of contacts/calendar/photos/videos with my Mac or online, without the need to connect cables. It means that I can receive IMs from my friends, while I’m browsing the web and generally run many applications at the same time. It also means that I can simply share my videos, photos or music with my friends, by connecting it to a TV.
XpressMusic is the “title” for Nokia’s music oriented devices. In the case of the 5800 it means, that the loudspeakers would blow your mind ;-) It is really clear on the high volume settings also. I also appreciate the screen, which has a higher resolution than the iPhone, video clips really look amazing on it.
I hope this helps.
Hi
I am weighing up which of these two phones to buy at the moment. One thing I am not sure about is the availability of apps. Does the Tube have a reasonable amount to choose from (besides music). For example can I install Skype on it? And where can I find a list to browse before I purchase
Also does the 58 have the finger pinch zoom? I am sure there are other things. I am in China so am likely to buy a foreign one because I heard when released in China the wifi will be disabled. Am I likely to have issues with using the foreign one in China?
Thanks for any advice you can offer
Cheers
P B
Hi PB, if you are looking for the amount of apps available in an easy to reach catalog and pinch zooming, then it’s the iPhone.
We need a web page rendering comparison of the Nokia 5800!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I already know that it has most of the features of a normal Nokia phone.
What I want to know is whether the web browsing is on par with the iPhone on that pesky 369Mhz processor.
Doubtful but you never know.
Doesn’t have as big an App store?
Nokia has hundreds of applications – far far more than the iPhone.
hey guyz among the two phones which is more long lasting type im no expert an i want a touch screen phone.Ive used an n78,n81,n95 among these onli the n81 lasted fr a yr rest all are very delicate type so among the two which is (more long lasting type)..i knw 15 ppl r usin an iphone an most of dem have lasted for more dan 10-12months..but i gt no clue abt da n5800 any aadvice?????
Hi DJ, it’s a good question. The 5800 seems a very solid build (no slide), but touchscreens are generally the sensitive types ;)
Unfortunately, we have to wait another 6-12 months to say, how far the 5800 lasts…
thank you so much for this comparison..
now i appreciate the nokia 5800 xpress music even more.. i’m considering buying one for myself. .i hope i can afford the price..
thanks again. :)
@inday: you are welcome! :-)
I use (and love) the 5800. As long as you have a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the phone, you can make an informed decision to buy it.
nokia is more beutiful
yope ,, no doubt as usual nokia wins and apple fails !!
and one more thing 5800 is just 350 dollars … but iphone is 700 dollars and 5800 is much better .. !!
well aaplle wait for a huge copetition .>.
Nice comparison there! Can u give me a comparison of the music quality (through earphones) between the 2 phones? I do know that Nokia Xpress music phones are really good at music but are they equivalent or better than the iPhone when listened through earphones (and not speaker). Thanks.
@Srini: I cannot really give you a true comparison between the two, regarding earphones. I find the 5800 quite good, but the earphone packaged with the Nokia is a general one, so I think iPhone should be a bit better in that regard. So, generally, I would say it’s around equivalent w iPhone – but if you also consider the speakers, than the 5800 is way ahead, it has amazing stereo sound!
(I wake up to a little party every day – thanks to the alarm tone and the speakers. :-)
One of the biggest challenges faced by the 5800 in the US market is that no network if going to subsidize it. If T-Mobile or ATT were to pick up the phone and subsidize it then it would have a much better opportunity to pick up market share in the US.
At a basic cost perspective for service a typical user in the US can use the 5800 very easily for less than $50/month while the iPhone is a minimum of $70/month.
As a business user of a phone the 5800 is my choice because of the existing applications from OneBridge (lotus notes sync) and Total Recall (beepless call recording) and numerous VoIP systems like Gizmo or Fring which allow me to make (nearly) free calls across the globe (SIP phone capability)
The i-Phone is innovative, especially from a marketing perspective and its use as a pure platform. Apple is a marketing company and will make its money on the ?20%? it makes on every app sold and its share of music downloaded and (at least in the us) the % of network fees they receive.
On feature of the iPhone that is not being addressed is the “visual” voicemail. which I like and the workaround for the nokia that I have seen have been kind of clunky. If people have seen an App. that simulates this functionality I would love to see it.
Very good article! Just bought the 5800 simply because it was free while I would have had to pay £90 for the iPhone. After playing with both now, I know I’ve made the right choice – and I love macs and the whole ‘i’ culture.
One point worth making is that people do take into account battery life/costs etc. You mentioned that people don’t really pay that much attention to the battery…
cho hoi? 1 kai’ bao nhieu tien
The 5800 also supports RTSP, which iPhone doesn’t… not even iPhone 3.0.
hmm i have both phones, and i’ve been using the iphone since it first was launched, i have the nokia for about 3 months, and my opinion is that… the iphone is the best… maybe because my iphone has everything a phone needs, I jailbroke it and added all the extra stuff, i can even send and receive files via bluetooth, I also added an app that manages my hotmail the same way i do in the computer, basically i have every phone function that the nokia 5800 has… thats why i say, the nokia is a great phone, but the iphone is still the best …FOR ME
I used to heavily debate against all by the Apple Corp and I’ve stood by the PC, non-ipod MP3 players, and sim-card cell phones since the beginning of the internet.
The Apple negatives:
1. Apple products to me were more expensive than they were worth.
2. Keeps their components and software limited/closed-source.
3. Marketing strategies turn off a lot of people by the third-rate tactics.
But after testing several Apple products over the years, I realize that the iphone puts so much effort into the details it is almost worth it. The OS interfaces are also just beautiful and most of their products are put together very nicely, like a perfect work of art. The possibilites are endless. Sort of. They just have to learn to trust people with their products and let us do what we want to it (i.e. fix #2).
As with Nokia, its got Apple beat on pure muscle (specs, price, market base, smart-phone functionality). Sadly, sometimes Symbian OS leaves something to be desired (like stability). Unlike Apple, attention to detail isn’t Nokia’s strong point. Just sales.
So thats my humble opinion. Either company could come up with “ultimate” smartphone in the future, depending who’s flaw is fixed first. My guess (and hope) is Apple. But for now, it looks like Nokia 5800 still wins. (James Bond used it, so it must be bad#s!)
I’ve been using the 5800 for about a month now and I’m totally in love with it. This is how i think it faces up with the iPhone . Overall a nice phone, but Nokia should iron out a few kinks before it cal totally take over the iPhone.
oh and I also forgot to mention… my 5800 came with free Senheizer headphones, so it TOTALLY rocks over the iPhone’s puny little headphones.
5800 beterdan iphone
I had an n96 up until a little over a month ago..
It was the n96 that nailed the final lid into nokia’s coffin for me. What a cheap and tacky feeling phone, for what was a £500 + ‘flagship’ phone it was a complete joke. Laggy interface, stupid buttons. On ‘paper’ it was fantastic, as a lot of phones are. It’s the useability that counts.
After selling my n96 to mazuma in disgust I went and bought an iphone 3g on pay as you go just over a month ago. I also bought a rebel sim so I could use it on my current network provider instead of O2.
All I can say is amazing. Extremely responsive, intuituive to use. Screen is fantastic. I quite literally would not take ANY other phone over the iphone, there simply isn’t a better phone out there in my opinion.
Nokia, and all the other manufacturers it seems, are hellbent on churning out model after model, upgrade after upgrade. You barely have the latest phone before it’s outdated by another. They’re clearly feature driven only and completly forget about the usability of the features.
This is where the iphone is lightyears ahead.
Sure, the camera is only 2mp but in all seriousness, what phone actually replaces a digital camera or camcorder? None of them are up to par, simple reason is the optics. They never will replace a dedicated point and shoot.
There are things the iphone *does* realistically replace though, such as….
Ipod – Well it is one, so naturally it would
Games Console – The gadget show actually put the iphone up against a ds and psp and the iphone came out on top for on the move gaming.
Phone – Obviously
Internet – The only phone I’ve used where the internet is a pleasure to use instead of a ‘make do’ until I can find a pc
GPS – Google maps and lots of other apps make good use of the inbuilt gps. Tom tom is also coming to iphone very soon which will literally allow you to replace your exisitng in car device.
Not to mention the tens of thousands of other apps that cover virtually everything you can imagine which literally turns the phone into an indespensible device.
Leave your response!
About Renegade Fanboy
Archives
Pages
Tags
Recent Posts
Most Commented
Most Viewed