Forget iPhone 4S: Nine High-End Apple Alternatives

Description: The Samsung Galaxy S II is a media-centric Android smartphone with an 8 megapixel digital camera and LED flash that can capture full 1080p HD video. But the device’s real strength is its beautiful, SUPER AMOLED Plus display, which makes surfing the Web, watching video, viewing pictures a true pleasure. It packs a powerful 1.2GHz processor.

Pricing: The Galaxy S II is available from a number of U.S. wireless carriers, including T-Mobile, Sprint (Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G) and AT&T. Pricing varies by carrier.

What Galaxy S II Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: Google’s Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) smartphone OS; unique, motion-controlled navigation that lets you shift the device to organize the home screen, tilt to zoom, flip to silence and more; Super AMOLED Plus display; Samsung TouchWhiz UI.

Description: RIM’s first and only “candy bar” style BlackBerry with both a touch-screen and “physical” full QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard is the best RIM has ever made. It runs RIM’s latest mobile OS, BlackBerry 7, and packs 8GB of internal storage, expandable to 40GB with a 32GB microSD media card, along with a powerful 1.2GHz processor.

Pricing: The Bold 9900/9930 is available from all major U.S. wireless carriers except for AT&T. (Bold 9900, T-Mobile; Bold 9930, Verizon Wireless/Sprint.) Pricing varies by carrier.

What BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: “Physical” full QWERTY keyboard; BlackBerry 7 OS, with BlackBerry Messenger (BBM); BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) integration for corporate smartphone users; and Near Field Communications (NFC) support for mobile payments and more.

Description:The first thing you’ll notice about the HTC Titan is its gigantic, 4.7″ inch display, the largest screen on any Windows Phone 7.5 (WP7.5) device. The HTC Titan was also designed specifically to run WP7.5–as opposed to older versions of the Windows Phone software–so it can take advantage of everything Microsoft’s latest OS has to offer. (Read details on the coolest new features in WP7.5) And it has a high-quality, 8 megapixel digital camera with F2.2 lens, dual-LED flash and BSI sensor to help capture beautiful images regardless of your environment.

Availability: Expected to be released in the United States in October.

What HTC Titan Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: Windows Phone 7.5 OS; massive 4.7″ display; built-in Zune multimedia experience and Xbox Live gaming integration; 8MP digital camera with unique lens and sensor; and very fast, 1.5 GHz processor.

Description: Motorola’s PHOTON 4G smartphone packs a large, 4.3″ qHD (quarter High Definition display), a speedy dual-core 1GHZ processor and support for 4G WiMax networks. It’s also a “world phone,” meaning the PHOTON can connect to both CDMA and GSM networks across the globe. You can utilize Motorola’s Webtop app easily by connecting the PHOTON to a larger display or TV using a mini HDMI cord. The Webtop app allows you access everything on the device on a grander scale, and even lets you surf the Web via a built-in Firefox browser.

Pricing: $199.99 with new, two-year Sprint service agreement.

What PHOTON 4G Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread OS); Motorola’s Webtop app; 4G network support (WiMax); and a kickstand to put the device in a viewing position for media consumption or Web browsing.

Description: RIM’s BlackBerry Torch 9810 may look just like the original Torch 9800 smartphone, but it packs a variety of new internal enhancements, including a faster processor (1.2GHZ), more RAM, more internal storage, and it runs RIM’s new BlackBerry 7 mobile OS. The Torch has a touch screen and a “physical” full QWERTY keyboard, and the device’s “slider” form factor sets it apart from other BlackBerrys. New HSPA+ network support also means faster data transfers.

Pricing: $49.99 along with new, two-year AT&T service agreement.

What BlackBerry Torch 9810 Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: “Physical” full QWERTY keyboard; slider form factor; BlackBerry 7 OS, with BlackBerry Messenger (BBM); BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) integration for corporate smartphone users; very reasonable price at just $50 with new service agreement.

Description: The latest device in Verizon’s Android lineup, Motorola’s DROID BIONIC, packs a powerful, 1GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3″ qHD (quarter High Definition) display made of Corning’s “Gorilla Glass” for durability, an 8MP digital camera with LED flash and support for 4G LTE networks. You can utilize Motorola’s Webtop app easily by connecting the DROID BIONIC to a larger display or TV using a mini HDMI cord. The Webtop app allows you access everything on the device on a grander scale, and even lets you surf the Web via a built-in Firefox browser.

Pricing: $299.99 with new, two-year Verizon Wireless service agreement.

What DROID BIONIC Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: Google’s Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) mobile OS; support for 4G LTE networks; removable and expandable memory via microSD card slot.

Description: HTC’s Thunderbolt smartphone was Verizon Wireless’s first 4G LTE Android handheld. It runs Google’s Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) mobile OS and has an 8MP digital camera with dual LED flash. The device has “surround sound” speakers for superior audio quality. And it supports mobile hotspot functionality, so it can share Verizon’s speedy 4G network with as many as five separate devices.

Pricing:$249.99 with new, two-year Verizon Wireless service agreement.

What HTC Thunderbolt Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: Google’s Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) mobile OS; support for 4G LTE networks; HTC Sense UI; removable and expandable memory via microSD card slot (comes pre-loaded with a 32GB media card); high quality “surround sound” speakers; and a kickstand to put the device in a viewing position for media consumption or Web browsing.

Description:HTC’s Sensation 4G smartphone is T-Mobile U.S.A.’s best Android smartphone to date, due in no small part to its Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) software, extremely powerful 1.2GHz, dual-core processor and HSPA+ network support. It also has a 4.3″ qHD (quarter High Definition) display and an 8 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, capable of taking full 1080p HD video.

Pricing: $199.99 with new, two-year T-Mobile service agreement.

Availability: Now on T-Mobile.

What HTC Sensation Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: Google’s Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) mobile OS; T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling support means users can place voice calls over the Internet without using any of their monthly allotment of minutes; removable and expandable memory via microSD card slot (the device comes with an 8GB memory card); and HTC Sense UI.

Description: No official details yet on the Samsung Nexus Prime smartphone, so this is speculation. It appears that the device promises to be a true “iPhone rival,” and because it’s expected to be unveiled this month, I wanted to include it here. The Nexus Prime should be the first Android 2.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) smartphone, and it should support Near Field Communications (NFC). It could also pack a 4.5″, 720p Super AMOLED HD display and 1.5GHz processor.

Availability: It’s rumored that Google and Samsung will announce the device on Oct. 11. It is expected to be available via Verizon Wireless.

What Nexus Prime Has That iPhone 4S Doesn’t: If rumors hold true, Google’s Android 2.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) mobile OS; Super AMOLED HD screen; 1.5GHz processor; and possible integration with an Android tablet of some sort, based on a teaser video recently released by Samsung.