Download Speed: iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S III

By Trey Thoelcke Published Sep 24, 6:52AM EDT

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Now that millions of people and thousands of tech reviewers own an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 5, the attention about the device has turned to its features and connection speed.

The speed comparisons usually take two factors into account. The first is the difference in download and upload activity between the 4G networks the new model uses compared to the 3G networks previous versions of the iPhone used. In these evaluations, the new phone wins hands-down. The only complaint is that 4G networks are not built out as widely as 3G ones are geographically.

Another set of popular tests is the difference between the iPhone 5 and other 4G-enabled smartphones. Since the Samsung Galaxy S III has been described as an “iPhone killer,” it is the logical target for these comparisons. One of the most widely read tech sites, CNET, reported the following:

The iPhone 5 did slightly better with download speeds while the Galaxy S3 enjoyed a bigger margin on upload speeds. Keep in mind that your results may vary depending on your location, the strength of a carrier’s network at a given the time, and the number of people using it around you.

In other words, it is a tie, as far as CNET is concerned.

Douglas A. McIntyre

About the Author Trey Thoelcke →

Trey has been an editor and author at 24/7 Wall St. for more than a decade, where he has published thousands of articles analyzing corporate earnings, dividend stocks, short interest, insider buying, private equity, and market trends. His comprehensive coverage spans the full spectrum of financial markets, from blue-chip stalwarts to emerging growth companies.

Beyond 24/7 Wall St., Trey has created and edited financial content for Benzinga and AOL's BloggingStocks, contributing additional hundreds of articles to the investment community. He previously oversaw the 24/7 Climate Insights site, managing editorial operations and content strategy, and currently oversees and creates content for My Investing News.

Trey's editorial expertise extends across multiple publishing environments. He served as production editor at Dearborn Financial Publishing and development editor at Kaplan, where he helped shape financial education materials. Earlier in his career, he worked as a writer-producer at SVE. His freelance editing portfolio includes work for prestigious clients such as Sage Publications, Rand McNally, the Institute for Supply Management, the American Library Association, Eggplant Literary Productions, and Spiegel.

Outside of financial journalism, Trey writes fiction and has been an active member of the writing community for years, overseeing a long-running critique group and moderating workshop sessions at regional conventions. He lives with his family in an old house in the Midwest.