iPhone 4
Were you aware the iPhone family has an app store? It does, you know, and a damn good one at that.
Packed with a whole host of apps, and boasting the largest number of big name brands chucking their wares in, the App Store has revolutionised the way we use smartphones.
Mapping is decent too – quick, easy to use and often updated, with the API offered out to developers for apps as well.
However, it lacks some of the critical elements that Google obviously saves for its Android platform, which means it will always be slightly inferior.
HTC Desire
The HTC Desire has access to the Google Android Market, which is apparently closing in on offering 100,000 applications.
However, this portal is a little under-stocked still, with most of the tier-one applications only available on the iPhone. This should change in the next year, as many brands are seeing Android as a more mature platform, but it's a long way from matching the iPhone.
The Google Maps application is great, not least because it's making good use of the phone's 1GHz processor.
Elements like transit lines, free satellite navigation and a swift GPS signal make this a really good option if you're looking to find yourself – literally, not in the philosophical sense. Although there may be an App for that…
Samsung Galaxy S
Like the Desire, the Galaxy S has access to a whole range of applications through the Market, so there's no differentiation there.
However, the Galaxy S also has another portal: Samsung Apps.
It's a little odd as not only are there just six apps on offer, but these keep getting updates every two to three days.
It's not a great offering, but one that we hope will get bigger and offer tailor-made Galaxy S applications to users.
Map-wise, the Galaxy S slightly outdoes the Desire simply by having a better and clearer screen. This means if you're using the phone as a sat nav, seeing where you're going is that much easier, which is always a plus when navigating.
Winner: iPhone 4 • Compare iPhone 4 deals
