Advice Please (Picking a phone, I'm an Android Noob!)

[dancing-bass]

OK, so my wife surprised me and wants to switch carriers so we can get MODERN phones (long story)

She wants an iPhone. No problem - different strokes and all that

I'm taking a hard look at the Gnex, although the carrier I'm looking at also has the Sammy GSII X.

Looking at specs listed alone (without digging into WHICH processor is actually better) the GSII X looks better, but here's the thing I really want to know. I'm looking long term - Canadian carrier = 3yr contracts, so which is likely to have the best LONG TERM support? (I assume the Gnex) and which has the more sturdy PHYSICAL build? Again, its a 3yr term. Yes, I'll have at minimum a screen protector and likely a case on it, but still....

I don't know how often Google does a Nexus phone (haven't researched that) but I do understand that Nexus phones are supposed to have support from Google pretty much as long as the hardware is capable of running the updates (be it a patch or a new version aka Jellybean... or KidneyBean... or LimaBean.... ). So What do you extra smart Android people know and recommend?

Background: I'm Used to older Blackberry OS (4.5) although I've played around very briefly with iOS and Blackberry's Playbook. Android knowlege is limited to reading this wonderful site and a few minutes poking at a friend's Razr

And and all information is read, and appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Samsmalls]

I recommend galaxy nexus... Only because it has the latest Android software. Three years is a long time for a cellular contact, You do have a partial upgrade right? I hope you don't have to keep this purchase for 36 months!? As any smartphone will be outdated, however if so feel free to grab whatever seeing that you'll there's a good chance you'll be tired of it & device is seriously outdated

 

[dancing-bass]

Well I made the right choice. I brought home a shiney new Gnex today. Slowly figuring out ICS and Android in general... I'm sure I'm gonna have TONS of questions

 

[clodfelterac]

welcome to the awesome world of android!... i highly advise finding your devices forum here and browsing around the threads... get used to the layout... root your phone asap!... whats the point of calling it your phone if youre not the superuser right?... welcome and enjoy!...

 

[dancing-bass]

Rooting I think I'll wait for a bit. I don't want to break warranty just yet! The forums are awesome and so is the "Getting started" thread! Its quite a leap from a feature phone though

 

[jerryjerryjerry]

Sturdy physical build and Samsung do not belong in the same sentence. Samsung builds their phones out of the cheapest, thinnest, shiniest crappy plastic on the planet.

Have you not noticed whenever you pick up a Samsung phone in the store, the flimsy battery door is usually falling off? Glued to the display pole and peeling halfway off the phone?

Go pick up any Samsung phone, then go pick up a Nokia Lumia 900 or an iPhone so you can see what build quality looks like.

As a bonus, those two phones also come with OS's that don't start bogging down and getting glitchy and lagging 4 months after you buy them.