Do you really need an iPhone 5? Here are five alternatives - Los Angeles Times
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Do you really need an iPhone 5? Here are five alternatives

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It’s slick, it’s tempting, but do you really need an iPhone 5?

To be sure, it’s likely to be a blockbuster smartphone, and a whole lot of people will be waiting in line for it Friday.

But if you’re not a diehard Apple fan, here are five smartphones that we think can give the iPhone 5 a run for its money. You can see what they look like here.

Samsung Galaxy S III

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The Galaxy S III is available from all four major U.S. carriers. It comes with a large 4.8-inch HD screen, but it’s still a comfortable phone to hold. The Samsung flagship runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating software and can connect to high-speed 4G LTE service on AT&T;, Verizon and Sprint.

The phone is available in blue, white and red if you get it from AT&T.; Verizon, Sprint and AT&T; sell the 16 GB version of the phone at $199, and you can also get a 32 GB version from Sprint or Verizon for $249. The lowest price for the phone from T-Mobile is $229.99, and its pricing depends on the type of plan you have.

Galaxy Nexus

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The Android with the most advanced operating system is unsurprisingly Google’s own: the Galaxy Nexus. It runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and features a 4.65-inch HD screen. It can connect to 4G LTE service, which you need for watching videos or playing games.

You can pick up the Galaxy Nexus with 32 GB for $99 from Sprint or Verizon with a two-year contract. You can also get a version of the phone directly from Google for $349. It has 16 GB of storage and will work with AT&T; and T-Mobile.

HTC One X

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Another popular choice is the HTC One X, which is available from AT&T; for $99 on a two-year contract. It has 16 GB of storage.

The HTC One X runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, can connect to 4G LTE and has a 4.7-inch HD screen.

HTC EVO 4G LTE

The HTC EVO 4G LTE is similar to the One X but is available from Sprint.

It also features a 4.7-inch HD screen, runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and can connect to 4G LTE. It comes with 16 GB of storage, but unfortunately for Sprint users, it costs $199.

Motorola RAZR M

If you’re looking for a small-framed phone with a large screen like the iPhone 5, the Motorola RAZR M might make a good choice. It sports a 4.3-inch screen, but isn’t as bulky as these other Androids.

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The RAZR M, which came out this month, runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and, of course, it too can connect to 4G LTE. It’s available from Verizon for $99 on a two-year contract. The downside? It only offers 8 GB of storage.

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If you don’t mind waiting, there are also some other phones set to release later this year that could make good iPhone 5 alternatives, including the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Motorola RAZR HD.

ALSO:

IPhone 5 selling on EBay for more than $1,000

Apple stock hits $700 in wake of iPhone 5 debut

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Will report of coming Samsung Galaxy S 4 dent iPhone 5 sales?

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