Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S vs. Apple iPhone 4s: A Throwback Tech Showdown

The Xperia Arc S and iPhone 4s represent a fascinating era in smartphone history. Both devices were flagship contenders in their time, boasting innovative features and distinct design philosophies. Let's revisit these classics and see how they stack up against each other in a modern context.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 4s edges out the Xperia Arc S due to its superior app ecosystem, smoother iOS experience, and generally more refined software. While the Arc S offered a beautiful display and decent performance, the iPhone 4s's overall polish and longevity give it the slight advantage.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S	Apple iPhone 4s

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100 - LT18i	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
EDGE	Yes	-
GPRS	Yes	-
Speed	HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps	HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO
	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 / 800 - LT18a	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO

Launch
Announced	2011, August. Released 2011, September	2011, October 04. Released 2011, October 14
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions	125 x 63 x 8.7 mm (4.92 x 2.48 x 0.34 in)	115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm (4.54 x 2.31 x 0.37 in)
SIM	Mini-SIM	Micro-SIM
Weight	117 g (4.13 oz)	140 g (4.94 oz)
	-	Scratch-resistant glass back panel

Display
Protection	Scratch-resistant glass	Corning Gorilla Glass, oleophobic coating
Resolution	480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~233 ppi density)	640 x 960 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~330 ppi density)
Size	4.2 inches, 48.6 cm2 (~61.7% screen-to-body ratio)	3.5 inches, 36.5 cm2 (~54.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	LED-backlit LCD,	IPS LCD

Platform
CPU	1.4 GHz Scorpion	Dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8255T Snapdragon S2	Apple A5 (45 nm)
GPU	Adreno 205	PowerVR SGX543MP2
OS	Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), not upgradable to 4.1 (Jelly Bean)	iOS 5, upgradable to iOS 9.3.6

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included	No
Internal	1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM	8GB 512MB RAM, 16GB 512MB RAM, 32GB 512MB RAM, 64GB 512MB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Single	8 MP, AF	8 MP, f/2.4, 35mm (standard), 1/3.2", 1.4µm, AF
Video	720p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	-	VGA, videocalling over Wi-Fi and 3G
Video	-	480p@30fps
	No	-

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP, EDR	4.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	No	-
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS; GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	No
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	ANT+ HDMI port MP4/H.264/WMV player MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player TrackID music recognition NeoReader barcode scanner Document viewer Voice memo/dial/commands Predictive text input	-

Battery
Music play	Up to 37 h	-
Stand-by	Up to 460 h (2G) / Up to 460 h (3G)	Up to 200 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 7 h 25 min (2G) / Up to 7 h 35 min (3G)	Up to 8 h (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery	Li-Po 1432 mAh, non-removable (5.3 Wh)

Misc
Colors	Pure White, Midnight Blue, Misty Silver, Gloss Black, Sakura Pink	Black, White
Models	-	A1431, A1387, iPhone4,1
Price	About 210 EUR	About 190 EUR
SAR	-	1.18 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.66 W/kg (head)	0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -89.3dB / Crosstalk -90.2dB	Noise -91.2dB / Crosstalk -93.0dB
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 45h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1261:1 (nominal) / 2.269:1 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	Voice 67dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 76dB	Voice 65dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 74dB

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

Beautiful Reality Display
Sleek and minimalist design
Android customization
Decent camera with manual controls

Shorter battery life
Less powerful processor compared to iPhone 4s
Software updates ceased long ago
Less polished user experience

Apple iPhone 4s

Smooth iOS experience
Strong app ecosystem
Excellent battery life
Refined hardware and software integration
Generally more reliable

Older technology
Smaller screen compared to Arc S
Limited storage options in some models
No expandable storage

Display Comparison

The Xperia Arc S boasted a vibrant 4.2-inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, known for its excellent contrast and color reproduction. The iPhone 4s featured a 3.5-inch Retina display, also lauded for its clarity and sharpness. While both offered impressive contrast ratios (1261:1 nominal, 2.269:1 sunlight), the Arc S's larger size gives it a slight edge for media consumption.

Camera Comparison

Both phones featured 8MP cameras. The iPhone 4s's camera was known for its consistent image quality and ease of use. The Xperia Arc S offered slightly more manual controls, but image processing wasn't as refined. Video recording capabilities were comparable, both offering 1080p recording.

Performance

The iPhone 4s's dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 chip, paired with Apple's A5 chipset, generally provided a smoother and more responsive experience than the Xperia Arc S's 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor and Qualcomm MSM8255T Snapdragon S2 chipset. iOS was optimized for the hardware, leading to better overall performance, especially in multitasking.

Battery Life

The iPhone 4s held a significant advantage in battery life, with an endurance rating of 45 hours. The Xperia Arc S's battery life was considerably shorter, typically lasting a day with moderate use.

Buying Guide

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is for enthusiasts who appreciate Android's customization options and a sleek, minimalist design. The iPhone 4s is ideal for users seeking a reliable, user-friendly experience with access to a vast app library and strong brand recognition, even in the used market.