While the success of the iPhone 4S has been a dream come true for Apple, there are plenty of other people out there in smartphone-land who choose not to buy one of the sophisticated devices. This might be because they consider it too expensive, or not enough of a progression from the previous incarnation. However, lots of people are also turning to smartphones running the Android operating system instead, simply because they prefer the way they tick.

There are certainly plenty of options open to you right now if you fancy something of an Android persuasion. In fact, there has never been a better time to buy an Apple rival, and our handpicked personal selection is just the tip of a very large smartphone pile that continues to get bigger and bigger by the day.

What to get

Thanks to manufacturers realising that not all of us have lots of money to spend, particularly at the moment, then there are Android smartphone models to suit all pockets. Many actually also have specifications that will give the iPhone 4S a run for its money too. HTC, for example, has plenty of models with great features, such as the Sensation, that has an excellent large screen and an array of multimedia tools.

Samsung is another manufacturer that has really led the way with smartphone design and build quality. Their Galaxy SII model, for example, is a best seller and it’s not hard to see why thanks to the delicious styling and a beefy specification that does most things the iPhone does and a few others bits and bobs besides. It’s not one of the cheapest you’ll find, but that high price is for good reason.

Another model, which is perhaps on the strongest rivals to the iPhone 4S has to be the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which is a handset that not only looks really impressive it has some truly innovative features on-board. Granted, this is another model that will tend to come with a high-price tag, but that’s to be expected for this level of complexity and sophistication. Little wonder then that it is already top of many Android shopping lists the world over.

Now that Sony is on the up when it comes to improving its smartphone range then you may want to check out the new Xperia X10 that is due imminently. This is a great looking handset that also comes with the usual excellent Sony build quality. It’s good on the eye and allows you to get the best from all of the usual Android features inside that elegant chassis.

And, let’s not forget the Motorola Defy + model either, which is another Android offering that sports a rugged design, but plenty of features that will keep most people happy while they use their handset on the go.

Try another angle

While this represents just a few of the current Android offerings, it seems more than likely that this year will prove to be an even more productive one for the Android OS and smartphone devices running it. What’s more, with Google introducing more updates and manufacturers customizing the operating system too, this really could be the year that the Apple iPhone finally gets sidelined by its competitors.

Rob Clymo writes on behalf of Broadband Genie, the online comparison site for broadband, mobile broadband and smartphones. Follow the link to do your own broadband comparison.