There are tons of companies making great phones. But Samsung only cares about one.
Samsung has a great way of keeping itself in the technology conversation by having dueling flagship phone releases: a Galaxy S around March, and a Galaxy Note around August. It has also had a knack for releasing really great phones over the past three years in particular. From the Galaxy S8 to the larger Galaxy S8+ and now Galaxy Note 8, Samsung has a product set at a range from roughly $650 to $950 in sizes that can appeal to a wide range of buyers.
Many people (myself included, to some extent) panned the Galaxy Note 8 on varying levels for being so similar to the Galaxy S8+ that it didn't really warrant coming out later in the year or having a bunch of fanfare. But when you look at these three phones as a set, and see where Samsung is in the market, you can understand it. Samsung is so far ahead in terms of sales, market share and above all mind share in the high-end market that it isn't even competing with other Android companies anymore — it's going after the iPhone, and that's it.
Samsung is so far ahead it really only has to worry about the iPhone.
When you look at its potential direct competition from the Android world it's clear Samsung doesn't have a whole lot to worry about. At the higher-end segment, LG, HTC, Motorola, Google, Huawei and Sony are all steadily improving and still making good (or sometimes even great) phones. But making one or two good phones in a row isn't enough to catch Samsung at this point — Samsung would have to stumble (and no, the Note 7 clearly wasn't a big enough stumble) considerably.
Samsung, sitting in this extremely high position so far ahead of the Android competition, doesn't have to do a whole lot — just keep on the same path, and play it relatively conservatively. Rather than go off the wall with new designs and crazy features that may compromise something it already built, it has completely standardized on a common design language and a set of features. For the past few years, its high-end phones have focused on just a handful of things: industry-leading AMOLED displays, waterproofing, wireless charging, expandable storage, a headphone jack and consistently good cameras — all things that can differentiate it from the iPhone first and foremost.
In this market position, with so many things working in its favor, why would Samsung try and go off the wall with something entirely new and exciting in the Galaxy Note 8? This was always going to be a predictably stable and safe phone. Because Samsung doesn't really have to worry about the flagships from LG, HTC, Motorola, Huawei and Sony — it just has to get as many high-end phones built on this common platform out in the world before the next iPhone is released.
And with that, a few more random thoughts for consideration:
- I'm writing this on a plane headed toward Berlin for IFA 2017, which officially starts on Sept 1 but for the press gets going on Aug 28.
- If you haven't read our IFA 2017 preview you should! LG, Samsung, Sony and others are all lined up to roll out new products. You'll see all of the coverage from the show on the site.
- You should also follow us on social media during the show, if you're so inclined, to see all of the extras and after-hours fun (well, sometimes — usually just a lot of extra work).
- After my initial review of the Essential Phone, I've continued to use the phone — plus a few OTAs — to give it a full review as soon as possible. Expect to see that on the site in the next few days.
- Just before I left, I picked up a Galaxy S8 Active, which is a definite niche device but one several people have been asking about. Expect a full review in due time, and a comparison to the standard Galaxy S8 as well.
- To break it down simply, the Galaxy S8 Active is effectively a Galaxy S8 with a flat screen, in a really thick case, with a big battery. It's kind of hard to describe just how much bulkier this thing is than a regular GS8, but believe me, it's huge.
That's it for now — hope everyone heading to Berlin for IFA has smooth travels, and those at home have a great week.
-Andrew
Reader comments
Samsung is playing on a different level, and now the iPhone is the only competition
Bahahaha
Along with IPhones Samsung pricing is also on another level, But don't offer anything the average $400 can not do except take a slightly better photo and open an app a few seconds faster.
Android phones this year have been really depressing to me. Glass builds, gimmicky duel cameras, price increases across the board. I wish someone would go back to basics and release a good tool phone. Smooth performance, excellent battery life, fair price.
If the only options were Samsung and Apple phones, I'd go with Apple, so hopefully other Android OEMs can continue making great flagships.
Andrew, very good article, let the truth be told. The only competition they have is with themselves! Reminds me of Jim Brown the football player he had nobody's records to break but his own! Yikes!
Hey look on the bright side. At least Samsung will always have phone of the year and will win every comparison test forever.
It's tragic. All it does is kill competition and support a duopoly.
People are garbage.
Imo it is just the opposite , sammy generally strives to make better phones every year (even though the note 7 was a bit of a failure ), and unless im mistaken a lot of the sammy features end up on competing devices , not to mention the fact that every other brand adds their own features and spin on their respective devices to compete , let us take displays for example , sammy has had amoleds for some years when most others had ips displays , look at how the market has slowly adopted amoled , apple included.
Why? People just want the best. Everyone else is garbage
It feels like everyone only seems to concentrate on Samsung's flagship models and forget they have many other models that compares poorly to the competition.
And still sell better
Not in China
Who cares about China. They have other issues with imports and exports
Obviously you do.. since you felt the need to comment about them.
They're want to compete with Apple on price too- that is charging for the brand and not for what you get. $1500 AU for what's barely more than an 'S8+ deluxe' but with a 'why-oh-why' smaller battery.
Why not a smaller battery. Mine lasts all day no problem whereas doing the same thing with my Note 5 I had to charge it about 4
Sammy may own the high end but I don't shop in $800 phones. They have no presence in the $200-400 market. That's 1+ and Moto land.
Actually they do. And they sell twice as many as those models you mention
That's a shame, because by any other measure they're subpar
Only LG, Motorola, and Google are relevant to the US market of that list of next level players.
Yeah, HTC is basically dead 😅
Huawei and Sony you must buy unlocked and have no carrier support.
I only used samsung devices from the note 4 and before. Not interested in the s series but love the note series, might get a note 5 with nougat to see how the new software is like.
As far as I'm concerned, the S8 Active is the best phone on the market. Much better than my kids iPhone S7+.
The only problem being its large size.
For some of us large size is a plus not a negative .
True.
I once said that I was done with Samsung... Then the s8 happened. Seriously how can you fault this device?
I don't think you want to know that answer...or would be willing to accept anyone's reason(s).
Unless you owned an S8, he'd be right not to.
Please tell me you're joking or aren't that dense. Unless I'm rapid firing with chains of subjective opinions, I'd love to hear why a list of objective cons hinge on more than 1 week of ownership in order to be credible or acceptable. There's a word for that, it's called delusion.
There are 20 original comments and 103 replies to them...
Motorola customer service is what apples used to be. Broke my old moto z screen, they replaced it free of charge. Samsung wants hundreds to do the same, Apple too. Samsung phones are pretty, but they are not practical and are über fragile.
"Samsung is playing on a different level" From a marketing and sales perspective yes. From a functionality of products perspective, no. They don't need the best product to outsell everyone because they have the marketing momentum to sell anything well. Back when other phones won phone of the year awards, and Samsung was an also-ran, Samsung still outsold the better devices. What has happened now, is that their devices have caught up to most of their marketing, and for a lot of people, they really are the best phone for them. I still think that other phones match the quality, and it's a known fact that several phones out-perform Samsung's current lineup on multiple fronts. They do have a lock on Amoled screen quality, and they have a lock on what catches people's attention though.
I have an S8+ currently, and man... What a fantastic device.
I've been tough on Samsung in the past, but they nailed this one.
+1
Yet they do have the best hardware and best software implementation not to mention features.
Never have and never will understand the hype around Samsung, sure they have some very nice looking hardware at the moment and the s pen is the only decent implementation of a stylus on an Android device so far, but that's all the credit I'll give them. Everything else is just buggy and bloated software on top of androids already capable feature set for the sake of trying to be too much like Apple with an enclosed ecosystem. The bloat slows everything down including timely updates. I can think of multiple phone makers that do a way better job of showcasing Android in more practical ways but don't get the same mindshare due to a lack of marketing on their part. What's the go with bixby, Android already has assistant that actually works well with multiple languages around the world, they even built in a button to force users to use that stupid bixby thing. At least they now have on screen navigation buttons that follow the standard Android designs instead of fragmenting away from the heard with a backwards configuration they had in the past.
I think bixby is miss understood bixby is not a competitor to google assistant, Siri or elexa. Bixby Samsung tie in to their entire platform from fridges to washers. Is it the best heck no but it's a lot better than that dumpster fire of svoice. Would I rather have seen bixby as an option on the s8 that can be disabled. Yes but if Samsung wants to grow the ecosystem they have to force it onto the phones because realistically the mobile division is small beens for the corporation
When was the last time you used a Samsung phone as your primary driver? I would have agreed with you all the way until the S6 Edge+ and Note 5. Since then, their software experience has been vastly improved. Their native apps that replace Google's defaults are frequently better. Lag is still there, but far less frequent.
Their cameras are still amongst the best out there. In terms of just point and shoot and not having to retake photos, I've yet to come across anything that comes close, and I've owned a Pixel XL with it's superior camera, and LG V20, and the iPhone 7 Plus. You can get better photos with some of these phones, but not first time every time. And that's how most people need these phones to work.
As for software, I far prefer Samsung's text messaging app to Google Messenger and Textra. I also prefer their email client to Gmail. Their browser beats chrome 90% of the time. Samsung Pay rocks. Secure Folder is great. The list goes on.
I'm by no means a fan boy, but I do believe they deserve a lot more credit than they get.
I'm trying to figure out why so much hate for this article. A lot of people may not like Samsung phones. Like they may not like Apple's phones. But these two companies are competing against each other in the high end and as far as mind share is involved. Huawei may make great devices. But they really didn't start to do that until the mate 9 and p10. They had great build quality before but the software and until the krin 950 the soc sucked. Shoot the krin 960 is still easily outgunned when it comes to gpu performance. Lg, moto, one plus, Nokia, and just about everyone else is fighting for the scraps especially when it comes to profits. Does that make apple and Samsung devices the best. No I would say that the HTC U11 is a better device than the S8. But HTC is not on the same field as the big two. The vast majority of people know Samsung and apple( well at least in the US). And they don't care about any other brand because they are a known. Samsung will give you the best screen in the business features upon features And a great looking device. Apple will give you the apple ecosystem and probably the best support for your device ( if you pay the 100 extra). honestly I'm sad that the state of the us market has devolved into this. But lg has been stumbling I wouldn't call any of their devices great until the v20. Motorola is completely lost, oneplus has no real presence other than enthusiasts, HTC has stumbled more than anyone from always giving us an undersized battery to not being able to make a great camera. The U11 is probably the first all around great phone HTC has produced since the m7 maybe m8. And before that it we have to go way back to find a really good phone from HTC.
I agree with you completely. The only factors that keeps me away from the U11 are screen size (I like larger phones because I spend a lot of time on a packed subway every evening and consume video a lot. But the biggest drawback of the HTC phones is that their LCD screens are invisible in one orientation when wearing polarized sunglasses. That kills all of them for me, which really is too bad. I'd love to see HTC make a comeback.
That would be LCD screens in general. It's just a side effect of the technology based on the mask orientation.
Wait... you wear sunglasses on the subway?
;)
Lol. I'm cool like that. But yeah, while driving it's a pain. I didn't notice this issue with the LCD panel on the V20. Maybe it's a question of screen orientation being 90 degrees different.
The orientation is is the culprit. Polarized sunglasses filter out light that does not match their orientation. In portrait mode with sunglasses on my dash top holder, the M8 and U11 screen remain bright while everything else gets darker, so they actually stand out better with the glasses on.
But, it's tough when you wear glasses that intentionally block light from your screen in the position you want to use it in, and in that regard, Amoled would suit you better. In terms of screen size though, the U11 has the same viewing area for full screen video as the S8.
Stay cool!
Can someone show Sony how to compete for Android market share, at least in the US ?
Sony is a company who could have been so great. Whatever patent deal they have that stops them from bringing in the fingerprint reader on the power button to the US, one of the largest cell phone markets around, is killing them. But it's also odd that they make the sensors for some of the best phone cameras around, but can't be bothered to put OIS on the ones in their own phones, or match the best in other ways. I too wish they would step up their game. They used to have phenomenal phones.
Update game is stupid now anyway. S8 and iPhone have so many more software features than pixel is not even a good comparison. S8 doesn't lag, in the same context that pixel doesn't lag with low quality updates. I'm on pixel xl Oreo and it sucks. Was not worth buying a pixel for. They are still trying to catch up to Samsung adding new copy paste features.
I found the pixle to be a very blahhzé experience. I would have liked it for a hobbie device too play with custom roms some years ago but not as a primary phone and definitively not for the price. For such a plain experience perhaps $200. Stripped down device calls for stripped down price.
nope. Pixel XL or iPhone plus or both. Only doing those two for the last year. Tired of the update game with other brands. Not to mention some have said the S8 still lags, unacceptable.
As a guy with an S8 Plus on the August update and an XL, I can tell you the S8 Plus doesn't lag more than the Pixel. Same with the iPhone 7 Plus I used to have and am letting my dad use.
All phone can lag, though.
Incredible
Most say it doesn't lag
For the most part (depending on the area) the Android flagship market is finished. Only Samsung will ever succeed when it comes to sales and it's impossible for anyone to compete with them. These other companies who create Android devices can market and create stellar devices all they want, but the average consumer isn't moving away from a Samsung device for anything other than an iPhone.
Samsung is a phone for the masses these days. Like an iPhone you don't have to do anything but turn it on and follow the prompts. The general , non tech savvy population out there likes that. They don't remove anything or disable anything and don't know what they're missing anyway. They are happy. The rest of us that frequent forums such as this one prefer Android for it's customizations and can get annoyed when we perceive a slow down in our devices. The other folks are not so concerned or discriminating in their tech. As long as it works and surfs and calls and takes photos they are pleased. Not at all unlike the Apple-ites.
I tried Samsung for a few months and while it's ok I prefer to not follow the crowd and find a smoother experience. Even my HTC 10 is still smooth after 18 months. As smooth as my iPhone 7. I wonder how a Samsung would be after that long? Bottom line and best thing is we still have choices. I hope Apple and Samsung never chase our other choices out of business. Doubtful that will happen so I'm good.
My gf is a Samsung customer. she has replaced her note so many time this past 2 years it's crazy.i stick with Nexus and pixel currently
Yep I'm on my third pixel xl and now with Oreo being the letdown it is, so back to Samsung it is!
Yep I agree, i like Android for its customisation. That's why I want the Samsung. It has built in theme support. It had ui songs that the pixel can only dream about. Once Samsung optimise their software there will be no competition.
Yes, because songs are what make a device suprerior. Further, Samsung has been in the "optimise" process for years, and many people still think they haven't gotten it right. So there's that.
It's hard when you have to lead. Everyone sees you do something first then everyone else follow.
You can customize the ANDROID Galaxy just like any other ANDROID but there are features on it you simply won't get with any other Android or iPhone.
Samsung is really not that good of a phone. I've tried lots of Androids and they are far down the list for me.
Then don't buy it. Their sales say differently though
Andrew, damn. If you got any further up Samsungs @$$, someone is going to have to tie a rope around your feet to get you out.
Nothing he said is inaccurate or biased
Haters gonna hate.
I fear your statement may be what we call an "opinion". Just like this article.
Yes. This is an opinion piece. That's what all articles like this are. Nothing new here>>>>
Samsung does have a very good 'stable' (selection to choose from) of phones.
And due to that - has a huge jump in the Android market.
I'd say - True.
Does that make them above the rest? To me - no.
Samsung makes great phones. On the hardware front - I think they definitely lead the rest. But thats about it.
I'm going back to Samsung for the software. Pixel got boring for me very fast. It had less features than an iPhone even. Once you become a poweruser of Samsung software, you can't go anywhere else
The only Samsung apps I have used that I thought were good was Samsung Pay and their browser. Both were excellent. Any others - I guess I didn't have a need for them or weren't aware of them.
As an old hobbyist programmer, I appreciate frequent updates and the integrity that it shows. Samsung (and AT&T) blew it with me when I waited 170+ days to get the Nougat update for my 7 Edge. Plus all of the bloatware.
If I were to go back to Samsung - I would get the unlocked version - but I'll wait and see how it is actively supported before doing that. So far the history on getting frequent updates on unlocked phones with Samsung isn't that great...
Customer care means a lot to me.
I think that's kind of the point of the Pixel (and former Nexus). They don't overload the device with software you may not use, allowing you to customize far easier than other devices.
It's made for a certain audience
I think you're missing one major player that isn't big in the US yet, but is 3rd largest in the world and is catching up very quickly. Huawei. I used the Mate 9 for a while. It was faster than any other 2016 phone and battery life that's insanely good. I've ordered the Note 8, but I'm very curious to see what Huawei does with the Mate 10, and I believe they will be stronger and stronger every year.
I personally don't want the spyware associated with Chinese phones or the lack of functionality compared to Samsung
This article could've been written since the S6.
Apple has better customer service. If you have AppleCare+, you can walk into any Apple Store and get your iPhone fixed right on the spot. If your Samsung phone gets a busted screen, for example, you have to go through Samsung's terrible customer service. For many, Apple's amazing customer service is enough reason to buy an iPhone.
Also, Apple will be able to justify the hike in price for the iPhone 8 because it'll be a refresh for the devices. Samsung definitely can't say the same about the Note 8. It's basically a glorified S8+ and that's a real shame.
Agree with you on the customer service front. Apple's is very good, and Samsung's is absolutely terrible. Regarding justifying the price, the iPhone 8 will sell well despite it's exorbitant price, but personally I believe based on what we know right now about the iPhone 8, that the Note 8 is actually better value for money. The pen and the screen to support it alone are a leap above that easily justifies the price (for the small number of people who really use it).
It looks like Apple will have 3D facial recognition, which is likely expensive, but it's not something that anyone asked for. It's because like Samsung, they couldn't get the fingerprint scanner under the screen to work. Anyway I may be completely wrong. Just my opinion based on what we know today. I love that they are competing with each other and driving each other to improve.
Samsung already has this infrastructure in place with their kiosks in Best Buy. They just don't get what good customer service is. Maybe one day they'll figure it out.
Agree. I've visited those kiosks to seek help and more often than not, the Samsung representative wasn't there. When they were, they were unable to help except for referring me to Samsung's support phone number after a few basic troubleshooting attempts.
That is because they are not Samsung reps. They are Best Buy employees hired to work the Samsung kiosk.
Apple and Samsung both have justifications. Whether or not consumers accept it is a different story.
When you mention customer service , you need to mention the country. United states in not the whole world. In my country India, Samsung has way better customer service.
Well, considering this is an American tech site...
Nope. There are many non-US specific articles (and writers) and readers as well. Please, stop making Americans look ignorant.
Well it is not.
The United States isn't the whole world? I don't know what your opinion of Americans is, but we're not all egotistical freaks.
No no. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean to offend anyone here. I respect everyone. Considering this is global tech site and even has so many India centric articles just being a bit specific does not mean any harm and helps the total new readers.
That still doesn't mean they can justify the hike.
What people don't realize is if the fiasco with the Note 7 happened to any other phone company not named Apple, their mobile division would be finished. Done. If this happened to the HTC 10, HTC would be done. Huawei mate 9? Huawei is Done. Everyone would avoid those companies like the plague. Now if Samsung decided to go with a stock like experience, they will lap everyone 1000 times, twice on a Sunday in sales.
Well on the failure of the sixth generation note , yes it was a disaster , by the same token many people have had notes before and loved the devices, so there is a long galaxy note history of dedicated users , and i think a large percentage of them saw it for what it was , a failure of only one model in the production and where quite willing to cut sammy some slack .
I might add , whatever people say about the note 7 failure , for the most part i would say samsung pulled out all the stops to make it right when it was obvious it could not be fixed .
Andrew, I accidentally reported two comments here. Just disregard. Thanks. Damn phone lol.
The biggest selling point for the new iPhone is going to be a Samsung display facial recognition and wireless charging. So innovative and courageous! A apple event is like watching old rich used car salesmen sell you a junker for top dollar cause they keep saying it's so fast. They take hrs to explain one feature like people are iDiots. But I guess it's good since iPhones are geared towards the elderly, little girls, and army wives..
And I bet the top tier storage model will cost 1599.99 to top it off.
I think Samsung believes they're competing with Apple. From my experience the customers for Apple and Samsung don't overlap. Those interested in buying Apple products don't care what Samsung is doing. Apple customers are looking for a simple, reliable experience. In their mind only Apple delivers on that.
I think Samsung makes excellent phones. The hardware is great and TW has come a long way for the better. My husband bought the S8 shortly after its release and has experienced no performance issues or degradation. It runs buttery smooth as day one. My work issue phone is a Galaxy S5. Still runs well. When I needed to replace my phone last month, the choice ended up being between an S8+ and an iPhone 7 Plus. (I really wanted my choice to be between the Note 8 and the "iPhone 8", but the demise of the phone I had at the time made my new phone purchase come sooner than I'd planned.) I considered a few other Android models, but these were the two that were always at the top of my list, because I felt they offered the most in terms of a hardware/software/performance package. Samsung's customer service does suck, but the biggest drawback for me is the slooooooow OS upgrades/updates. I would love to see improvement there, but I don't know how realistic that is.
well, considering numbers and growth (Gartner etc), i would say both samsung and apple have to worry about what's coming from behind (Huawei, Oppo etc.). so basically i think it's your opinion that samsung goes against the iphone, because looking at global numbers (and not just your own american territory), both manufacturers might face quite some problems. so a note 8 or S8 is a huge cash cow for samsung (as is the iphone), but technically, the do NOT offer more than those manufacturers selling phones for much cheaper prices.
Samsung sell phones at every price range, just like they do with all their other products.
Nice 180 on the Note 7, Marton. Only NOW iPhone is Sammy's competition (according to the title)? Quack article, stating the obvious. Airplane writing is not good for AC.
Two words.... SAMSUNG PAY... NUFF SAID
Love it! Use it on any phone paired with a Gear S3.
yeah Samsung pay/Spen/ sAMOLED/ can't wait to pick up the Note8
Very true. Only reason I'm not getting it is because my s8 is holding strong and I'm waiting for a 600 band Samsung. Although at the right price I would not mind getting it.
Im sure that Dec will bring many a deal your way. Not to mention that as long as you avoid too many glowing camera screen and Spen Note 8 reviews coming in 4 days when the first retail units are in the wild, you should be very happy with your S8 Which is a fantastic device masquerading as a phone.
I was reluctant to go with s8 after the horrible laggy s7 edge. But I gave it a shot after getting a bogo deal and the difference is night and day. On top of that I thought things would get bad after a month or 2 but it's been a great phone overall. Not as zippy as my old 3t or pixel but it makes up for it with a great camera, water resistance and Samsung pay.
Another shameless plug for Samsung, this site needs to be called Samsung Central haha
Original.
Never heard that one before.
Yeah, in a couple months you will be called Pixel Central
I'll bet. Always someone that doesn't like what you have to write.
I know, right? Lolz
The Customer Service/ Tech Support is their downfall..Its non existent...and horrendous. If all is good, then they make great products, If something is wrong , you are on your own...sad but true
Thanks Dave
Agree wholeheartedly! Samsung customer service and their tech support are the worst of any tech company I have ever seen! Plus, not having a repair center, especially for the phone repair in cities like Denver is absolutely ridiculous... say for a replacement battery on the sealed phones. Having to make arrangements to actually send a phone in for important warranty or post warranty repair is moronic customer service policy. There's an Apple store three miles from my house and the manager there told me anytime I want to switch from Sammy phones to iOS Apple, it's only one hour to replace a battery or fix it or get a new phone. Sammy is SO far behind the times I'm hesitating getting a Note 8!
That is definitely a plus that Apple has over Samsung. But again, Samsung isn't going to make stores like Apple. It just isn't going to happen. The way I see it is, most people rarely have issues, so the question is, do you prefer being locked down to what Apple tells you to do and being able to walk into a store if you have an issue or do you prefer to have great features and customizable options and if you have an issue you have to wait for a replacement in the mail... Something that many have to do anyway with Apple because they don't have an Apple store near them.... Hmmm, tough decisions. I myself prefer to have great features on my phone versus the other option.
I said...Sammy repair center... not wanting a store!
Apple doesn't have repair centers for their phones either. Only thing that they might repair is the screen. Anything else has to be done at the Apple store.
You need to take a time out! You need to learn how to read! 🙄
I'm good. If you can't understand that it's ok. I won't hold it against you.
I like both phones. They are both stellar in their own right. The things that Apple have going for it are: hardware and software integration and connectivity to all of their other products, customer service, physical stores, repair, etc. Sammy also has a lot going for it: innovation, great hardware and sometimes (lol) software, Samsung Pay is awesome and their promos and discounts can be nice. I always end up going back to my iPhone because of most of the reasons listed. I did like that I had an issue with my iPhone 7's screen with light bleed and they replaced it under warranty in the store in an hour. The screen housing includes Touch ID, top speaker and screen. Anyway, I am going to wait and look at the iPhone 8, the lg v30 and the Note 8, but I may just end up staying with my 7 plus for a while on the Apple side. I've jumped back and forth for two years and it's gotten old.
you know best buy is a certified samsung tech repair place now right? not all of them, but many locations can be found in my area. I've already reached out to samsung through the phone and got my note 5 replaced when I needed it. it's not as bad as other android platforms, but its not the worse.
Wholeheartedly agree. Even just returning a pair of headphones to Samsung Direct took forever. They got the headphones two months ago and I just got the refund this week. Terrible.
You could say that for just about any Android manufacturer though, especially in comparison to Apple.
I continue to be amazed at how often overlooked Samsung Pay is. It is one of the most useful features on my phone. It is the one feature only Samsung can have and it's almost all encompassing as far as mobile payments are concerned. It will be almost another decade before Apple Pay or Android Pay have anywhere near the penetration that Samsung Pay already has. IMHO Samsung has not done a good enough job of highlighting and exploiting this mobile service.
Totally agree with this comment on Samsung pay! I tried an LG G6 but ended up with the s8 in large part because of Samsung pay and also rootless substratum theming. I still prefer a flat glass panel and love double tap to wake on the G6 but keep coming back to Samsung, note 5, S7, G6, S8. Pay is the killer app.
For the S8, if you have the AOD on, you can double tap the home button or hard press it to turn on the phone
I know you could hard press whether aod is on or off but never knew you could double tap! So much easier than hard press with my tgsp applied. Awesome thanks for the tip!!
I think it's cool but it's useless for me since I use a small local bank....
^^THIS^^ Sam Pay. No one including Apple can compete
You don't have to have a Samsung phone to use Samsung Pay. I love Samsung Pay and use it daily, not on my S8+ but on my Sony, because I have it paired to my Gear S3.
Yes but the MST functionality is the bomb, especially where I live as most stores don't have NFC terminals. I can't wait until more phones use MST.
Yes, love using it when the cashier says their terminals don't support the new payment methods. Love to see the shock in their eyes lol.
It asked me to update, on two separate occasions, at the moment of truth (while trying to complete a purchase) on my Gear S3 Frontier so I deleted it two months ago and my memories of its once 'gee whiz' usefulness are fading.
Gotta say, Samsung won me over the year (from LG) when they went software nav. I love my S8. That said, if LG goes OLED on the G7 I could be persuaded back. I miss LG's interpretation of Android as well. I've gotten used to Samsung's, but still.
Plus 1
I like this comment because of what it says about the quality of high end Android powered devices.
I use the s8plus as my daily. There are so many things I love about this phone. I don't know where to start. To me It's simply the best! Yikes, I'm confusing myself! If I had to I would definitely purchase again & again!
Not pretty hard to win over from LG
I'll buy an LG device again. Maybe you misunderstood.
I'm done with Samsung. I don't like the bulky, redundant software or the 8 month Android update delays. I'm waiting until the new iPhone and Pixel come out, then upgrading to whichever looks best.
Yeah, 7.0 was pretty fantastic on my old G5. And I had it in November. Not looking forward to the wait for Oreo.
What new features were in Nougat/are going to be in Oreo, that aren't already part Touchwiz?
Since Lollipop, android updates on Samsung phones haven't been exciting, because everything being added to Android has been part of the Touchwiz framework since atleast the Galaxy s3 came out in 2012.
Notification Channels, battery life improvements, Project Treble (making it easier for manufacturers to update their devices by separating the core OS from skins like Samsung UX Experience)
Seriously... What updates were in nougat that made it completely different? And many of the phones on carriers got the update along with many other manufacturers. At the same time,many features that come with Samsung ui have features that even the stock android doesn't have yet. But hey, that's your choice. I love stock android but lately I love my s8 and the amazing camera and being able to pay securely at almost any store with Samsung pay on top of getting double rewards.
Might as well get an iPhone
Samsung, like Apple... Has become critic proof. Hate them all you want, they'll just keep selling things.
Pretty much. I'm actually done with Samsung as I really hate the curved edge display, bloatware that bogs things down, and now the inability to easily root and do what I want to do with my phone (without having to import an Exynos version that would have no warranty here). It's sad, since I had been using Samsung devices since the OG Galaxy S (among various other Androids). They've also priced themselves out of my reach with the Note 8. I simply can't justify spending $1300 Canadian on a phone.
Right now, I'm quite happy with my OnePlus. Literally the fastest Android experience I've had, and outside of a so-so camera in low light I am loving this phone!
I was thinking about the S8 active for the durability and the huge battery, but having never used a Samsung phone, I'm hesitant to make that commitment, especially when one of the biggest reason I'm leaving LG is that I'm just sick of the performance dropping after a few months. I can't imagine that Samsung is much better.
I think OP5 is the way to go. Reviews say it's one of the faster phones and it apparently has great battery life, too (I'll miss my removable battery). Still waiting for the Pixel XL 2 to launch, though, before I make my decision.
Use clean master you clear the system cache(not ram cache) and you will never experience slow downs. In fact Samsung even has their own system optimizer based off of clean master baked right in.
Hell no, tell me you do not use clean master.
That does not eliminate slowdowns and lag....at least not to the point that a factory reset would.
Factory reset is required to get performance back to original, and we've done that sometimes three or four times a year. The S7 Edge was better and could go a year without a reset, but when other phones are faster and never need a reset, it makes it tough to go back.
For what it's worth, I had to do a factory reset about 3 weeks in the my s8 because some weird things were happening. No slow down at all since then....been about 3 months now.
Sounds like it's improved a bit. You can't do anything about weird apps doing strange things, and it's not the phones fault, but regular resets should not be a part of typical use.
Clearing the system cache is the first thing to do
I have a note 5 and it still is fast like day one. .....
Doubtful. You might think it is but it absolutely is not.
Mine is.
Agreed. It's the first phone I've held on to for 2 years and it's still great. The battery isn't what it used to be, obviously, but aside from that this phone has been solid
This comment makes a lot of sense. I believe Samsung has achieved their objective......to become the Android Apple. OnePlus and a couple of others will probably become the go to phones for techie enthusiasts and Apple and Samsung will split the masses (many of which will not notice, believe or ever admit where their devices fall short).
Yup that's what Samsung has been doing already for some time
People use Samsung because they're feature-rich. the .00001% of users that are enthusiasts aren't what Samsung is looking for. Samsung is looking for those of us who want the total package,
You need to try a device s6 or later.
I also believe excellent customer service can really help maintain their position.
Note 7. Enough said. I also hate what Samsung does to Android. They ruin it in so many ways and add so much bloatware
Keep in mind that one person's bloatware is another person's required feature.
Amen. Opinions are like.....
Well, don't leave me in suspense! Opinions are like what?
Lol that's awesome.
Non dominant hands... Mine is right, yours is likely to just be left.
OMG I'm a lefty and I've never heard that but I think it's awesome. I'm stealing it.
Raindrops in an ocean..
I agree. I've come to enjoy their camera, calendar, messaging, email & internet apps. I would enjoy their internet browser more than Chrome if they had a desktop version & the bookmarks synced o other devices.
You can sync bookmarks between chrome on desktop and Samsungs mobile browser. There is an extension for chrome that allows it.
Oh yeah!! Go back to S3 most of its features are now backed right in android! You folks called that gimmicks.... I think Samsung paves the way for android itself... Except when they enter crazy deals like the one with Microsoft to pre install their apps. My phone has 4 Microsoft apps I am not using and can not remove even though I have disabled them
Android O is finally getting that popup window bloatware
Google tends to add things to stock Android once multiple manufacturers start implementing a gimmick/feature.
it's wrong to call anything new and useful a gimmick.most of the Samsung inovative work was eventually adopted. but the way Samsung does things is also wrong. they can manage to keep special features and not bog down the performance. their phones have serious memory problems because of that. the lag is undeniable and in time slows everything down. they throw everything they come up with at once and on top of those features they add duplicate apps for the phone to run. it's too messy and overwhelming for processing.
I don't know if they are too cheap or too greedy and inpatient.
one perfect example outside of the OS design is hardware. they put everything together and then realized they have no room for proper FPS placement. I guess, they just said: "f.c.uk it, just put it there.its odd,ppl will complain,but eventually they will get used to it.'
Reason why Samsung is so successful as an android manufacturer compared to the rest is they follow what Apple did right after or before. The whole reason why Samsung did an almost all bezel phone and the removal of the home button trying to embed is bec they knew from the rumors what Apple was planning on a while redesign for this year's iphone 10th anniversary. Samsung trys to match the iPhone for feature for feature and design. Apple doesnt rush in the latest gimmicks or try to spec out the phone like Samsung or some other manufacturers. They might be slow to adopt with some but when they do its done correctly and done right. And once again Apple sets the trends with their dual camera direction and Samsung follows to match and trys to be a bit better. And watch once the the new iPhone is released with their new 3d facial recognition with no touch id I'm sure samsung will follow with the S9. Samsung doesn't plan ahead like Apple they just go with what Apple has done or is going to do!
Like removing the headphone jack? GTFO
This is one of the funniest posts I've ever seen on AC. If Samsung does it first they are doing it because they knew Apple would be doing it but if Apple does it first it's because they are more innovative than the rest. That's the jist of the post right?
Hahahahahahaha!
If you guys actually read /follow Samsung and Apple news from all the other sites that release articles on the latest rumors from sources they have than you be in the loop of what's going on!
Someone it best in this article about Samsung!
"I think it’s awesome that Samsung Mobile continues to make business and design decisions based on what Apple does or does not do. And by "awesome" I mean "hilarious"."
https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/6/16104154/samsung-under-display-fingerp...
You quoted The Verge....there goes your credibility!
You sir are delusional.
Um, Samsung already has facial recognition, Seems that's another thing Apple might copy.
I'm not. As I said in my reply I just happen to follow articles of the latest news and rumors released from tech sites from analysts that have sources close to these two companies. Like KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who has a pretty accuracy on the latest upcoming features /designs.
Or maybe Apple copied Samsung. It's been known to happen........
I guess you haven't used a Galaxy since the S6?
Samsung's split screens? Not bad.i use it all the time when at work. Especially maps/email , gallery/my sketch program. Pdf files and texts/emails etc. I can actually understand though that some features may not be as useful on small android screens
I've used split screen one time and that was just to see how it works. A phone screen is too small for something like that.
Which phone? I like samsungs implementation better than googles new version. Plus only on note or s6edge plus
I have the Pixel XL and the OnePlus 3T. I also have a HTC 10.
Correction. Your phone screen is too small. Works great on my S8+
Opinions opinions, aren't they great? If mst is bloatware then I use bloatware everywhere...
It would be a boring world if we all liked the same things...
I totally agree. Samsung phones still lag and have issues. Them also not updating their phones also hurts them with people. Samsung having its own browser and photos app is useless so people responding to this post are not understanding the difference between a feature and bloatware.
Ah useless yet more feature rich than anything Google offers. Let's not forget that this is exactly what the OS was designed for, customization.
Been using TW since the S6 and I don't have those issues.
Correction. You don't notice those issues.
Now in addition to all the various reasons I already had for liking Samsung phones, it looks like I can add one more - that you don't like them. Thanks!
Well I see Google's apps as bloat ware..
I love what Samsung does, they make android significantly better. I would probably take iOS over stock Android.
Every time I use a near stock device I feel so many basic features are missing, I need to download more apps to do the same thing, and some things built right into Samsungs UI aren't available or require even more apps to get the same functionality.
Amen. I've been saying that to my sheep for ages.
Yes. Like restart!
I buy unlocked direct from Samsung, very little bloat ware and no carrier apps included
The Note 7 - even with the battery - was a better device than ANYTHING on the market at that time. I'd much rather have bloatware than be stuck with vanilla Android. If I wanted to be bored with my device, I'd get an iPhone.
You mean when they had a vague trade in promotion for the S8 and randomly stated denying phones? Or when my friend called and they couldn't verify an IMEI was legit even though it was purchased directly from them and then again through Best Buy?
Apple's position, or Samsung's? I wasn't aware that Samsung did any customer service. Samsung lets the carriers handle all their support, which is really a terrible experience for everyone.
Not really. There are a lot more carrier locations than Genius Bars
Yeah, but they're staffed by poorly trained people with virtually no knowledge of the products they support. Genius Bars don't employ actual geniuses, but the people who work at them do generally have first-hand knowledge of the products. (Apple makes so few that it's pretty simple to know their entire line top to bottom.)
Let's get this straight, their phones are great but customer service doesn't even come close to what Apple provides.
Yep. You should be able to just walk into a Samsung kiosk at Best Buy and walk right out with a replacement. This is where Apple kills them. Maybe Samsung will get it one day.
I think they're at least starting to understand that...some Best Buy stores will at least do same day repairs on their phones. Of course none in NC.
yep. Samsung CS is as bad as any other Android OEM's , which makes them look even worse , because they have so much more resources available. Apple is all alone in that game. nothing comes close.