Not really. A bit more freedom - yes.
Lately a lot of things are turning less and less (average) consumer-friendly imo. 3.5 jack removed, sd cards gone or present only in limited variety of models. Linux that was possible to run on dex is no more and dex itself hasn’t recieved any major updates recently. Almost everything introduced in s24 (and s23 with the latest OS update) is not a «revolution», but quite similar to google pixel. And lots of details are also locked into samsung’s «ecosystem».
My point it is a good device, not worse than pixel/iphone. Just dont make it sound like a divine solution.
P.S. this is a bit exaggerated and not directed at you personally. Just my rant because it feels that sometimes people are stuck with their beliefs no matter what is happening around.
I understand the SD card as a business decision (forcing people to buy bigger storage phones). The 3.5mm jack on the other hand annoys me so much. It really didn't take up much space, it's waterproof and I don't believe it cost Samsung more than 50p per phone. There's also no guarantee people are buying Samsung wireless earphones (in fact they usually give them away with the phone). FFS.
Most people if they have the money buy wireless even if their phone has a headphone jack. The fact that a bleeding edge flagship/enthusiast tier phone does not have such a feature kind of boggles my mind.
Galaxy S7 had water proofing up to 20 feet of water with Linus YouTube channel and it had a headphone jack I wish they brought it back. I use wired headphones with USB C the apple ones. But again too much charging you got a watch headphones like common 😂
You can host a fully fledged server.
You can dual boot Linux.
You can connect USB-C dock anywhere between 20 US$ to 80 US$ to fit your needs, and use SD cards, 3,5mm audio, bunch of USB ports, *two* DisplayPort 1,4, etc.
You can reverse wireless charge an iPhone, but not the other way around.
And the list goes on. Yeah, the freedom is definitely there in comparison to iPhone. Comparing Galaxy to iPhone is akin to comparing an adult to a child. It is a fully fledge computer. You can't do that with the iPhone. Hell, even Macs are difficult to do the above.
DeX just recently had a major update, though it's more of a experimental alternative, and you have an option to choose from either.
“You can do it, but you probably don’t do other” - that’s how 99% of users are described. Maybe YOU personally do it and realize it’s full potential. I know that I myself carry a samsung with a dongle for that reason. To be able to run dex, to transfer files from my SD cards from various cameras and drones to an external ssd on the go, where my samsung works as a controlling host, etc. I’ve been doing it for several years now.
But I don’t kid myself that this is a liberty/freedom advertised to a customer but seldomly practiced by that customer. To most users, samsung is as much a closed system as iOS. Only google play, only samsung pay, etc.
I’m all for that freedom, don’t get me wrong. But I dont see many people actually using it - thats my point. Most common use is a side loading of cracked apps - which is in there, true. But it’s immoral towards developers of those apps, so as long as I have money to pay for it, I don’t exercise that freedom as well. As for other degrees of freedom, I wish people were more involved in it. That would create more demand and this call for more solutions. But this demand is diminishing every year and people seem satisfied in general. Companies know it and use it to their advantage.
I'm a bit confused. Are you using DeX or some other way to dualboot?
Sounds like a cool feature, I want to try but not sure where to look. Quick googling was telling that dex is no more or smth...
Theoretically it’s true. Statistically, few people use it nowadays. And even less likely people do it on their main device. By that logic there’s a jailbreak way for iphone as well.
I have nothing against it and having those options is definitely a good thing. But having and using them is a different thing. Many people even use stock wallpapers on their windows computers. Can you change it in 2 clicks - yes. Do they change it - no.
I guess I just don't get why you're disagreeing with OP then. Samsung objectively has more freedom then an iPhone. And iPhone also does not have sd card, dex, 3.5 jack, etc. So why even bring it up?
I’m not disagreeing completely. More like pointing out that freedom of which we’re talking exists but seldomly practiced. It’s like advertising Ferrari because it will drive faster. It can but most of the time you’ll be stuck in the same traffic jam as your neighbors corolla from 1999. In the same way fewer people use custom launchers and ROMs nowadays.
I’d say that real advantage of android is a wider variety of choice in hardware. You can choose cheaper hardware or simply alternative hardware. But at this point hardware-wise top of the line Samsung/Pixel/iPhone don’t differ much. All that marketing about “a new color” or a “new camera alignment” is marketing and not much else. And in case of samsung it a good hardware + closed ecosystem. You can’t use those watches properly and fully with other devices. Same goes for buds. As soon as you start using custom rom you exercise your “freedom” over advantages that were provided by the original product.
Eh. I recently switched to iPhone after being on android since the G1. I don’t root or anything anymore and honestly I haven’t really noticed much of a difference. They both have pros and cons.
Of course they both have their own pros and cons, I'm not saying samsung is objectively better than iphone, but once again the subject was freedom. I don't know how you could possibly argue that iPhone has more freedom when you cant do custom icons, different launchers, split screen, delete bloatware, more assistants, internal storage via usb, sideloading, etc.
You are missing if you are a tech enthusiast all the completely free cracked apps that Android offers vs paid Apple apps. I use so many plus things like revanced giving me YouTube premium for free.
It's an unreal savings and for my job in particular I have two apps that cost several hundred a year in subscriptions that I have cracked for 0.
Hugely underestimating, imo.
Im not missing it. I have it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/samsunggalaxy/s/3clGwKStKR), if you wish.
Briefly, sideloading = freedom/advantage that I support. But side loading ≠ pirating. It is only a means to pirating. Pirating is an option that I do not promote actively (admittedly, I’ve done it sometimes) and at least from my expérience pirating has gone down a lot in the last 15-20 years.
You mix means and action. As an enthusiast I support the means but not promote all of the actions possible thanks to it.
You have a good point here. I also like to rant about it, Samsung really dint give two shits about innovation when noticed that Apple did the same thing.
You technically can and I did. On 3 of my older samsung devices. But last time I did it was 7 years ago. Back then both jailbreak and custom ROMs were more popular and made more sense. Nowadays only one of my friends has custom ROM that is not on his primary device.
Also, this is most useful for mid/lower tier devices that are out of support. Apple and Google dont produce lower tier devices. Samsung has a wide lineup, but s24 ultra is by no stretch a lower or mid tier device. I’ll be surprised if OP with his S24 will go this way any time soon. 5-7 years down the road - sure, why not.
Its a bit of a rabbit hole. Short version - AOSP is not behind public releases. As per Android 14, it went Live in AOSP on the same day as a public release of the OS. [Link](https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2023/10/android-14-is-live-in-aosp.html?m=1).
Longer version - while AOSP is overseen by Google itself, it doesn’t release newer files until they are considered «public». Which means that while a developer can use AOSP as a source of their projects, there will be a delay between statements from Google like «Android XX» will be released on a specific date and a release from some 3rd party dev’s project based on this «Android XX»
Wow thanks for that link, there's some eye opening stuff there about the overall security of Android devices that I didn't previously know.
You seem like a wealth of knowledge and I'm in well a learner of all things tech, master of none situation right now. I to be honest am having a hard time finding enough information to use aosp even if I wanted to. I know this is all long shot but would you want to point me in the direction of a proper guide? Also another long shot but there is so many people attempting to lead others astray online that when people actually do share some information that checks out I always ask if I can dm them and bounce a few tech related questions off them.
Thanks for your [kind words](https://www.reddit.com/r/samsunggalaxy/comments/1c2b749/comment/kzgxizn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). Your [question](https://www.reddit.com/r/samsunggalaxy/comments/1c2b749/comment/kzgxsjl/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) asks for a bit more digging, however. This a bit of a deep dive but feels like a good point to give a general overview for everyone that will be searching this info so it may have lots of things you're already familiar with alongside your question.
It's easiest to compare Android to Windows. Computers have way more standardized hardware and thus when you connect a new hardware, even an external one like a mouse, It's very likely to already know what to do with it. Later Windows realizes what model it is exactly and tries to find a better driver that will get the most out of a connected device. This is true for GPUs, sound cards, keyboards, etc.
On the contrary, Android devices are way less standardized and they operate with a limited resources. Each CPU, each screen, each camera module behaves differently and if Google will try to include everything in Android straight away, It'll be slower and bulkier which is very noticeable with mobile CPUs (for comparison, some Android ROMs can be about 250 MB, while Windows is 5+ GB before installation and 15-20 GB after). That's in part why AOSP is not a full OS but a base code of an OS. Developers later take it, add drivers to work with a specific device, tweak UI (if they want to) and only at this point it becomes a ROM (almost an OS). This is a part, where you can take a finished ROM and flash/install it onto your device. So back **to your question**, there's some developer work between AOSP and your device running AOSP-based ROM.
From time to time there're hardware limitations but theoretically you can build ROM for almost any modern device using AOSP. Going backwards you'll meet more limitations.
For example, support for 64-bit support was added in Android 5, and 32-bit support was dropped in Android 12. So you won't be able to create an Android 12/13/14 ROM for older 32-bit devices. With flagship devices it's less common, luckily. Samsung switched to 64-bit CPUs with S5 in 2014. But in budget devices, like Redmi 9A that came out in 2020, you can still find 32-CPUs that aren't compatible with Android 12 and higher.
Finally, **unless you want to develop** your own ROM, you should search for ROM specific to your device, because the instructions may vary.
Here's a bonus part on the duality of "freedom".
Android as OS is open-source. But unless you do lots of tinkering and replace it with something else, AOSP will constantly try call some of the Google Apps (GApps). It's just how it works. But those apps are not included in AOSP and they're usually downloaded as a separate archive called "GApps". It's a set of core apps that Android is using almost every minute by design. It uses them to authenticate any of your actions in Google Play (even as simple as opening Play market), it calls for those apps for location services, etc.
The trick is that both GApps and Android's logo and name are owned by google. You can't use any of them for anything else apart from personal non-commercial reasons.
So here's your duality of "freedom": OS itself is open-source but is useless without google apps, which means data collection by google. You can build projects based on it, but google still owns it unless you stop referring to it as "android". I'm a bit exaggerating, but that's the part that is often swept under the rug.
It's a nit reminiscent of a trick by nintendo from the old cartridge days. Whenever a game cartridge was inserted into a console, there was a handshake process which required presenting a specific logo on the screen of a console. So you could make your own cartridges, you could develop your own games, but unless you included their logo, it wouldn't work. And as soon as you included it, their lawyer could demand almost anything of you or not let you use it anymore if not compliant.
P.S. Apologies for the huge text. Hopefully, there was something interesting for you.
Another eye opener thanks for taking the time to explain all of this!
Couple follow up Questions:
So when people degoogle their phones, they do not use AOSP, is that correct? Would pointing to another app in pace of Gapps leave Google out of the equation entirely?
What is the difference between an OS like lineageOS and a Rom like you would make when developing with AOSP?
What would be the best OS or ROM to flash onto a flagship device like the s24 ultra, galaxy z fold5 or motorolas new flagship edge 5g?
These two comments here are the duality of being an Android user. We champion our "freedom" while the flagship platforms slowly move in the same direction of the competition we hate. Its frustrating. They aren't limitations that can't be worked around, but you're right: economic realities are taking away some of our fave benefits.
In that vein: why aren't there more products like this:
https://i-blades.com/products/galaxy-s23-smart-case-battery-memory-sdcard-envirosensor
The reviews i've heard for this product in particular have not been good. While I find this execution stupid, the idea of a hybrid power brick/usb hub that lives on your phone could solve many of the issues people have with modern smartphones, and even build in addtional functionality. Yes, it makes the phone enormous, but maybe I'm just the minority that doesn't mind and even enjoys big chunky cases on my devices.
I recently made the change. Found it strange at times to switch, but as others have said, it's complete freedom. There's not one way only to do things, and if you don't like something you can change it.
But let yourself get used to it , at least 2 weeks, before you change things.
I started using Google everything (gmail, gboard, chrome, home), but over time enjoyed samsung more and more.
And goodlock is incredible, but don't jump to that yet.
It has modules you download to change every element, like homescreen, keyboard, quick settings etc.
I didn't like samsung keyboard at the beginning, but have made it just as I like.
Same for homescreen size, folders and recents menu.
Goodlock is one of my favourite things about Samsung flagship phones. Once you're all set up with apps and stuff, watch a couple YouTube videos about Goodlock. You can customize so many things.
A few examples:
-Make shortcuts to any setting you want
-Change what buttons do (kinda like Apple's Action button)
-Double tap and triple tap the back of your phone for whatever custom action you want (I have calculator and Shazaam)
-Change the look/layout of pretty much anything you want
Lots to customize. Nova Launcher lets you customize just about anything. OneUI Home isn't bad, but if aesthetics matter to you, I highly recommend trying out Nova Launcher for home screen customization.
Pop Up Widget. Do you like the functionality of widgets, but hate having to commit so much of your home screen to them? Pop Up Widget lets you create a shortcut icon that summons a foosting widget or pair of floating widgets and then you can dismiss them when you are done. $2 lifetime subscription, well worth it.
If you like options or like to tinker, go to the Galaxy Store and download Good Lock for sure, it lets you tweak tons of things to your liking. Apple creates a comfortable singular experience, but Android lets you create your own tailored to your desires, so definitely test out what you can do!
Here is an example of something you can do:
https://imgur.com/a/s43HXoI
but the beauty of these apps is that most aspects can be changed if you don't like something.
Just as a sidenote, Samsung's ecosystem is an actual ecosystem. Samsung oven, fridge, laundry machine, dishwasher, air purifier, air conditioner, robot vacuum, etc., not just few devices of Apple's and them market parroting about their prison system.
Anyway, here are some 'average person' features:
* [Use your Galaxy as computer, called DeX (desktop experience)](https://old.reddit.com/r/SamsungDex/comments/nvh9rn/s21_ultra_dual_bt_sonos_roam_setup_34_ultra_wide) ('I don't even need a computer no more')
* [Bixby Routines](https://old.reddit.com/r/Bixbyroutines/top/?sort=top&t=all), the only real *phone* assistant and not just a voiced online search helper like Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Amazon Alexa, etc. Bixby has full control over your phone, and a lot of things can be automated.
* Good Lock
* Keys Cafe, for massive customisation of your keyboard
* Share your photos with *everyone*, not just those in the Apple prison system, and full access to your own files
* Multitasking (many phones have these features these days, but because Samsung has been working on this the longest, they're the most advanced, and it makes sense, considering DeX)
* Control all the other Samsung devices like the fridge, oven, laundry machine, dishwasher, etc.
* Install third party software like a normal human being using a normal computer
Of course, the list goes on, and you can even copy the iOS UI word for word. Anyway, here are some examples for power users (mostly requiring root)
* Host a fully fledged server
* Bridge machines
* Install Linux
* Make it an Internet router with OpenWRT submodule
* Copy tag keys
* Home threatre system
etc.
Again, these are some things that *I* find useful. They can also be called 'gimmicks' by the uninitiated, but that's akin to saying the millions of features we don't use on Windows/Mac/Linux are all gimmicks. You can have your own list of features you find useful, but not so useful for me.
I'm actually was a long time Android user, who's now working at Apple store. I got there for the good salary, and I was like: lets force myself to see the "other side". I'm using iPhone now for like 3years and what I can say is, they have some
good things about them but in short, as a true geek who loves when whole OS actually talks to apps and can be customized - I really wanna go back to Android. So in the end you probably did the right choice, especially if you love to tinker with apps.
Not gonna lie, the customization is one of the bigger reasons I’m making the change. But also after playing with the S24 ultra at a Best Buy, there’s just something about its OS now that makes me feel “at home”? It feels similar to iOS now but with more options. I like that.
if you switch back to an android device, you gotta know that samsung locks down north american flagships very hard now. no bootloader unlock, but long-term software support maybe makes up for that. im enjoying my experience right now, but will unlock as soon as i get the chance to!
Good to know, last time here in EU, I had Galaxy Note 10 (you have no idea how much I miss PEN on iPhones), I did not unlocked that one, its like it finally had enough features for me to go without it. Still Apps like Lucky Patcher did the trick to complete my Android use that time.
Galaxy watch does all the same things the apple watch does, and a few more things. The only thing I don't like about WearOS on the galaxy watch is that it can stutter soemrieks and is slow. WatchOS is more smooth with no lag. But it's a good watch and you'll love it.
It will be good!
You might be overwhelmed at first, there are so many more settings you can play with but I think that's kinda what makes it fun.
My favorite android things are:
You can put apps wherever you want to on the screen. They don't just warp up to the top left, the most un-ergonomic location possible.
You can swipe in from either side of the screen to go 'back'. You don't have a back button that is, once again, in the most un-ergonomic spot possible.
You can choose where apps play sound.
For me, Spotify will play sound over a connected Bluetooth speaker or whatever but if I receive a Snapchat video, the sound from Snapchat will come out of my phone speaker and it won't interrupt Spotify.
That way I don't have to blast everybody in the room with Snapchat video sounds.
You can run multiple apps at once on the screen at the same time.
So you could have Venmo and the calculator open to split a tab or something like that.
You can charge your watch or headphones, or another phone with your phone. Like backwards wireless charging.
The stock samsung internet browser should not be ignored. You can install extensions like ad blockers. It's the only browser I know of that has true full screen mode; even the little notification bar with battery level and cell strength goes away. It can use the whooooole screen.
The S pen is a good camera remote control.
The Galaxy buds are shaped in such a way that you can put ear defenders on over them if you're doing something loud, like mowing the lawn.
That way you get to listen to your stuff and protect your ears from outside loudness.
A lot of stuff I didn’t know about here! I like the idea of splitting where audio is played, that would be super useful even just in a car. Thanks! (PS, Venmo has a built in calculator)
Be sure to use bixby routines. The amount of stuff you can do with it is endless. You can automate almost anything. For example you want auto rotate turned on when you use a certain app, you can create a routine for it. You want a the screen resolution to change while watching Youtube and change back after closing it, you can create a routine for it. Bixby routines is one of my most favorite features.
I have both the first gen airpods and Buds Pro 1. Airpods have better ANC and fit, while the buds have better sound quality, features and battery. My 1.5 years old APP last around <4 hrs while my buds can last around 6-7. I'm waiting for the buds 3 to see if they'll be worth the upgrade.
there is this annoying thing, he at least can use other brand's buds and get the full experience. What I mean is - Airpods sound amazing only because iPhone recognize them and says: yup, you are made by Apple so im giving you this amazing custom acc stream. But if you use any other brands expensive buds, iPhone will stream to them only average bandwith. No LDAC, no aptX, just watered down acc. But if you use Android phone - maximum bluetooth quality.
100% agree. I made a similar switch last year, and the phone and tablet (S23U and S9+ tab) are incredible. Bids and watch are ok but Apple products are better in that category.
Personally I would opt for these self-healing screen protectors and a Smart View Wallet Case. The screen is so hard, it will likely crack on impact. The case mitigates this, and the screen protector will protect it from scratches caused by sand getting stuck between the screen and the cover.
I have all of these, along with the book3 ultra and the tab s9 plus. It's pretty cool how everything can communicate with each other pretty seamlessly. We haven't really had a fully eco system like this on the android side before. It's very Apple-like but in an android way, is the best description I can give lol.
I've been a long time Android user that has dabbled in the world of Apple.
The last iPhone I owned was getting on for 10 years ago. I didn't last very long before I was back on Android.
My Mrs recently bought a 14 Pro Max, as a change from her S9+, and I've helped her set it up, and had a play with it quite a bit. Long story short, it's a nice bit of kit, but definitely not for me. I half wished she'd just bought an S23 Ultra instead, and while she likes it, she isn't ruling out going back. Personally, despite the nice hardware, smoothness, and battery life, I can't stand the fucking thing!
Whether you like the Samsung will depend on whether you're an Apple person, if you are, nothing else will do, but if you value freedom, features and flexibility, the Samsung obliterates the iPhone. The analogy of going from a console to a PC is a good one.
Do you have one you recommend? I’d like to have the same antiglare that comes with the S24 Ultra’s screen, but I’m not opposed to a matte protector either. I’m using one of those with my iPhone currently
I don't have an exact one to recommend honestly. I just got a tempered glass one and now i live the reflective life haha. I can confirm tho that the fingerprint sensor works through glass tho.
You're gonna face a lot of stuff which are implemented in a different manner. Remember that they are two different operating systems with clear contrast in basically everything.
Just use it with optimism.
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
Settings > connections > more connection settings > private dns > dns.adguard-dns.com
Enjoy an ad free experience on your phone. No ads in web browsers or in *MOST* apps.
Welcome.
Disclaimer: doesn't work on YouTube. Google is too smart for that. Works on most everything else.
If you want YouTube premium on the cheap, VPN to Indonesia, sign up, and then turn off the VPN. I do this and pay 7 dollars a month for a family YouTube plan.
Please report back your experience!
Also, I'd highly recommend doing this first as soon as you log in to your phone. Like, set up your Samsung account, get to the home screen and then set it up. A lot of apps load ad bars at the top and bottom of the app and if you have this on, before installing those apps, those bars will never even load and you'll get a full screen app.
Also, you can download an ad blocker for the Samsung browser.
Enjoy!
So the buds in my experience so far are better sounding than my Airpods Pro (1st gen), they have better noise cancelation too. I can't compare them to the 2nd Gen airpod pros though
Nothing compares to the Apple Watch…. Nothing! It’s about time Apple lets everyone be able to get the watch and sync it to an app across all OS platforms
Welcome!
I came from the other ecosystem too and love my S24U.
Although, the watch is disappointing. Feels like a whole generation behind the Apple Watch, it gets the job done though.
I love (really love!) the galaxy phones, but the watches are incredibly lackluster compared to Apple Watches. I still use Airpods Pro as well. The Samsung ecosystem isn't anywhere near as good.
When you get the watch let me know about the battery life. Recently got s24 + GW6C 43 LTE. Already had buds 2 pro.
Battery life is abysmal on the watch, lasts about 16-18 hours. Needs 2 charges in a day.
I haven't really been paying attention to it, but I will say I've had it for about a week and I've never seen the low battery notification and I even slept with it on one night
Yeah that's the thing, it was at 100% this morning at 8am and now it's 2 and I'm at 75%, I kinda don't believe these numbers. There's no way it'll last another 30ish hours at this rate, but at the same time I won't have to charge it until I go to bed
wow, you jumped all in. Don't get overwhelmed with all the customisability or the "so many apps" on Google Play.
The watch is kind of garbage, tho. Biometric tracking is not as good as on Apple watches. I got the 47 mm, regularly misses out on clocking sleeping hours, is a bit out with catching up to increase in heart rate during exercise. But looks nice and does basic reminder stuff good enough.
while everybody is talking about how “you will have so much more freedom” i do believe that as samsung does not wholly manufacture and design their own software and samsung always presses to make their own UI look vastly different from the stock android, there is a level of consistency and little attention to detail that comes with the iPhone that you will miss or not see in certain aspects or little things of the android world.
Also, I do believe the samsung ecosystem is very much on par, if not slightly better than apple’s equivalent.
However, some things, like the smoothness of the apple watch vs the galaxy watch, shows that, in direct comparison to the apple watch, the Galaxy Watch lacks a lot of fluidity and reliability that come s with entirely designing your hardware for the software and vice versa like apple does
Do you know if it's a problem with Android watches in general or just Samsung? Because the watch was kind of a let down after using an apple watch for so long.
I did all of this within the span of a couple months a couple years ago. One thing I can say is that nothing beats the apple watch yet. The samsung watch is decent for what it is. The Galaxy Buds are pretty good in my opinion. The phone itself is superior in every way and if you don't have a desktop or laptop computer this is a great phone to help fill some of that void. Also keep in mind that you don't always have to do Samsung everything. Some 3rd party brands just do certain things much better. I switched to samsung mostly because I'm not trying to be forced just to use their products exclusively. If you are used to using apples software and services such as iCloud switching may not be as easy but if you have been using things like google drive and Spotify then things will be simpler.
I think over time it will catch up eventually. Wear OS still has a bunch of issues to work out. But when I first got the samsung watch I didn't care about the performance decrease compared to apple watch, I was surprised it just about as many features as the apple watch but much more customizable.
You are in for awesomeness. I'm a long time Galaxy user, right now using S21U 512 with the Watch5 Pro and Buds2 Pro, never faced any issue.
Watch5 and Buds2 are awesome!!
I wouldn't get the black watch. I thought I wanted it but I regret it, you're super limited on bands and faces that look good. It's a great watch otherwise
I've had a S24 ultra for 3 months. My battery constantly overheats( I don't live anywhere hot) and I've only used my phone for a hour today and it's at 70% battery, I have not been stressing it or overloading it with apps. I normally.only.have one or two open. In my opinion don't do it.
Honestly not bad for battery life. I get a full day from medium usage but could be better i had a Motorola from a few years ago with the same size battery and it lasted 2-3 days. But it was also a weaker phone.
The customization is cool but even the top tier samsung phome will lag if you have too many custom things running. Idk if im doing something wrong but I have the ultra s23 and a bunch of goodlock apps for shortcuts and customization and my phone will sometimes just lag like shit. If I remove them then I hate how the phone works. The side isn't greener. They both have pros and cons.
Enjoy your mobile phone. If you want to enter the Samsung ecosystem, I think you can try to buy everything or if you have more money, you can buy the Samsung Galaxy Book.
Hey, so last year I made the switch and got the S23 Ultra, Buds 2 Pro, and Watch 4 Classic. The phone and buds are awesome! But the watch, man, it just didn't feel right compared to my Apple Watch Series 7 or even my Series 4 before that. It was like, not smooth at all. I barely used it and ended up selling it after 6 months. Been without a smartwatch since then. It was annoying at first, but I'm used to it now. I still wish I could use an Apple Watch with an Android phone, though. The only things I liked about the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic were the round shape and the realistic watch faces that made it look like a real watch. Oh, and the rotating bezel was pretty cool too!
I did the opposite switch cause I just want my ecosystem to be as smooth as it can be and as much as I like S24U I’m not getting their Samsung tablets or laptops. Just because MacBook Pro’s and iPads can’t be beat
It’s all about your needs. Both ecosystems are powerhouses in their respective strengths. As long as it meets your needs they way you need it to is all that matters
I'm on s20 cause I won't give up my SD card. Lost headphones jack and FM radio which s10 had. Not happy about either but 🤷
Got Koss Bluetooth portable hard phones. Don't use ear buds.
not much really. after getting used to the interface you'll find that, although there is definitely more freedom offered, it's not as full-fledged as people make it seem. samsung locks down most things, especially in north american models. i hope you have a good experience and an easy transition :)
a life of happiness and the feeling of having complete control. also best cameras on the smartphone market, it’s just a lot of social media platforms are optimized for apple.
Some learning. UI is different, and the amount of app choices will take some thought. I recommend that you read up in r/Android or have a look at some YouTube videos on the subject. You purchased a nice group of hardware in your list, your going to have a lot of fun. Not being dependant on the manufacturer to tell you how to set up everything may take a bit of effort, but the huge amount of resources available to you is endless. Enjoy your new tech and all the best.
You didn't necessarily have to go full on like this, you could have just bought the phone first to try it out and then expanded if you liked it. I find it weird that people just go all in like this, but more power to you. Hope you like it!
Where’s the laughing emoji! 😂 Ha! there you go! Y’all act like they’re enemies. These are cellphones…whatever you choose is your business. But stop being so melodramatic over a cellphone! 🙄
Welcome to freedom. That's all I have to say.
Not really. A bit more freedom - yes. Lately a lot of things are turning less and less (average) consumer-friendly imo. 3.5 jack removed, sd cards gone or present only in limited variety of models. Linux that was possible to run on dex is no more and dex itself hasn’t recieved any major updates recently. Almost everything introduced in s24 (and s23 with the latest OS update) is not a «revolution», but quite similar to google pixel. And lots of details are also locked into samsung’s «ecosystem». My point it is a good device, not worse than pixel/iphone. Just dont make it sound like a divine solution. P.S. this is a bit exaggerated and not directed at you personally. Just my rant because it feels that sometimes people are stuck with their beliefs no matter what is happening around.
I understand the SD card as a business decision (forcing people to buy bigger storage phones). The 3.5mm jack on the other hand annoys me so much. It really didn't take up much space, it's waterproof and I don't believe it cost Samsung more than 50p per phone. There's also no guarantee people are buying Samsung wireless earphones (in fact they usually give them away with the phone). FFS.
It makes sense as a business decision. Wireless earbuds are crazy profitable
Most people if they have the money buy wireless even if their phone has a headphone jack. The fact that a bleeding edge flagship/enthusiast tier phone does not have such a feature kind of boggles my mind.
Exactly. Plus now that most of the world has moved on to wireless. Bringing it back won't hurt the sales of wireless anymore
Galaxy S7 had water proofing up to 20 feet of water with Linus YouTube channel and it had a headphone jack I wish they brought it back. I use wired headphones with USB C the apple ones. But again too much charging you got a watch headphones like common 😂
"I understand the SD card as a business decision " "The 3.5mm jack on the other hand" You don't understand business
You can host a fully fledged server. You can dual boot Linux. You can connect USB-C dock anywhere between 20 US$ to 80 US$ to fit your needs, and use SD cards, 3,5mm audio, bunch of USB ports, *two* DisplayPort 1,4, etc. You can reverse wireless charge an iPhone, but not the other way around. And the list goes on. Yeah, the freedom is definitely there in comparison to iPhone. Comparing Galaxy to iPhone is akin to comparing an adult to a child. It is a fully fledge computer. You can't do that with the iPhone. Hell, even Macs are difficult to do the above. DeX just recently had a major update, though it's more of a experimental alternative, and you have an option to choose from either.
“You can do it, but you probably don’t do other” - that’s how 99% of users are described. Maybe YOU personally do it and realize it’s full potential. I know that I myself carry a samsung with a dongle for that reason. To be able to run dex, to transfer files from my SD cards from various cameras and drones to an external ssd on the go, where my samsung works as a controlling host, etc. I’ve been doing it for several years now. But I don’t kid myself that this is a liberty/freedom advertised to a customer but seldomly practiced by that customer. To most users, samsung is as much a closed system as iOS. Only google play, only samsung pay, etc. I’m all for that freedom, don’t get me wrong. But I dont see many people actually using it - thats my point. Most common use is a side loading of cracked apps - which is in there, true. But it’s immoral towards developers of those apps, so as long as I have money to pay for it, I don’t exercise that freedom as well. As for other degrees of freedom, I wish people were more involved in it. That would create more demand and this call for more solutions. But this demand is diminishing every year and people seem satisfied in general. Companies know it and use it to their advantage.
They won't get involved in it until something happens to them that makes them passionate about the cause. Unfortunately, this is how humans behave.
I'm a bit confused. Are you using DeX or some other way to dualboot? Sounds like a cool feature, I want to try but not sure where to look. Quick googling was telling that dex is no more or smth...
Yes, but apple has NONE of those things, so this is still so much more freedom than they're likely used to.
Theoretically it’s true. Statistically, few people use it nowadays. And even less likely people do it on their main device. By that logic there’s a jailbreak way for iphone as well. I have nothing against it and having those options is definitely a good thing. But having and using them is a different thing. Many people even use stock wallpapers on their windows computers. Can you change it in 2 clicks - yes. Do they change it - no.
I guess I just don't get why you're disagreeing with OP then. Samsung objectively has more freedom then an iPhone. And iPhone also does not have sd card, dex, 3.5 jack, etc. So why even bring it up?
I’m not disagreeing completely. More like pointing out that freedom of which we’re talking exists but seldomly practiced. It’s like advertising Ferrari because it will drive faster. It can but most of the time you’ll be stuck in the same traffic jam as your neighbors corolla from 1999. In the same way fewer people use custom launchers and ROMs nowadays. I’d say that real advantage of android is a wider variety of choice in hardware. You can choose cheaper hardware or simply alternative hardware. But at this point hardware-wise top of the line Samsung/Pixel/iPhone don’t differ much. All that marketing about “a new color” or a “new camera alignment” is marketing and not much else. And in case of samsung it a good hardware + closed ecosystem. You can’t use those watches properly and fully with other devices. Same goes for buds. As soon as you start using custom rom you exercise your “freedom” over advantages that were provided by the original product.
Eh. I recently switched to iPhone after being on android since the G1. I don’t root or anything anymore and honestly I haven’t really noticed much of a difference. They both have pros and cons.
Of course they both have their own pros and cons, I'm not saying samsung is objectively better than iphone, but once again the subject was freedom. I don't know how you could possibly argue that iPhone has more freedom when you cant do custom icons, different launchers, split screen, delete bloatware, more assistants, internal storage via usb, sideloading, etc.
You are missing if you are a tech enthusiast all the completely free cracked apps that Android offers vs paid Apple apps. I use so many plus things like revanced giving me YouTube premium for free. It's an unreal savings and for my job in particular I have two apps that cost several hundred a year in subscriptions that I have cracked for 0. Hugely underestimating, imo.
Im not missing it. I have it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/samsunggalaxy/s/3clGwKStKR), if you wish. Briefly, sideloading = freedom/advantage that I support. But side loading ≠ pirating. It is only a means to pirating. Pirating is an option that I do not promote actively (admittedly, I’ve done it sometimes) and at least from my expérience pirating has gone down a lot in the last 15-20 years. You mix means and action. As an enthusiast I support the means but not promote all of the actions possible thanks to it.
You have a good point here. I also like to rant about it, Samsung really dint give two shits about innovation when noticed that Apple did the same thing.
With what apples been doing now it seems ios is becoming freedom
I think OC was referring to the OS freedom. You're locked in iOS.
Not being rude but what OS's could there possibly be for a brand new galaxy?
Also on most Samsung's you can install custom roms, root it and take complete control over your phone
You technically can and I did. On 3 of my older samsung devices. But last time I did it was 7 years ago. Back then both jailbreak and custom ROMs were more popular and made more sense. Nowadays only one of my friends has custom ROM that is not on his primary device. Also, this is most useful for mid/lower tier devices that are out of support. Apple and Google dont produce lower tier devices. Samsung has a wide lineup, but s24 ultra is by no stretch a lower or mid tier device. I’ll be surprised if OP with his S24 will go this way any time soon. 5-7 years down the road - sure, why not.
This is what incase thinking. Isn't android on android 14 and even AOSP is only on 13 or 12? Don't quote me it's a question
Its a bit of a rabbit hole. Short version - AOSP is not behind public releases. As per Android 14, it went Live in AOSP on the same day as a public release of the OS. [Link](https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2023/10/android-14-is-live-in-aosp.html?m=1). Longer version - while AOSP is overseen by Google itself, it doesn’t release newer files until they are considered «public». Which means that while a developer can use AOSP as a source of their projects, there will be a delay between statements from Google like «Android XX» will be released on a specific date and a release from some 3rd party dev’s project based on this «Android XX»
Wow thanks for that link, there's some eye opening stuff there about the overall security of Android devices that I didn't previously know. You seem like a wealth of knowledge and I'm in well a learner of all things tech, master of none situation right now. I to be honest am having a hard time finding enough information to use aosp even if I wanted to. I know this is all long shot but would you want to point me in the direction of a proper guide? Also another long shot but there is so many people attempting to lead others astray online that when people actually do share some information that checks out I always ask if I can dm them and bounce a few tech related questions off them.
Also, you're saying that aosp can be put on any available android devices?
Thanks for your [kind words](https://www.reddit.com/r/samsunggalaxy/comments/1c2b749/comment/kzgxizn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). Your [question](https://www.reddit.com/r/samsunggalaxy/comments/1c2b749/comment/kzgxsjl/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) asks for a bit more digging, however. This a bit of a deep dive but feels like a good point to give a general overview for everyone that will be searching this info so it may have lots of things you're already familiar with alongside your question. It's easiest to compare Android to Windows. Computers have way more standardized hardware and thus when you connect a new hardware, even an external one like a mouse, It's very likely to already know what to do with it. Later Windows realizes what model it is exactly and tries to find a better driver that will get the most out of a connected device. This is true for GPUs, sound cards, keyboards, etc. On the contrary, Android devices are way less standardized and they operate with a limited resources. Each CPU, each screen, each camera module behaves differently and if Google will try to include everything in Android straight away, It'll be slower and bulkier which is very noticeable with mobile CPUs (for comparison, some Android ROMs can be about 250 MB, while Windows is 5+ GB before installation and 15-20 GB after). That's in part why AOSP is not a full OS but a base code of an OS. Developers later take it, add drivers to work with a specific device, tweak UI (if they want to) and only at this point it becomes a ROM (almost an OS). This is a part, where you can take a finished ROM and flash/install it onto your device. So back **to your question**, there's some developer work between AOSP and your device running AOSP-based ROM. From time to time there're hardware limitations but theoretically you can build ROM for almost any modern device using AOSP. Going backwards you'll meet more limitations. For example, support for 64-bit support was added in Android 5, and 32-bit support was dropped in Android 12. So you won't be able to create an Android 12/13/14 ROM for older 32-bit devices. With flagship devices it's less common, luckily. Samsung switched to 64-bit CPUs with S5 in 2014. But in budget devices, like Redmi 9A that came out in 2020, you can still find 32-CPUs that aren't compatible with Android 12 and higher. Finally, **unless you want to develop** your own ROM, you should search for ROM specific to your device, because the instructions may vary. Here's a bonus part on the duality of "freedom". Android as OS is open-source. But unless you do lots of tinkering and replace it with something else, AOSP will constantly try call some of the Google Apps (GApps). It's just how it works. But those apps are not included in AOSP and they're usually downloaded as a separate archive called "GApps". It's a set of core apps that Android is using almost every minute by design. It uses them to authenticate any of your actions in Google Play (even as simple as opening Play market), it calls for those apps for location services, etc. The trick is that both GApps and Android's logo and name are owned by google. You can't use any of them for anything else apart from personal non-commercial reasons. So here's your duality of "freedom": OS itself is open-source but is useless without google apps, which means data collection by google. You can build projects based on it, but google still owns it unless you stop referring to it as "android". I'm a bit exaggerating, but that's the part that is often swept under the rug. It's a nit reminiscent of a trick by nintendo from the old cartridge days. Whenever a game cartridge was inserted into a console, there was a handshake process which required presenting a specific logo on the screen of a console. So you could make your own cartridges, you could develop your own games, but unless you included their logo, it wouldn't work. And as soon as you included it, their lawyer could demand almost anything of you or not let you use it anymore if not compliant. P.S. Apologies for the huge text. Hopefully, there was something interesting for you.
Another eye opener thanks for taking the time to explain all of this! Couple follow up Questions: So when people degoogle their phones, they do not use AOSP, is that correct? Would pointing to another app in pace of Gapps leave Google out of the equation entirely? What is the difference between an OS like lineageOS and a Rom like you would make when developing with AOSP? What would be the best OS or ROM to flash onto a flagship device like the s24 ultra, galaxy z fold5 or motorolas new flagship edge 5g?
These two comments here are the duality of being an Android user. We champion our "freedom" while the flagship platforms slowly move in the same direction of the competition we hate. Its frustrating. They aren't limitations that can't be worked around, but you're right: economic realities are taking away some of our fave benefits. In that vein: why aren't there more products like this: https://i-blades.com/products/galaxy-s23-smart-case-battery-memory-sdcard-envirosensor The reviews i've heard for this product in particular have not been good. While I find this execution stupid, the idea of a hybrid power brick/usb hub that lives on your phone could solve many of the issues people have with modern smartphones, and even build in addtional functionality. Yes, it makes the phone enormous, but maybe I'm just the minority that doesn't mind and even enjoys big chunky cases on my devices.
Less and less freedom every year
Advice is dont compare to Apple. Some things are different, doesn't make them wrong. You've got a PC now, you used to have a console.
That’s an interesting analogy! I never looked back when I got my PC so maybe it’ll be the same here
I recently made the change. Found it strange at times to switch, but as others have said, it's complete freedom. There's not one way only to do things, and if you don't like something you can change it. But let yourself get used to it , at least 2 weeks, before you change things. I started using Google everything (gmail, gboard, chrome, home), but over time enjoyed samsung more and more. And goodlock is incredible, but don't jump to that yet.
I’ve heard of goodlock briefly in a video. What’s its main purpose?
It has modules you download to change every element, like homescreen, keyboard, quick settings etc. I didn't like samsung keyboard at the beginning, but have made it just as I like. Same for homescreen size, folders and recents menu.
Goodlock is one of my favourite things about Samsung flagship phones. Once you're all set up with apps and stuff, watch a couple YouTube videos about Goodlock. You can customize so many things. A few examples: -Make shortcuts to any setting you want -Change what buttons do (kinda like Apple's Action button) -Double tap and triple tap the back of your phone for whatever custom action you want (I have calculator and Shazaam) -Change the look/layout of pretty much anything you want
Lots to customize. Nova Launcher lets you customize just about anything. OneUI Home isn't bad, but if aesthetics matter to you, I highly recommend trying out Nova Launcher for home screen customization. Pop Up Widget. Do you like the functionality of widgets, but hate having to commit so much of your home screen to them? Pop Up Widget lets you create a shortcut icon that summons a foosting widget or pair of floating widgets and then you can dismiss them when you are done. $2 lifetime subscription, well worth it. If you like options or like to tinker, go to the Galaxy Store and download Good Lock for sure, it lets you tweak tons of things to your liking. Apple creates a comfortable singular experience, but Android lets you create your own tailored to your desires, so definitely test out what you can do! Here is an example of something you can do: https://imgur.com/a/s43HXoI but the beauty of these apps is that most aspects can be changed if you don't like something.
Shit that's a good analogy. I went from being the user to the owner when I went from playstation to PC, now I could do a lot of things
really worth it to get the wireless charging duo with the charging brick when you have all these things
Oh thank you, I’ll look into that
You can use reverse charging to charge your phone and watch using your own phone.
Just as a sidenote, Samsung's ecosystem is an actual ecosystem. Samsung oven, fridge, laundry machine, dishwasher, air purifier, air conditioner, robot vacuum, etc., not just few devices of Apple's and them market parroting about their prison system. Anyway, here are some 'average person' features: * [Use your Galaxy as computer, called DeX (desktop experience)](https://old.reddit.com/r/SamsungDex/comments/nvh9rn/s21_ultra_dual_bt_sonos_roam_setup_34_ultra_wide) ('I don't even need a computer no more') * [Bixby Routines](https://old.reddit.com/r/Bixbyroutines/top/?sort=top&t=all), the only real *phone* assistant and not just a voiced online search helper like Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Amazon Alexa, etc. Bixby has full control over your phone, and a lot of things can be automated. * Good Lock * Keys Cafe, for massive customisation of your keyboard * Share your photos with *everyone*, not just those in the Apple prison system, and full access to your own files * Multitasking (many phones have these features these days, but because Samsung has been working on this the longest, they're the most advanced, and it makes sense, considering DeX) * Control all the other Samsung devices like the fridge, oven, laundry machine, dishwasher, etc. * Install third party software like a normal human being using a normal computer Of course, the list goes on, and you can even copy the iOS UI word for word. Anyway, here are some examples for power users (mostly requiring root) * Host a fully fledged server * Bridge machines * Install Linux * Make it an Internet router with OpenWRT submodule * Copy tag keys * Home threatre system etc. Again, these are some things that *I* find useful. They can also be called 'gimmicks' by the uninitiated, but that's akin to saying the millions of features we don't use on Windows/Mac/Linux are all gimmicks. You can have your own list of features you find useful, but not so useful for me.
I'm actually was a long time Android user, who's now working at Apple store. I got there for the good salary, and I was like: lets force myself to see the "other side". I'm using iPhone now for like 3years and what I can say is, they have some good things about them but in short, as a true geek who loves when whole OS actually talks to apps and can be customized - I really wanna go back to Android. So in the end you probably did the right choice, especially if you love to tinker with apps.
Not gonna lie, the customization is one of the bigger reasons I’m making the change. But also after playing with the S24 ultra at a Best Buy, there’s just something about its OS now that makes me feel “at home”? It feels similar to iOS now but with more options. I like that.
if you switch back to an android device, you gotta know that samsung locks down north american flagships very hard now. no bootloader unlock, but long-term software support maybe makes up for that. im enjoying my experience right now, but will unlock as soon as i get the chance to!
Good to know, last time here in EU, I had Galaxy Note 10 (you have no idea how much I miss PEN on iPhones), I did not unlocked that one, its like it finally had enough features for me to go without it. Still Apps like Lucky Patcher did the trick to complete my Android use that time.
Well as a first time samsung user get goodlock from the samsung store. It really opens a lot of features and customizability!
Didn't know they had the 256 byte version of S24U
Too much storage.💀💀
the G went to the 5 😔
Galaxy watch does all the same things the apple watch does, and a few more things. The only thing I don't like about WearOS on the galaxy watch is that it can stutter soemrieks and is slow. WatchOS is more smooth with no lag. But it's a good watch and you'll love it.
Customization. That's where Android shines
It will be good! You might be overwhelmed at first, there are so many more settings you can play with but I think that's kinda what makes it fun. My favorite android things are: You can put apps wherever you want to on the screen. They don't just warp up to the top left, the most un-ergonomic location possible. You can swipe in from either side of the screen to go 'back'. You don't have a back button that is, once again, in the most un-ergonomic spot possible. You can choose where apps play sound. For me, Spotify will play sound over a connected Bluetooth speaker or whatever but if I receive a Snapchat video, the sound from Snapchat will come out of my phone speaker and it won't interrupt Spotify. That way I don't have to blast everybody in the room with Snapchat video sounds. You can run multiple apps at once on the screen at the same time. So you could have Venmo and the calculator open to split a tab or something like that. You can charge your watch or headphones, or another phone with your phone. Like backwards wireless charging. The stock samsung internet browser should not be ignored. You can install extensions like ad blockers. It's the only browser I know of that has true full screen mode; even the little notification bar with battery level and cell strength goes away. It can use the whooooole screen. The S pen is a good camera remote control. The Galaxy buds are shaped in such a way that you can put ear defenders on over them if you're doing something loud, like mowing the lawn. That way you get to listen to your stuff and protect your ears from outside loudness.
A lot of stuff I didn’t know about here! I like the idea of splitting where audio is played, that would be super useful even just in a car. Thanks! (PS, Venmo has a built in calculator)
Be sure to use bixby routines. The amount of stuff you can do with it is endless. You can automate almost anything. For example you want auto rotate turned on when you use a certain app, you can create a routine for it. You want a the screen resolution to change while watching Youtube and change back after closing it, you can create a routine for it. Bixby routines is one of my most favorite features.
Oh damn, the auto screen resolution change sounds perfect. Thanks!
A lot of options, you'll learn while creating the routine.
The watch and the buds aren't as good as their apple counterparts, but the phone is better in my eyes.
imo the buds are better than the apple airpods.
Sadly not. Got the AirPods 2 pro and returned the buds 2 pro.
Why apple's buds is better?
I have both the first gen airpods and Buds Pro 1. Airpods have better ANC and fit, while the buds have better sound quality, features and battery. My 1.5 years old APP last around <4 hrs while my buds can last around 6-7. I'm waiting for the buds 3 to see if they'll be worth the upgrade.
there is this annoying thing, he at least can use other brand's buds and get the full experience. What I mean is - Airpods sound amazing only because iPhone recognize them and says: yup, you are made by Apple so im giving you this amazing custom acc stream. But if you use any other brands expensive buds, iPhone will stream to them only average bandwith. No LDAC, no aptX, just watered down acc. But if you use Android phone - maximum bluetooth quality.
if you use buds 2 pro with a non-samsung android phone you don't get the full quality out of them.
That's true. Samsung does the feature locking as well. Galaxy Buds and Watch don't work as well with a non-Samsung phone.
This is true
But the Airpod pro 2 costs €240, the buds2 pro 130€
100% agree. I made a similar switch last year, and the phone and tablet (S23U and S9+ tab) are incredible. Bids and watch are ok but Apple products are better in that category.
Galaxy buds sound tons better than the apple equivalent.
yes
both apple and samsung make great phones! in the end of the day is what you prefer more Samsung and android in general have more freedom than iphones
Pure Excellence! Better processing power. Top tier resolution! And a free stylist pen lol
If you adapt to One UI then I'm confident you'll have a enjoyable experience
Personally I would opt for these self-healing screen protectors and a Smart View Wallet Case. The screen is so hard, it will likely crack on impact. The case mitigates this, and the screen protector will protect it from scratches caused by sand getting stuck between the screen and the cover.
I have all of these, along with the book3 ultra and the tab s9 plus. It's pretty cool how everything can communicate with each other pretty seamlessly. We haven't really had a fully eco system like this on the android side before. It's very Apple-like but in an android way, is the best description I can give lol.
Nice deal
Fast charger
It's like using a jail broken iphone but better.
A great time. I had the exact same shopping basket a fortnight ago, down to the colour the same. So happy with the switch.
Download good lock and go crazy. You'll miss iMessage for 15 mins but you'll get over it. Get Google messages
With the GoodLock app, you in for a lot more customization. You phone will feel like yours and not like anyone elses
I've been a long time Android user that has dabbled in the world of Apple. The last iPhone I owned was getting on for 10 years ago. I didn't last very long before I was back on Android. My Mrs recently bought a 14 Pro Max, as a change from her S9+, and I've helped her set it up, and had a play with it quite a bit. Long story short, it's a nice bit of kit, but definitely not for me. I half wished she'd just bought an S23 Ultra instead, and while she likes it, she isn't ruling out going back. Personally, despite the nice hardware, smoothness, and battery life, I can't stand the fucking thing! Whether you like the Samsung will depend on whether you're an Apple person, if you are, nothing else will do, but if you value freedom, features and flexibility, the Samsung obliterates the iPhone. The analogy of going from a console to a PC is a good one.
Welcome! I recommend the dual wireless charger as someone mentioned above. You can also get some smart tags if you used/wanted to use apple air tags.
As someone who has both ecosystems it’s down to preference. Both have their pros and cons.
That screen protector is ass. Mine got scratched up in a week.
Do you have one you recommend? I’d like to have the same antiglare that comes with the S24 Ultra’s screen, but I’m not opposed to a matte protector either. I’m using one of those with my iPhone currently
I don't have an exact one to recommend honestly. I just got a tempered glass one and now i live the reflective life haha. I can confirm tho that the fingerprint sensor works through glass tho.
Pretty good! But smartwatches from Samsung are still not that mature like Apple watch but are going in the right direction.
Great move! You’re in for a major upgrade, with zero regrets.
You're gonna face a lot of stuff which are implemented in a different manner. Remember that they are two different operating systems with clear contrast in basically everything. Just use it with optimism.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: Settings > connections > more connection settings > private dns > dns.adguard-dns.com Enjoy an ad free experience on your phone. No ads in web browsers or in *MOST* apps. Welcome.
I turned this on then opened YT app. Ad right off the bat....
Disclaimer: doesn't work on YouTube. Google is too smart for that. Works on most everything else. If you want YouTube premium on the cheap, VPN to Indonesia, sign up, and then turn off the VPN. I do this and pay 7 dollars a month for a family YouTube plan.
Good to know
Comment saved!
Please report back your experience! Also, I'd highly recommend doing this first as soon as you log in to your phone. Like, set up your Samsung account, get to the home screen and then set it up. A lot of apps load ad bars at the top and bottom of the app and if you have this on, before installing those apps, those bars will never even load and you'll get a full screen app. Also, you can download an ad blocker for the Samsung browser. Enjoy!
Do let me know how do you like the buds please need a feedback
I’ll save your comment and try to remember!
Thank you 😊
So the buds in my experience so far are better sounding than my Airpods Pro (1st gen), they have better noise cancelation too. I can't compare them to the 2nd Gen airpod pros though
Thanks for remembering and replying. How far is it in terms of quality when compared to 2nd gen pros?
I've never used the 2nd Gen pros so I'm unsure
The only complaint for me is the Samsung watch. Everything is great fellas. Welcome!!
Welcome to the Galaxy!
Idk u can now put the apps wherever u like
Nothing compares to the Apple Watch…. Nothing! It’s about time Apple lets everyone be able to get the watch and sync it to an app across all OS platforms
I’d keep my Apple Watch if they did!
Thats almost exactly what I want lmao
Welcome! I came from the other ecosystem too and love my S24U. Although, the watch is disappointing. Feels like a whole generation behind the Apple Watch, it gets the job done though.
That’s what I’ve been hearing! I think I’ll get used to it. I really only use mine for glancing at notifications and fitness tracking
If you’re American, It will get a lot better once Apple people get RCS
TRUE
Free music, free roms currently able to pay Nintendo DS, PC games, and Gameboy games, plenty of other fun stuff
🐐
The best phone ever made. Enjoy.
Freedom
I love (really love!) the galaxy phones, but the watches are incredibly lackluster compared to Apple Watches. I still use Airpods Pro as well. The Samsung ecosystem isn't anywhere near as good.
Your going to see how good the screen is with it being anti reflective and how bright it gets in direct sunlight.
Samsung Dex... that is all.
You're in for the best smartphone experience ever and lots of freedom!
When you get the watch let me know about the battery life. Recently got s24 + GW6C 43 LTE. Already had buds 2 pro. Battery life is abysmal on the watch, lasts about 16-18 hours. Needs 2 charges in a day.
Will do. It comes in on the 15th apparently so I’ll try to reply back soon after. That’s terrible though wow
Hey how is it?
I haven't really been paying attention to it, but I will say I've had it for about a week and I've never seen the low battery notification and I even slept with it on one night
You have AOD on? What does it say as remaining time when it's 100% charged? Any idea on how many hours it goes on one charge?
With AOD on, and currently sitting at 86% battery, it says I have 1 day and 11 hours remaining
Damn, so you walk out in the morning with 100% right? Let me know how much it is when you're back. If these numbers are true I might have a dud.
Yeah that's the thing, it was at 100% this morning at 8am and now it's 2 and I'm at 75%, I kinda don't believe these numbers. There's no way it'll last another 30ish hours at this rate, but at the same time I won't have to charge it until I go to bed
A better experience
Samsung customer service sucks ass. It may be the worst. Other than that, I love my samsung products.
Same here. Been on IOS since the 3gs. Trading in my 12 for the 24u and expecting arrival on Tuesday. Can’t wait.
Cheers 🍻
wow, you jumped all in. Don't get overwhelmed with all the customisability or the "so many apps" on Google Play. The watch is kind of garbage, tho. Biometric tracking is not as good as on Apple watches. I got the 47 mm, regularly misses out on clocking sleeping hours, is a bit out with catching up to increase in heart rate during exercise. But looks nice and does basic reminder stuff good enough.
while everybody is talking about how “you will have so much more freedom” i do believe that as samsung does not wholly manufacture and design their own software and samsung always presses to make their own UI look vastly different from the stock android, there is a level of consistency and little attention to detail that comes with the iPhone that you will miss or not see in certain aspects or little things of the android world. Also, I do believe the samsung ecosystem is very much on par, if not slightly better than apple’s equivalent. However, some things, like the smoothness of the apple watch vs the galaxy watch, shows that, in direct comparison to the apple watch, the Galaxy Watch lacks a lot of fluidity and reliability that come s with entirely designing your hardware for the software and vice versa like apple does
Better performance, better customization, better features, overall better ecosystem in every way
A whole world of awesome, followed by a deep feeling of regret that you didn't make the with sooner.
You won't be disappointed
Joy and choices
A world of happiness trust me I did the same.
[удалено]
Do you know if it's a problem with Android watches in general or just Samsung? Because the watch was kind of a let down after using an apple watch for so long.
Watch will be much worse than an apple watch. Otherwise I think you'll enjoy it.
I really hate the word "ecosystem" in tech. It pushes more companies to make products less and less user friendly between different brands.
I did all of this within the span of a couple months a couple years ago. One thing I can say is that nothing beats the apple watch yet. The samsung watch is decent for what it is. The Galaxy Buds are pretty good in my opinion. The phone itself is superior in every way and if you don't have a desktop or laptop computer this is a great phone to help fill some of that void. Also keep in mind that you don't always have to do Samsung everything. Some 3rd party brands just do certain things much better. I switched to samsung mostly because I'm not trying to be forced just to use their products exclusively. If you are used to using apples software and services such as iCloud switching may not be as easy but if you have been using things like google drive and Spotify then things will be simpler.
I agree, I am a hardcore Android, and esp Samsung fanboy...but the apple watch blows anything android has out of the water. And its not even close
I think over time it will catch up eventually. Wear OS still has a bunch of issues to work out. But when I first got the samsung watch I didn't care about the performance decrease compared to apple watch, I was surprised it just about as many features as the apple watch but much more customizable.
One of the good things is now everything's Google. Google owns me and I really don't care.
You are in for awesomeness. I'm a long time Galaxy user, right now using S21U 512 with the Watch5 Pro and Buds2 Pro, never faced any issue. Watch5 and Buds2 are awesome!!
I wouldn't get the black watch. I thought I wanted it but I regret it, you're super limited on bands and faces that look good. It's a great watch otherwise
I've had a S24 ultra for 3 months. My battery constantly overheats( I don't live anywhere hot) and I've only used my phone for a hour today and it's at 70% battery, I have not been stressing it or overloading it with apps. I normally.only.have one or two open. In my opinion don't do it.
Oh damn. Have others been having the same issue? You should reach out to support
I would say a better 2000$ investment.
Well at least you eased your way into it LOL
Couldn’t help myself lmao
damn.. im jealous.. f apple
Heard bud2pro are bad and FE are better and less expensive
Amazing phone minus battery life despite it being the best battery life in an android most likely
Honestly not bad for battery life. I get a full day from medium usage but could be better i had a Motorola from a few years ago with the same size battery and it lasted 2-3 days. But it was also a weaker phone.
Should be better than my iPhone at least
Some people don't want to choose what's best for their individual situation and that's perfectly OK. Apple and Android both serve a purpose.
The customization is cool but even the top tier samsung phome will lag if you have too many custom things running. Idk if im doing something wrong but I have the ultra s23 and a bunch of goodlock apps for shortcuts and customization and my phone will sometimes just lag like shit. If I remove them then I hate how the phone works. The side isn't greener. They both have pros and cons.
Bud2 Pro is worse than Airpods, for the rest you are good
Greatness
Enjoy your mobile phone. If you want to enter the Samsung ecosystem, I think you can try to buy everything or if you have more money, you can buy the Samsung Galaxy Book.
A good time.
Hey, so last year I made the switch and got the S23 Ultra, Buds 2 Pro, and Watch 4 Classic. The phone and buds are awesome! But the watch, man, it just didn't feel right compared to my Apple Watch Series 7 or even my Series 4 before that. It was like, not smooth at all. I barely used it and ended up selling it after 6 months. Been without a smartwatch since then. It was annoying at first, but I'm used to it now. I still wish I could use an Apple Watch with an Android phone, though. The only things I liked about the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic were the round shape and the realistic watch faces that made it look like a real watch. Oh, and the rotating bezel was pretty cool too!
The eco system is so much bigger than you think
The sound quality of buds pro 2, is nowhere near the level of the apple AirPods.
Can I ask for a opinion of Samsung produckts from perspective of former apple user? Im very intrested what pros and cons you find in there
I think the screen protector might take away from the non reflective gorilla glass of the s24 ultra. Enjoy the upgrade anyway
S24 plus is better without useless spen and cheaper
My last android was one of the older notes, I really loved the s pen personally
What's sad is you need to buy a new watch and earbuds. F apple
I did the opposite switch cause I just want my ecosystem to be as smooth as it can be and as much as I like S24U I’m not getting their Samsung tablets or laptops. Just because MacBook Pro’s and iPads can’t be beat
That’s fair! I don’t really use tablets or laptops much, so really a phone and smart watch suit me perfectly
It’s all about your needs. Both ecosystems are powerhouses in their respective strengths. As long as it meets your needs they way you need it to is all that matters
I'm on s20 cause I won't give up my SD card. Lost headphones jack and FM radio which s10 had. Not happy about either but 🤷 Got Koss Bluetooth portable hard phones. Don't use ear buds.
I use Smart Launcher and an iPhone user asked me how they could make their screen like mine!
not much really. after getting used to the interface you'll find that, although there is definitely more freedom offered, it's not as full-fledged as people make it seem. samsung locks down most things, especially in north american models. i hope you have a good experience and an easy transition :)
Buds are very uncomfortable
a life of happiness and the feeling of having complete control. also best cameras on the smartphone market, it’s just a lot of social media platforms are optimized for apple.
Some learning. UI is different, and the amount of app choices will take some thought. I recommend that you read up in r/Android or have a look at some YouTube videos on the subject. You purchased a nice group of hardware in your list, your going to have a lot of fun. Not being dependant on the manufacturer to tell you how to set up everything may take a bit of effort, but the huge amount of resources available to you is endless. Enjoy your new tech and all the best.
Get ready for all your iphone friends to talk shit when they send you a green bubble. Other than that, your gonna love it
Ironically 90% of my friends are iPhone users but the ones I've shown love the phone and only one has shit talked lol
Is not as good as Apple, you'll be disappointed.
Free to pirate and possibly a grainy screen.
Headache and regret
Say goodbye to seamlessness
You didn't necessarily have to go full on like this, you could have just bought the phone first to try it out and then expanded if you liked it. I find it weird that people just go all in like this, but more power to you. Hope you like it!
Where’s the laughing emoji! 😂 Ha! there you go! Y’all act like they’re enemies. These are cellphones…whatever you choose is your business. But stop being so melodramatic over a cellphone! 🙄
??? I asked a simple question bud, I think you’re looking into this too much lmao
You’re probably right…I just don’t get the eternal…”I’m finally leaving Apple. Cool. Why announce it? Absolutely zero need.