iPhone 7's Lack of 'Compelling' Features Convinced Most Galaxy Note7 Owners to Stay With Samsung

[kdarling]

Right and battery powered bluetooth has its advantages. For example, I can click the eraser on my sp4 to undo the last action two feet away from the computer. I'm sure you can do something similar with the apple pencil.

Unfortunately, Apple used their eraser end for the power plug. So no, it doesn't have a flip-over eraser function. Too bad, especially for something called a "pencil".

Also, if Apple had to use a battery, then it would've made a heckuva lot more sense to have included a storage slot which doubled as a charger slot.

On that topic, it's beyond ridiculous that their tablets have no pen storage slot at all. And hugely ironic after Steve Jobs made his comments about not wanting a stylus because "they're so easy to lose".

I'm sorry, but there's nothing ingenious about the physical Apple Pencil setup. If anything, quite the opposite.

 

[Gary03mw]

Or if Samsung did the same thing most Apple users would call it a gimmick ?

There are those people.. yes. But Samsungs primary appeal has been that it's not Apple. Whereas Apples primary appeal is that it is Apple. If Apple is the band that got too big and became uncool because of it then Samsung is Modest Mouse. It's not a solvable problem for Apple because the "problem" isn't real.

 

[I7guy]

Unfortunately, Apple used their eraser end for the power plug. So no, it doesn't have a flip-over eraser function. Too bad, especially for something called a "pencil".

If Apple had to use a battery, then it would've made a heckuva lot more sense to have a storage slot that doubled as a charger slot.

On that topic, it's beyond ridiculous that their tablets have no pen storage slot at all. And hugely ironic after Steve Jobs made his comments about not wanting a stylus because "they're so easy to lose".

I'm sorry, but there's nothing ingenious about the physical Apple Pencil setup. If anything, quite the opposite.

That was an example of why a battery powered Bluetooth pencil is better than an inductive pencil, irrespective of apples implementation. Maybe the pencil 2 will have switches and knobs. But I still feel the port is ingenious. Agree to disagree.

And Steve jobs is gone, some of his ethos lives within Apple, but Timmy is taking Apple down a different path, like it or not.

 

[EwanMcTeagle]

The apple pencil 30 minute charge for 15 seconds is the most ingenious solution I've seen for that thing. When the battery on my SP4 pencil does, taking is apart is a PITA as I have to look at the instructions. Plugging it in to a port for 15 seconds for 30 minutes of usage would have been ingenious on Microsofts' part, but it wasn't.

What is the "lack of apple display"? The other items in the list, I don't know, can't comment on the Mac portfolio as I don't use them.

Don't know about Surface Pen - Apple Pencil charging looks plain stupid. It's a an embarrassing design just like the Magic Mouse 2.

- this guy says the Surface Pen lasts about a year on a battery. Seems less of a PITA than charging the Apple Pencil from the iPad in a protruding position — sometimes it only takes my dog 10 seconds to mess things up
But that's sort of besides the point — whether MS has good or bad design, I want and expect Apple to have good design. And they messed it up so badly that it looks hysterical, not only for geeks like me, but for regular folks as well. Ironically, regular non-techie people like my wife or my mom think that the Apple Pencil charging is geeky, because it's something so unintuitive that they wouldn't have thought of it in a million years.

"What is the "lack of apple display"? The other items in the list, I don't know, can't comment on the Mac portfolio as I don't use them."
I mean the discontinuation of standalone displays made by Apple (Thunderbolt, Cinema Display) which complemented Mac's functionality and design. Another thing that speaks "death of an ecosystem" for me.

 

[Sefstah]

They removed the headphone jack to make space in a tiny device - the MacBook Pro is considerabley larger than the iPhone.

Make space for what exactly? Bigger battery? Nope. Courage? Yea, im sure everyone wanted a new phone with courage

 

[kdarling]

Make space for what exactly? Bigger battery? Nope. Courage? Yea, im sure everyone wanted a new phone with courage

Well, the Taptic Engine is pretty darned big, and sits down there.

If they actually do make a phone with wraparound screen that replaces most physical buttons, I'm half betting that they'll need the space for an even larger (or differently shaped) Engine to let people "feel" the replacement touch buttons on the side(s).

Apple's just leading up to it with all the interim changes.

 

[Sefstah]

But the iPhone 6 doesn't have Waterproofing, Dual camera, 3D Touch, Stereo speakers, Taptic feedback etc. So this point is moot.

Only the 7plus has dual cameras. And Apple never said there wasn't enough space for the headphone jack, they said it was removed for "courage". Everyone needs to stop making excuses for them already.

 

[639051]

Totally 100% disagree. I used to hate Touchwiz myself but I have found ZERO reason for the hate on Samsung's newer devices. I have used the Samsung S5, S6, S7, S7Edge, Note5, Note7, and J3. These all use an improved version of Touchwiz (especially S7 and newer) and quite frankly it's pretty good from what it used to be. You can always use a different launcher anyway so again, why the hate?

One thing I never liked about having Android in vanilla straight from Google is there are no notification badges which is something I prefer and it is something Touchwiz gives you.

Because TW is not just a launcher, it is the entire redesign of the UI, and, IMO a much worse path over stock. Look at the reviews of it from XDA and you can plainly see that Samsung's modifications made things worse. Visually is only it has become much better over time but visuals are only a fraction of the issue.

Performance issues, update delays due to having to mold Android to work with the UI and other tweaks made make it a poor option for me.
[doublepost=1483122224][/doublepost]

Touchwhiz never bothered me. The funny thing is, a case can be made that the majority of Android users probably think TW is more real Android than Google's unskinned version. The only people who really complain about TW are tech media, tech nerds, and Apple fans parroting the tech media. I've owned the S3, S5, and just recently moved to the S7. TW was okay and did have some unique features. The last time I ran full TW was on the S3. Since then I've run different launchers like Apex, Nova, ADW, etc. The best part is I can run my launcher of choice and keep the TW features I want. Win/Win.

Oh so the only people who would possibly complain are basically those who you look down on. Nobody else has a valid reason for doing so? That is the most ignorant view I have heard in a long time. My issues with it come from what I posted above, TW is not simply a launcher and just picking a new launcher is NOT the resolution to the technical issues I mentioned. I've owned many Samsung devices, great hardware bundled with hobbled software.

 

[I7guy]

Don't know about Surface Pen - Apple Pencil charging looks plain stupid. It's a an embarrassing design just like the Magic Mouse 2.

- this guy says the Surface Pen lasts about a year on a battery. Seems less of a PITA than charging the Apple Pencil from the iPad in a protruding position — sometimes it only takes my dog 10 seconds to mess things up
But that's sort of besides the point — whether MS has good or bad design, I want and expect Apple to have good design. And they messed it up so badly that it looks hysterical, not only for geeks like me, but for regular folks as well. Ironically, regular non-techie people like my wife or my mom think that the Apple Pencil charging is geeky, because it's something so unintuitive that they wouldn't have thought of it in a million years.

"What is the "lack of apple display"? The other items in the list, I don't know, can't comment on the Mac portfolio as I don't use them."
I mean the discontinuation of standalone displays made by Apple (Thunderbolt, Cinema Display) which complemented Mac's functionality and design. Another thing that speaks "death of an ecosystem" for me.

Okay I like the design of the charging port and you don't. You can crash your car in a fraction of a second also not sure what your point is.

To me it's irrelevant how long the sp4 battery lasts, it's not obvious how to disassemble it it was my point.

As far as the macs they are either selling or not. We'll find out.

 

[69Mustang]

Oh so the only people who would possibly complain are basically those who you look down on. Nobody else has a valid reason for doing so? That is the most ignorant view I have heard in a long time. My issues with it come from what I posted above, TW is not simply a launcher and just picking a new launcher is NOT the resolution to the technical issues I mentioned. I've owned many Samsung devices, great hardware bundled with hobbled software.

There's nothing in my quote, literally or contextually, that says I look down on any of the 3 groups of individuals I mentioned. Those groups were specifically mentioned to juxtapose the opinion of Touchwiz vs it's actual affect on the success of Samsung devices. Meaning, if it was as bad as those groups claim, one would think it would negatively affect Sammy's sales.
I said tech media - typically doesn't like TW. There's nothing here about my feelings about the tech media.
* I said tech nerds - typically don't like TW. I am a tech nerd and based on your post so are you. Nothing here either.
I said Apple fans - typically doesn't like, well anything Samsung 'cept components. Still, no judgments. So my apparent condescension only exists in your inner monologue.

* Tech nerds - Does this group not include you? Aren't you doing exactly what I said this group does? And just so that I'm clear, I'm not looking down on you. Just stating where I think the majority of TW complaints start.

 

[WRChris]

I went 1/4s/5s/6s. I probably would have skipped the 4s, but my original iPhone touch stopped working. Although, it all worked out, because I loved my 4s.

IMO, the 4s is the most unique and beautiful design out of any of the iPhone designs, or phone designs for that matter. I would still use that design today if it had upgraded internals.

I hope the rumored iPhone 8 is similar to the 4s design.

I really liked the retina screen on the 5 but I doubt I could go back to a square phone after using my 6 plus. I do like the idea of a flat back, but unless they can do wireless charging I want no part of a glass back.

 

[r.harris1]

Unfortunately, this click-bait article about nothing really interesting has grabbed my attention. Dang it. I fell for it. Is it really news or even vaguely interesting that samsung people aren't moving over to apple? Probably any that wanted to did this when the 6 came out. Maybe I should be an analyst. But now that I'm here, I see we've got the usual groupings of people:

* The Monty Python "Medieval Logic" villagers - "she turned me into a newt!" - along for the ride, full of bitterness and resentment, "Tim must go! Apple doesn't innovate!". This sort of person often confuses ticking off specs with innovation. Absolutely, Samsung fits that bill to a "T". Sometimes they implement off-the-shelf specs reasonably well, other times the phone explodes. The internet is mostly fueled by bitterness, resentment, narcissism and nostalgia, so it's not surprising that there are so many people on these sorts of threads who are like that.

A subset is: The Hater - similar to the Medieval Villager but more focused and is often the person who refers to people who happen to like Apple, or even dare I say it, love Apple, as a "Fanboy". Requires the least amount of work from their perspective (along with the Medieval Villager) because you can simply say "Fanboy" to someone and the argument by this group of people is complete, they feel. It obviously muddies the waters when trying to identify true fanboys.

* The Nostalgist - "Apple used to care about me and my industry (e.g. "creative pro"), now all they want to do is sell iPhones". Possibly very true. Apple has typically been a company who likes to take things that were once difficult and centered around a specialized industry and make it easy for more people to do. That's how they got involved in desktop publishing back in the day, for example. Printing used to be a labor intensive, expensive and very specialized task. Then along came desktop publishing, pushed in many respects by Apple and a few others. The philosophy was: "make something easier", the result was that we now have what people refer to as "creative pros". A larger group of people could print and publish, adjust photos, make movies, albeit with high end hardware and expensive, sometimes complex software.

Now that Apple (& Google & Facebook & Instagram & ...) is extending the ability to do such things as make movies or adjust photos to millions of people via, say, iPhones, it potentially waters down the "creative pro" market. This category of person also cares very much about such things as legacy ports, though Apple has a very long and storied history of removing these. I don't expect this behavior to change. If you want today to be just like yesterday, but with potentially more of the same (more memory, more battery, more CPU or other spec-ticks), I'd suggest Apple probably isn't the long term company for you. Whether it is a good thing or bad thing, stuff changes, sometimes drastically, with Apple.

* The Spec Obsessed (commonly referred to as the "spec whore"). The question isn't: "Do I have what I need to do my work well?" but rather: "Do I have the latest CPU and most memory?". Obviously, sometimes we really need the latest CPU and the most memory but if yesterday we were able to perform our work well and today, after a new CPU/GPU comes out, we suddenly struggle, we should perhaps be somewhat more self-reflective. Personally, I love the latest specs, have for 20 years been disappointed by Apple's inability to have those latest specs available to me, but there are other things that outweigh the latest specs in my work. Like the medieval villager above, this category of person also merges innovation and fulfillment of a specs checklist into one category. Like the nostalgist, changing what is considered to be "normal specs" (a headphone jack) is "bad", but having more of the standard specs (CPU, RAM, etc) is "good" (today should be like yesterday but with more of the same mostly standard stuff).

A sub-category of the spec obsessed is "The Fiddler". This category likes to "fiddle about" with their technology and control every little aspect of their phone. Most likely to jailbreak.

* The Disinterested Third Party (or "Engineer") - "I make my decisions based strictly on the facts ma'm" - Very little, if any, emotional involvement. If Samsung or other Android manufacturer has a better spec'd phone they buy that, if Apple has it, they buy that. Often Spec Obsessed. Often a fiddler.

* The Fanboy (Apple/Samsung/Google/etc). The vendor doesn't matter, it's always the same tediousness.

Personally, I like Apple very much. I have a bit of "Engineer" in me. As a company (and by extension its products), it is far from perfect (and always has been) but fits in well with how I currently want to interact with technology both personally (I'm the IT guy for my family) and professionally (software developer). I don't feel overly compelled from the recent offerings to upgrade either my iPhone 6s or my 2013 rMBP. But that's actually OK. No company, including Apple, owes me anything.

 

[WRChris]

Joke is on you. You've had wireless functionality well before Apple removed the headphone jack.

I wonder how he/she charges their device, since wires are trash.

I never understood how companies claim to have wireless charging when they all require a hard wired charging pad directly under the device.

 

[Michael Goff]

I wonder how he/she charges their device, since wires are trash.

I never understood how companies claim to have wireless charging when they all require a hard wired charging pad directly under the device.

It's easier to market than inductive charging. Nobody knows what that is.

 

[sudo1996]

I too may leave the iPhone if apple doesn't innovate next year.

Who is with me?

I've threatened to do that many times, but I always stop dead in my tracks when I use an Android device and get reminded how crappy the OS is, plus I remember that security matters a lot to me. I'm not excited about phones anymore as I've become convinced that neither side will improve much, and an old iPhone is still very useful.
[doublepost=1483126623][/doublepost]

You guys are completely spoilt. Apple's mobile processors are industry leading and one area even the harshest critics agree they compete exceptionally well in. Yet you brush it off as "nothing".

I'd be crying if I were an engineer who helped designed the iPhone CPUs. They've done a great job.

 

[WRChris]

It's easier to market than inductive charging. Nobody knows what that is.

Yeah but that's not wireless haha. It would be easier to market a lot of things if you lie about what they are!
[doublepost=1483127453][/doublepost]

I've threatened to do that many times, but I always stop dead in my tracks when I use an Android device and get reminded how crappy the OS is, plus I remember that security matters a lot to me. I'm not excited about phones anymore as I've become convinced that neither side will improve much, and an old iPhone is still very useful.
[doublepost=1483126623][/doublepost]
I'd be crying if I were an engineer who helped designed the iPhone CPUs. They've done a great job.

Security/privacy is never important unless you have had it and lost it.

 

[sudo1996]

Security/privacy is never important unless you have had it and lost it.

Not sure if this is a joke... Anyway, I haven't (unless you count my hacked AOL account), but my boss has, and material under NDA sometimes goes on my phone.
[doublepost=1483128610][/doublepost]

But now that I'm here, I see we've got the usual groupings of people: [...]

The nihilist: Smartphones take away from human interaction, and there are only a few basic uses for one that the iPhone 4 already covered. None of this really matters; Apple will be at most a one-word mention in a history book 100 years from now.

 

[Karma*Police]

One could make an alternative case that Apple has been the "premium" phone brand since 2007 and that is why, when they do come out with something boring like the iPhone 7 -- not the Plus -- the 4.7 7. Massive disappointment is prevalent. Apple is the leader which is why people have such high expectations of it and Google is afforded such a low bar.

The 7 plus is a nice phone, but not really an exciting one. Personally, I hemmed and hawed on sticking with the 4.7 or jumping to the 5.5 because I am jealous of the Plus's camera. Ultimately, the Plus was not practical for me in daily use. I'm a member of the Trump hands club and need to multitask, operating a phone with one hand. I can't do that with the Plus. Aside from my battery not quickly dying, the 7 doesn't feel much different than the 6 other than the haptic feedback, which I like, and the slightly better screen, but not resolution. So, yes, I think Apple can and should do better, and also not focus on one size to pack all the good features into.

I also want more from Apple and would prefer a dual lens in the 4.7", but I understand that this is a mature market... that means groundbreaking innovations/designs take longer to bake and models get splintered based on features, similar to the Mac.

Expectations aside, my point was that if the media reported more objective news and reviews instead of pushing a false narrative for their own benefit, perceptions (and sales) would be very different for Apple. No company should be afforded a low bar because it's doing a disservice to the public because the public oftentimes bases their buying decisions on what the media says.

BTW, if you want a truly new experience, I highly recommend you pick up a pair of AirPods. I can't say enough good things about them. They're the new iPod.

 

[69Mustang]

I wonder how he/she charges their device, since wires are trash.

With a grudging reluctance fueled by pretending the lightning cable is "not really there".

I never understood how companies claim to have wireless charging when they all require a hard wired charging pad directly under the device.

Is distance from the charging source going to be the barometer for "true" wireless? Qi type of inductive charging requires a closer proximity to the charger than resonance charging but both require a charging station that's hard wired, and neither are "wired" to the charging station. Kinda just semantics imo.

 

[Johns12]

Wow, speaking as a Mac person since the Mac Plus, I find it hard to believe that people are so emotional about a PHONE!!! It's actually funny. I have had every numbered IPhone (no second generation ones). I decided to switch about 2 months ago and got a used S7 edge. Is it different than the IPhone and IOS? Of course. But I have found it hasn't changed my life at all. My data was all transfered in about 45 minutes. The S7 edge works very well and has some very nice features. I don't miss my IPhone (my wife has it). If I switched back, I probably wouldn't miss the S7 edge. It's a phone.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Expectations aside, my point was that if the media reported more objective news and reviews instead of pushing a false narrative for their own benefit, perceptions (and sales) would be very different for Apple. No company should be afforded a low bar because it's doing a disservice to the public because the public oftentimes bases their buying decisions on what the media says.

BTW, if you want a truly new experience, I highly recommend you pick up a pair of AirPods. I can't say enough good things about them. They're the new iPod.

I agree, but also recognize it's pollyannish to think that will ever happen. Regardless of subject -- politics, tech, economics, whatever, the reporters that cover these beats and the organizations they work for spin stories in the mold of the narrative they want to create. It is completely unreality. But as far as consumers go - they can get them to step up to the trough but they can't make them drink. Consumers know a stinker product when they see one and will reject it.

In Apple's case, there are lots of Apple-istas who wear tinted glasses when they report on products by the company and make ordinary updates seem spectacular, as well as it's detractors who refuse to credit Apple for anything. Neither paint balanced pictures. And the general press has long had a tendency to want to knock down the BMOC and root for the little guy. Apple was benefit of this back in the early 00's but now victim of it now that they have become a behemoth.

And, yes, AirPods are great. I was not impressed when they were first released but trying them on and using is believing. The most <ugh> magical product from Apple in a long time. They are the standard bearer for BT buds now and will only get better and I think force other makers to push out better product too.

 

[ericgtr12]

Can't say that I'm overly surprised. I think the iPhone 7 is a nice phone, but its not that much different the 6s. There's a fairly large disparity on features with Android phones vs. the iPhone

I normally upgrade every cycle but this is the first time I opted not to, coming from the iPhone 6S Plus anyway which doesn't seem too different than the 7.

 

[RedOrchestra]

I normally upgrade every cycle but this is the first time I opted not to, coming from the iPhone 6S Plus anyway which doesn't seem too different than the 7.

See you already have OIS on your 6s+ - the 6 didn't have it BUT the 7 does, along with the improved aperture - that's why I upgraded to the 7.

 

[Soccertess]

I completely agree and I think the whole "courage" thing would've been justified had Apple included wireless headphones in the iPhone 7's box. That would've been a true statement: "look we believe it's time to say goodbye to the jack. That's why we removed it and the iPhone comes bundled with AirPods, for we believe that the future of audio is wireless". That I would buy. But remove the jack, charge the same absurd amount of $ for it and then sell AirPods for another handful of $? Get the F out of here Phil

On top of that, like you've mentioned, they've made a mess of their ecosystem, which, in my opinion, has always been their stronghold. Everything complemented each other perfectly: Mac + +iPad + iPhone + display + AirPort etc. It all made sense and worked together well.
Now the iPhone comes with Lightining headphones that don't fit the Mac. You need a dongle. For freaking headphones! Maybe Schiller should've reversed his argument - the jack is ancient, but there is a reason it has prevailed in all areas of consumer electronics: it just works! Eureka!
I don't like to jump to conclusions, but
• the iPhone headphone situation
• the mess that is the Mac portfolio (MacBook + MacBook Pro without TouchBar + MacBook Pro with TouchBar - seriously? That's a naming convention? Why not call it MacBook Pro without TouchBar and 2 ports?)
• lack of Apple Display
• rumours of killing AirPort devices
• staled mac Mini and Pro
• the iPencil and Magic Mouse 2 charging solutions, which look like something a lousy PC vendor might have come up with.
All makes me question investing more money in Apple's devices. Simply because the Apple ecosystem loses what it once had and what was a benefit for me.

PS. Before anyone uses this argument: I know I can always go other manufacturers, but I like macOS and Apple's devices. That's why I give a damn and comment here

Well put!

 

[Abazigal]

Don't know about Surface Pen - Apple Pencil charging looks plain stupid. It's a an embarrassing design just like the Magic Mouse 2.

I find the Apple Pencil's charging method very clever actually. It basically allows me to charge my pencil anywhere so long as I have my iPad with me (which I should if I am using the pencil), and I find I only charge my pencil this way. The lightning adaptor is still sitting untouched in its original packaging.

I think this is one of those "uniquely Apple" moments, where they show that they are not afraid to think outside the box and come up with unorthodox, albeit clever solutions to very real problems.