Returned X.... Going to Samsung (runs away...!)

[Regime2008]

Why all of the bitter angst towards the OP? I don't get those kind of fanboys.

Anyways, let us know how the Note 8 works out for you. There have been plenty of users who have jumped over to Android side of the world, and have been extremely happy with their purchases. Plenty of reviews and responses in the Alternative forums. If you have any questions, feel free to hit up some of the folks over there, and they will be glad to show you some neat tips and tricks! Enjoy good sir!

 

[tatsuki]

I like the Android Trusted unlock locations, my phone when I am at home or work is unlocked because it knows my location is setup as safe. Works well for me, obviously won't be right for everyone but it's a nice feature if you are able to take advantage of it and makes the fact that the fingerprint scanner is on the back of the Samsung phones less of an issue for me. I can just tap the home button to wake up on my desk instead of having to lift it up.

 

[Souskei]

Wouldn’t the note 8 be just as bad when you want to unlock it when it’s sitting on desk? I mean, the fingerprint reader is on the back and you still have to hover over the desk if you want to use it’s iris scanner...

I dunno, just food for thought..

I went from a 6plus to a s8 to X.. and I still had to hover over my desk or pick up the phone to unlock it with the s8.. the 6 was obviously the easiest with the reader on the front

 

[KingslayerG5]

Check these out -

Camera Test

Battery Life Drain Test

Battery Charging Speed Test

 

[haqsha23]

I am a tech guy as well. If I have to fiddle with things , it is not worth it to me. I spend my whole day fixing crap that doesnt work. I dont want my personal devices to be like that as well. The whole reason I switched to Apple was because the "it just works" thing. My friend switched to an S8 and promised me it was PERFECT! I then got it and was likw WTF, I thought it was perfect and asked how his worked in certain scenarios. Turns out he used literally NOTHING of the features, but text and KODI and MODBRO. lol. Because he could use KODI on it, that was the part that sold him. . . . All the while he never plugged it into anything or used any core functions.
While I will not say that Apple has not slightly fell off that path, it is deff much different than a fragmented OS. But OS aside, I can get used to changes no problem. Its when things dont work and core things dont work that the issue is. There is a reason why Apple stuff is still the primary compatibility point for ALL MANUFACTURERS!

Exactly. I've come to realize that Android guys want everyone to think they have the best product because they have the best specs. They can't fathom why people will pay more for less specs. They hear the argument about how 'everything just works' and brush it off as some sort of coping mechanism. The reality is that they've never used an Apple device long enough to see how things "just work".

When I'm at home and want to play some music over my bluetooth speakers, I want to know that when I play music from my iphone, its on, no hiccups no questions no lag. Not, 'oh crap, why isn't this working? How do I fix it etc. I swear to God, my friend spends so much useless wasted time trying to fix things with Android devices that are supposed to work. The fact that he refuses to acknowledge that its a pain in the ass to do it every single time is another story lol (he hates Apple for some reason).

 

[PM-Performance]

i was that way once. I laughed at people waiting in lines and going nuts for these phones. I swapped because I was supporting all Iphones and Blackberry phones at the time. I couldnt support IOS as I never touched one. I went and bought one for me and my wife and once the simplicity part kicked in (she is very tech illiterate) I got the whole family to convert.
My support time is almost nill anymore. They know how to work their phone and all new phones that come out as the changes are soo minute most of the time.
I think being on the bleeding edge of tech is only good when the company is known for making sure it actually works first. I spent plenty of time with rooted android devices and the people who built the roms completely broke all functionality to make all these cute little tweaks work. Its just not worth it in the long run.

That being said, I was pissed at Apple and switched to an S8. It didnt last long. I loved the phone hardware , but the things I gave up and simplicity and the compatibility was a total loss for me.

 

[IllusionEntity]

LOL - I switch from iPhone to Galaxy S8+. The S8+ Broke and I had to return it after weeks of arguing with Samsung and a botched repair. Got a Note 8 and that broke too! Both times the screen crapped out and just stopped working! Doesn’t help at all that Samsung’s customer service sucks! Good luck in the Android world my friend. You’re going to need it.

 

[D.T.]

I get plenty of exposure as a dev that provides cross platform solutions for iOS and Android (the latter since 1.5, and also in the AR/VR space), I'm just not a big fan of Android (and if I was to carry one daily it wouldn't be a Samsung product). There's a number of advantages I've weighed out in favor of Apple that go beyond hardware specs.

Anyway, if there's no major downside to try something different, why not? Maybe you'll totally dig on it, maybe you'll come back to an Apple product, now, or reconsider as the product line continues to evolve!

Very good luck to you and by all means come back here and tell us about your experience with the Note 8. Pros and cons

Actually not >here< but over here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/alternatives-to-ios-and-ios-devices.157/

😀

 

[Mabus51]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I will of course continue to provide feedback, and am truly gutted this is the decision I've made, but I honestly feel let down by Apple.

Yes, the X has some revolutionary differences, but the 8 doesn't. I use my screen daily for 2 hours (commute to and from work) to watch media the X isn't cutting it, and as I said, I'm loathed to fork out again for a device thats too similar to what I've already had.

Just because the 8's chassis hasn't changed much, the entire internals have. So you are upgrading and getting a much better processor than you had in the 6S and more RAM. Aside from that, never let someone sway your decision. You need to be happy with what you spend your money on. If the X or even an 8 was not what you wanted then by all means try something else. It's just a phone, there is no wrong choice except the Note 7 unless you like the risk of catching fire. The Note 8 is a pretty good phone from what I hear. My sister has the Galaxy 8 and she really likes it. I've played with the Galaxy 8 and it seems fine if you like the Android OS. I've seen problems with the Pixel 2 screen and burn-in. A co-worker of mine has one and there is a lot of ghosted icons that are permanently on the screen. I'd avoid that phone.

 

[MarkB786]

Hi All,

I know this is a Mac forum, but I have to vent somewhere.

I've been an Apple fan since the first iPhone, but unfortunately the X has not hit the mark for me, and this is the first occassion I've decided to move away.

I bought an X on Friday and have used it for a couple of days. I really just can't get on with it- the face id is frustrating, and although it works everytime, it's annoying to have to hover over my phone when on my desk at work to unlock it. The main issue I have is the video playback moving from a plus. It's just not big enough, and when expanded the notch is frustrating.

Some of you may say, why not just get an 8 then? Well, I'm sorry but I really feel like the 8 is basically the same phone as the 6, which I've already upgraded 3 times (6+ > 6S+ > 7+).

A couple of the guys in my team have android devices and the main one that's caught my eye is the Note8. The screen is stunning, the picture looks so vivid and the aspect ratio of the device makes viewing videos a pleasure.

I've purchased directly from Samsung, who now have a 28 dya no quibble returns so lets see how I get on. I'm sure I'll be back, but prob not until the 8 range gets a good facelift.

Let the flaming begin....

I was in the same boat. I have upgraded every cycle from the beginning. My last iPhone was the ip7plus, which in itself was good, but blah. Now the X and 8 are innovations in the wrong direction for me. Switched ti the Note late September and have absolutely loved it. I watched a few hours worth of tutorials on Android and the Note 8 and find to be superior to iOS/iPhone for my purposes. I absolutely cannot see myself going back to Apple in the near future (but will always assess). I also sold my iPad and bought a Tab S3, which is also very very impressive (and almost half the price of an ipad).

My suggestion is that you watch some of the tutorials and see if the Note 8/Android match your needs. For me, it is a perfect fit. Beautiful screen, fast, functional, great camera, customizable, easy unlock options. And the Google cloud universe is free and more robust than Apple's iCloud (including photos). VERY happy with my switch.

 

[DaveOP]

Hi All,

I know this is a Mac forum, but I have to vent somewhere.

I've been an Apple fan since the first iPhone, but unfortunately the X has not hit the mark for me, and this is the first occassion I've decided to move away.

I bought an X on Friday and have used it for a couple of days. I really just can't get on with it- the face id is frustrating, and although it works everytime, it's annoying to have to hover over my phone when on my desk at work to unlock it. The main issue I have is the video playback moving from a plus. It's just not big enough, and when expanded the notch is frustrating.

Some of you may say, why not just get an 8 then? Well, I'm sorry but I really feel like the 8 is basically the same phone as the 6, which I've already upgraded 3 times (6+ > 6S+ > 7+).

A couple of the guys in my team have android devices and the main one that's caught my eye is the Note8. The screen is stunning, the picture looks so vivid and the aspect ratio of the device makes viewing videos a pleasure.

I've purchased directly from Samsung, who now have a 28 dya no quibble returns so lets see how I get on. I'm sure I'll be back, but prob not until the 8 range gets a good facelift.

Let the flaming begin....

Doesn't the Note 8 have the same aspect ratio as the iPhone X?

 

[MarkB786]

I honestly would get one too but I absolutely CANNOT stomach android. If it ran iOS, I would be the first in line.

When is the last time you tried Android? It works very well on the Note 8, and I just do not miss the iOS interface. They honestly feel very similar, but the Android home screen (at least Samsung's version) is easy to customize with multiple pages, folders, and widgets.

 

[Acejam2k]

Have fun trying to use your Apple Watch with a Note 8.

 

[woozor1]

So much misinformation from the fanboys.

Wouldn’t the note 8 be just as bad when you want to unlock it when it’s sitting on desk? I mean, the fingerprint reader is on the back and you still have to hover over the desk if you want to use it’s iris scanner...

I dunno, just food for thought..

I went from a 6plus to a s8 to X.. and I still had to hover over my desk or pick up the phone to unlock it with the s8.. the 6 was obviously the easiest with the reader on the front

I hover my hand above the screen like a wizard to see my notifications.

 

[Knowimagination]

So much misinformation from the fanboys.



I hover my hand above the screen like a wizard to see my notifications.

You still can't unlock and use the phone with any of the biometrics while it is laying on a table.

 

[csurfr]

@dwjpaypal

I have owned nearly every iteration of the iPhone (skipped the 8), now including the X. I have also owned an S6, S7 Edge, and an S8+.

I don't think I can find a fault with Samsung hardware, it's the software it's running that bugs me.

Android, no matter what device it runs on has it's UI issues. As a designer, seeing app icons that are different shapes and sizes drives me up a wall. The Samsung way around this with "Samsung Experience" is to put white borders around everything, and (to me) it looks wonky.

Having the side button mapped to Bixby or nothing seems like a waste. Why Samsung won't allow users to remap that button to anything else is beyond me. Yes, there are third party options, but Samsung continues to wipe those out with every update.

Having to wait for Oreo / Whatever comes next is also a downside. Nougat is great and all, but still lacks a lot of the software features / improvements in Oreo. Might not matter to you, as it will be coming at some point, and supposedly there will be a beta program for it soon (launching in South Korea first I believe, as usual).

Ultimately, only you can decide if you want to switch to Android. Don't listen to all of the haters that will bash you / slam you for making a choice. It's about personal preference. Use what works for you, and enjoy it.

edit: the one hardware knock I would issue to the S8/+/Note was the facial unlock feature. It never worked as flawlessly as Face ID does.

edit 2: iMessage is a killer feature. Being able to send iMessage OR SMS from my MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, etc without having to use my phone is the number one thing I would miss if I left Apple.

 

[BigSky20]

Hi All,

I know this is a Mac forum, but I have to vent somewhere.

I've been an Apple fan since the first iPhone, but unfortunately the X has not hit the mark for me, and this is the first occassion I've decided to move away.

I bought an X on Friday and have used it for a couple of days. I really just can't get on with it- the face id is frustrating, and although it works everytime, it's annoying to have to hover over my phone when on my desk at work to unlock it. The main issue I have is the video playback moving from a plus. It's just not big enough, and when expanded the notch is frustrating.

Some of you may say, why not just get an 8 then? Well, I'm sorry but I really feel like the 8 is basically the same phone as the 6, which I've already upgraded 3 times (6+ > 6S+ > 7+).

A couple of the guys in my team have android devices and the main one that's caught my eye is the Note8. The screen is stunning, the picture looks so vivid and the aspect ratio of the device makes viewing videos a pleasure.

I've purchased directly from Samsung, who now have a 28 dya no quibble returns so lets see how I get on. I'm sure I'll be back, but prob not until the 8 range gets a good facelift.

Let the flaming begin....

I am in the same boat. I currently have a Note 8 and an iPhone X sitting on my desk. I keep reaching for the Note 8 because of its big beautiful screen.

Here is some annoying things I have run into though:

1) No iMessage. Doesn't seem like a big deal until a friend or family member sends you a video and it is in SD because the carriers place limits on the amount of data in a MMS.

2) Don't buy an unlocked Note 8. I did and with Verizon, they will not give you Visual Voicemail (even if you pay for it). How do they do this? Visual voicemail is another apple that is not tied to the phone app. Super annoying.

3) Notifications to me are not as good.

4) If you want to use the live text messaging with the S pen, you need to use Samsung's messaging app which is just ok.

5) It is hard to export a movie from FCP that works natively on the Note 8. You will have to get a app on the Note 8 that coverts it. (Maybe there is an export solution I am not using)

6) Can't use my Apple Watch anymore.

That being said, I love the customization. I am bored of the iOS app layout and the lack of true live wallpapers. The launchers are great. I can make my phone look completely different every day if I want. Also, the S Pen is pretty cool.

Overall, it is a tough decision. Especially since I have a MBP, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple watch. The good thing is that there is Apple Music on Android and the new app Movies Anywhere will mirror your iTunes movie library with Google's movie app.

Good luck with your decision. I feel that if the X was wider, it would be an easier decision.

 

[fishmd]

Hi All,

I know this is a Mac forum, but I have to vent somewhere.

I've been an Apple fan since the first iPhone, but unfortunately the X has not hit the mark for me, and this is the first occassion I've decided to move away.

I bought an X on Friday and have used it for a couple of days. I really just can't get on with it- the face id is frustrating, and although it works everytime, it's annoying to have to hover over my phone when on my desk at work to unlock it. The main issue I have is the video playback moving from a plus. It's just not big enough, and when expanded the notch is frustrating.

Some of you may say, why not just get an 8 then? Well, I'm sorry but I really feel like the 8 is basically the same phone as the 6, which I've already upgraded 3 times (6+ > 6S+ > 7+).

A couple of the guys in my team have android devices and the main one that's caught my eye is the Note8. The screen is stunning, the picture looks so vivid and the aspect ratio of the device makes viewing videos a pleasure.

I've purchased directly from Samsung, who now have a 28 dya no quibble returns so lets see how I get on. I'm sure I'll be back, but prob not until the 8 range gets a good facelift.

Let the flaming begin....

No flammability at all here man. I have the 10 which I got for my my work phone (have to have iOS device for medical record acessability as there is no android app) and Note 8 for personal use. The Note 8 is a great device in many respects. If you are locked into iOS however, the 10 is the only way to go right now in my opinion as the iPhone 8 is just a tired rehash of the past few years.

 

[MarkB786]

If you think Face ID is frustrating, wait until you see how bad Samsung Facial recognition is and their Iris scanner. I can promise you it is much worse, and the fact that it is not as secure.
Also provide feedback on USB-C connection issues? I have had plenty.
Lastly, I will admit the screen is MUCH nicer on the Samsung. But I can afford things like TV's and Projectors and such. I dont base my phone interest on watching movies on it. Watching Youtube vids here and there or stuff embedded on Facebook does not bother me as much as the poor implementation of other core things.

Also, give your feedback of the mess of notifications you will get and the string of icons cluttered at the top of the notification area, ect, ect. The apps are not quite as nice or rich. You will get very little support from Samsung when you call there. Their own people do not even use Samsung products.

Please see this video. If you want the upload showing the phones not working in any of my cars, I can upload tonight

Responses after about 6 weeks with the Note 8 after owning the ip7plus:
1. Face Recognition: I do not use this, but I do use the great Secure Unlock features such as geofencing and unlocking when connected to an approved Bluetooth device. These work great
2. Zero USB C issues on my Tab S3 or Note 8. Totally solid, plus wirelsss charging works fine. No issues.
3. Notifications are totally manages on an app-by-app basis, just like iOS. I only get notified by apps that I choose to let through. No issue here at all. Plus, you can swipe a notification and manage it right there. No need to navigate layers of menus to do that.
4. Totally wrong on the apps. All apps I used on Android are every bit as rich and good on the Note 8. Maybe thing have gotten better recently, but absolutely no issue here at all. Zero.
5. I was able to get a Samsung tech rep on the phone within 5 minutes, and via chat within about the same time. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. Again, no issue here.

So, either your experience is dated or it is based on hearsay. I had iPhones for 10 years and am absolutely loving the Samsung/Note 8 experience.
[doublepost=1509991116][/doublepost]

6) Can't use my Apple Watch anymore.

I moved to the Samsung Frontier S3 watch. Again, a very good product. I owned the iWatch S0 and S1 and do like the Frontier better. Very similar features and functions, but I like the way it looks and menus are a lot easier/intuitive to navigate. And the LTE works seamlessly.

 

[csurfr]

4. Totally wrong on the apps. All apps I used on Android are every bit as rich and good on the Note 8. Maybe thing have gotten better recently, but absolutely no issue here at all. Zero.

My issue with apps when using the S8+ was that they were so far and away different than their iOS counterparts. Two examples: Wells Fargo, and Starbucks.

The two interfaces weren't the same, the apps didn't offer the same functionality, or in other ways were fundamentally different. I know this falls on the developers. It seems like iOS versions of apps are more polished and receive a lot more attention than Android versions.

 

[Farrellcollie]

I have a note 8 and an iphone 6s+ - I love the note 8 - it works quite well for what I use it for. I also like my iphone but the new 8/8+ did not change enough for me to want to get another one and I will wait a year or two to see what happens with the X. I have to have two phones and I like playing with both systems. This way I carry the note 8 around with me and use my apple watch for the iphone calls/texts.

 

[csurfr]

Also!!! Don't forget to turn off iMessage before removing your SIM from the iPhone. . . You'll have a hard time receiving messages from other iPhone users. Even when I used my S8+ after turning off iMessage, my friends' messages didn't come though for a while since the Apple servers still thought my number was attached to an iPhone.

 

[kerrikins]

If you think Face ID is frustrating, wait until you see how bad Samsung Facial recognition is and their Iris scanner.[/MEDIA]

Yeah, this was my experience. I have an S8 that I picked up to play with and the facial recognition is horrible. Most of the time it doesn't work at all, and the fingerprint sensor is in an awful location. I think that it's a great device for Android, but compared to iOS it just doesn't work for me.

 

[shyam09]

Samsung: facial recognition

Apple: 3D face mapping

It's literally apples to oranges people. And Samsung provides a fingerprint reader (albeit on the rear), so they aren't forcing you to use only one.

 

[BarracksSi]

So much misinformation from the fanboys.

I hover my hand above the screen like a wizard to see my notifications.

Wow, cool! You mean that it can read your handprint and verify that it's you before showing the notifications? If so, that's pretty awesome, and at least as secure as TouchID was.