iPhone XS Max Week with Xs Max after a year with Samsung...

[pward]

After many years of iPhone ownership (original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 6 Plus) and with Apple wanting to charge £1000 for the iPhone X last year, I decided to jump ship and bought a Samsung S8+.

Well after a year with the S8+ and Android I bought an Xs Max a couple of weeks ago. FWIW here are my impressions of both devices and OSs.

The S8+ its a good piece of hardware - well built, light and with a great screen. However I never really liked Android. Sure, it's customisable and there's lots more info what's going on with the OS that's available to the user BUT there's no consistency where I want there to be. For example there is no standard shape for icons. I CAN use a launcher to get some consistency but it is a bit of a kludge. Also I love the idea of widgets but again there's no consistency. If I want widgets for news, weather and stocks then I can do it but they will all have a different look. Android apps have improved from being like the Wild West a few years ago but you're still not sure what you're going to get...

Battery life was also an issue. I am a light user - no gaming or videos, just the odd call, text and occasional app use. After a day with the the S8+ I would have to consider charging it.

So to the Xs Max. That hardware is a little bit wider than the S8+ and it is noticeably heavier. The screen colours don't 'pop' like on the Samsung but that's the Apple calibration. I wasn't sure about the notch (hated the design when I first saw it) but it isn't really a problem in normal use. Face ID has surprised me - it's really good and you almost forget it's there which is what you want from an authentication mechanism. On the OS side I have consistent icons and widgets, although the widgets aren't as flexible. The apps I need run better on iOS than on Android.

Battery life is also much better. I am a light user remember, and I have gone 3 days between charges sometimes.

I really wasn't sure whether to come back to Apple, and I really wish the Xs Max 64GB wasn't £1099 but I will be keeping the Xs Max and selling the S8+...

 

[Paradoxally]

That's similar to me. I got the S9+ after owning a 6+ for 3 years. Huge upgrade, as expected. But Android isn't for me, and One UI is dreadful. I liked Samsung Experience 9.0 but that new UI was a dealbreaker, plus the horrible battery life.

I sold it and got a Xs Max. Fluidity and battery life are way better. I'm not switching to Android again unless Google improve the hardware on their Pixel devices (it's a very mediocre phone except for the camera and software).

As for Samsung, great hardware let down by terrible software that takes months to get updates and usually result in UX regressions.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

New year, same story. I absolutely love tinkering with new hardware. Something about unboxing and setting up a new phone is so satisfying. Samsung definitely has it nailed in the hardware department but it's become more of a waste of money for me because I get tired of Android so quickly then I'm either taking a loss on reselling or I have phones I'm no longer interested in using lying around the house.

 

[bigjnyc]

I ventured out a couple of years ago with the Samsung Note 7 before the batteries started catching fire... And while the hardware was really nice I absolutely hated android. This felt so trivial and silly but I really really missed iMessage, I could not get a good reliable messaging app on android, and I tried quite a few. Battery life was terrible and I was left wondering why Samsung made commercials making fun of iOS battery life, what was I missing? and Android is just a jumbled disorganized mess which bothered me greatly.

I will say though the one positive was the phone itself I loved the hardware probably more than any iphone, from size, to camera, screen quality, etc... But I just couldn't get past the OS

Anyhow I was willing to stick it out for an entire year until the next iPhone was released but I got bailed out by the whole recall due to the battery fires... I took that opportunity to run back to iPhone and never looked back.

 

[superleakTx]

If you have Note 9, you gonna have a different store

 

[darksithpro]

It's a shame Samsung won't give the users the ability to run vanilla Android. I hate Bixby, they need to get rid of that crap and have an option to use the dedicated button for something useful.

 

[Wide opeN]

That's similar to me. I got the S9+ after owning a 6+ for 3 years. Huge upgrade, as expected. But Android isn't for me, and One UI is dreadful. I liked Samsung Experience 9.0 but that new UI was a dealbreaker, plus the horrible battery life.

I sold it and got a Xs Max. Fluidity and battery life are way better. I'm not switching to Android again unless Google improve the hardware on their Pixel devices (it's a very mediocre phone except for the camera and software).

As for Samsung, great hardware let down by terrible software that takes months to get updates and usually result in UX regressions.

What did you dislike about One UI so much!? I thought it was supposed to be such a great improvement!?

If I could afford it, I'd definitely like to play with the One Plus 6T. Does Android still have no equivalent for tap to return to the top of the page in the web browser!?

 

[Goompa]

It’s good to hear more Apple users switching to other devices. I started with the 4 and just switched to the Note 9. And I can tell you that this is a really nice device!
I love the s pen, the camera and the notchless oled screen.
There are some compromises, like sending files to the Mac and viceversa, but I can live with that. Plus I miss the huge option in accessories.

 

[MaskedCarrot]

I did the opposite. I am the type that upgrades my iPhone every year at launch, and this year got the XS MAX. It was a nice phone, but other than the size increase from last year's X, I was like....Meh....

On Thanksgiving, Google was having a $200 off the Pixel 3 XL. So I got up at 3am and ordered it. Although I've been an iPhone zealot, I've used to work in Cellular for many years and always had a work phone which was Android, so I am very well versed in it as well.

So far I am really liking the Pixel. Sure it's not as flashy as the Sammy's, but do you really need all of that anyway? The only thing I think the Pixel needs is 6 gig of RAM instead of the 4 they put in. Other than that, I think it's a great phone. The camera is amazing, and definitely better than the iPhone's. At least in my opinion. I actually like the Portrait Mode better, and Google is even doing it with only one camera.

Also I sold my XS MAX. I was originally going to keep in as a secondary phone and bounce back and forth, but I'm so into the Pixel I figured I might as well sell the iPhone instead of it sitting in a drawer and paying like $45 or so a month payments on it.

One thing I do miss though is using an Apple Watch. I am still shopping around for an Android watch, but haven't decided on one yet.

 

[44267547]

It’s good to hear more Apple users switching to other devices. I started with the 4 and just switched to the Note 9. And I can tell you that this is a really nice device!
I love the s pen, the camera and the notchless oled screen.
There are some compromises, like sending files to the Mac and viceversa, but I can live with that. Plus I miss the huge option in accessories.

I don’t really think Apple users switch to Samsung because of the hardware though, even though it does have some advantages in that area. But really the difference being is the user is choosing android versus iOS, and if you have the user who is deeply tied into the ecosystem with Apple, that’s a very difficult transition to make. But for me, I find it bothersome that android usually receives about two years of updates, minus the security that Apple also has over android offers with iOS.

 

[I7guy]

I don’t really think Apple users switch to Samsung because of the hardware though, even though it does have some advantages in that area. But really the difference being is the user is choosing android versus iOS, and if you have the user who is deeply tied into the ecosystem with Apple, that’s a very difficult transition to make. But for me, I find it bothersome that android usually receives about two years of updates, minus the security that Apple also has over android offers with iOS.

This switching is called churn and apple has it's fair share of android defectors as well.

I disagree on one point though...I do think people buy Samsung precisely for the premium hardware. But the latest Samsung financials are "saying" Samsung mobile phone division isn't doing very well. And I'm thinking it's because some android handsets are 80% of the value of a galaxy at 50% of the price.

 

[44267547]

This switching is called churn and apple has it's fair share of android defectors as well.

I disagree on one point though...I do think people buy Samsung precisely for the premium hardware. But the latest Samsung financials are "saying" Samsung mobile phone division isn't doing very well. And I'm thinking it's because some android handsets are 80% of the value of a galaxy at 50% of the price.

That’s fair, and I don’t speak for everyone who transitions to Samsung because of their hardware, but I think amongst all competitors, the hardware is almost equally premium to the point where we don’t question the standards for quality of materials used anymore by Apple or Samsung, but the point I stand by and which has been well known within the smart phone competition is the focus is ‘shifting to software and artificial intelligence’ for the loyalty factor.

As far as China/Apple/Samsung’s stagnation:

China is a massive smartphone market, accounting for almost one-third of the world's smart phone shipments, but its economy has been slowing and consumers are leery of the rising trade tensions. China is also investing to buy smartphones from Chinese manufacturers from Huawei and Xiaomi. Many models are cheaper than those made by Apple and Samsung, which is affecting both tech giants considerably.

 

[tonybarnaby]

I did the opposite. I am the type that upgrades my iPhone every year at launch, and this year got the XS MAX. It was a nice phone, but other than the size increase from last year's X, I was like....Meh....

On Thanksgiving, Google was having a $200 off the Pixel 3 XL. So I got up at 3am and ordered it. Although I've been an iPhone zealot, I've used to work in Cellular for many years and always had a work phone which was Android, so I am very well versed in it as well.

So far I am really liking the Pixel. Sure it's not as flashy as the Sammy's, but do you really need all of that anyway? The only thing I think the Pixel needs is 6 gig of RAM instead of the 4 they put in. Other than that, I think it's a great phone. The camera is amazing, and definitely better than the iPhone's. At least in my opinion. I actually like the Portrait Mode better, and Google is even doing it with only one camera.

Also I sold my XS MAX. I was originally going to keep in as a secondary phone and bounce back and forth, but I'm so into the Pixel I figured I might as well sell the iPhone instead of it sitting in a drawer and paying like $45 or so a month payments on it.

One thing I do miss though is using an Apple Watch. I am still shopping around for an Android watch, but haven't decided on one yet.

Galaxy watch is your only choice. I prefer Android myself, but I came to apple purely for the watch.

 

[Shanghaichica]

This switching is called churn and apple has it's fair share of android defectors as well.

I disagree on one point though...I do think people buy Samsung precisely for the premium hardware. But the latest Samsung financials are "saying" Samsung mobile phone division isn't doing very well. And I'm thinking it's because some android handsets are 80% of the value of a galaxy at 50% of the price.

I agree. That’s the reason I would switch to Samsung for the hardware. The reason I won’t get one is because of software. Not saying that the software on the note 9 is bad or android is bad. I just prefer iOS.

 

[Paradoxally]

What did you dislike about One UI so much!? I thought it was supposed to be such a great improvement!?

It's not. Samsung focused on removing valuable content, reducing the density and resulting in a lot of unused space. Just because my finger can't reach the top comfortably does not mean I don't want to see all the information that should appear on my screen. iOS has big titles, but you still have less wasted space.

One thing I do miss though is using an Apple Watch. I am still shopping around for an Android watch, but haven't decided on one yet.

You're probably going to go back to iPhone if you care about a good watch. Android watches range from meh to downright unusable. The Apple Watch, like the iPad, is unmatched.

 

[jamezr]

I agree. That’s the reason I would switch to Samsung for the hardware. The reason I won’t get one is because of software. Not saying that the software on the note 9 is bad or android is bad. I just prefer iOS.

I'm kinda in the same boat as well..... Love the Samsung hardware and software to be honest. The software does have a lot more features than stock Android.
But consistently my iPhone provides a great overall user experience for me. I use it more than any other device.

 

[Jimmy James]

I just read an article about how the Facebook app comes preloaded and cannot be deleted from Samsung phones. Among others. If this is true I want nothing to do with it. User experience be damned.

 

[AeroZ]

After using iPhones for 7 years I switched to OnePlus 5T instead and it's the best decisions I've made. 550€ well spent.
The sad fact is that while Apple's prices go up the quality goes down. I'm not against Apple and iPhones overall. I might even switch back to an iPhone but not before the ridiculous prices drop considerably.

 

[phoneme]

I just read an article about how the Facebook app comes preloaded and cannot be deleted from Samsung phones. Among others. If this is true I want nothing to do with it. User experience be damned.

i also heard you can't remove imessge, health app and photos. from an iphone. If this is true I want nothing to do with it. User experience be damned.

but i just check my note8 and yes i indeed can remove facebook

 

[Jimmy James]

i also heard you can't remove imessge, health app and photos. from an iphone. If this is true I want nothing to do with it. User experience be damned.

but i just check my note8 and yes i indeed can remove facebook

Are those apps collecting personal telemetry with the express purpose of selling advertising by a company with rampant privacy breaches and/or misuse?

Good to hear this isn't a universal problem.

 

[Goompa]

I don’t really think Apple users switch to Samsung because of the hardware though, even though it does have some advantages in that area. But really the difference being is the user is choosing android versus iOS, and if you have the user who is deeply tied into the ecosystem with Apple, that’s a very difficult transition to make. But for me, I find it bothersome that android usually receives about two years of updates, minus the security that Apple also has over android offers with iOS.

Not sure exactly what you mean with tied: I have a Mac, AirPods, iPad, iPod and music... and I can use them with my Note 9. However, music is a pain tbh.

I just read an article about how the Facebook app comes preloaded and cannot be deleted from Samsung phones. Among others. If this is true I want nothing to do with it. User experience be damned.

Not true at all.

It's not. Samsung focused on removing valuable content, reducing the density and resulting in a lot of unused space. Just because my finger can't reach the top comfortably does not mean I don't want to see all the information that should appear on my screen. iOS has big titles, but you still have less wasted space.



You're probably going to go back to iPhone if you care about a good watch. Android watches range from meh to downright unusable. The Apple Watch, like the iPad, is unmatched.

Could you tell me what unused space you are referring to?

So far, I’m happy with my phone Sad that I “have” to use a case for it...

 

[Gudi]

I never used Android or any Windows version after 7, but I still got my share of bad UI design by Apple.

https://daringfireball.net/2018/12/ios_still_hasnt_gotten_undo_right

 

[deep1]

What did you dislike about One UI so much!? I thought it was supposed to be such a great improvement!?

If I could afford it, I'd definitely like to play with the One Plus 6T. Does Android still have no equivalent for tap to return to the top of the page in the web browser!?

My experience after owning iPhones since 3G and also same time owning Samsung from s3 to s9 and note 4 to note 8, and the max I stayed on Samsung was note 4 which lasted for 8 Months but sooner or later I will sell Samsung and keep iPhone for slowness and other annoying issue with Samsung .

This year I tried to give Oneplus 6t a chance and if I have to be honest, it’s prob the best phone I have ever used, iPhone X second close for me.

Oxygen os is much much better experience than Samsung one Ui, much faster, fluid experience, not a single lag, however camera sucks.

I am back to using my trusty iPhone X again but for me if manufacturers really want iOS users to convert to android ( if ecosystem is not important) then Samsung hardware and oxygen os would be a solid phone in my opinion.

Also my colleague has 3t which I got a chance to play with before buying 6t and 3t was almost same as fluid and responsive as 6t so they really shine at software.

 

[44267547]

I just read an article about how the Facebook app comes preloaded and cannot be deleted from Samsung phones. Among others. If this is true I want nothing to do with it. User experience be damned.

For me, I find that bothersome. I don’t want any the bloatware and preloaded apps that I can’t ultimately delete, and hiding them is not any better either. That’s what I like about the iPhone, even though others say it so stagnated with the iOS design, at least I have the option of removing stock Apps that I don’t want to see or have no use for.

 

[mib1800]

For me, I find that bothersome. I don’t want any the bloatware and preloaded apps that I can’t ultimately delete, and hiding them is not any better either. That’s what I like about the iPhone, even though others say it so stagnated with the iOS design, at least I have the option of removing stock Apps that I don’t want to see or have no use for.

Just disabled them on Android. Has the same effect as uninstalling. Obviously you don't know much about Android

Try removing calendar or safari apps in iPhone and you will be shocked to death