Don’t get me wrong, I love how versatile Samsung is. Just like most Androids, they give you options. But that versatility can also be frustrating when they can’t seem to commit to a clear direction.
Samsung is integrated with both Google and Microsoft, but the features don't allow you to fully commit to either. For example, most of Samsung’s backup options are Microsoft based (Notes sync to OneNote, and the Gallery and Files sync to OneDrive).
Yet Samsung Internet only syncs with Google, not Edge, (even with extensions enabled and synced attempted) and they push you to switch from Samsung Messages to Google Messages.
Reminders? They sync to Microsoft To Do, not Google Tasks. Want to back up your Gallery to Google Photos? You can, but you’ll lose Samsung Gallery features in the process.
Samsung Internet itself doesn’t sync smoothly with Chrome or Edge either. That’s frustrating because I genuinely love using Samsung Internet.
But it's annoying that there's no Lens/search icon like in Chrome, and Bixby Vision is nowhere, NOWHERE, near as good as Google Lens.
So now you’re stuck juggling Samsung’s own apps, Google’s services, and Microsoft’s services, but none of them sync properly with each other.
You're left straddling three ecosystems, and it's getting more and more frustrating.
Don’t even get me started on Samsung’s keyboard. It’s nowhere near as smooth or responsive as Google's.
Sure, you could go all-in with Google services, but everything else (like Notes and backups) leans heavily on Microsoft.
You just can’t commit fully to one platform.
Personally, I’m stuck not knowing whether to pay for Microsoft or Google because Samsung doesn’t make that decision easy.
Ideally, Samsung should either fully commit to one platform (which would make Samsung much less desirable) or build seamless integration between both.
That way, all of Samsung’s apps could sync properly, no matter which ecosystem you're using.
To make matters worse, Samsung Notes only work on Samsung devices. If you don’t have a Samsung laptop, you can’t access your Notes on a regular desktop. That means if your only Samsung device breaks or is stolen, you lose all that data.
You also can’t use Samsung Notes on the Galaxy Watch. Speaking of which, my Watch 6 is incredibly frustrating. Even with only the health app running to track sleep and workouts, the performance is laggy, and the battery barely lasts a day (and yes, I’ve adjusted the settings).
Oh, and I just discovered Samsung removed the ability to back up Notes to OneNote from phones and tablets. Now it only works from a Samsung laptop.
Speaking of Bixby, my god, chill out. I say, “Bixby, set a…” and before I can finish, it cuts me off. The voices are horrid. And if you want to ask about your next event, schedule for the day, or tasks on your lock screen (like when you’re tying your shoes), forget it. You have to unlock your device, which defeats the purpose. Yes, “use on lockscreen” is active.
Try using “Hey Google” while playing music, also forget it. For some reason, Google is set as my assistant, but it still doesn’t respond. And yes, it’s also active.
I'm sure I am not the only one that noticed all of this. Samsung really seems unsure about which ecosystem to align with, and users like us, are paying the price.
Again, I love Samsung. Their modes and routines are genuinely fantastic. I use them every day. And I appreciate that they offer integration with both Google and Microsoft. But it’s time they made up their minds and gave users a clear, synchronised and cohesive experience.
