Samsung evolution over the last decade

[upcfrost]

Just wanted to write it somewhere, a post to summarize my experience with samsung phones. Basically a "feedback" of sorts. Posting it here as it's more about the general evolution of samsung phones and some specific models.

Also, as I'm describing events happening over the past 8, I think, years, my memory might be hazy and I might be mistaking at which point features were removed.

So well, onwards. I've started using Samsung phones with S6, and it was super cool. I loved the fingerprint scanner, the Clearview case, the gear vr, and especially the surround shot mode. I've used it for google maps panoramas, used it for Facebook, used it for myself. Gear vr was cool, fingerprint worked smooth, etc.

Then I switched to S8. The fingerprint scanner was moved to where it is right now, and it didn't work that well. On top of that, my old gear vr was not compatible with the new phone. Ok, well, things evolve i guess. Bought a new gear vr, somehow adapted to the new scanner. Whatever, "this is fine", probably.

At that point I've changed my country of residence, and when I started having issues with my phone battery, I went to the Samsung service. Surprise, my warranty was not valid there. Thx, premium service, not cool. Anyways. Not many brands had an international warranty back then, so I guess "this was fine".

Then I've switched to S10, and the surround shot I used so much was no more. It was a real bummer, as I had a vacation planned right after I bought a new phone. Ok, well, probably trying to promote gear 360. Not the best move, but fine, bought the camera. Let's say, it was much less useful than the surround shot, and on top of that it didn't like a single SD card I've tried with it. But it was able to do videos. Ok, managed to adapt, whatever, onwards.

Then I've switched to S20, and my gear vr was no more. What the hell. On top of that my camera connection app started to act funny, and in the end it just stopped working. Not cool. But on the brighter side, the Clearview case was really nice.

Then I've changed my country of residence again, and I've switched to S22. First of all, there was no trade-in option in my new country of residence, and there is no official samsung shops either, which is, well, not very cool but probably fine. I mean, you can really have an official store in every single city on this planet, even though you're in the major city in the middle of Europe (or maybe i just dont know how to search). But what's worse is that now my samsung pay app doesn't work. In the galaxy store it got replaced by the wallet app which doesn't work in my country. After a while an additional link was added to the store page saying that I should use the version from GPlay, which, well, says my phone is not supported. Btw, dear samsung, plz respect device language settings when adding crucial info to the store, i was forced to use the translator. Not to mention that Switzerland has 4 official languages, and not everyone here speak German.

After contacting support more than once and being pushed around between the departments I've sent all the data I was requested, and then silence. Flagship device, payment app broken, cool. It still doesn't work. Oh, and S22 has the worst Clearview case out of all Samsung phones I had. S6 had the screen opening twice larger and covered with film. The new "peep hole" is a joke, srsly, and it doesn't even have a film on it to protect your screen.

Almost forgot the part when the I realized that the SpO2/heartrate sensor is no more. It happened when I really really needed it.

Now I'm in Dubai on a family trip, and I wanted to buy a smart watch. Given everything written above I was quite hesitant to even consider buying Galaxy Watch, but nevertheless I still went to the samsung store and asked about the watch. And, on top of that, about my samsung pay situation. Long story short, if I'll buy the watch in Dubai, the warranty will be limited to the UAE. And ofc my phone warranty is also region and doesn't work here. Nice. Didn't buy it, as you may guess.

So, to summarize, compared to my first phone now i have: minus gear vr, minus surround shot, minus 360 camera which replaced the surround shot, minus normal fingerprint scanner, minus Clearview case, minus linux on dex which happened I don't remember when, minus 3.5mm jack (I don't like wireless earpods), minus samsung pay, minus SpO2/heartrate sensor, minus support (which never existed but still).

The only question I have is: dear samsung, are you seriously trying hard to kill your brand or smth? Honestly, after remembering everything that happened I'm pretty sure my next phone won't be samsung. Removing cool and unique features, replacing things that work with some untested bull just to remove it later, and region locking even the tech support. It feels like using some cheap shady stuff one would buy on AliExpress, not a premium brand

[BandOfBrothers]

I appreciate your viewpoint on what you've experienced @upcfrost  👍

I too have seen features come and go over the years.

Some very useful to me and some not so much.

It boils down to what's useful to the individual that ticks their own wants and needs boxes. 

Samsung has to move with the time's and move with current market trends and technology.

I appreciate what your saying about the warranty not being valid in another country to which has been discussed in previous threads.

I assume this has something in connection to manufacturing in different countries / different parts etc however some form of basic support would be a step forward. 👌

I purchased a Samsung Note²⁰ from Samsung Hong Kong as I wanted the version with the snapdragon soc inside and knew Samsung UK where I reside wouldn't provide support but that was an informed decision.

There was no region locking on that phone. I appreciate this is to try and kerb grey market selling. 

Some people don't know that the Samsung 2 Year Manufacturers Warranty is a limited cover.

Not everyone reads the warranty Terms and Conditions which I appreciate. 

Samsung as your aware has removed the 3.5mm jack but there are workarounds such as a dongle that means a person's own wired earphones can be used [ ³rd party one's are available  ] 

Personally I do prefer Bluetooth Earphone and Headphone options to which I own quite a few different versions.

Personal preference.

Samsung Pay is region dependent and available if a Bank accepts it too.

I use Google Pay / Google Wallet Personally and have found no issues with it.

If I had my choice the fingerprint scanner would be placed on the power button as it is on my Fold³ which I prefer over the scanner on my s²² Ultra. The afore mentioned is much more accurate.

It would be a shame for a person to want to move brands but I submit this is the freedom of choice we all have.

Take care @upcfrost 

[upcfrost]

Hi,

Thanks for taking time to read this "novel" 😅

I'm aware that 3.5mm dongles exist, I have one, but I kinda feel about this like that dog from "this is fine" meme, which I've cited more than once.

As for the Samsung Pay, there's some weird issue. Basically, right now for the Swiss region it was replaced by the Samsung Wallet in the Galaxy store, but at the same time there's a note in the description (written in German which 40% of the country don't really know) that CH users should download the version from GPlay. Which doesn't work on S22, probably (assumption) because it doesn't have MST. It worked perfectly fine on S20, so I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the region. Right now I use Google Wallet, I just really don't like it compared to SPay on S20. Again, "this is fine".

About support - this is honestly a bummer. Like, when you go to some big shopping destination like Dubai and you're being told that "sure but you're on your own" that's not very cool. On the other hand, when one of my friend bought her AirPods in some duty-free in the airport somewhere in Asia, she still got full warranty from Apple back home. This is honestly smth I'd assume given for the "premium" brand.

Yes, I know, it's all personal preference and business. It's just that to me it looks like if Samsung is trying to make an Android iPhone, basically copying everything Apple does. Which is not uncommon but not very wise, if people would want iPhone they'll buy iPhone. There's a fine line between studying your competitors and copying your competitors, and the latter rarely brings any good.

Anyways, guess I'll really move away from Samsung in the future, maybe to pixel, or maybe to huawei/xiaomi, dunno yet. Maybe even to some geek-ish stuff like Pinephone. That's honestly a real bummer, I liked Samsung, but it's just getting more and more "cut" on the features I use the most, and gets some completely useless (for me, not talking for anyone else) stuff like adding more pixels to the camera.