Bought the S4 aprox. 1 month ago. Here's why I'm selling it.

[jcpb]

Due to some hard salesmanship, I walked out of the store with a brand new Galaxy S4.

Rule #1: don't bring iPhones to the Verizon store for repairs, bring them to Apple stores.

Rule #2: salespeople make money selling things, they don't make as much money fixing things. Don't let them push you into doing things you don't want to do.

To start off, the S4 has better hardware then the iP5, plain and simple. however, android is so un-optimized that the phone feels noticeably slower. Things take longer to open. Animations for opening apps or the keyboard stutter often. The phone randomly freezes for no reason. etc.

You'd get the exact same experience when buying laptops from big box stores. First thing you do to them? Factory reset them and put on the software bits that only you want on them.

For Android phones, this means: root the phone, install a custom recovery, and replace the stock ROM with a compatible ROM (for your phone model). XDA-Developers is your best friend.

One of my biggest issues is with how unstable the camera software is.

TouchWiz.

Im sure I don't need to go into any of the issues with bloatware

A lot of the complaints against Samsung's Galaxy line of devices come down to the bloatware payload: TouchWiz. Many people love it. A lot of us on MR don't, to say little about the folks at xda-dev. The most common fix is to remove a large majority of the core S-apps that provide the TouchWiz interface, but the most surefire way is to simply use a ROM that doesn't have TouchWiz on it, period.

By the way, you can't remove a lot of the default apps on iOS. Especially Newsstand - Apple does not let you put that app into a folder, let alone uninstall it.

 

[Assault]

lol wth? come on. I agree with vm, gc, newsstand, why did u mention calculator twice and why is that bloatware? But reminders plenty of people use, easy access to a stocks app is also def not bloatware, and safari? Seriously. Far better than chrome on mobile. Everybody with an android device complains about chrome.*
Now, the sales reps part I agree with.

It makes no difference if some people use Apple's bloatware apps or not. The point is, you can't get rid of these apps and they are set by Apple to be default main apps. They dont care if you want to use another browser or not, they don't give to craps about the customers wishes.
A nice example of this bloatware being set to default is Safari. No matter what, if you click a link in some app, what browser do you have to use? No matter how you cut it, these apps are the purist definition of "bloatware". Don't think for one second Apple is above putting crapware in your face. Can't wait to see how bad the bloatware will be once the cheap, plastic iPhone is released.

 

[3bs]

It makes no difference if some people use Apple's bloatware apps or not. The point is, you can't get rid of these apps and they are set by Apple to be default main apps. They dont care if you want to use another browser or not, they don't give to craps about the customers wishes.
A nice example of this bloatware being set to default is Safari. No matter what, if you click a link in some app, what browser do you have to use? No matter how you cut it, these apps are the purist definition of "bloatware". Don't think for one second Apple is above putting crapware in your face. Can't wait to see how bad the bloatware will be once the cheap, plastic iPhone is released.

I don't see how you think Safari is bloatware. Do you expect them ship the phone without a browser installed? Most of the apps you're saying are bloatware provide core functionally and their number is very limited compared to non-Nexus Android phones anyway (Galaxy line specifically). I hate newsstand and the Stocks app as much as most people trust me

You being able to change default apps is a different matter.

 

[jimbo1mcm]

No problems

I switched from an Iphone 5 to the S4 and have no problems. I would be upset if someone took away my S4 and I had to go back to that Ip5.

 

[daveathall]

I think too much is made about "bloatware". On an Android phone one just hides bloatware apps in the app drawer, thats it, done, as for my experience, it doesn't effect the phone at all. The next way of doing things is to just disable them, takes a couple of clicks, thats it. Some carrier bloatware can be uninstalled.

IMHO, it is one of those urban myths championed by non Android users that have no experience with the phone. I have often read on here that "I can't stand the bloatware" but no one says why they don't like it. On my phone it doesn't slow down because of the bloatware, so what is so bad about it? Can anyone tell us?

Im sure I don't need to go into any of the issues with bloatware

Please do, indulge us.

 

[appleisking]

It makes no difference if some people use Apple's bloatware apps or not. The point is, you can't get rid of these apps and they are set by Apple to be default main apps. They dont care if you want to use another browser or not, they don't give to craps about the customers wishes.
A nice example of this bloatware being set to default is Safari. No matter what, if you click a link in some app, what browser do you have to use? No matter how you cut it, these apps are the purist definition of "bloatware". Don't think for one second Apple is above putting crapware in your face. Can't wait to see how bad the bloatware will be once the cheap, plastic iPhone is released.

What does cheap iphone have to do with that? It will run the same exact os as all the other iphones...

I don't see how you think Safari is bloatware. Do you expect them ship the phone without a browser installed? Most of the apps you're saying are bloatware provide core functionally and their number is very limited compared to non-Nexus Android phones anyway (Galaxy line specifically). I hate newsstand and the Stocks app as much as most people trust me

You being able to change default apps is a different matter.

Thank you that is precisely my point. I think he's suggesting any os that brings along any sort of app that he might not be interested in is bloatware. Also I'd much prefer safari as default than chrome, any day of the week.

 

[The Game 161]

Sd card doing that has nothing to do with your phone..

 

[Assault]

I don't see how you think Safari is bloatware. Do you expect them ship the phone without a browser installed? Most of the apps you're saying are bloatware provide core functionally and their number is very limited compared to non-Nexus Android phones anyway (Galaxy line specifically). I hate newsstand and the Stocks app as much as most people trust me

You being able to change default apps is a different matter.

Safari is a browser, which is fine. I do not view that as bad and of course there should be a browser installed from the factory. That is not the point. Safari is bloatware, because 1) It comes pre-installed 2. You can not delete or disable it and 3. You are forced to use it, as the default browser and that can not be changed.

That is the definition of bloatware, regardless if the app is useful. Do you think Apple forces an owner of an iMac to just use Safari or to prevent a user from deleting it in favor of Chrome? So why do they do it with the iPhone/iPad?

 

[Assault]

What does cheap iphone have to do with that? It will run the same exact os as all the other iphones...


Thank you that is precisely my point. I think he's suggesting any os that brings along any sort of app that he might not be interested in is bloatware. Also I'd much prefer safari as default than chrome, any day of the week.

I use iOS/OSX on a daily basis. My point has nothing to do with what app I prefer or like. In fact, I use Safari on my iMac and iPod, Dolphin on my S3, and Chrome on my Chromebook, HP and Nexus 7.

If I were allowed the choice (which I am not on any iDevice) I would delete Safari and use another browser. And I would also delete Newstand, Compass, iTunes, and a bunch of other useless crap Apple thinks I need and forces upon me.

 

[aneftp]

Basically most people want an iPhone with HTC One's 4.7 inch LCD screen and speakers.

----------

Safari is a browser, which is fine. I do not view that as bad and of course there should be a browser installed from the factory. That is not the point. Safari is bloatware, because 1) It comes pre-installed 2. You can not delete or disable it and 3. You are forced to use it, as the default browser and that can not be changed.

That is the definition of bloatware, regardless if the app is useful. Do you think Apple forces an owner of an iMac to just use Safari or to prevent a user from deleting it in favor of Chrome? So why do they do it with the iPhone/iPad?

I disagree on bloat ware.

Bloat ware are things not inherently hard coded into the OS. Apple like Microsoft with its built in software (IE, mail etc) integrates the browser into the OS. This gives the software like safari a major advantage.

Whereas Touchwiz, Sense etc use up valuable system resources in addition to the core Android OS. Plus whatever stuff the carrier wants to install. And carrier stuff is bloat ware on top of the sense and toucwiz bloat.

 

[mattopotamus]

Basically most people want an iPhone with HTC One's 4.7 inch LCD screen and speakers.

----------



I disagree on bloat ware.

Bloat ware are things not inherently hard coded into the OS. Apple like Microsoft with its built in software (IE, mail etc) integrates the browser into the OS. This gives the software like safari a major advantage.

Whereas Touchwiz, Sense etc use up valuable system resources in addition to the core Android OS. Plus whatever stuff the carrier wants to install. And carrier stuff is bloat ware on top of the sense and toucwiz bloat.

This. I don't consider bloat ware stock apps. When I think bloat ware I think of the apps carriers add

 

[3bs]

I use iOS/OSX on a daily basis. My point has nothing to do with what app I prefer or like. In fact, I use Safari on my iMac and iPod, Dolphin on my S3, and Chrome on my Chromebook, HP and Nexus 7.

If I were allowed the choice (which I am not on any iDevice) I would delete Safari and use another browser. And I would also delete Newstand, Compass, iTunes, and a bunch of other useless crap Apple thinks I need and forces upon me.

That's always been the way iOS works though, you just can't change the default apps. I don't like that either (which is why I'm using Android at the moment) but it's nothing new. It's part of their walled garden OS or whatever people call it.

 

[mib1800]

Basically most people want an iPhone with HTC One's 4.7 inch LCD screen and speakers.

----------



I disagree on bloat ware.

Bloat ware are things not inherently hard coded into the OS. Apple like Microsoft with its built in software (IE, mail etc) integrates the browser into the OS. This gives the software like safari a major advantage.

Whereas Touchwiz, Sense etc use up valuable system resources in addition to the core Android OS. Plus whatever stuff the carrier wants to install. And carrier stuff is bloat ware on top of the sense and toucwiz bloat.

Touchwiz only uses up resources if you use it as the launcher. Otherwise it is just some files occupying disk space (which you can't reuse unless you repartition. This also the case if you use aosp launcher in the vanilla android.

I think a lot of iPhone users think an android phone is like an iPhone which is already cast in stone once you take it out of the box. Android is plug and play. You don't want the pre installed apps then just replace them by installing equivalent apps or just disable them completely. If you think Touchwiz is slow replace it and you are good to go.

In fact there isn't much difference between a Samsung and google rom if you disabled all the Samsung installed apps. Personally I like some of the Samsung apps like camera which is light years better than the vanilla android. However the touchwiz launcher is not.

 

[3bs]

Touchwiz only uses up resources if you use it as the launcher. Otherwise it is just some files occupying disk space (which you can't reuse unless you repartition. This also the case if you use aosp launcher in the vanilla android.

I think a lot of iPhone users think an android phone is like an iPhone which is already cast in stone once you take it out of the box. Android is plug and play. You don't want the pre installed apps then just replace them by installing equivalent apps or just disable them completely. If you think Touchwiz is slow replace it and you are good to go.

In fact there isn't much difference between a Samsung and google rom if you disabled all the Samsung installed apps. Personally I like some of the Samsung apps like camera which is light years better than the vanilla android. However the touchwiz launcher is not.

There's so much wrong in this post especially the part in bold.

 

[mib1800]

There's so much wrong in this post especially the part in bold.

Care to give more details.

Do you really think when you install custom rom in a s4 it is so much different from the stock?

In fact the core is the same. You just can't take generic google Android source code, compile it and expect it to work on a s4. You have to start from Samsung source code.

The only thing rom cooker can do is just change the ui framework and pre-installed apps or make some modification to the kernel.

 

[3bs]

Care to give more details.

Do you really think when you install custom rom in a s4 it is so much different from the stock?

In fact the core is the same. You just can't take generic google Android source code, compile it and expect it to work on a s4. You have to start from Samsung source code.

The only thing rom cooker can do is just change the ui framework and pre-installed apps or make some modification to the kernel.

Yes I actually think it's a lot different in terms of the UI (not TW ROMs) and features. You have to use or at least see videos of different ROMs TouchWiz and AOSP to see the difference.

I'm not going to pretend to know what's different in the code because I don't but they're not exactly the same or else we wouldn't have any problems when building AOSP ROMs for Samsung phones.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

In fairness no-one should have to experiment to get best performance on a $600+ device.

It should be blazing fast and trouble free from the outset, sadly we don't live in a perfect world however - and I can understand why that would annoy folks coming from iOS where the OS is seemingly much more optimised.

Its great that the S4 can be made blazingly fast and smooth with a little know how and tinkering, but generally the consumer should have an expectation that it would come like that from the outset and that manufacturer additions would not impact on that.

I still look forward to a day when we get stock android as default with manufactuers additions as optional extras.

And yet all it takes for me to bring my $1500 MacBook Pro to its knees is one wayward app.

Desktop OSs and android give the user the freedom to make mistakes and install these kinds of apps... iOS does not give developers the freedom to make these kinds of errors.

It's all about how much you want your hand held.

 

[egoistaxx9]

i totally agree with you, although the android phones offer a lot better internals they are never able to offer a great software, the software experience wit android phones has always been bad for me.

 

[kasakka]

TouchWiz gets a far worse rap than it should. I haven't used the old versions much but in its current 4.2.2 iteration, with the latest updates there is nothing particularly bad about it. It has a ton of options and plenty of nearly useless Samsung features and apps that can be just turned off. Some of the icons actually look better than stock Android. As a launcher it has some quirks but then again so do other launchers. Based on Anandtech's review of the S4 Google Edition there is very little speed and battery life difference to stock Android.

I have the complete opposite experience to OP. S4 on TouchWiz has been completely smooth for me and just by tweaking the animation timings a bit in Developer Options it feels even faster.

Android software of course varies. iOS software, like OSX software, somehow seems to gather developers who have a great eye for both usability and aesthetics whereas Android and Windows seem to fetch the engineer types who can make fast and featurepacked software that looks like **** and is a bit awkward to use. Android at least has been getting much better in the last few years.

I went to Android because I didn't want to deal with the way it worked anymore. I hate the half-assed way iOS works with notifications (not tying them to actions in the apps generating them), the lack of a proper file system, the inability for apps to share data between each other easily and requiring jailbreak software for some rather elementary stuff.

 

[trina27]

This was an interesting read...especially as it was posted about 1 week after I bought an S4. Now, I have been a little slow to play with it but am getting into it more. I have rooted and as the one I bought was on the MDL firmware, I have taken steps to disable OTA updates so as to not be pushed onto the new firmware.

However I am just now getting into putting more apps and such on it but have to say at this point I have no complaints about lag.

The one thing that I am still on the fence about is size. I went from the iPhone 4S which I could completely comfortably use in one hand, navigating with my thumb etc. to the S4 which all but requires two hands to use (yes, I'm female). I love the large screen...mostly...but have sometimes thought it is too big for me. If I try to use the S4 in one hand only, and by use I mean holding and navigating, pressing buttons, whatever...it usually feels like I'm going to drop the thing. I never had that feeling with the iPhone.

So other than that, I think the S4 is pretty darn fantastic. At the moment I plan to go ahead and keep the S4 and unlock and sell the iPhone..at least that is what I think at this exact second.

 

[mattopotamus]

This was an interesting read...especially as it was posted about 1 week after I bought an S4. Now, I have been a little slow to play with it but am getting into it more. I have rooted and as the one I bought was on the MDL firmware, I have taken steps to disable OTA updates so as to not be pushed onto the new firmware.

However I am just now getting into putting more apps and such on it but have to say at this point I have no complaints about lag.

The one thing that I am still on the fence about is size. I went from the iPhone 4S which I could completely comfortably use in one hand, navigating with my thumb etc. to the S4 which all but requires two hands to use (yes, I'm female). I love the large screen...mostly...but have sometimes thought it is too big for me. If I try to use the S4 in one hand only, and by use I mean holding and navigating, pressing buttons, whatever...it usually feels like I'm going to drop the thing. I never had that feeling with the iPhone.

So other than that, I think the S4 is pretty darn fantastic. At the moment I plan to go ahead and keep the S4 and unlock and sell the iPhone..at least that is what I think at this exact second.

I always initially like a bigger screen, but the second I get my hands on the 4S or even 5 I remember how much I miss that screen size. I don't consume media on my phone and only do very light browsing.

 

[Prototypical]

If you want consistency, stay away from TouchWiz atm. Vanilla Android and HTC Sense 5 are both extremely smooth. The HTC One has a TFT LCD panel that is brighter than the iPhone's display. It's also just as accurate.

What Vanilla Android-equipped hardware models are available from Verizon? I've considered making a switch back (I had a OG Droid years ago) but VZW only seems to carry the skinned variants. I'm hoping the Moto X breaks that trend.

And before it's suggested:

-No, switching carriers is not always an option. I don't know about the OP, but in my location, VZW is BY FAR the best carrier we have. And for me, I get a sizable monthly discount through my employer. I'm stuck with Verizon.

-No, I'm not willing to root + Vanilla ROM the phone. My employer is touchy about data security, so tinkering with my phone in that manner is not an option.

 

[IFRIT]

What Vanilla Android-equipped hardware models are available from Verizon? I've considered making a switch back (I had a OG Droid years ago) but VZW only seems to carry the skinned variants. I'm hoping the Moto X breaks that trend.

And before it's suggested:

-No, switching carriers is not always an option. I don't know about the OP, but in my location, VZW is BY FAR the best carrier we have. And for me, I get a sizable monthly discount through my employer. I'm stuck with Verizon.

-No, I'm not willing to root + Vanilla ROM the phone. My employer is touchy about data security, so tinkering with my phone in that manner is not an option.

Installing a different launcher like Apex launcher will go along a way to giving a stock experience.

 

[jrswizzle]

This. It drives me nuts. I simply can't type on it. My friend somehow types 1000000 words a min on it tho. Freak of nature?

I move between my HTC One and iPhone many times a day and have no issue with the iPhone keyboard - somewhat more cramped, sure but I feel like I'm LESS accurate on the HTC keyboard than I am on my iPhone keyboard.

The "press" animations and actual registering of my typing are also much faster on my iPhone - not that it really matters, but it makes for a more instantaneous "keyboard" like experience for me.

Moral of the story - not everyone feels the way you do. You may find it IMPOSSIBLE to switch back - while there are those of us who find no problem with the iPhone keyboard (and heaven forbid, actually prefer it somewhat ).

Shocking, I know.

----------

I use iOS/OSX on a daily basis. My point has nothing to do with what app I prefer or like. In fact, I use Safari on my iMac and iPod, Dolphin on my S3, and Chrome on my Chromebook, HP and Nexus 7.

If I were allowed the choice (which I am not on any iDevice) I would delete Safari and use another browser. And I would also delete Newstand, Compass, iTunes, and a bunch of other useless crap Apple thinks I need and forces upon me.

If you use iOS devices, these apps aren't useless crap. Do yourself (and all of us) a favor and quit using an iPhone. You clearly can't cope with the inferior experience it brings

 

[jrswizzle]

Installing a different launcher like Apex launcher will go along a way to giving a stock experience.

EDIT: This post isn't directed at the quoted poster - he/she was merely responding to another user asking about Android. However, the sentence itself is a good example of what people like the OP get told in order to get a "real" Android experience - this is where my rant comes from.

Here's the thing no Android user seems to understand (or at least, very few Android users).

I. DON'T. WANT. TO. TINKER.

People have trouble understanding why iPhones are popular. They are popular BECAUSE you can't change the launcher. BECAUSE you can't change default apps. BECAUSE all the services are integrated through Apple.

That's the POINT. The point of an iPhone WILL NEVER be for using 34 different sharing services and 6 different browsers. The iPhone is and ALWAYS will be about offering a simple-to-use device, with EVERYTHING you need built in and offered from ONE place.

I know many of you will likely have night terrors based on what I just said "But but but how can you be LIMITED by Apple's crap?" I'm not limited. I can share quickly with someone next me or someone on the other side of the country. I have high quality apps at my disposal that will allow me to remotely control my desktop at home and manage my finances (both personal and corporate). I have services that are constantly in sync (all in one place) and things like music and photos and documents all instantly save and appear on all my other Apple devices without ANY intervention from me.

You may not want this. But I do. I HATE (with a fiery passion) having multiple apps for the same purpose. Drives. Me. Nuts. I want ONE browser that works well. ONE messaging app that allows me to text and IM. ONE phone app that integrates voice calls and video calls (Apple kinda blew this one offering a stand alone FaceTime app....). Anyways - you get the jist.

It's just so hilarious that people get so up in arms ANYTIME anyone says "I didn't like Android" for ANY reason. There are a million responses like "Oh well you didn't do this or that right" or "Just root it, its easy".

And the best part is - I'll get equally vitriolic responses to this post claiming I'm an idiot for liking the iPhone and that I hate Android and have no idea what I'm talking about......

So it seems, is the way of the smartphone industry. Much like in politics, there's an extremely vocal and emotional group who claims to know exactly how the other side is thinking and makes baseless generalizations about the other side's thoughts and views. I'm not saying you should agree with me - but there needs to be some understanding in this mess - otherwise these pointless arguments and pissing contests will continue.