Phones Still considering switching to Samsung Phone?

[ks-man]

I like many people around here have been a longtime iPhone user but have seriously been considering switching to Android (likely a GS3, Note2 or Nexus 2 if one's announced) for my upcoming upgrade. I'm waiting to see the iPhone 5 and will then make a decision. From reading around these threads and other tech sites there seem to be many people considering the same.

I'm wondering for people who are considering switching or have just recently switched how much the recent legal news is impacting your upcoming decision or making you question your recent change.

I know the $1b is pretty meaningless in the long run but the bigger issue could be future injunctions to Samsung as well as the implications for Apple patents impacting the Android experience as a whole.

 

[daviddth]

Never was thinking about switching, and I cant see any reason for me to consider it now

 

[Sir Ruben]

Wrong forum dude

 

[gpatrick15]

The ruling will not affect their flagship products. Most of the affected devices are either old or irrelevant. The Galaxy S3, Note, and Nexus aren't affected, and they are their most prominent devices at the moment.

 

[Want300]

I am currently using a Samsung GS3 while waiting for the new iPhone... I like it, I like it a whole lot better than the GS2 I had. It is a huge improvement. ICS is much better, I wonder how long it will take for them to release JB for the GS3 (or if they will)...

While I have to admit I do finally like an Android phone. My problem is simple, everything I have is more compatible with Apple Products. I have a MBP, an Apple TV, an iPad... My car has an iPhone cable hook up from factory, I have a Zeppelin Air (Sound dock)... Also, I know all the ins and outs of my iPhone, sometimes simple tasks on my GS3 are more difficult from my lack of knowledge on how to use it.

My car still has a standard AUX imput, but then I have to pick and change songs using my phone instead of the scroll wheel and screen built into my dashboard. At least with the new iPhone I can buy an adapter for all of the 30 Pin connections I have.

Chances are... I will return the GS3 and buy the new iPhone. But time will tell, I still got 25 or so days to make a decision.

 

[mattopotamus]

This is something that will affect samsung and not really google. For example, with the S3, thouchwiz is what "ripped" off a lot of apple ideas, not the android side of the product. Yes, samsung makes these products, but it is their own tweaks to the interface that is causing issues. The nexus 2 (pure android) will not be affected at all, and if you were considering switching this should not change anything.

 

[gpatrick15]

I am currently using a Samsung GS3 while waiting for the new iPhone... I like it, I like it a whole lot better than the GS2 I had. It is a huge improvement. ICS is much better, I wonder how long it will take for them to release JB for the GS3 (or if they will)...

While I have to admit I do finally like an Android phone. My problem is simple, everything I have is more compatible with Apple Products. I have a MBP, an Apple TV, an iPad... My car has an iPhone cable hook up from factory, I have a Zeppelin Air (Sound dock)... Also, I know all the ins and outs of my iPhone, sometimes simple tasks on my GS3 are more difficult from my lack of knowledge on how to use it.

My car still has a standard AUX imput, but then I have to pick and change songs using my phone instead of the scroll wheel and screen built into my dashboard. At least with the new iPhone I can buy an adapter for all of the 30 Pin connections I have.

Chances are... I will return the GS3 and buy the new iPhone. But time will tell, I still got 25 or so days to make a decision.

Official Jelly Bean builds leaked out for the T-Mobile variant last week. I don't know about the other models, but I'd take a guess and say that all of the carriers that sell it should have an official build out fairly soon.

 

[mattopotamus]

Official Jelly Bean builds leaked out for the T-Mobile variant last week. I don't know about the other models, but I'd take a guess and say that all of the carriers that sell it should have an official build out fairly soon.

how does an "official" release leak? That makes zero sense to me....don't they get updated OTA?

 

[irDigital0l]

I'm actually looking and Windows 8 now...

cant stand Samsung's UI...if I had to go Android, I'll go pure Google (Galaxy Nexus)

 

[mattopotamus]

I'm actually looking and Windows 8 now...

cant stand Samsung's UI...if I had to go Android, I'll go pure Google (Galaxy Nexus)

touchwiz had some pretty good built in features....surprisingly

 

[gpatrick15]

how does an "official" release leak? That makes zero sense to me....don't they get updated OTA?

Yes they get updated over the air but there is still a file held somewhere before it's released. That particular build is what has leaked out. Not exactly sure who leaked it, but you can get the file and flash it onto your phone yourself rather than wait on the OTA to show up.

 

[mattopotamus]

Yes they get updated over the air but there is still a file held somewhere before it's released. That particular build is what has leaked out. Not exactly sure who leaked it, but you can get the file and flash it onto your phone yourself rather than wait on the OTA to show up.

ahh, well that is really good news then b.c i know it typically takes like 6 months for updates to go through samsung and then the carriers.

 

[gpatrick15]

ahh, well that is really good news then b.c i know it typically takes like 6 months for updates to go through samsung and then the carriers.

Yep, which is why I try to steer clear of non Nexus devices. But Samsung has gotten better at oushing out updates in a more timely manner as of late, especially for their flagship phones.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

Never really considered ... Too deep in iEco-system with all the apps, iCloud and Mac integrations (sync, FaceTime, etc).

Doesn't mean to not get a Note or Nexus just to play around. But not as primary device.

 

[WRXHokie]

Never was thinking about switching, and I cant see any reason for me to consider it now

I don't think he was asking you. He was asking people considering switching.

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I like many people around here have been a longtime iPhone user but have seriously been considering switching to Android (likely a GS3, Note2 or Nexus 2 if one's announced) for my upcoming upgrade. I'm waiting to see the iPhone 5 and will then make a decision. From reading around these threads and other tech sites there seem to be many people considering the same.

I'm wondering for people who are considering switching or have just recently switched how much the recent legal news is impacting your upcoming decision or making you question your recent change.

I know the $1b is pretty meaningless in the long run but the bigger issue could be future injunctions to Samsung as well as the implications for Apple patents impacting the Android experience as a whole.

I'm considering switching too, same as you. Don't worry about the lawsuit, it'll take years for them to pull the devices off the shelves and even then it won't affect the phones we're considering buying.

 

[Troneas]

Never was thinking about switching, and I cant see any reason for me to consider it now

I don't think he was asking you. He was asking people considering switching.

aye. only people who considered switching.

 

[WRXHokie]

Never really considered ... Too deep in iEco-system with all the apps, iCloud and Mac integrations (sync, FaceTime, etc).

Doesn't mean to not get a Note or Nexus just to play around. But not as primary device.

He's not asking you. He's asking people that are considering switching, which clearly isn't you.

 

[Surrylic]

I only half apply to this question, because I was considering switching in January and DID switch to a Galaxy Note... And now I think I'll be switching back for the iPhone 5or 5S (or whatever they'll call them). If you have the official stock OS that comes with the phone it runs slower and eats battery than it should be able to considering the specs, especially if you start adding new home and lockscreen widgets and things... but if you 'root' your phone and download other ROMs to increase speed and battery life you're going to run into bugs.

I guess the best comparison I can think of is an Android phone is like a jailbroken iPhone -- you can do way way more with it, but it's not going to be as fast/smooth and you're going to run into more bugs. However it's also not going to be Apple's hardware that I looove the looks of, and it's not going to be Apple's ecosystem of iCloud and whatnot. Plus trust me, coming from someone that has gone back and forth between dozens of ROMs and the official Samsung version of ICS... backing up and restoring your phone is way easier on iPhone.

After 6 months of trying to find a happy medium I've gone back to stock Samsung branded ICS to avoid all the buggy software, and I'm heading back to iOS either this fall or the following. It was great for a while, and I can see why so many people decide Android over iOS but it's just not for me.

 

[Southernboyj]

I'm considering switching as well, I'll definitely wait until the next iPhone is announced to decide though. I've been playing with Jelly Bean on the Nexus 7 and I actually like it. Question though, does the Galaxy S3/Galaxy Nexus support tethering/hotspotting?

 

[vikingjunior]

There might be a very long wait for iphone 5 if Google has their way.

 

[irDigital0l]

touchwiz had some pretty good built in features....surprisingly

yea but I prefer stock android ui.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

He's not asking you. He's asking people that are considering switching, which clearly isn't you.

I see. Please apologize my unsolicited response. In this case I would agree to post #3.

 

[ks-man]

Thanks for the responses. I didn't realize they started an alternative to iOS forum.

I still think that some of these patents will apply in the long run. Stuff like pinch-to-zoom and bump at the bottom of the page. We've gotten so used to that type of stuff that an over-the-air software update in the future disabling these features would be a major issue. That being said, who knows if Apple will lose the right to Notification Center and other stuff they took from Android.

I'm sure we're still a long time from any of this stuff getting through the appeals but if an injunction were to happen, Samsung could be pressured into removing features. And while the GS3 isn't part of this lawsuit, it wouldn't be hard for Apple to continue suing and focusing on TouchWiz (and other Android versions) for software infringement.

I don't want to sound like the sky is falling, but it really does seem like such a one-sided decision in favor of Apple could certainly have far reaching repercussions moving forward.