Phones There it is: I switched to the Galaxy S7 Edge

[ThatsMeRight]

Hi everybody,

Since 2009, I've owned and used iPhones. The first iPhone I bought was the iPhone 3GS, followed by the extraordinary iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 6 Plus and last but not least iPhone 6S.

As of this month, I was able to renew my contract and get a new device. I already owned the iPhone 6S and I had been following iPhone 7/6SE rumours for months. I decided that the next-gen iPhone was not worth the wait. As it appears right now, the next-gen iPhone is going to be a pretty dull upgrade: same design, slightly improved camera and no headphone jack.

Personally, I can't justify spending another €859 on a 64 GB iPhone this fall - that is, if the price doesn't increase again like it has done for years now. I just can't pay that much money for something that, as it appears right now, according to the rumours, is going to offer so little extra over the 6S.

So...

After seven years of owning and using iPhones, I decided to jump into the deep: I got the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Design
I always loved the iPhone 4-series and to a lesser degree iPhone 5-series designs. The iPhone 6's design was never one that I really liked. Not too bad, but it just doesn't look that good.

The Galaxy S7 Edge is a real refresh here. The combination of glass and metal is beautiful and it reminds me very much of the iPhone 4. But what finishes the design is the curved display that wraps around the edges. Truly beautiful. The only thing I don't like is that it says "Samsung" on both the front and the rear.

The dimensions of the phone are exactly right. I owned an iPhone 6 Plus, but I found it too be a tad to big. But the S7 Edge fits very nicely into your hands and pockets, even though it has the same display size as the 6 Plus (5.5").

Features
There are a few features that I really like about this device that the iPhone doesn't have. One of them is the beautiful Super AMOLED display. The colors may not be 100% accurate, but the display is absolutely stunning. Even more amazing is the always-on display. Turn the display off and it will still show your time, date, battery statistics and an indicator for missed messages or mail.
At night, you can use the "night mode" where the edge of the display shows the current time.

At this point I am convinced that Apple will adopt the always-on display functionality in next-year's late 2017 iPhone as it feels really fresh and modern.

Another thing I absolutely love is the camera. It's really incredibly fast. And it takes fantastic pictures and the ads are right: even in low-light it takes good pictures. Miles ahead of what the iPhone 6S offers.

The curved edges also allow for some quick access app shortcuts. It's a nice addition, but I still have to force myself to use it (which is something I often forget). Undecided if it is a key feature, but it is nice to have.

There are other neat features like wireless charging, a LED indicator, quick charging, water- and dustproof design. None of the things I just summed up are 'must have' features for which you need to switch of ecosystem, but all these features combined make for a very compelling package.

Added bonus for me: the Galaxy S7 offers contactless payments. Apple Pay isn't available where I live, most likely because Apple asks too much money. Android is a more open system and something I noticed is that banks have build their own solutions on Android. It's really nice to have.

Software
I am pleased to say that Android is not what it used to be. That's a positive thing. It works really well and without crashes.
It took me a few days though to get it just like I wanted it. Out of the box, text and app icons are quite large. On my iPhone 6S it was easy to adjust this, but since I was still getting used to this new device it took me a bit of searching.
That said, I managed to make the app icons and text smaller. I also got rid of the "Apps"-app, so now my homescreens - with widgets - work very similar like on an iPhone.

Up until a few years ago, you wasn't always sure whether or not your iPhone apps had an Android counter part. Luckily, I haven't encountered any app that was available on my iPhone but wasn't on Android.

Conclusion
So far, I am really satisfied with my purchase. I'm still curious how soon this device will get software upgrades (and if performance remains the same). But so far, I'm very satisfied. I'm sure I couldn't have switched to an Android device a few years ago, but we've now approached point where - I feel - Apple's iPhone are not that much better (if better at all) compared to their high-end Android competitors.

Thanks for reading and I hope it will help some others who are perhaps on the fence...

 

[thegrants82]

You will be back before the return period....

 

[MRU]

Enjoy your S7e .... There are plenty of threads here regarding experiences with the S7 & S7e if you have any queries.

Separately, given the frequency of this type of thread - I wonder if all these I jumped / switched threads should be amalgamated into a single super thread.

 

[Casfin]

I'm doing the same, sort of. Never had anything but iPhones, but will be getting a Note 7.

Apple over the years has gotten more expensive, but offered less compared to other devices, and I think their quality control has regressed.

I don't don't see the value in iPhones anymore.

And heck, I'm bored with it.

 

[nfl46]

You will be back before the return period....

Lmao.

 

[From A Buick 8]

I'm doing the same, sort of. Never had anything but iPhones, but will be getting a Note 7.

Apple over the years has gotten more expensive, but offered less compared to other devices, and I think their quality control has regressed.

I don't don't see the value in iPhones anymore.

And heck, I'm bored with it.

same here, I have had iPhone since the 4 first cam to Verizon, but after Apple dropped the head phone jack I am heading to the Note 7 (and like you board of iOS)

 

[maflynn]

[MOD NOTE]
Enough with the bickering.

 

[AppleRobert]

Hi everybody,

Since 2009, I've owned and used iPhones. The first iPhone I bought was the iPhone 3GS, followed by the extraordinary iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 6 Plus and last but not least iPhone 6S.

As of this month, I was able to renew my contract and get a new device. I already owned the iPhone 6S and I had been following iPhone 7/6SE rumours for months. I decided that the next-gen iPhone was not worth the wait. As it appears right now, the next-gen iPhone is going to be a pretty dull upgrade: same design, slightly improved camera and no headphone jack.

Personally, I can't justify spending another €859 on a 64 GB iPhone this fall - that is, if the price doesn't increase again like it has done for years now. I just can't pay that much money for something that, as it appears right now, according to the rumours, is going to offer so little extra over the 6S.

So...

After seven years of owning and using iPhones, I decided to jump into the deep: I got the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Design
I always loved the iPhone 4-series and to a lesser degree iPhone 5-series designs. The iPhone 6's design was never one that I really liked. Not too bad, but it just doesn't look that good.

The Galaxy S7 Edge is a real refresh here. The combination of glass and metal is beautiful and it reminds me very much of the iPhone 4. But what finishes the design is the curved display that wraps around the edges. Truly beautiful. The only thing I don't like is that it says "Samsung" on both the front and the rear.

The dimensions of the phone are exactly right. I owned an iPhone 6 Plus, but I found it too be a tad to big. But the S7 Edge fits very nicely into your hands and pockets, even though it has the same display size as the 6 Plus (5.5").

Features
There are a few features that I really like about this device that the iPhone doesn't have. One of them is the beautiful Super AMOLED display. The colors may not be 100% accurate, but the display is absolutely stunning. Even more amazing is the always-on display. Turn the display off and it will still show your time, date, battery statistics and an indicator for missed messages or mail.
At night, you can use the "night mode" where the edge of the display shows the current time.

At this point I am convinced that Apple will adopt the always-on display functionality in next-year's late 2017 iPhone as it feels really fresh and modern.

Another thing I absolutely love is the camera. It's really incredibly fast. And it takes fantastic pictures and the ads are right: even in low-light it takes good pictures. Miles ahead of what the iPhone 6S offers.

The curved edges also allow for some quick access app shortcuts. It's a nice addition, but I still have to force myself to use it (which is something I often forget). Undecided if it is a key feature, but it is nice to have.

There are other neat features like wireless charging, a LED indicator, quick charging, water- and dustproof design. None of the things I just summed up are 'must have' features for which you need to switch of ecosystem, but all these features combined make for a very compelling package.

Added bonus for me: the Galaxy S7 offers contactless payments. Apple Pay isn't available where I live, most likely because Apple asks too much money. Android is a more open system and something I noticed is that banks have build their own solutions on Android. It's really nice to have.

Software
I am pleased to say that Android is not what it used to be. That's a positive thing. It works really well and without crashes.
It took me a few days though to get it just like I wanted it. Out of the box, text and app icons are quite large. On my iPhone 6S it was easy to adjust this, but since I was still getting used to this new device it took me a bit of searching.
That said, I managed to make the app icons and text smaller. I also got rid of the "Apps"-app, so now my homescreens - with widgets - work very similar like on an iPhone.

Up until a few years ago, you wasn't always sure whether or not your iPhone apps had an Android counter part. Luckily, I haven't encountered any app that was available on my iPhone but wasn't on Android.

Conclusion
So far, I am really satisfied with my purchase. I'm still curious how soon this device will get software upgrades (and if performance remains the same). But so far, I'm very satisfied. I'm sure I couldn't have switched to an Android device a few years ago, but we've now approached point where - I feel - Apple's iPhone are not that much better (if better at all) compared to their high-end Android competitors.

Thanks for reading and I hope it will help some others who are perhaps on the fence...

Well you went from the smaller iPhones to the larger Plus and back to a smaller iphone so I guess that is your size preference.

Quite understandable on that front, I tried the 6 Plus then the 6s Plus and could not deal with their overall size and display to body ratio. As of yet Apple has no answer for the androids regarding that. And then factor in the fact you get get one of those androids for lots cheaper and many perform very well so ......

 

[vahdyx]

I switch between the two all the time. I love both because they're great. I also hate them both because they're not perfect. My biggest gripe with Android though is updates! Android people like to say, "Just get a Nexus" and honestly yes that's a nice work around but that's a stupid answer. What if I want an S7 because of all the features it offers, or a Moto Z for its add ons, or an LG for its camera, etc. Why should I not be able to get the phone I want and updates I want?

Anyway enough about me, I'm glad you're liking it. Android isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. Glad you're liking it.

 

[Michael Goff]

Enjoy your S7e .... There are plenty of threads here regarding experiences with the S7 & S7e if you have any queries.

Separately, given the frequency of this type of thread - I wonder if all these I jumped / switched threads should be amalgamated into a single super thread.

I like these types of threads being separate, if only because we get some unique ideas occasionally that never end up getting paid attention to in super threads.

 

[elf69]

I have an s7 edge, indeed nice phone/phablet

I also like ios later revisions.

I am tempted to sell my s7 and buy apple.

however the deal breaker for me is OTG and MHL.

samsung has both and I have the leads from older samsung phones as they are the same.
Apple has neither.

I used to have a samsung mega (6.3) so iphone 6 plus would not feel too big for me.

 

[lowendlinux]

Enjoy your S7e .... There are plenty of threads here regarding experiences with the S7 & S7e if you have any queries.

Separately, given the frequency of this type of thread - I wonder if all these I jumped / switched threads should be amalgamated into a single super thread.

I think that's a good idea did you ask the mods??

 

[MRU]

I think that's a good idea did you ask the mods??

Not yet, I'll send a word and see what they think to the idea. A sticky post amalgamating all of them would certainly clean up the section.

 

[lowendlinux]

Not yet, I'll send a word and see what they think to the idea. A sticky post amalgamating all of them would certainly clean up the section.

I agree.

 

[John Mcgregor]

Cool. We can hold hands and sing songs then.

 

[akash.nu]

I have tried that on multiple occasions and have returned within a month. See you around.

 

[5105973]

I'm doing the same, sort of. Never had anything but iPhones, but will be getting a Note 7.

Apple over the years has gotten more expensive, but offered less compared to other devices, and I think their quality control has regressed.

I don't don't see the value in iPhones anymore.

And heck, I'm bored with it.

I'm not quite switching all the way, but I'm dipping a toe in. It's a long story, but for the first time, I have ended up with two viable iPhones, my SE and my 6S plus.

Without a doubt, the SE is my dream machine. I'm a small phone user and that's that. For calls and texting and music and the ability to be always with me as unobtrusively as possible, it serves me well.

But the 6S Plus is still getting use as a pocket computer and higher end phone camera and video recording device. It's got the OIS I want for recording school plays and family gatherings and road trips. It's got the storage capacity for me to load all the lifestyle and media apps I enjoy on a device that size. It goes places my iPad mini can't. So the 6SPlus fills a niche I wouldn't have known I had if there hadn't been a series of events that let me have these two different form factors at the same time.

Now as to why I have decided to try a Note 7 to fill that pocket computer niche...it comes down to a growing distrust that Apple is no longer focused on attempting to offer me the best user experience with each new release.

Instead I feel like I'm starting to be shaken down for profits when they keep dismal specs like insufficient RAM or minimal storage long past everyone's patience and tolerance. Or withhold features like OIS from the smaller less expensive form factor for two device generations. If they do that due to technical limitations of the generation, fine. But if it's just a marketing strategy, I feel I am being exploited as an ISheeple.

I'm happy to pay for new technological advances but I am NOT happy to pay for spec upgrades that had been deliberately withheld to corral customers into device upgrades or just to be stingy.

So I'm going to broaden my options, explore my choices as a consumer. Many people love Android and stay with it for years. I won't know if I could be one of them without trying. I do know I go where I'm treated well and my needs are met in a gracious manner. I'm aware this could go badly. Now is the time that the consequences of failure will least impact me, so now I'm trying an Android device.

 

[mi7chy]

Good time to be on the iOS sideline with iOS 10 predicted to be the longest beta and the buggiest once it's released. With Android you'll get the stability and all the features now plus some that iOS 10 will get. And, you don't have to worry about not getting the iOS 10 features if you're on iPhone 6/6 Plus or older.

 

[C DM]

Good time to be on the iOS sideline with iOS 10 predicated to be the longest beta and the buggiest once it's released. With Android you'll get the stability and all the features now plus some that iOS 10 will get. And, you don't have to worry about not getting the iOS 10 features if you're on iPhone 6/6 Plus or older.

iOS 10 being the longest and buggiest?

 

[MRU]

iOS 10 being the longest and buggiest?

Just the usual mi7chy nonsense post. Best advice is to ignore and not feed them the attention they crave with their usual anti-anything-apple dross rhetoric we have all now grown to automatically associate with any of their posts... (Just check their user post history - nuff said).

 

[ThatsMeRight]

You will be back before the return period....

Still using the S7 Edge, return period has passed!

I'm doing the same, sort of. Never had anything but iPhones, but will be getting a Note 7.

Apple over the years has gotten more expensive, but offered less compared to other devices, and I think their quality control has regressed.

I don't don't see the value in iPhones anymore.

And heck, I'm bored with it.

same here, I have had iPhone since the 4 first cam to Verizon, but after Apple dropped the head phone jack I am heading to the Note 7 (and like you board of iOS)

I understand what you both are feeling! Enjoy your new Note 7 devices!

Well you went from the smaller iPhones to the larger Plus and back to a smaller iphone so I guess that is your size preference.

Quite understandable on that front, I tried the 6 Plus then the 6s Plus and could not deal with their overall size and display to body ratio. As of yet Apple has no answer for the androids regarding that. And then factor in the fact you get get one of those androids for lots cheaper and many perform very well so ......

Yeah, I preferred the smaller iPhone over the larger Plus iPhone. The 6 Plus was just too big + it also was bad at multitasking (apps getting cleared from RAM all the time).

The S7 Edge, however, has also got a 5.5" display... yet I don't find it too big! It's really more compact than the 6 Plus and that makes such a big difference.

I'm not quite switching all the way, but I'm dipping a toe in. It's a long story, but for the first time, I have ended up with two viable iPhones, my SE and my 6S plus.

Without a doubt, the SE is my dream machine. I'm a small phone user and that's that. For calls and texting and music and the ability to be always with me as unobtrusively as possible, it serves me well.

But the 6S Plus is still getting use as a pocket computer and higher end phone camera and video recording device. It's got the OIS I want for recording school plays and family gatherings and road trips. It's got the storage capacity for me to load all the lifestyle and media apps I enjoy on a device that size. It goes places my iPad mini can't. So the 6SPlus fills a niche I wouldn't have known I had if there hadn't been a series of events that let me have these two different form factors at the same time.

Now as to why I have decided to try a Note 7 to fill that pocket computer niche...it comes down to a growing distrust that Apple is no longer focused on attempting to offer me the best user experience with each new release.

Instead I feel like I'm starting to be shaken down for profits when they keep dismal specs like insufficient RAM or minimal storage long past everyone's patience and tolerance. Or withhold features like OIS from the smaller less expensive form factor for two device generations. If they do that due to technical limitations of the generation, fine. But if it's just a marketing strategy, I feel I am being exploited as an ISheeple.

I'm happy to pay for new technological advances but I am NOT happy to pay for spec upgrades that had been deliberately withheld to corral customers into device upgrades or just to be stingy.

So I'm going to broaden my options, explore my choices as a consumer. Many people love Android and stay with it for years. I won't know if I could be one of them without trying. I do know I go where I'm treated well and my needs are met in a gracious manner. I'm aware this could go badly. Now is the time that the consequences of failure will least impact me, so now I'm trying an Android device.

I also understand what you are saying. I felt very similar about the 6 Plus. Apple is known for putting little RAM in their devices, and that's fine if they work well, but the 6 Plus constantly cleared apps from its memory and Safari webpages reloaded All. The. Time. Not an enjoyable user experience.

And I feel like Apple has headed more and more in that direction: saving on little-cost components and witholding features to increase their profits. Apple has never been really cheap, but when they introduced the iPhone 3G they still did significantly decrease the price. And with the iPhone 4, you just knew that they went an extra mile to make the best device on the market.

And nowadays, well, you're just reading (solid) rumors about iPhone features that are not coming in the next-gen model... but in the next-next-gen model.

For me, what really pushed me to say "You know what, I'm just going to try an Android device"... well, what pushed me were the rumours about the next iPhone. It sounds like we'll get iPhones with the same design as we have had since 2014, a better camera and a removed headphone jack. Perhaps some waterproofing and a home button with haptic feedback á la 3D Touch - but I wouldn't call that a feature.

So I started looking at the Galaxy S7 Edge - which has already got a better camera, a better display, a great modern design, waterresistance, wireless & quick charging, etc.

Just like with the iPhone 4 in 2010, where you could see that Apple put in a lot of effort, the same is true for Samsung and the Galaxy S7 (Edge). Their team went out to make the best device on the market - and in my opinion, they succeeded.

 

[mjschabow]

I had the GS7 Edge for 2 months and switched back because I missed iOS, not necessarily the iPhone itself.

The Galaxy is a good phone though, unfortunately Android just isn't as solid as iOS. If you can deal with that, enjoy the new phone!

 

[Ulenspiegel]

@ThatsMeRight
I enjoyed reading your OP. I wish you many happy hours w/new smartphone.

 

[mclld]

unfortunately Android just isn't as solid as iOS. If you can deal with that, enjoy the new phone!

In your opinion of course, you are stating it as it is a fact

 

[mjschabow]

In your opinion of course, you are stating it as it is a fact

Of course it's my opinion.