Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What exactly do you prefer on the Samsung?
I like the UI's design (even though it obviously has borrowed a lot of polish from Apple), I like that the OS has a bit more "freedom", multitasking, and customization. SD CARD! Samsung's screens are always gorgeous. The OS feels a little bit more like a Desktop OS, in comparison. Lastly the price of the used market. S-Pen design and functionality I like better than iPad as well.

The only thing that is lacking is the same 3rd party power apps that iPadOS offers, such as Photoshop.

I have used both iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, Windows, and Android all extensively. I used to be a die-hard iPad fan too .. My favortie iPads were probably the first iPad Air and the 11" Pro. The only thing really that keeps me owning an iPad in my colorful lineup is iMessage, lol.

Edit: I will say the Tab S11 was a pretty large step backwards IMO. I returned the S11 for an S10+.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Der_mit_dem_langen
Linux… well Linux KDE and Gnome both look unrefined to me. KDE looks like a worse version of Windows while Gnome looks brutish and unsophisticated. Are “good looks” just not important to the average person?

There's so many window managers and desktop environments for linux/bsd tho ... highly configurable, too. They can be made to be quite attractive IMO. Better than Liquid Glass for sure.
 
If we're talking mobile I just need to touch what I want to do, they all do that pretty well in 2026. The thing with Android is which Android skin are we talking about? My GrapheneOS install there was no real thought put into its appearance, lots of the Chinese OEMs put a lot of thought in UI/UX. I like iOS and the Android I use, I also like MacOS and Gnome so maybe my opinions on this topic aren't relevant.
 
A case of the grass is greener on the other side.

I certainly don't like Liquid Glass. I much prefer the clean interface of possible do to AOSP customization. My patch of grass is greenest because that's where I spread my 💩.😉

I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to convey. Have said that, good for you. 😂
 
Isn’t it weird that there is exactly one company who puts a lot of work into the design of their OS and all other manufacturers (Google, Microsoft, Linux developers) can only produce extremely ugly UI elements?
One nice aspect of this forum is there are users that disagree with this statement.
Is it really that hard to make a great looking, minimalist but modern UI?
Samsung, OPPO, Huawei, OnePlus, Google and others offer their own unique distributions of Android.

Having used these personally, the experience has revealed the efficiency, speed, usefulness and reliability of the Android platform.

The choices are to be celebrated.
 
One nice aspect of this forum is there are users that disagree with this statement.

Samsung, OPPO, Huawei, OnePlus, Google and others offer their own unique distributions of Android.

Having used these personally, the experience has revealed the efficiency, speed, usefulness and reliability of the Android platform.

The choices are to be celebrated.

To be fair Huawei no longer ships phones with Android and one plus is currently exiting the glopbal market and may be winding down operations completely by next year.

Asus cancelled thisr Rog phone this year, xiaomi cancelled their 18 ultra, and Lenovo and zte might be following one plus lead and wind down smartphone operations.

So the choices are starting to dwindle as the smartphone market continues to consolidate into 2027.
 
So the choices are starting to dwindle as the smartphone market continues to consolidate into 2027.
Excellent point, especially true here in the USA.

It's somewhat of an iPhone vs Samsung world in terms of what's readily available from the major carriers.

Globally there's still a variety of choices which is to be expected.
 
Excellent point, especially true here in the USA.

It's somewhat of an iPhone vs Samsung world in terms of what's readily available from the major carriers.

Globally there's still a variety of choices which is to be expected.

Huawei and Apple are doing great in China, while you are correct Samsung and Apple are doing well everywhere else.

Only problem is Samsung mobile will post an operating loss for q2 2026, which has historically been their best quarter yoy.

Bear in mind Samsungs electronics other core division, Samsung DS and Samsung electronics subsidiary; Samsung SDC are doing surprisingly well.
 
Huawei and Apple are doing great in China, while you are correct Samsung and Apple are doing well everywhere else.

Only problem is Samsung mobile will post an operating loss for q2 2026, which has historically been their best quarter yoy.

Bear in mind Samsungs electronics other core division, Samsung DS and Samsung electronics subsidiary; Samsung SDC are doing surprisingly well.
That is not quite true.....
Samsung's mobile division is estimated to maybe have its first ever loss for the quarter. But Samsung as a company is posting 40 years high record profits. So I guess they will take those numbers!
Howe has the iPhone Air done for Apple? I heard it was the most returned smartphone of the year. They canceled it for next year because sales were so bad.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: robvalentine
"Isn’t it weird that there is exactly one company who puts a lot of work into the design of their OS and all other manufacturers (Google, Microsoft, Linux developers) can only produce extremely ugly UI elements?"

It is not weird. It has always been this way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Le_Chiffre
Do you what is really ugly is the Apple TV OS...I mean its so bad Apple loses billions support it. Apple TV operates at a loss amounting to billions of dollars on the streaming service.
 
  • Like
Reactions: robvalentine
"Isn’t it weird that there is exactly one company who puts a lot of work into the design of their OS and all other manufacturers (Google, Microsoft, Linux developers) can only produce extremely ugly UI elements?"

It is not weird. It has always been this way.

Quite true.
 
Do you what is really ugly is the Apple TV OS...I mean its so bad Apple loses billions support it. Apple TV operates at a loss amounting to billions of dollars on the streaming service.
Really? tvOS is probably the best thing Apple make. It serves to be just a barebones space to plonk some apps and gets out of the way when you're watching something. The same cannot be said of SmartTV OSes.

But its not perfect. The last truly great TV-based operating system was the XMB on the PlayStation 3 that wisely chose to build itself around the d-pad of a controller instead of apeing a phone.
 
Really? tvOS is probably the best thing Apple make. It serves to be just a barebones space to plonk some apps and gets out of the way when you're watching something. The same cannot be said of SmartTV OSes.

But its not perfect. The last truly great TV-based operating system was the XMB on the PlayStation 3 that wisely chose to build itself around the d-pad of a controller instead of apeing a phone.
Yeah look it up yourself....Apple loses billions supporting Apple TV and their streaming services.
 
Do you what is really ugly is the Apple TV OS...I mean its so bad Apple loses billions support it. Apple TV operates at a loss amounting to billions of dollars on the streaming service.
What does any of your post have to do with UI/UX design? Apple loses about a billion per year on streaming, but is growing at a fairly considerable speed and has recently been compared as "the new HBO" because of how good their first party content is like Widows Bay etc.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.