Is it me? Or am I just sick & tired of Samsung cloning Apple products?

I was a loyal Samsung customer, but ever since they released the new Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Tab A range, they have lost me ever since. Can't believe they went down the Apple road with no expandable memory and charging a premium for extra memory. No removable battery. There's so much to talk about, but i want to keep it simple, Im pretty sure the S6 range is not selling like hot cakes, because none of my friends or work colleague's own or have any intentions of getting one.

What are your thoughts?

Comments

  • +7

    The S6 is fine like that because it was always marketed as a fashion phone, but the new Note5 is getting rediculous as it's been a productivity geared phone.

  • +65

    It's just you.

    • +18

      No they totally copied the iPhone edge! wait…

      I mean Samsung totally copied larger smart phone! wait…

      I mean they copied Apple Pay! wait…

      Umm…

      But honestly, if you dont take advantage of what your competitors have proven works, you're insane.

      • +3

        I mean they copied wireless charging!! wait I don't have wireless charging on my shitty iphone. (I actually do own an iphone T.T)

  • +7

    Just you. All those changes are becoming a market standard, not just in phones.

    Samsung never "clone" apple products. In fact they're at the top of the innovation ladder.
    Stop looking at Samsung so superficially.

    • +2

      I don't care about perceived 'copying' of apple, but its hardly being innovative to remove features from your phone that many people use. Removable battery, Larger Battery capacity, Micro SD card slot, Water Resistance (could be argued that isn't needed), but the S5 had all this, can't they improve on it? And instead you get a aluminium case instead of plastic.

      • +1

        The fact that people are still buying the S6 means that there are many people who don't care about removable batteries or micro SD slots.

        And instead you get a aluminium case instead of plastic.

        Plenty of people online kept complaining that Samsung keeps using plastic. Now that they've switched to metal, another set of people now complain that they use metal at the expense of a removable battery.

        Moral of the story - you cannot please everyone. Different people use their phone differently. I know plenty of people who don't care about micro SD slots or removable batteries in their phones. But I can certainly understand why some people would still want it - I used to be one of those people.

        • Agree on all points. If the Note 5 kept the same materials as the Note 4, people would still complain.

          Microsd and removable battery was always a big factor in choosing a phone, even though it's not necessary,(more space is not a bad thing) and having the option to remove the battery is also welcomed.

          There are trade-offs, but after using the S6 for a few days, I can easily see while all reviewers regard it as the best android smartphone out.

        • @ozhunter: :having bought and extensively used both the S6 and the LG G4,I can confidently say the G4 wins. Removable storage kicks ass, removable battery is all right but not essential. Both screens (S6 slightly edges G4 out) and cameras (G4 edges S6 out, especially at night) are beautiful, but some parts of the S6 UI can feel sluggish while I've never lagged on my G4. The rear buttons are a nice change, I'm always amused when my friends first see the phone and can't figure out how to turn it on.

          S6 has the G4 beat on fast charging(like wow, 0% to fully charged in less than an hour), but the G4 has a slightly longer battery life.

          S6 feels slimmer and more premium, in a way. But the leather back the G4 has its own class of stylishness and appeal.

          Ultimately it does come down to preference but I wouldn't say it's such a clear first for Samsung.

  • +28

    no expandable memory and charging a premium for extra memory. No removable battery.

    I didn't know this. "Hey, instead of copying just the good stuff about apple, lets copy the BAD stuff too!"

    That is dumb, and they are dumb.

    • +10

      Non-replaceable batteries probably bring forward the purchase of another handset. 24 months later, battery not lasting as good as it used to, so you have to get a new phone, and greater revenues for them….

      • +1

        It's usually not too difficult to crack the back off and replace the battery anyway - even if it's not "user serviceable". Voids your warranty, but if you're going to replace it anyway…

        • Warranty's going to be gone by the time it gets to that point anyway

        • +1

          What do you mean crack the back off? Like in literal terms? Because the S6's back is made of gorilla glass so I don't see that coming back together again smoothly…

    • +3

      Sony and HTC never had replaceable batteries. Were they copying Apple too?

      • +4

        I had both HTC and Sony phones with replaceable batteries, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

        • +4

          I'm taking about flagships, not budget or mid ranges.

          HTC one series ? Nope. Sony Xperia z series? Nope… Were they copying apple?

          Samsung and LG were the only ones who used to do it.

        • +2

          @inose: I had an HTC Desire HD before my current Galaxy Note 3, and it has a removable battery. At the time that was their flagship.

        • +2

          @ilikeradiohead:

          OK.

          … I'm pretty sure some One (x?) was their flagship though…

          Anyhow, all the galaxy phones and notes at that point had removable batteries and SD card expansion.

      • Quite the straw man argument you have there. Many things can be questioned for both apple and Samsung. Did Samsung get inspired by apples fingerprint scanner to have their own one even though apple wasn't the first? How about the gold colored phones? Or Samsung pay? Sounds quite similar to apple pay. Or rumors years ago that apple was working on a new smart watch, it pushed many companies to rush theirs out before apple.

        Personally I doubt apple were the first to "invent" something. They are more like a company that releases their products and getting it done right the first time around since the iPod.

        • I don't think you got my point. It was, x didn't copy y…

      • They had them for the sake of being waterproof which was a brand new feature at that point. That's understandable.

        • The HTC one x wasn't waterproof tho… Actually the whole One series isn't waterproof.

          (and when I say that, I mean that none are IP certified, thus aren't meant to be put in water, even if it survives by luck)

  • +7

    AFAIK they're considered a premium brand in Korea, but I don't know why people would choose an S6 over any other flagship right now

    • +1

      It's the best flagship, that's why…?

      Best camera, display. Size is reasonably small. Snappy performance.

      • +5

        g4 camera scores best atm, doesnt it? many would prefer to have an sd slot, too.

        • +7

          I've used both and I can confidently in the end, the S6 has far better clarity and definition.

        • +2

          The G4 is a very good camera too, but according to a blind test, people still prefer photos from a Galaxy S6

          Sauce: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Samsung-Galaxy-S6-wins-anothe…

          Edit: Regarding a micro-sd slot, yes, many do prefer one… but many can go without one too. Look at iPhone users, who's never had one. Look at Nexus users too - I am personally doing fine with my 16GB Nexus 4.

          Also, no sd-slot used to be the norm for other companies (I'm talking about HTC, Sony)

        • @inose: fair enough. chugging alone with my moto g which really needs the expansion slot because of the lack of onboard memory. i suppose the price of s6 is reasonable now, too

    • -1

      Well for starters, the screen is so good it looks like an image is glued on to the face of the phone.

      The build quality is exceptional, with top notch aluminium and glass.

      The camera is insane in both clarity and speed.

      There's a wide range of accessories available.

      It NEVER lags.

      That's why people would choose an S6.

      • +3

        Thats what they told about the Note 4 when it came out. And my Note Edge has been a lagfest!

        • +2

          Same here, my note 4 is the biggest piece of sh!t I've ever used, except its camera.

        • @clse945111:

          I put a different rom that got rid of most of the bloatware. It makes the phone so much faster. I would recommend doing that. (still retains s pen etc etc)

        • @Masteraal: Could you tell me which one? Are you facing any camera issues after that? And fingerprint sensor? A link would be appreciated.

      • I agree with all the points except never lags, my S6 most definitely lags if I have too many stuff open.(not even intensive stuff just camera, watsapp, chrome, relay, etc.)

        True it is understandable but it can still not be claimed to "never lag"

  • +3

    My nexus 4 has no expandable memory, no removable battery, cost more to buy the 16gb than the 8gb version. Many flagship phones are like this now days so is just you.

    • I've the same phone,and just waiting for it to die…

      When are you going to replace yours? What are you going to get?

      • +1

        I've been wanting to upgrade too (mainly for a better camera). I sort of want it to die so I can give myself an excuse to upgrade, but at the same time I don't want it to die because it's still a great phone and I love everything about it (besides the camera).

        Every time the Lg G3 goes on sale for $380ish, I have a mental breakdown. The only thing that makes me a little meh about the G3 is the size.

        • Mate the Gflex 2 is on sale. Excellent price, around what I paid for my Nexus 4, and excellent phone… I am very tempted.

          And yeah I know what you mean. Just waiting for mine to die too…

        • @inose: I've had my Nexus 4 for 2+ years also, but I sadly just broke the digitizer for the 3rd time in 12 months so I've finally decided to upgrade. Thankfully perfect timing with the eBay deal, I couldn't decide between the G3 (gold + removable battery)or the G Flex 2 (looks, I think…can't see one in 'real life' and durability, albeit probably not going to make much difference).
          G flex works out ~$350, which I'm sure is the same price I paid for the Nexus 2 years ago. Hopefully it's just as good!

        • @Shibbyyy:

          Good on you.

          I'm betting that it will be as good as the nexus, but better.

          The snapdragon 810 is the fastest snapdragon processor at the moment I believe. The camera will kill any Nexus for sure. The battery will much much better, if the LG g2 is an indicator. Dual apps for multi tasking is a nice touch. And if you don't like the LG experience, just use a custom rom, and walla, you have a'nexus '

  • +19

    Never had a Samsung and probably never will.

    There are so many manufacturers who support Android so why would you limit your options to just one?

    • Agreed, plus Samsung is probably the least preferable Android phone IMO of course.

      Samsung can copy everything Apple does except for the SALES RESULTS… hahaha

      • +1

        Have you ever used a samsung phone long term?
        I have an iPhone 5 for work and a note 4 for personal use and I much prefer the samsung.
        I think you'd be surprised how solid samsungs are. I've had a galaxy 4, an HTC one and an phone 4s. I'd put the Samsungs before the HTC and the apple phones last.

        I can't think of anything more painful than being limited to an apple phone and the apple world of electronics.

        • Yes I used S1 all the way to S4, then got tired of touchwiz interface. It's ok for the first 6 months then for whatever reason, it slows down dramatically.

          I also had a Galaxy Tab 2 where the battery would drain from 100% to less than 20% after a 45min tv show… It's absolute rubbish.

          I'm on Xperia Z3 now and really liking everything about it. I just hope I don't need to claim warranty one day.

        • +1

          @ozeebee:

          Yeah a negative experience (or multiple) will certainly have that effect. I think you're one of the unlucky ones but you're perfectly reasonable in avoiding them from now on.
          I've never had any issues with mine, except the battery in my note 2 ( a few years ago) died after about 12 months.
          I've got a 12 inch Galaxy note pro and it's been simply awesome.
          For work I've got to use the Iphone/ipad combo and it's torture.

          I've never actually had a sony or LG phone so I may try an experia one day.

    • Why blindly limit yourself from a market leader??

      • Who said anything about blindly limiting myself?

        I never bought an s1-s5 because I don't like plastic bodies and I won't buy an s6 because:

        • I prefer spending <$50 for an extra 64gb storage as opposed to $150 for an extra 32gb.

        • touchwiz up until s5 days was atrocious although admittedly haven't gotten my hands on an s6 yet.

        • possible poor memory management (google the recent YouTube video of an s6 edge vs nexus 6 multitasking by androidpolice)

        • You doubt buying products, despite what they offer in the future.
          Every phone has its problems. Evidently, even class-leaders.

        • @Utopian:

          Of course. It's impossible to create a product that's perfect for everyone.

          You just need to find the product that only has flaws that you can live with or don't care about.

      • -8

        Only sheep buy Samsung.
        I don't know a single person in the know who owns a Samsung.
        Only Asian girls and noobs.

  • Am I the only one that doesn't get the marketing statements of how the new phones look? Like gone is any style, it's just screen wrapped in a thin case. That's it!

    (S5 owner here)

    • +2

      I agree. Build quality, edge design, appearance etc. None of that matters to me, because I know that Samsung flagship phones will never be made out of cardboard, so I am happy with whatever materials they use.
      All I care about is performance.

  • +2

    Personaly im over this whole war between android and apple.
    while i still prefer android over apple's IOS i dont hate apple as much as i used to. not that id go out and spend 1k on and iphone over an android like the LG G4.

    yes i hate what samsung has done and they will pay with looseing customers. if i have money for any flagship id buy a LG G4 over samsung without a second thought.

    • -1

      RRP for iPhone 6 starts at $999 for base 16GB model too….

      • -1

        I wasn't being specific on prices I know you can get I phones cheaper.

    • +1

      yes i hate what samsung has done and they will pay with looseing customers.

      They will probably sell less but doubt it's because of the microsd slot and battery. Phone upgrades are mostly incremental, so there is less of a need to upgrade as often. Also, Chinese companies like Xiaomi and Huawei are gaining marketshare which is most likely the biggest reason Samsung's sales are falling. Switched from the Note 4 to S6 today and wouldn't go back. It was nice to have a microsd slot and removable battery, it was never a necessity. A few manufacturers don't have microsd slot and removable battery in their phones anymore.

      • +1

        Battery's often fail before the rest of the device and non remove able makes replacement hard and costly and a micro sd might not be a need for everyone but some prefer to have all there music on them like the old ipod classic how it could carry lots of music.

        The non remove able battery is what I dislike most of all. But both will amd has turned customers away.

        • Sure, non-removable batteries means more profit to replace them, but it also lets them make the phone thinner and with more premium materials. Batter life is pretty awesome on the S6(5hours on screen time at around 90% brightness) but all the reviews on it were made before the update that improved it's battery life. For the S6, it took 1 hour to go from 1%-94%. Between fast charging in the car/home and portable batteries, it isn't an issue at all for me

          Of course I'd rather have a removable battery and microsd slot, but if I had to choose between Note 4 or Note 5, I'd go for the Note 5(or S6) for sure.

          Ideally, I would have preferred they used the same materials as the Note 4,as the glass of the S6(while it feels good) is way too slippery and fragile.

          But both will amd has turned customers away.

          Sure it will, but I think it would also entice customers with the design and feel. Not many flagships have both microsd slot and removable batteries any more.

        • +4

          @ozhunter: the HTC one m8 and m9 has a premium build material and design and it also has atleast a sd card slot.

          Also not forgetting samsung removed the water resistant featurefor the s6. I just think they removed way too much for a slightly better design and better build quality.

          Thats why they have poor sales that and combined with the fact there really isn't a reason to "upgrade" when they would loose so many features and have to pay more money for a better design and build quality aswell as the normal faster phone.

        • @holden93:

          Aluminium would wave been better, but it would have made it even more similar to HTC and Apple.

          I doubt anyone really cared about the water resistant feature, it was more of a bonus.

          Of course, it would affect their sales, but I'm sure the S6 will be their most popular phone this year, even with the lack of features. They were already selling less phones even before the S6 was released.

        • @ozhunter: of course thw s6 will be there best selling phone it's there flagship.
          But sadly they will loose customers to lg or Sony or htc cause of there features they removed.

        • @holden93:

          But the fact that they still sell more than the others shows that most people wouldn't see it as a crucial feature.

          My main reason to get the S6 was the price, camera and the display.

        • @ozhunter: but a LG G4 is cheaper
          and ive seen the s6 display and it's not that great. camera is awesome though.

        • @holden93:

          I was planning to get Note 5, but since it won't drop in price anytime soon, I got an S6 off Gumtree for $550. Now I'll probably ended up skipping the Note 5.

          As with the Note 4 and 5, all reviews says the display is among the best if not the best.

        • @ozhunter: wow thats a really good price the cheapest ive seen a s6 is 600 for the 32gb

          im no expert but i didn't think the screen was any better then a note 4

        • @holden93: Yea, I was surprised it was that cheap too.

          It's a bit brighter and since it's the same resolution as the note 4 but in a smaller display it's slightly sharper. More than happy with the Note 4's display.

          Note 5 seems like it can go really bright

        • @ozhunter:
          Amoled screen still has the burn in problem, though if you don't let it display the same thing for a long time it should be ok.
          I have noticed that it degrades really quickly though, especially for white backgrounds. I've had my note 4 for about 3-4 months now, and the screen has become warmer, due to the blue pixels degrading, and the pentile setup makes it worse.

        • @clse945111:
          Never knew that and I had the S2, Note 2,3, and 4. The whites do look warmer than it does on the S6. I change my phone every year so it doesn't affect me, but I'd still have samoled display over lcd any day.

        • @ozhunter:

          I've also had a similar problem with my S4. Over the two years I've owned it, the screen has degraded over time.

          If you also look at Samsung AMOLED phones and tablets in stores, you will see most if not all of them have screen burn (e.g. Samsung logos) from the video loops they play.

          Having said that, it is unlikely that an individual's usage patterns will create the same type of burn in, but after time the screen wears unevenly.

          There's also issues with colour uniformity for AMOLED when new. If you search the "pink tint" issue, there's issues on some S6s and other AMOLED phones as well.

          I myself am waiting for the Nexus 5 as after the S4, I'm over AMOLED at least until the technology improves to be better in the long run.

    • +2

      If my htc one m7 died, itd be a oneplus2 for me.

    • *losing

  • +2

    It's. Just. You.

  • +2

    There are far more important things to worry about than a company and its products. If you don't like a company and its product just try another that you like.

  • +6

    I used to love Samsung products…now…Samsung is pretty much becoming everything I hated Apple about. And my opinion is just not related to the products they are launching. It's what inside them.
    Knox locks, eMMC critical bugs they refuse to fix, boast dozens of features most of which rarely work, permission settings, etc etc etc.

    EDIT.
    Oops, I didn't read your topic properly…I have no problem about their cloning, nor do I think they clone each other. Some of the things you are complaining about, is becoming an industry standard.

  • FirstWorldProblem

    • +17

      We're on a bargain site discussing how to get stuff we don't need cheaper. All of our problems are first world problems!

  • +7

    With the Note 5, they are starting to 'clone' the worst of Apple…. no removable battery and more importantly no micro sd slot… deal breaker for me.

  • +1

    Companies are in existence to make a profit - somewhere at sometime in the not to distant past, Samsung made the determination a non removable battery and non expandable storage would make them more money. I think that's possibly the extent of the decision, not so much a copy but a realisation they were not maximising potential profits.

  • +1

    Personally I don't get the race to be the thinnest. I would rather they make it fatter and put in a bigger battery. Then maybe they won't have problems like bendgate.

  • -4

    Yeah, that's a totally legit concern.

    Iphone 6 makes telephone calls.

    Samsung Galaxy S6 makes telephone calls.

    samsung should have their arses nailed to the wall for that sh!t.

    edit: it's just you. FFS get over it. and move on.

    • Are you happy with your brick Nokia?

  • +4

    After the s3 nothing has really excited me, but Nokia now that might be the next big thing, they can do a big screen, 4 cores, great battery life, and do it all for under $50 bux.

  • -1

    remember this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJafiCKliA8

    'the headphone jack is at the bottom'
    Look who swallows their own s##t

    • +2

      Well you've put it out of context. They're mocking the fact that the 'iSheep' think that's a feature, vs. them doing it just cause.

  • +2

    yes, it is just you.

  • +1

    Yes, it is you. I agree with tendollar, Samsung do not copy Apple. I have an aging Galaxy S3 which I love, with 32Gb internal and a 64 Gb storage card, and it has videos, music and books that take up about 16Gb. Most users are unlikely to ever use more than 12 Gb on a phone in the real world, and mobile phone power banks have become trendy because you cannot change the battery in an iPhone. Because I love gadgets and Ozbargain, I have 4 powerbanks, and will never need to be able to replace my phone battery. Most Samsung phone owners are probably happy with the phone they have already, but if there are issues down track, they would want to replace their phone with a Samsung. Replaceable batteries stopped being a selling point years ago. The S6 will probably start selling like hotcakes after the next model comes out, and the S6 is discounted.

    • I'm sorry but I use a lot more than 12gb. Between photos, apps and minimal amounts of music, I'm pushing 40gb. 1080p video takes up room, so does several years of photos. As for Samsung not copying Apple, I believe a certain lawsuit resulting in the world's largest payout for copyright infringement completely disagrees with you.

      • +1

        I stated that most users are unlikely to use more than 12Gb, there certainly are exceptions, I do not deny this. Apple and Samsung sue each other, you need to look at the whole history.

        • Have you done a 2015 survey on storage usage or just assumptions?

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