iPhone-like or media hype

[pc747]

Over the years there have been several phones that Samsung had made that looked like the current iPhone of the day. Most of these phones were only sold overseas but the fact they look so close to the fruit makes me now think that Samsung is just trolling now.

Then again our eyes could be wanting to see what isn't really there.

Thoughts?

Circuit Breaker



Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

Samsung is more like Apple every year. If they could take down Android and replace it with their own proprietary OS (Tizen is proof enough for me), like Apple, they would. If they could be Apple, they would. The very fact they've made phones that look more and more like iPhones is still more evidentiary.

Don't get me wrong, they make great products but they've done more to increase fragmentation and set themselves apart from the rest of the Android manufacturers than any other, and not by just a small measure but by a wide margin.

Today when you're watching advertisements for mobile apps, products or services, or when you watch news you're often confronted with the phrase "For iPhone and Samsung". When people see my Motorola Droid phone I'm often asked "Is that an iPhone or Samsung?". It's like to many less knowledgeable there are now only two brands, iPhone and Samsung.

It's like Samsung has taken ownership of the Android platform, and the ultimate plan if Samsung could have its way would be for all other Android phone manufacturers to die off. The name Samsung has become synonymous with mobile phone, such that people used to say "Can I borrow your phone", then after the iPhone was marketed so successfully and so widely accepted they started to say "Can I borrow your iPhone?", But now they also say "Can I borrow your Samsung?"

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[pc747]

The phone sort of has a HTC look.

I'm surprised Samsung did not just go with a miui style launcher.

I seem to have a different experience with Samsung than others. After a few months performance just plummets while my Nexus gets better.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[cr6]

Samsung is more like Apple every year.

How is this even possible when the last 5 Galaxy S devices have had pretty much had the exact same look....at least from the front. (& aside from the Edge variant of course)
But, this is what happens when the top two manufacturers for the past 6+ years battle for marketshare, while leaving all other models to fight over the remaining few percentage points.

I call "media hype".


S5 tap'n

 

[FoxKat]

How is this even possible when the last 5 Galaxy S devices have had pretty much had the exact same look....at least from the front. (& aside from the Edge variant of course)
But, this is what happens when the top two manufacturers for the past 6+ years battle for marketshare, while leaving all other models to fight over the remaining few percentage points.

I call "media hype".


S5 tap'n

I don't mean just looks, I mean everything, mostly their quest to be THE Apple competitor. For me it's more the fragmentation issue, custom OS on their custom watches (only compatible with their phones), custom fast charging technology (not Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0/3.0 compatible), custom VR viewer, just everything.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

The phone sort of has a HTC look.

I'm surprised Samsung did not just go with a miui style launcher.

I seem to have a different experience with Samsung than others. After a few months performance just plummets while my Nexus gets better.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I'm not sure it's just the phone. There are lots of other potential causes. Still, I can't speak with authority since I haven't had the phone long enough, nor have I relied upon it exclusively. Only those who have can appeal with any real confidence.

As we hear from members and log their experiences we begin to see patterns that point to either suspected causes or to real ones. I personally haven't experienced the lag in performance you describe however I did experience things like really unreliable recognition of the $swipe system.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[mountainbikermark]

I'm not sure it's just the phone. There are lots of other potential causes. Still, I can't speak with authority since I haven't had the phone long enough, nor have I relied upon it exclusively. Only those who have can appeal with any real confidence.

As we hear from members and log their experiences we begin to see patterns that point to either suspected causes or to real ones. I personally haven't experienced the lag in performance you describe however I did experience things like really unreliable recognition of the $swipe system.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I do a cache wipe about once a month to alleviate what PC is describing. I get a noticeable lag and battery drop if I don't across all my Samsung devices. My LG G2 has never had a partition wipe. I don't even know the steps to do it on that phone.

Support Our Troops!!!
Beast Mode 4
<><

 

[EyeOWA]

Ultimately, what it comes down to is advertising. A large majority of people going into a phone store want something they can call, text and post recipes to Facebook on. People know about iPhones and want it, just because, clueless to what it has. People get sold on Samsung because of the commercials. Regardless if it looks like an iPhone or not, it doesn't have that shiny apple on it...Reebok can look like Nike, but they don't have that swoosh. I'm not at all an iPhone fan and don't understand the "gotta have it because it's an iPhone" mentality.

 

[FoxKat]

Ultimately, what it comes down to is advertising. A large majority of people going into a phone store want something they can call, text and post recipes to Facebook on. People know about iPhones and want it, just because, clueless to what it has. People get sold on Samsung because of the commercials. Regardless if it looks like an iPhone or not, it doesn't have that shiny apple on it...Reebok can look like Nike, but they don't have that swoosh. I'm not at all an iPhone fan and don't understand the "gotta have it because it's an iPhone" mentality.

Agreed!

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

 

[cr6]

We know that everyone may not be a fan of these two brands , but there's a reason they are at the top of the pack year after year. Even though there are dozens and dozens of different make & model smartphones in every price range imaginable, you can only chalk so much up to "advertising dollars".
Both HTC & Motorola used to put out great commercials, but if a device is lacking in certain features (whether it be hardware or software related), people will move on to a different manufacturer.
Say what you will about Samsung & Apple, but they consistently put out a quality product year after year. They aren't the only two brands that copy from each other, but since they are both at the top of the proverbial smartphone food chain, it makes them easy targets for articles like this.


S5 tap'n

 

[FoxKat]

We know that everyone may not be a fan of these two brands , but there's a reason they are at the top of the pack year after year. Even though there are dozens and dozens of different make & model smartphones in every price range imaginable, you can only chalk so much up to "advertising dollars".
Both HTC & Motorola used to put out great commercials, but if a device is lacking in certain features (whether it be hardware or software related), people will move on to a different manufacturer.
Say what you will about Samsung & Apple, but they consistently put out a quality product year after year. They aren't the only two brands that copy from each other, but since they are both at the top of the proverbial smartphone food chain, it makes them easy targets for articles like this.


S5 tap'n

Don't get me wrong, I am not disputing that the Samsung and Apple products are great products and that they appeal to the masses, and for good reason. The areas they both excel in are camera performance, screen image quality, cutting edge performance, style and user experience, along with security and some other aspects, not withstanding they are also capable phones. These are all things that the masses want. Still there are some things as I've pointed out before that at these two apart from all the others and it's done with a very selfish purpose.

I am not one who wants to feel like I'm trapped within one brand as far as choices for different products and accessories. I've known people who will buy nothing but Sony or Bose, Denon or Pioneer, and that's OK for them but not for me. Apple, and to a lesser extent Samsung have painted or are painting themselves into a closed ecosystem and it just feels too sterile and restricted, cult-like for me. I don't buy just one brand of home audio and video equipment, one brand of automobile, one brand of food or one brand of gasoline. I choose each individual purchase purposefully and don't like being forced to choose other products from the same brand in order to maintain compatibility.

They say that variety is the spice of life. If Apple and the like had it their way we would all be using only their products for all product lines in which we have a need. It's OK if we do as long as is because they're the best for our purposes, but not IMHO if it's because they've made it difficult or impossible to go outside their brand to maintain compatibility. That IMHO is the seeds of monopolizing and I'm very much against being controlled like that.

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

 

[cr6]

I guess I see it differently. IMO, It would be "monolopizing" if they were the ONLY game in town. Since they aren't, and we've got such a huge variety of affordable options available to us, it doesn't bother me.

IIRC, DMX reported last week the the HTC 10 had overheating issues using other chargers with their quick charge cable. So it isn't just Sammy & Apple.

S5 tap'n

 

[FoxKat]

I guess I see it differently. IMO, It would be "monolopizing" if they were the ONLY game in town. Since they aren't, and we've got such a huge variety of affordable options available to us, it doesn't bother me.

IIRC, DMX reported last week the the HTC 10 had overheating issues using other chargers with their quick charge cable. So it isn't just Sammy & Apple.

S5 tap'n

No, I agree with what you've said here. They aren't a monopoly in the true sense of the word, but like Apple, it seems they want to be.

I want to believe the HTC Cablegate is really not an intentional "our cable only" deliberate action, but I've not fully researched to make a definitive conclusion.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[PereDroid]

The name Samsung has become synonymous with mobile phone, such that people used to say "Can I borrow your phone", then after the iPhone was marketed so successfully and so widely accepted they started to say "Can I borrow your iPhone?", But now they also say "Can I borrow your Samsung?"

Disagree with this. On both counts. "Can I borrow your iPhone/Samsung?" never got nor will ever get popular.
People are lazy speakers. We always want the same or less syllables, not more.
Tissue, 2 syllables. Replaced by Kleenex, also 2.
Copy replaced by Xerox. 2 and 2.
Toaster Pastries (4) Pop Tart (2)
Soda Pop (3) replaced by soda (2) in most of the country, and pop (1) in the midwest and simply COKE in much of the country.
It's still and will always be less syllables for PHONE (1) then it will be for those other.... 2.

 

[FoxKat]

Disagree with this. On both counts. "Can I borrow your iPhone/Samsung?" never got nor will ever get popular.
People are lazy speakers. We always want the same or less syllables, not more.
Tissue, 2 syllables. Replaced by Kleenex, also 2.
Copy replaced by Xerox. 2 and 2.
Toaster Pastries (4) Pop Tart (2)
Soda Pop (3) replaced by soda (2) in most of the country, and pop (1) in the midwest and simply COKE in much of the country.
It's still and will always be less syllables for PHONE (1) then it will be for those other.... 2.

You may disagree but I've heard it enough to know it's true are least in this part of the country. I'm often asked of my Motorola Droid Turbo 2 as well as the past my other recent Motorola Droids "is that an iPhone or Samsung", as if those are the only two brands that exist.

Here's a Google search for phone camera lenses. You'll notice as you scroll down that the only two phone brands mentioned are iPhone and Samsung Galaxy.

Cell Phone Camera Lenses: Cell Phone Lens Kit - Best Buy

More often than not, and by a wide margin when I'm looking for an accessory for my cell phone, whether it's a Bluetooth accessory or a charger adapter for example, the two names that the accessories are mentioned as being compatible with in the description are iPhone and Samsung. In fact I can't recall the last time I saw the name Motorola, Sony, HTC, even LG mentioned as part of the main description in a cell phone accessory advertisement. Oh sure, you may see it mentioned deeper in the detailed description but clearly even the accessory manufacturers see those two brands as "the" bullseye center of the target market and all other brands as concentrically positioned periphery.

Part of this also has to do to a certain extent with how cellphones have all generally taken on a very similar look and shape, being like 45% screen, 45% back and only maybe 10% sides, buttons, camera lenses and speakers. Used to be back in the pre-smartphone era, and even in the early smartphone era that the phone's were very different in style, shape, external casting and button features, etc. It was very easy to tell a Motorola MicroTac or RAZR from a PALM or a Blackberry, an Audiovox or even an HTC. Even the first androids were unmistakable, especially the Motorola Droid with the slide out keyboard, but also others. We have all migrated to the iPhone form factor in one way or another, and the standout adopter of this would be Samsung.

Today from even just a short distance most smartphones look virtually identical, like glass and plastic sandwiches, albeit different sized mind you. I see it as funny really, how the manufacturers struggle to maintain an identity by changing the accents and lens positions, speaker and microphone holes, button placement, shape and size while at the same time trying to be as similar to the iPhone as possible.

Yes, I know that the screen size and shape (rectangular glass) for the most part dictates the phone size and shape so one could argue that it's just a result of that and nothing else, but I beg to differ. The only real significant migration away from that has been the Edge line from Samsung, and it's success has been impressive but I have to wonder just how much use that edge or edges get(s). I believe it was for the most part Samsung's dire attempt to create a signature look that was both iPhone-like and yet so different it was unmistakable, essentially to become a bookend or flagship store at the mall for instance.





Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk