After using an iPhone as my daily driver for years, I decided to switch to Samsung phone for my next upgrade. And while I am enjoying experience for most parts, there are some bits that decrease.
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The quality of the app on iOS is much better
The first difference I saw after switching on Samsung phone is that so many mainstream apps feel a bit bad on Android. I was most surprised that it also included Google’s own apps. You think that will be the most stable platform to use Android, say, YouTube, but I have gone into random bugs such as picture-in-picture braking or playback control. These are issues that I had never seen on my iPhone.
Social media apps are another big lethargy. In almost every launch, Samsung created a point to highlight partnership with social media companies to improve the performance of the camera inside apps such as Instagram and Snapchat. But the results are still shocking. The in-app camera on Instagram still looks much worse than the native, and compared to my old iPhone, it is not even close. It is still a noise, low-quality mess, so I find myself using a stock camera app, as much as I should.
Even when it comes to gaming, iOS holds an edge. Gainshin impact like very high demand titles, run on high graphics settings and do better resolution by default on iPhone. They also do this while maintaining a better frame rate.
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iPhones really get software updates on time
This is not something that I say about every Android brand, but Samsung is easily the worst when it comes to giving software updates on time. Oneui 7 has many exciting features that I like, but the rollout was a mess.
For reference, Android 15 was officially launched for the Google Pixel phone in October 2024. I did not receive Android 15-based Oneui 7 update on my Galaxy S24 Ultra until June 2025. This is eight months later. By the time the update landed on my phone, Google had already started testing Android 16 beta.
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I am not expecting immediate updates to every one-series phone or old budget devices from Samsung, but this is the Galaxy S24 Ultra that we are talking about: a flagship phone that is more than a year old. Despite this, the update was still delayed in months. After all publicity about Samsung’s promise of seven years of update, it feels badly staggering in the first cycle.
I knew what I was remembering what I was remembering during those months, and was left behind in such a way, which appreciated how straight the update on my iPhone was. When Apple takes out a new iOS version, every supported device gets it on the same day.
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Apple ecosystem is better
Samsung has done a good job to build its ecosystem; It has its own version of airDrop, seamless device syncing and integration in laptops, tablets and wearbals. On paper, it examines all boxes. But in practice, it still looks clunk and incompatible.
For example, you can use quick shares to share files in a wireless manner; When it works, it is faster than the aircraft in my experience. But he is working to “when” was very heavy. Not more often, it refuses to work. I have a lot of moments where I gave up and grabbed a cable instead – because in 2025, somehow, it is still the fastest and most reliable way to move files.
Even the galaxy buds, which should be connected to my phone immediately, never. I have to dig more than once in Bluetooth settings manually so that they can be added. This is something that I never had to think with my airpods on the iPhone.
When it comes to bullets, Samsung’s ecosystem kills another wall. Android tablets have certainly improved, but the tablet apps are still wildly hits or misses. Some apps score properly, while others look like a stretch-out phone screen. The only field where they had an edge on the iPad were multitasking, but the iPados 26 has amazing features of tons that solve this problem.
I am not saying that Samsung has no ecosystem. It exists, and on paper, it is almost the feature-for-feature with Apple. But in my experience, there is not a single part of it, which has worked innocently. I have gone on some issues with every component, and it feels the whole experience later.
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iOS simply looks more harmonious
One of the biggest aspects I have come to appreciate how it feels like it is together after using an iPhone for so long. The iOS is designed as a single system with a clear design, so everything flows smoothly. On Samsung phone, it looks like two different mixed ideas. You have a version of Android of Google, then Samsung adds its own layer to the top, and the result does not always feel harmonious.
For example, some apps use Samsung’s gallery app to import photos, and others use Google photos. There is no easy way to set a default. Without knowing the switching between the two of you, and it becomes annoying after a while.
The app is also the status of the store. You get both the Play Store and the Galaxy Store Preinstall. Most people cling to the Play Store, but Samsung keeps on moving its version with exclusive apps and updates. It feels unnecessary and adds more chaos.
At his top, there are many duplicate apps. You get Samsung Internet and Chrome, Samsung Messages and Google Messages and then Samsung Calendar and Google Calendar. It is misleading at first, and you will not know which people to use. On iOS, there is only one version of each app, and you have never to think about this problem.
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It is not to say that I regret switching. There are many points that I really like, especially hardware, but Samsung still has some work on the software side. Nevertheless, I think it is a strong option for anyone considering leaving the iPhone.
