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Can we really still say they are good at hardware? Especially compared to Apple, I think the hardware as always lagged behind. It was closer recently, but the e

Can we really still say they are good at hardware? Especially compared to Apple, I think the hardware as always lagged behind. It was closer recently, but the explosion issues makes it seem like there were taking big risks to keep up with apple.

shostack 10y ago
They are good at hardware. For starters the S7 Edge is an incredible phone and they had been doing good things with the Note aside from the battery. Further, they are good at selling hardware and the distribution side in ways Apple isn't. They are also prominent in several other important hardware fields. So yes, I'd say they are objectively pretty good at hardware.
- canes123456 10y ago
  Yes, they are excellent at distribution. They are much better at making deals with carriers. I don't consider that hardware besides just managing more SKUs.
sz4kerto 10y ago
> Especially compared to Apple, I think the hardware as always lagged behind No, they're ahead I think. You can argue that on the SoC front Apple is ahead, but compare the WQHD OLED screen of an S7 with the screen of an i7 (or even a Plus, which is larger). S7 is IP68 waterproof (you can make nice underwater videos, etc.), larger battery (and longer battery life, actually). It also has more built-in sensors (which you might call a gimmick, but still, it's not _behind_ Apple in any sense).
- CountSessine 10y ago
  No, they're ahead I think Aside from their screens, I have to disagree. Everything else in Galaxy phones is gloriously second-rate. The compass in my S4 and Note 4 never really worked properly. Their GPS is just slightly better than a wild guess. Their SOCs went from awesome in the exynos 4000 series when Apple was designing their cores to awful in the 5000 series when they had to do it on their own, and they've only recently started coming close to Apple again. Their external speakers are so bad that they've provided HTC and others with key market differentiation. They don't seem to be able to design an earpiece that doesn't sound like its playing through cheese-cloth. And the fit and finish of their phones is 'luxury-plastic' at best. The only piece of hardware they seem to do really well is their screens, and that happens to be the most important component for smartphone users. But the rest of their hardware? If it wasn't for Samsung's dominance of OLED, the Android handset market would be much more balanced. S7 is IP68 waterproof The difference between IP67 and IP68 waterproofing is 50cm of immersion in water (1m vs 1.5m). It isn't rated for swimming or underwater photography. In practice, both an S7 and an iPhone 7 could probably be taken into a pool. But remember that the S7 still comes with water immersion detection stickers inside (or at least the Note 7 did). They'll know if you take it for a swim. larger battery (and longer battery life, actually) Definitely not my experience. My iPhone 7+ is approaching 3 days of battery life. When new, my Note 4 could get about 1.8. It also has more built-in sensors (which you might call a gimmick, but still, it's not _behind_ Apple in any sense). None of which really seem to work very well. The GPS and compass in my Note 4 were really flaky.

shostack 10y ago

They are good at hardware. For starters the S7 Edge is an incredible phone and they had been doing good things with the Note aside from the battery. Further, they are good at selling hardware and the distribution side in ways Apple isn't. They are also prominent in several other important hardware fields. So yes, I'd say they are objectively pretty good at hardware.

canes123456 10y ago
Yes, they are excellent at distribution. They are much better at making deals with carriers. I don't consider that hardware besides just managing more SKUs.

sz4kerto 10y ago

> Especially compared to Apple, I think the hardware as always lagged behind No, they're ahead I think. You can argue that on the SoC front Apple is ahead, but compare the WQHD OLED screen of an S7 with the screen of an i7 (or even a Plus, which is larger). S7 is IP68 waterproof (you can make nice underwater videos, etc.), larger battery (and longer battery life, actually). It also has more built-in sensors (which you might call a gimmick, but still, it's not _behind_ Apple in any sense).

CountSessine 10y ago
No, they're ahead I think Aside from their screens, I have to disagree. Everything else in Galaxy phones is gloriously second-rate. The compass in my S4 and Note 4 never really worked properly. Their GPS is just slightly better than a wild guess. Their SOCs went from awesome in the exynos 4000 series when Apple was designing their cores to awful in the 5000 series when they had to do it on their own, and they've only recently started coming close to Apple again. Their external speakers are so bad that they've provided HTC and others with key market differentiation. They don't seem to be able to design an earpiece that doesn't sound like its playing through cheese-cloth. And the fit and finish of their phones is 'luxury-plastic' at best. The only piece of hardware they seem to do really well is their screens, and that happens to be the most important component for smartphone users. But the rest of their hardware? If it wasn't for Samsung's dominance of OLED, the Android handset market would be much more balanced. S7 is IP68 waterproof The difference between IP67 and IP68 waterproofing is 50cm of immersion in water (1m vs 1.5m). It isn't rated for swimming or underwater photography. In practice, both an S7 and an iPhone 7 could probably be taken into a pool. But remember that the S7 still comes with water immersion detection stickers inside (or at least the Note 7 did). They'll know if you take it for a swim. larger battery (and longer battery life, actually) Definitely not my experience. My iPhone 7+ is approaching 3 days of battery life. When new, my Note 4 could get about 1.8. It also has more built-in sensors (which you might call a gimmick, but still, it's not _behind_ Apple in any sense). None of which really seem to work very well. The GPS and compass in my Note 4 were really flaky.