Why I Switched From Apple to Samsung
⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛
It’s no secret that I have been an Apple fan for many years. For a long time, I really like the innovation of Apple, but over the years, I feel that innovation is gone. This blog is most certainly based on my opinions and preferences, especially related to my PR career and other endeavors.
Yesterday, I went to AT&T in search of a new phone. I already knew I wanted something that was not an iPhone. While I am a creature of habit, sometimes I am an adventurer. My iPhone 6 Plus has been a terror for the past year, and it was time for an upgrade (despite my insistence that “it was fine” and my promise that I would make do with something that was becoming an incredible stressor and productivity thief). I purchased the costly 128GB iPhone 6 Plus two years ago, and I maxed out the GB on it more than four times over a two-year period. Now, I know I tend to hoard information, photos and business files, BUT it became aggravating. I had to charge it three times per day because the battery was on the fritz. I have carried a battery backup for at least a year. It began to behave like my very first iPhone 3 that I got in college. I closed my apps constantly and attempted to use “save battery” settings.
After nine years and four iPhones, I decided I wanted the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Less than 24 hours after this purchase, I felt so inclined to blog about my experience with it.
SO. MUCH. STORAGE.
Android devices allow users to insert their own SD cards for extra storage. This will work wonders for my photo-hoarding ways and business files (photos, videos, PDFs, design files, etc.). You can’t do that with an iPhone. You begin to feel stuck because your storage options are limited. This is one of the main reasons why I wanted to make the switch. I can move items to a 256GB SD card and then go ahead with my day. It's double the storage of my iPhone — on an external SD card.
An innovative screen.
I used to really like Apple’s retina screens. I still do because I get eye strain and have astigmatism in my right eye. (Needless to say, my eyesight isn’t great.) The Edge’s screen is on both edges (nice marketing/naming, Samsung), which gives it a beveled, high-resolution experience when looking at the screen. It's better. Plus, I really like the feature on the right side that gives me an area for my most-used shortcuts.
Phone customization.
Unless you jailbreak your iPhone, you can’t customize it. Sure, you can change your home screen and lock screen and make folders, but that isn't "customization." I am the Queen of Customization. So, I have already changed the font and theme. Just being able to change text conversation bubbles is heavenly. Right now, I have a black-and-white theme. Last night, I did panic because I didn’t realize you could toggle between themes. I was stuck with a raggedy Paris theme. (I LOVE Paris, but this theme was crap.) I love widgets, which allow me to use Evernote and Spotify with ease.
The camera.
It takes much better photos than my iPhone. Thank you, Dual Picture technology and better autofocus. It really brings out the different colors in my cat’s fur coat. The front camera is better and less grainy, and the panoramas are more accurate. This phone will be perfect next month when my (future) husband and I are in Turks & Caicos for our honeymoon! Photography is a HUGE thing for me, so this feature is especially important.
YOU CAN LOOK AT TWO PAGES AT ONCE.
This is something I have always wanted, but an iPhone has never provided this for me. Now, I can look at two screens at once, which is great when I am doing research on the go or having to reset a password (and need email and the account up at the same time). In PR, multitasking is a must. This helps me achieve more of that in a timely fashion.
Seamless integration of my Google account and apps.
Google is better about being able to be used on all devices. So, I have been slowly integrating things into my Google account, even on my iPhone. This phone, naturally, works with my Chromecast, Play Books and more. There is nothing more aggravating than having to create an iCloud account that you may or may not use on a regular basis and then getting locked out of your iPhone. If you don’t revive your messed-up iPhone with the EXACT email address and password used when you set up your phone, you will be locked out. That results in a new phone. Trust me, this happened to my dad. I am pretty phone savvy in most respects, and even I couldn’t troubleshoot this issue.
Wireless charging.
I don’t have a wireless charger yet, but the fact that it’s offered with this phone is awesome. The battery is better, but that’s because it’s new. I am confident that this battery will last longer than my iPhone battery did. Plus, there are better options to save energy with this phone.
Gone are the days of potentially getting locked out of my phone and dealing with a defective battery. This will help decrease my overall stress. The one thing I do miss about my iPhone is that I can put emojis in people’s contact information. I miss the way some of the emojis look and iMessage, but I have had to get past aesthetics. These days, I’m more about functionality and what works best for me and my business. Anyone who knows me knows that I follow my own path. Here’s to this new adventure with my gold Samsung 7 Edge.
Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge here.
Copyright © MMXVII Hourglass Omnimedia, LLC
This post was originally posted on April 4, 2017.
Kaylin R. Staten is an award-winning public relations practitioner. She owns Hourglass Omnimedia, a consulting company based in Huntington, WV.
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