I was wondering, do you plan to buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 series?

I plan on upgrading from the Galaxy S21+, but I am undecided on the S23+ or the S23 Ultra. I plan to go for one of the trade-in offers, so I am waiting to see how good the offer is. Hopefully the offer is good enough to get the Ultra. I will probably get it in Phantom Black but may get a pink case or pink PopSocket.

No, I don't intend to get the S23 series because I just got my S22 Ultra last November to replace my S21 Ultra which got water damaged after it fell into the toilet. Apparently, the battery was bloated just enough to lift the back glass leaving a small enough gap for water to seep in but not enough that I'd notice.

As for the phone, forget the S23+. The Plus model, just like the iPhone 14 Plus, shouldn't really exist. It should just be the normal S23 model and the S23 Ultra.

I just got an S10e and it's good enough for me. I don't understand those that keep trading up to the "latest, greatest".

My current phone is a Galaxy S10+. It's my third smartphone, preceded by an iPhone 6 and before that, an HTC One.

For as long as I've had this Galaxy S10, there's never been a single day when I didn't say 'Ugh, I HATE THIS @!#&%ing PHONE!!!!"

So no, I do not plan to buy the Galaxy S23 series; or anything the hell else from Samsung ever again like, ever.

My Samsung A50S is due for a replacement, although it's still working fine and I don't really need anything more. The S23 is a reasonable size and weight, I don't want anything bigger than my current phone, so exit the + and ultra. The S23 has wireless charging that I would like to have. It doesn't have a SD card slot, however, that's a minus. More importantly, it costs almost 3 times my budget...

There is the A53 but it is 20g heavier than my A50S despite keeping the same format. It has the SD card slot, but not the wireless charging (no affordable phone has it, unfortunately).

Aesma wrote:

My Samsung A50S is due for a replacement, although it's still working fine and I don't really need anything more. The S23 is a reasonable size and weight, I don't want anything bigger than my current phone, so exit the + and ultra. The S23 has wireless charging that I would like to have. It doesn't have a SD card slot, however, that's a minus. More importantly, it costs almost 3 times my budget...

There is the A53 but it is 20g heavier than my A50S despite keeping the same format. It has the SD card slot, but not the wireless charging (no affordable phone has it, unfortunately).

Here in the US with the incredible trade-in offers that carriers offer, it makes very little sense to buy a midrange phone at full price. If you aren't trading in, a 1–2-year-old flagship is usually a better deal than a current midrange.

But you pay through your phone plan. My plan is 19,99€/month for everything unlimited (yes even 5G data), works in plenty of countries (including the US), can call plenty of countries too...

I don't like Samsung devices, they are a bit better than Chinese Android devices but still many bloatware.

c933103 wrote:

I don't like Samsung devices, they are a bit better than Chinese Android devices but still many bloatware.

That is an issue of the distrbutors. Not Samsung itself. A bit of a google droid issue, but still mostly who you buy it from.

I still stick with Apple, becasue I can transfer my setup forward. Most of my IPhone 4 settings still exist on on my 14.

casinterest wrote:

c933103 wrote:

I don't like Samsung devices, they are a bit better than Chinese Android devices but still many bloatware.

That is an issue of the distrbutors. Not Samsung itself. A bit of a google droid issue, but still mostly who you buy it from.

I still stick with Apple, becasue I can transfer my setup forward. Most of my IPhone 4 settings still exist on on my 14.

I am not talking about devices sold by carriers or tempered by retailers. Those can be identified. Samsung phones still have many bloat even in the clean state.
I currently mainly use devices sold by Sony or by Google directly. Also in consideration are devices sold by Nokia HMD, Sharp, Fujitsu, ASUS. And LG when they were active.

1337Delta764 wrote:

I was wondering, do you plan to buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 series?

Nope - I don't do Android. If I were to go non- iOS, I'd buy a Google Pixel. Samsungs have got to be the ugliest phones on the market. Shame though, they used to make some really nice ones like my old Samsung slide phone. I will admit though, the iPhone 6 through X aren't that nice either, but now that Apple has brought the "bulkier" design from the iPhone 5 back, they look and feel as good as the iPhone 5 did.

I still have my old iPhone 7 since I bought it in 2016 - still works like new. Might upgrade this year for a better camera though.

I don't do contracts either, ever - I buy the phone outright and go month to month. I'm sure in other countries, it might make sense, but any one who goes with a contract in Canada is dumb (no offence to you who do lol). If I ever did want to trade my phone in, I'd get a better deal trading it directly through Apple for a new phone.

I´ll wait for the S24 series to replace my S21Ultra but when I got the S21Ultra I upgraded from a basic S9 and I don`t regret it.
I was considering the S21+ but decided to spend a bit more and got the Ultra. It´s a great model, long battery life, amazing cameras, in particular the 10x optical zoom.
Go for the Ultra, in my opinion it´s worth the extra investment.

Aesma wrote:

My Samsung A50S is due for a replacement, although it's still working fine and I don't really need anything more. The S23 is a reasonable size and weight, I don't want anything bigger than my current phone, so exit the + and ultra. The S23 has wireless charging that I would like to have. It doesn't have a SD card slot, however, that's a minus. More importantly, it costs almost 3 times my budget...

There is the A53 but it is 20g heavier than my A50S despite keeping the same format. It has the SD card slot, but not the wireless charging (no affordable phone has it, unfortunately).

I used to think that having an SD card slot is important, but after trading up to the S21 Ultra, I found that it's hardly the case. If I need more capacity, I can always transfer stuff to a USB-C drive.

c933103 wrote:

I am not talking about devices sold by carriers or tempered by retailers. Those can be identified. Samsung phones still have many bloat even in the clean state.

Honestly, current Samsungs have very few bloatwares. I can count only two apps that truly are bloatware, the rest can easily be uninstalled.

And one thing in Samsung's favour is the fact that their phones new will receive 4 years of Android OS updates and 5 years of security updates. Even the Pixel wouldn't receive that many updates, so you can use your Samsung for longer, almost as long as an iPhone, really.

Short Answer: No, my iPhone 13 Pro is more than adequate.

Longer Answer: I’m very open to what replaces my iPhone when the contract expires as I’m not particularly fused on Apple’s ecosystem, but it won’t be until the contract expires in mid 2024.

Really drawn out answer: In the last ten years I’ve went from ditching my iPhone 4 to see if the grass was greener on the other side I went Samsung then Google’s Pixel line. My Issues with Samsung was their software, both their app suite especially as it duplicated Googles, and the UI although I admit One UI is a big step up from the Touchwiz I was familiar with.

With the Pixel line, I’m a big fan of pure android and googles ecosystem, but to describe the hardware as “average” would be very generous, at least on the earlier Pixels. The battery would degrade FAST after 12 months. As well as the haphazard strategy behind it. It is almost as if it’s Google’s pet project rather than a serious offering to compete with Apple and Samsung, “Is Australia going to remain one of the few Pixel countries next year?” Who knows even if it is, what about the year after? After I prematurely had to replace my P5 as it struggled to make it through a typical work day. I passed on the then brand new and improved P6 with their in house chip, at least until it has matured a bit.

I went back to Apple for my current iPhone 13 Pro. It’s a very solid device, although Siri is a big downgrade compared to the Google assistant, she is hopeless in the car especially when a virtual assistant is the most useful, half the time I have to command Siri to open the Google assistant, then talk to Google to do anything, it would be so much nicer to have the Google assistant as default like on an Android device.

Also I don’t like Apples closed ecosystem while the app suite itself is well designed, and surprisingly syncs with googles ecosystem better than I initially thought it would. In a household with Google nest speakers, Chromecast, a Chromebook, Windows laptop, and soon a Windows desktop, I’m never going to benefit from “how seemless iDevices work together”, nor do I really want to lock myself into tech from a single OEM. When I switched to iOS I made it a point to go all in and mainly use the Apple app suite. But I’m now reversing that and going back to Googles app suite. But there’s annoying duplication. I have a current subscriptions for iCloud and Google one, I can’t exactly pick one or the other as the iCloud backs up my iPhone, and I use Google Drive extensively on my Chromebook, and laptop. Also my pre iPhone pictures are on Google photos, which I can still access easily from my iPhone, and all my iPhone photos are backed up to iCloud which I can’t easily access from a non iDevice. I mean I could transfer it all to my Google accounts, but it’s a time consuming and awkward process.

Then there’s silly things like in Apple Music I can’t cast audio to a Google device, but I can using the Apple Music app on an Android device, one of the few Apple services that is cross platform.

Also about Apple Music and duplication, I just remembered I took out a subscription to listen to a specific artist who refuses to release their catalogue on Spotify, but Apple is fine apparently. I meant to cancel it, buy the albums on iTunes and just stick with my family Spotify subscription, but I forgot and it’s been months. I realise this has nothing to do with smartphone OEMs, but let’s face it, my post is basically a rant of all things tech at this point.

Getting back on track my iPhone is fine for the time being, still not even half way through my contract. I bought my Pixel 5 outright and went on a month to month plan which worked out well, especially in Australia where all three major telcos are rubbish, but as I unexpectedly had to replace it prematurely I went onto a 24 month contract. I’d like to buy outright again at the end of this contract, and go back to month to month. I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’ll most likely go back to Google with a Pixel 8 or 9 by then. The design and chip seems to be more mature and holding up well, provided Australia remains a Pixel market. Otherwise probably a S24 family device.

1337Delta764 wrote:

Aesma wrote:

My Samsung A50S is due for a replacement, although it's still working fine and I don't really need anything more. The S23 is a reasonable size and weight, I don't want anything bigger than my current phone, so exit the + and ultra. The S23 has wireless charging that I would like to have. It doesn't have a SD card slot, however, that's a minus. More importantly, it costs almost 3 times my budget...

There is the A53 but it is 20g heavier than my A50S despite keeping the same format. It has the SD card slot, but not the wireless charging (no affordable phone has it, unfortunately).

Here in the US with the incredible trade-in offers that carriers offer, it makes very little sense to buy a midrange phone at full price. If you aren't trading in, a 1–2-year-old flagship is usually a better deal than a current midrange.

Some people use a phone as a phone and not as a fashion accessory that they can brag about to their friends and people on the internet. Nothing is free. Those expensive, top-of-the-line phones are paid for somehow by the owners.

c933103 wrote:

I don't like Samsung devices, they are a bit better than Chinese Android devices but still many bloatware.

If you want an Android device get the Google Pixel. There is not bloatware on it and you are the first to get the software updates compared to other Android hardware.

I tried Samsung phones twice. I got the S9+ when it was the whiz-bang gotta-have phone; I bought it for myself as a birthday present. It popped up ads in middle of my composing emails, and worst of all, it randomly played video advertisements at odd times. It did it at 11:40PM one night, and did it loudly.

No, it was not my carrier. It was the blasted phone! I was within the return window, and the next business day I got rid of it.

A year or two later, I got some other Samsung of some sort; don't recall the model. This time, it was nag-ware from Samsung themselves. Try this Samsung service. Try Samsung something-else. It went back in favor of an iPhone.

I am not some starry-eyed Apple fan-boi by any stretch, but at least their phones don't nag me, and ApplePay is not a social media app. It was either Samsung Pay or Google Pay that in addition to being a payment system, morphed into a social media app. It wanted me to share my transaction history with my "friends and family". Huh? Really? I want to tell friends and family I picked up something at Walgreens, or fueled my car at the local BP?

Please.

Pixel all the way.

My current 3a is doing great. Multiday battery, handles anything I need to do and has a clean simple interface (and I use Microsoft Launcher). I am looking to get the 7a when it comes out this year but probably don't need to as my 3a is in perfect condition.

Tugg

WesternDC6B wrote:

I tried Samsung phones twice. I got the S9+ when it was the whiz-bang gotta-have phone; I bought it for myself as a birthday present. It popped up ads in middle of my composing emails, and worst of all, it randomly played video advertisements at odd times. It did it at 11:40PM one night, and did it loudly.

No, it was not my carrier. It was the blasted phone! I was within the return window, and the next business day I got rid of it.

.

Yeah, that'll be your carrier's version of the OS or you've picked up something dodgy. Stock Samsung doesn't behave that way, just order the phone direct from Samsung, far less crap bundled and cheaper.

Tugger wrote:

Pixel all the way.

My current 3a is doing great. Multiday battery, handles anything I need to do and has a clean simple interface (and I use Microsoft Launcher). I am looking to get the 7a when it comes out this year but probably don't need to as my 3a is in perfect condition.

Tugg

Was going to ask about that phone. I loved LG phones but they aren't making phones anymore so in two years I will need to get a new phone.

Still have an old iPhone. It’s enough and I’ll keep it going for as long as possible.

Work phone is an iPhone 13 which is very good so far so I’d definitely look at one of those if I need to replace the old phone.

Otherwise it just gets crazy (expensive) replacing phones just to stay with the latest version.

NIKV69 wrote:

Tugger wrote:

Pixel all the way.

My current 3a is doing great. Multiday battery, handles anything I need to do and has a clean simple interface (and I use Microsoft Launcher). I am looking to get the 7a when it comes out this year but probably don't need to as my 3a is in perfect condition.

Tugg

Was going to ask about that phone. I loved LG phones but they aren't making phones anymore so in two years I will need to get a new phone.

They finally figured out a good and distinctive design that was functional and not bland or dumb. I do need to find out more about the 7a, it hasn't been officially released yet so don't know the final specs. It will need to have the newer Tensor chip in it and the better camera of the 6 (not 6a). So we'll what they do. But the software and phone have been top notch with easy direct updates and cloud support etc., at least that has been my experience and I have not read anything really bad from other users.

And the camera is a big reason to get one. It just works. It can do a bunch of fancy stuff to but for me, I can just point and get a better picture then pretty much everyone else.

Samsung may make some great phones but I just don't like their interface choices and the things they add, how they make it clearly "Samsung" and not just what I need, a phone, a tool I use all the time.

Tugg

It appears the Misty Lilac looks pink under some light (somewhat like a Fairy Tale pink, rather than ubiquitous rose gold that is everywhere). I might order that color before I order my case.

cpd wrote:

Still have an old iPhone. It’s enough and I’ll keep it going for as long as possible.

Work phone is an iPhone 13 which is very good so far so I’d definitely look at one of those if I need to replace the old phone.

Otherwise it just gets crazy (expensive) replacing phones just to stay with the latest version.

I stay a generation or two behind and buy them off ebay. Save so much from the cellular companies fleecing you!

Back in the day when a new phone was completely different than an outgoing model both in design and function, I could see the argument going out to get a new phone - but nowadays, all phones really just look the same and the performance differences are just minimal bumps.

I'm still on the original T-Mobile JUMP 1 insurance/trade program, so it is cheap and easy to get the new Galaxy each year, so I do. I am a big fan of the Ultra series of Samsung phones, primarily because of the battery life. Even after a year and a half, the Ultra phones have no problem lasting more than a day with heavy use.

I also absolutely despise how iPhones operate and Apple's mentality regarding telling people what they need to have.

Tugger wrote:

Pixel all the way.

My current 3a is doing great. Multiday battery, handles anything I need to do and has a clean simple interface (and I use Microsoft Launcher). I am looking to get the 7a when it comes out this year but probably don't need to as my 3a is in perfect condition.

Tugg

I went from the 4a to the 7. Loving it.

I placed my preorder today. I ordered Phantom Black, but ordered a Fuchsia Pink OtterBox Commuter Case and will also use my Chrome Pink PopSocket. I got a $1000 trade-in offer and got 512 GB for the price of 256 GB. I used my reservation credit on a Samsung Smart Tag. I didn't know what else to buy with the credit (they didn't have the 45W Super Fast 2.0 Charger in stock, so I bought the new Anker Ace 45W charger from Amazon).

What are you going to use it for that your current phone won't do? One pink phone looks like the next for those who don't care (99% of people).

Bought a mid-range Samsung device last year, so not gonna change it anytime soon. I wanted to get Note 10 because of the stylus but was twice my budget. If ever Samsung decides to have something like a Note 10 or 10 lite in and around INR 25k/- then there is where my money will go. But again, not anytime soon. They have promised 4 years of product updates and 5 years of security updates so that's that. I am more focussed on the security updates, so would be looking out on that.

pune wrote:

Bought a mid-range Samsung device last year, so not gonna change it anytime soon. I wanted to get Note 10 because of the stylus but was twice my budget. If ever Samsung decides to have something like a Note 10 or 10 lite in and around INR 25k/- then there is where my money will go. But again, not anytime soon. They have promised 4 years of product updates and 5 years of security updates so that's that. I am more focussed on the security updates, so would be looking out on that.

The Note line is officially dead, replaced with the Ultra series.