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I think I’ve turned into a Samsung Person.
Let me rephrase that slightly. I think I’ve turned into someone who realises he wasn’t quite as reliant on a piece of technology as he thought he was.
That piece of technology is the iPhone. Ironically, I still think it’s the best smartphone out there, overall. But this is because of the enviable three-way marriage Apple has been able to create between hardware, software, and services – it makes for an incredibly unfair battle when you start delving into the world of Android.
However, for the last few months, I’ve been using a Samsung phone – and I’ve just bought another Samsung phone, which is going to replace the Samsung phone to which I switched from the iPhone.
Confused? Wondering where on earth this leaves Apple’s all-conquering device?
I have a plan! Although it was never the plan, originally.
My experience of being a Samsung Person
The S24 Ultra has been a brilliant daily smartphone in both my personal and professional life. Unlike some of my contemporaries, I haven’t experienced any battery issues. The performance has been what you’d expect from a flagship. The display remains the best on the market (in my humble opinion). It looks great and it’s built like a tank. It takes superb photos and has been my go-to camera for most short-form content.
The only thing I miss daily is the ability to easily copy stuff from my Mac to my smartphone and vice-versa. And, yes, I know there are options for this if you’re wielding a Mac and a Samsung phone, but I still can’t find one that’s as brilliantly reliable, fast, and as simple as AirDrop. Because there isn’t one.
This does make my life just a little bit harder when at work, but I have at least developed a workaround via Google Photos. It’s just a workaround that I don’t want to continue relying on, I’m afraid.
However, my job means I regularly come into contact with new devices, and one in particular has caught my attention recently. It’s the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, and I took delivery of mine (not a review unit, by the way – paid for with my company’s money) last week. I’ve reviewed previous versions of the Z Fold but have never used them extensively beyond the testing period. I really fancy doing that now, which is why I’m switching from the S24 Ultra to the Z Fold6.
Unfortunately, that means the iPhone is being pushed further away from my pocket. This, as a long time iPhone user, is something with which I’m not entirely comfortable. The plan was always to switch back to the iPhone, full-time, when the iPhone 16 lineup arrives – now, I appear to be looking at a halfway house.
Where does this leave the iPhone?
It’s early days with the Z Fold6 (a full review is coming soon) but I really like it. Sure, it’s barely a step ahead compared to the Z Fold5 in terms of form factor, camera, and capabilities, but it remains one of the most refined foldable smartphones on the market.
I’m enjoying having that big canvas to play with via the internal display. Even the persistently narrow front display feels ok and rather handy this time around (it’s the first device with which I’ve been able to send messages one-handed for quite some time). As a result, I’m already feeling more productive with the Z Fold6, which is what matters, given how much time these devices spend helping me run my business.
Unfortunately, the Z Fold6 has two fairly big problems.
The first is the aforementioned lack of an alternative solution to AirDrop. The same problem I’ve battled with on the S24 Ultra of course remains on the Z Fold6.
The second problem is rather more troublesome.
The Z Fold6 takes great photos. But only at 0.6x and 1x. The 3x option offers barely enough reach to be worthwhile, and everything beyond that falls into fairly horrible digital zoom territory.
I’ve become rather obsessed with the 5x optical zoom on the S24 Ultra (the iPhone 15 Pro Max shares the same camera spec). As noted earlier, I rely on my phone regularly for short-form video capture; it has replaced my expensive ‘proper’ camera for most of those tasks. The Z Fold6 camera system isn’t good enough for that role, which is such a shame, but a reality.
This means, inevitably, I’ll need to wield two devices once more. The iPhone is probably going to return as a production device, used purely for photo and video capture and its unbeatable integration with my Mac.
I am, clearly, an Apple-centric content creator; not just with the stuff I write and talk about, but with the tools I need to get the job done. If there’s one thing the last few months have taught me, it’s that I need to lean into that.
But it does mean living a two-phone life again, which is what I was desperately trying to avoid. Hey ho.
Final thought: the smartwatch factor
I’m looking forward to being a Samsung Fold Person for a while. If the honeymoon phase passes and I still find it an enticing and productive device, I can see myself using it for quite a while.
The iPhone will just have to remain by my side for the reasons stated above. That speaks highly of Apple’s smartphone; the combination of camera prowess and ecosystem integration makes it an utter no-brainer for people like yours truly.
Despite this, I still don’t feel particularly inclined to use it as my only device. I think another reason for this has been the absence of an Apple Watch on my wrist for most of 2024. That space has, until now, been occupied by a Garmin MARQ Commander. It’s a brilliant, if slightly flawed (huge price tag and weird software glitches, namely) watch which made me realise that I don’t rely on the Apple Watch as much as I thought I did.
I’m now wearing the OnePlus Watch 2R, and I really like it (review coming soon). I also have the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra on the way (review also coming soon). I will, of course, be reviewing the new Apple Watch when it presumably arrives later this year.
But the influence of the smartwatch on your choice of smartphone should never be underestimated!
