Tech Reviewer ‘Switching’ Has Backfired: And I Have Proof

We may earn compensation from reviewed products. Learn about our editorial policies.

I’m currently awaiting delivery of a QR code from EE, my mobile network provider. They had to send one in the post for my eSIM because, obviously, the downloadable version didn’t work.

This was, predictably, the only tricky element I encountered while switching from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Mind you, I say “predictably” – I genuinely forgot my iPhone had an eSIM until the very last minute.

Despite this, I do have two SIM cards, and I had, by that point, swapped over all Bluetooth accessories and apps I hold dear to Samsung’s flagship. That left me with no excuse but to start the process of leaving my iPhone at home in case of an emergency and forging ahead with my new daily driver.

It’s just a shame no one believes that I’m actually doing this.

No April Fool’s

I’d like to reiterate something.

I am switching, full-time, from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the S24 Ultra. Unfortunately – and with absolutely zero forward planning – I decided to announce this news so close to the start of April that everyone seems to think it’s an April Fool’s joke.

It isn’t. I’m actually doing this – I promise.

The fact I’m having to make this so clear is inescapably daft. These are mobile telephones, not football teams. Yet, the loyalty some people have for their platform of choice ensures any long-term movement between such devices by tech commentators is highly scrutinised. Why are we switching? What’s wrong with the platform we preferred before? Haven’t we heard of this security flaw with our new device? We’ll never be able to replace that piece of functionality. We’ll be back. We’re always saying we’re going to do this. I give it a month. Etcetera.

We can’t win, can we? When we actually make the switch (after publishing countless ‘switching’ videos that suggested we had made the leap even though we’d only done so for the review period) no one believes us. It’s classic ‘boy who cried wolf’.

Of course, and as usual, I’m over exaggerating slightly. Some people have realised that I’m not just doing this for the clicks, views, engagement, and helicopter fuel. They’ve congratulated me on a bold move (it really isn’t – once again, these are equally capable mobile telephones), wished me luck, and noted that it has inspired them to possibly do the same.

That’s reassuring, but it does detract from the nub of the problem, which can be broken down into two distinct areas.

Problem 1: Apple vs Samsung rages on

As part of our production process, we chop up Mark Ellis Reviews YouTube videos into snippets. These snippets are then published on Instagram and TikTok (and, occasionally, YouTube Shorts).

Some of these snippets perform nicely. Some sink without trace. Some absolutely explode.

Although not guaranteed, it’s a safe bet that any snippet featuring even the faintest whiff of a battle between Apple and Samsung will gain the rocket fuel it needs to go viral.

That happened on two occasions this weekend on TikTok with snippets we grabbed from my video announcing the switch to Samsung. As I type, the two videos are approaching 80,000 views, collectively, and have drawn in a huge swell of engagement.

I say ‘engagement’, what I actually mean is a bunch of unbelievably long threads where opponents from either side of the ring continually punch each other in the face while explaining why their chosen platform is better. It’s taken me a while to realise that most of the negative comments in my TikTok feed during these events aren’t aimed at me – they’re actually remnants of these spats between strangers who have watched my video.

I’m not making this up. People really do this. Whether something went drastically wrong during their childhood, or if they simply have more time on their hands than the rest of us, I have no idea, but they are relentless.

The level of ferocity between these people means that any relatable content that’s published by notable tech reviewers is immediately jumped on. That’s great for views and engagement, but it can be rather exhausting for onlookers. It also means that you, as the creator, inevitably get wrapped up in these daft platform battles and, by default, become the arbiter of them.

Problem 2: We’ve made it hard for ourselves

Before I get started, I want to confirm that I am part of the problem. What I’m about to say isn’t a dig at any of my fellow tech creators; we are all resolutely in this together.

I just think that the joke has run completely dry.

I’ll let you into a little secret I’ve revealed previously on these digital pages. When we reviewers ‘switch’ to a new phone, we’re bending the truth a little. We’re playing with the semantics. We’re knowingly pulling your plonker.

Some of us (me included) have two SIM cards – one that resides within our daily phone, the other that hops between review phones. Some of us (not me – it sounds like a right faff) have just one SIM card which is temporarily installed in review devices when they enter the building.

We always return to our main phone. In fact, it’s with us during that review period, and remains the main device to which we turn on a daily basis, regardless of what resides in the opposite pocket.

I’ll let you into another little secret. Most tech content creators, writers, journalists, and PR people use iPhones – even if they write, work, or bat within the Android realm. Head to any press event and I can guarantee that most people who are either running it or covering it have an iPhone stashed in their pocket or bag.

It’s the way it is, I’m afraid. The iPhone is still the most reliable smartphone camera, and its integration with the Mac (also a default tool of choice in this business) makes it a no-brainer daily carry.

This makes switching, full-time, to something like the S24 Ultra a huge deal for people like myself. It’s why we’ve only toyed with the ‘I’m switching’ content for so long; behind the bravado and tongue-in-cheek nature of it all lies fear; when push comes to shove, we daredn’t switch.

The reaction to my decision to actually switch is fascinating – and reveals how dry that joke has now run. “As long as this isn’t clickbait, I’m up for following your journey,” said one person. “Next video: ‘why I switched back to the iPhone,” said countless others.

I get it. I totally understand. People have a reason to be tired of our switching antics. It’s boring, exhausting, and ultimately uninteresting.

That’s why it’s our fault that no one believes us when we do actually switch.

Final thought

I’ve just spent an entire weekend without my iPhone. It may still contain my main phone number until that darn QR code arrives, but that hasn’t stopped me from jumping into this switch immediately.

It has already been a fascinating change – mainly because it has been so uneventful. I’ve simply enjoyed using my S24 Ultra. The fact I no longer use an Apple Watch (the Garmin MARQ Commander has taken over that space on my wrist) has undoubtedly helped, but so too has my desire to prove that I can actually do this.

It shouldn’t be a big deal, but it is, and I have a feeling this will continue to be a fascinating journey.

Before you go