Will the Newly-Announced Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Sway Diehard iPhone Fans to Make the Switch?

Patrick Perez
Aug 24, 2017 · 5 min read

The wraps are off: Samsung revealed its highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 8 at a very Apple-like press event in New York City at its Unpacked event on Wednesday. The device’s announcement was probably one of the worst kept secrets in the history of the company, which at one point “accidentally” leaked the phablet’s existence on its own website. But it’s also one of the best comebacks in phone history after last year’s horrifying Galaxy Note 7 battery failures.

Watch the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event, held August 23, 2017

That said, what was presented at the press conference was certainly mouth-watering for both Note fans and non-fans alike. But is the incredible device enough to sway Apple fanboys (and girls) to make the switch? As many of my friends and associates know, I’m one of those fanboys who stood in line ten years ago to buy the very first iPhone, and have upgraded every since. In fact, my allegiance to mobile phones goes even farther back — as one of the first cell phone owners in the Los Angeles with service on L.A. Cellular.

Feature-Rich Phone

Samsung’s newest flagship device becomes one of the most feature-rich — not to mention most expensive — phones on the market at $929 (£869, about AU$1,499). Many of the incredible features that were part of the Note 7 are returning or improved upon. That ill-fated device underwent not one, but two major recalls, until it was finally pulled from shelves, which some predicted might have been the death of the Note line once and for all. Nothing could have been further from the truth as the company remained committed to the device with it’s newest iteration containing a smaller 3300mAh battery and protection features which rolled out on the Samsung Galaxy 8 series.

Its plethora of features make for an attention-getting device: a gorgeous 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display, dual 12MP camera system, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 64GB of on board memory, with microSD expansion port, 6GB of RAM, and that signature S Pen, all running on Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

Highlights of some of the features of Samsung’s flagship device.

With such an incredible number of features, the device has piqued the interest of iPhone fans. It was not surprising that Samsung threw shade on Apple more than once during the unveiling — at first showcasing how its camera can capture clearer photos than the iPhone 7, but — in a side by side comparison — how shooting video is better than an iPhone 7 due to the Samsung’s optical image stabilization.

What may woo Apple fans are a number of features not yet available on an iPhone — among them, wireless charging, an almost bezel-less display, memory expansion port, countless software customization options, a 3.5mm headphone jack, dual SIM card support, and most importantly, that oh-so-clever S Pen.

Cleverly tucked inside the right side of the device, the stylus is used for everything from navigation, to note taking, to some pretty impressive works of art. A few feature this time around, offers 4096 layers of pressure sensitivity. Samsung also touted their PENUP community — a social space for sharing your phablet-inspired artwork — and some of the examples displayed were stunning. Nothing similar exists on the iPhone ecosystem.

Samsung also took the opportunity to showcase it’s DeX productivity slate. Start work on your Note 8, then upon arrival at an optional docking station, continue work on your desktop. iPhone’s Continuity feature is similar, but doesn’t have the app support that Samsung is rolling out.

Speaking of apps, Samsung also showcased it’s first of its kind app-pairing functionality, called Multi Window mode, allowing you to create a pairing shortcut, for example while driving. Pair your favorite navigation service with your favorite music service and both will appear, split-screen mode with just one touch.

We’re still not sure what Apple is planning to release this year — but rumors surround a refresh of the iPhone 7 and possibly a special edition iPhone 8 or iPhone Special Edition in commemoration of the ten-year anniversary of the device. Some media outlets are reporting that the September Apple event may happen September 12 — just three days before the street date of the Note 8.

It’s All About the Fans

Throughout the press conference, Samsung execs continued to stress that the reason the Note line was resurrected was due to the undying commitment of its fans. That was clearly showcased in a video during the event’s kickoff which took an unflinching look at the Note 7 fiasco and fans’ emotional reaction to the removal of the device from the marketplace. It was an elegant comeback story.

But is all this enough to convince iPhone users to make the switch especially with a sentimental ten year anniversary of the iPhone just weeks away? While many may argue that it depends on how tied you are to your current ecosystem, those arguments are becoming less convincing in 2017. Consider that all email can be accessed agnostically, and those who require enterprise style email on the Samsung will get that. Photo storage is also much better on the Note 8. Not only are you getting 64GB of onboard RAM, but expandable memory, capable of a whopping additional 256GB. Pair that with Google’s excellent (and free) Google Photos, and you’ll never see that dreaded pop up telling you that you’re out of room on your iPhone. Furthermore, the Note will come with much-loved Samsung Pay which can be used on almost any NFC capable terminal. Many of your favorite apps will be available on both devices; however, those with large number of paid apps installed on their iPhones may find it troublesome that they may need to repurchase Android versions of those applications.

Yes, there are still a few challenges one will contend with when moving to Android: text messaging (how much do you need those bubbles, really?), and lack of a solid pop up notifications that iPhones do so well and that many of us depend on when that VIP email arrives. No word on whether Android Oreo will solve those issues, although we do know that the new OS contains badge notifications.

As mentioned earlier, Samsung brought this phone to the market as a way to show its loyalty to its fan base. In fact, they are putting their money where their mouth is in a pretty respectable mea culpa: previous owners of the Note 7 will benefit from even more benefits: up to $425 off the cost of the phone (with trade-in), on top of a freebie package that is hard to pass up. All together, making it very difficult deal not to consider.

With the upcoming release of the new iPhones in September, the new Google Pixel 2 phones this October, and the recent release of the Essential phone, and Blackberry KEYone, the Samsung Note 8 indeed enters a very crowded marketplace.

The Samsung Note 8 will be available starting September 15 and is now available for pre-order.

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