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Mariella Moon
Associate Editor
My first smartphone was an iPhone 4s. It was a difficult technological element that survived seven years of use and abuse in my hands and those of my father. We removed it earlier this year after it became too slow for everyday use, but I'm sure if I restored it to factory settings and replaced its battery, it was could serve another owner a few more years. That's why I bought an iPhone 6 Plus in 2015 and I felt betrayed when my newer and larger smartphone was suddenly taken by the dreaded Touch Disease.
Ok, maybe the word "betrayed" is too strong – I'm not really a queen of drama. Unlike 2015, when I knew I was getting another iPhone, however, losing my device because of this touch screen problem made me consider other options. Yes, the iPhone X was still one of them, but its price made me think: it cost more than $ 400 more than the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus earlier this year year. The price of the 64GB iPhone here in the Philippines was also about $ 300 more than in the United States. I've chosen the Galaxy S8 Plus instead.
I was not exclusively an iOS user before the Galaxy S8 Plus. However, my previous experience with Android was limited to the very first Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and more affordable devices marketed by technology giants in developing markets. While I loved my Galaxy Tab, he was slow and janky out of the box. The affordable Android phones I handled were ok, but their performance reflected their generally older and less expensive components.
The Galaxy S8 Plus, however, looks smooth and consistent. Yes, its software is not yet compatible with Android, but it's far from the operating system of the Galaxy Tab TouchWiz yesterday. Plus, it's much faster than Samsung's mid-range phones from my parents.
After almost a decade of using an iOS device as a daily phone, I would be lying if I said that the Galaxy S8 + did not baffle me at first. I kept looking for applications like Notes, which are related to the iteration of my MacBook. I did not stop forgetting that I had to slide to access the application drawer, and my thumb did not stop wandering at the bottom of the screen and to search for this home button. (I would have had the same problem if I had had the iPhone X instead, though.)
It did not take me long to familiarize myself with my new phone, but what I realize is how Android is customizable compared to iOS. One of the features that I like a lot and that I use regularly is the Samsung Edge Control Panel. I can launch applications without leaving the one I'm in, simply by swiping in the margin of my phone. Now that I know about it, I hardly visit my application drawer because I make sure that the dashboard is always updated with shortcuts to my favorite apps.
Another thing that I also had to get used to was the structure of the material. While I lost my iPhone 6+ to the touch, which (according to Apple) is caused by a drop of the device on hard surfaces, I've never really had to worry about hitting accidentally the edges of the iPhone. A few weeks after buying an S8 Plus, however, I noticed a growing black spot on its margin: its internal screen was broken and I had to have it repaired. Fortunately, Samsung quickly replaced its display panel and I picked up my phone a few days later.
I then bought a case that could adequately protect the margins of the Galaxy S8 Plus. This is not such a huge inconvenience that I would regret having a flagship Android product instead of an iPhone. In fact, I would probably leave for another flagship Android product after the release of my S8 Plus, as their rivals equivalent to Apple are increasingly expensive.
"IRL" is a recurring column in which Engadget staff analyze what they buy, use, read and broadcast continuously.
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