Is the lack of an IR blaster a deal breaker in the Note 5?

[jlczl]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

It just seems so puzzling that Samsung removed items from its phone that differentiated it from an iPhone. I can't believe there is people who try to defend this. If you don't use it then it won't bother you if it's there but if you do it will bother you when it's not. Why remove these options? I bought Samsung despite my dislike of their software design because I liked having the options that differentiated them. Now those are gone so I am too.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Ry]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

So then sammy removed the feature, charge a higher price, tick off the users that bought the galaxy line for that feature. Logical.

Posted via the Android Central App

If your next phone needs that feature, buy one that has it.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

 

[Almeuit]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

He's more or less talking about Window units that use an ir remote which is about all of them now. But i have a nest too and it's the best thing since sliced bread!

Posted via the Android Central App

Ohhh wow .. I didn't even go to that realm of thought lol. That makes a lot more sense .

 

[anon(8413510)]

I use mine daily to control
Tv
Denon Amp
Digibox
3 remotes stay in a draw hidden ,IR blaster is really handy,why on earth did samsung remove it ?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

I use mine daily to control
Tv
Denon Amp
Digibox
3 remotes stay in a draw hidden ,IR blaster is really handy,why on earth did samsung remove it ?

Posted via the Android Central App

Probably because whatever market research they did found that not a lot of users used the IR blaster.

It's a shame that they removed it, because I do find it useful in many situations, but there are other phones that have it. In fact, 3 out of the 4 phones in my signature have IR blasters.

 

[Gator352]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

If your next phone needs that feature, buy one that has it.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

I don't need it but was just pointing out an obvious flaw.

 

[Robster33]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

No IR blaster, no SD card, no Removable battery, only 32Gb for Australia at $1,099, seriously, are we sure their not in North Korea!!

 

[jordyd]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

Personally I thought this was a bit of a gimmick, I used it once when I first had a Sammy with it, but that was it.

TV remote much easier.

But saying that, I can see why some people find it useful.

Now one thing I couldn't do without is the YouTube TV play button on the app!

 

[jim2112]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

Some say market research says it isn't used, I would guess market research said they could cut it out and save a few dollars per phone and the market would stomach the loss and still buy the phone. I used mine a lot.
At the YMCA and the TV was on the wrong channel or the volume too high.
At a restaurant and the volume too high
Hotel and the remote is missing, or I just don't want to use it because the ewww factor.
Any waiting room like the doctors office and the girls behind the counter have "the view" on with the volume cranked up I drop it down a bit or
just change the channel if no one is watching it.
ceiling fans
I rented a condo in Florida for a few weeks and the remote was not working, it is a great immediate backup.
etc, etc, etc.

 

[jmy7213]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

I use mine quite frequently at drivers lounges around the country, plus for my nikon, air conditioner at home and most other devices. It doesn't really bother me that its not on the new note. Coming from a Note II to a Note V is a huge step forward. Besides, I have a Samsung Gear 2 watch. It has the IR blaster on it, and its what I'm used to using.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[monty Stinson]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

This is the main thing I will miss from my Note Edge, but the Note 5 64 gb is moving quicker and smoother.

 

[SteveISU]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

I would guess less than 5% of users use it and they had better things internally to take up space then an IR blaster.

 

[RajCaj]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

I am curious why Samsung seems to be abandoning the IR blaster. It's not just on the Note 5...the new S6 Edge+ does not have it, nor does the new "supposed" flagship Galaxy S2 Tablets.

It's not for all I suppose, but it is a critical feature for me. The TV controls can be accessed at the lock screen so it's not like you have to go through a bunch of steps to pull up the remote app vs just picking up the normal remote.

If you do launch the full app (Samsung's Peel app), you can set it to provide reminders when flagged TV shows come on, you can view the channel listing to see what's playing....and can jump directly to that channel by clicking on it in the guide. It's particularly helpful for me since I've returned my cable box & have gone to Netflix / Hulu Plus for on demand service.

As others have mentioned....it's helpful when you have multiple TVs in the house, when you're at a sports bar....or when you're at a friend's house that has an iPhone, and they never suspect it's you (and not a ghost) turning their TV on & off with your phone LOL

It's a unique feature among most smartphones and the tie-breaker for me when considering competing flagship Android devices.

Add this to the rest of the nonsensical choices coming out of that company (anyone see the Tab S2 specs?)

 

[RajCaj]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

I'd be interested to see the basis of your estimate. Since nearly all TVs & Home Theatre equipment still use infrared signals, there seems to be plenty of opportunities to use that feature. If you've ever cracked open a smartphone....the IR blaster takes little to no space inside the device. The cost has to be negligible as well...given how relatively affordable other components are.

I chalk this one up to Samsung's bean counters figuring they can shave 50 cents - 1 dollar per unit by leaving it out...in effort to reduce costs, or meet some other financial metric. While it may not be 5%, someone at Samsung figured the loses would not outweigh whatever the benefit was.

That's unfortunate.....I love Samsung's hardware more than the other Android manufactures, but Samsung isn't the only serious player in the Android space anymore. Now that I have nothing to lose with the IR blaster missing....I have no regrets going with a Nexus device.

 

[RajCaj]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

Hate to break it to you but they removed the IR blaster from the S6 Edge+ as well.....no idea why...

 

[RajCaj]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

I use mine quite frequently at drivers lounges around the country, plus for my nikon, air conditioner at home and most other devices. It doesn't really bother me that its not on the new note. Coming from a Note II to a Note V is a huge step forward. Besides, I have a Samsung Gear 2 watch. It has the IR blaster on it, and its what I'm used to using.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II

There is the reason they left it out....you want IR capabilities on your Sammy phone, you buy the watch too! lol

 

[jmy7213]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

There is the reason they left it out....you want IR capabilities on your Sammy phone, you buy the watch too! lol

Hey, I enjoy the watch lol, I feel like Inspector Gadget when I use it lol

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[recDNA]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

There is the reason they left it out....you want IR capabilities on your Sammy phone, you buy the watch too! lol

I have the fear 2 watch but it contains only the most rudimentary controls. My Note 3 controls every function...EVERY function...of my Sammy smart tv and Xfinity cable box and many other devices in my home. I even use it to change the channel at the table tv in the bar I frequent. I only change my own individual tv at my booth not the big tv's over the bar. The barflies would skin me alive if I mess with their golf channel.

I use an app I downloaded from playstore.

 

[Ragemode]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

Oh the good times when you could transfer data between phones with IR... At least some of the old Nokia's had this functionality.

 

[centerwaters]

Re: Why no IR blaster?

Oh the good times when you could transfer data between phones with IR... At least some of the old Nokia's had this functionality.

Oh my.. that sure brought back memories from 1990s! I still have a couple of old but mint condition Nokia 6310i phones.