Is Samsung concerned about build quality?

[The Hustleman]

Here's the article. Not sure if we should believe but what do you guys think? I'm not getting an S4 (at least not at launch) but opting to go with the One. And it's not because of build quality but because I haven't had an high end HTC device for an extended period of time since the first Evo. I'm sure we'd all like to see a completely redesign S5 but would you guys preferred more premium materials used? What if that meant non removable battery? Thoughts?

Samsung Allegedly Concerned About Current Plastic Designs | TechnoBuffalo

Nothing is wrong with Samsung build quality. I haven't had a single problem with their build quality at all!

Everything keeps on working, unlike htc, I've had several build quality issues with them from charging ports breaking and everything else just about. HTC has pass poor build quality. Great build materials doesn't equate to actual build quality

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[JHBThree]

I see I was pretty spot on with everything else. I'll take it.

Not really. I just chose to ignore it because the arguments are going in circles now.

 

[JHBThree]

Nothing is wrong with Samsung build quality. I haven't had a single problem with their build quality at all!

Everything keeps on working, unlike htc, I've had several build quality issues with them from charging ports breaking and everything else just about. HTC has pass poor build quality. Great build materials doesn't equate to actual build quality

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You're confusing build quality and materials. No one is saying Samsung doesn't have good build quality. What they are saying is that samsungs material choices suck.

 

[ffejjj]

Frankly I'm glad for the options. I'm glad HTC came out with the awesome One and I do think the build materials will/are drawing in people over. That said I'm also glad Samsung is doing their thing as well.

Phones are similar enough in design today and I'm happy to have options...

Samsung is riding high right now and has many happy followers. On the other hand HTC is in a hard spot to come out with something great (and I think they have).

Their 2 different great phones. Win win to me

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[TheOtherBill]

No one is saying Samsung doesn't have good build quality.

Build quality is what this topic is about.

What they are saying is that samsungs material choices suck.

What you fail to realize is that is your (very minority) opinion. Not a fact.

Aluminum is not a premium material. It is inexpensive, soft, and it both dings and scratches easily. Plus metal offers no shock protection.

A truly premium metal case would be titanium - anodized in your choice of colors - or stainless steel. Still no shock protection but much tougher. Even more premium would be leather covered steel. But they would all come at a premium price.

 

[JHBThree]

Build quality is what this topic is about.

When people are discussing materials, they are not discussing build quality.

What you fail to realize is that is your (very minority) opinion. Not a fact.

Aluminum is not a premium material. It is inexpensive, soft, and it both dings and scratches easily. Plus metal offers no shock protection.

A truly premium metal case would be titanium - anodized in your choice of colors - or stainless steel. Still no shock protection but much tougher. Even more premium would be leather covered steel. But they would all come at a premium price.

There are different grades of aluminum, many of which are not soft, and does not ding or scratch as easily. Plastic will never be a premium material. Ever. That is not my opinion, it is the markets opinion.

 

[ffejjj]

I wonder if it's the same aluminum in the One that was used in the Evo lte. If so I'd be very pleased. Threw many falls I have not one scratch or ding on my EVO

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[TheOtherBill]

There are different grades of aluminum, many of which are not soft, and does not ding or scratch as easily.

Wrong. There are many grades of aluminum, but the hardest still maxes out at Mohs 2.9. Titanium is 6. Steel alloys go up to 8.5.

Plastic will never be a premium material. Ever. That is not my opinion, it is the markets opinion.

Still just a minority opinion. Too bad nobody ever brought a plastic phone, huh?

BTW, like aluminum, not all plastics are the same. And not all are cheap.

 

[The Hustleman]

You're confusing build quality and materials. No one is saying Samsung doesn't have good build quality. What they are saying is that samsungs material choices suck.

I'm not confusing it the OP is confusing it. Look at the title of the thread.


Also as for plastic not being premium, why is it in almost every phone? The first iphones were plastic. Those were considered premium phones

Even the metal phones have a lot of plastic in them, and even if your phone is aluminum, aluminum is what soda cans are made of, not exactly screaming premium.


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[JHBThree]

Wrong. There are many grades of aluminum, but the hardest still maxes out at Mohs 2.9. Titanium is 6. Steel alloys go up to 8.5.

How is it wrong stating that there are different grades of aluminum (there are), with some that aren't as soft. (there are again) I didn't say titanium and steel weren't harder. What I said was that there ARE different grades of aluminum that are harder than what you're implying.

Still just a minority opinion. Too bad nobody ever brought a plastic phone, huh?

Not a minority opinion at all. The tens of millions of aluminum and steel handsets out there prove that. If you include handsets with a mix (Metal and other materials) those handsets are clearly in the majority. Its also telling that the majority of premium smartphones sold, by far, are not made out of plastic. The market doesn't lie.

BTW, like aluminum, not all plastics are the same. And not all are cheap.

This is true. Samsung uses cheap plastic. Nokia and htc don't. But that still doesn't change the fact that a handset that is metal will still feel more premium than one that's made out of nice plastic.

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[TheOtherBill]

How is it wrong stating that there are different grades of aluminum (there are), with some that aren't as soft. (there are again) I didn't say titanium and steel weren't harder. What I said was that there ARE different grades of aluminum that are harder than what you're implying.



Not a minority opinion at all. The tens of millions of aluminum and steel handsets out there prove that. If you include handsets with a mix (Metal and other materials) those handsets are clearly in the majority. Its also telling that the majority of premium smartphones sold, by far, are not made out of plastic. The market doesn't lie.



This is true. Samsung uses cheap plastic. Nokia and htc don't. But that still doesn't change the fact that a handset that is metal will still feel more premium than one that's made out of nice plastic.

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You are entitled to your opinions. But just because you believe something doesn't make it true.

 

[LeoRex]

But that still doesn't change the fact that a handset that is metal will still feel more premium than one that's made out of nice plastic.

Debatable. I would say that the number one factor is the perception of a phone's 'premium' feel is 1) screen and 2) operation. Like someone said earlier, people spend their time looking at the screen, not the body (which is often dropped in an add-on case ANYHOW). A crappy phone in a high quality case is still a crappy phone (not saying that the One is a crappy phone though). Show someone an nice, big, sharp display on a responsive and quick phone and it could be made of cardboard and people will view it as a premium device.

HTC probably made the decision to go with that case in an attempt to differentiate it from the S line... something to make it look different or feel different in order to try to get it sold. The SIII's look is now as ubiquitous as the iPhone... you can spot one from far away and instantly know its a SIII... I was in Disney recently and I only remember seeing two phones; iPhones and SIIIs, both seen in equal numbers and the rest just blended into an minority of amorphous blob of 'other phones'.

HTC is trying to do something to make the One not one of those amorphous blob phones. We'll see if it works, I don't think it will, Samsung's S4 will most likely slaughter it as far as sales and popularity goes. And not too many people are going to care that the case is plastic.

 

[Donvald]

Samsung phones are not known for poor build quality. Choice of build materials is something else. This relatively recent and faddish issue surrounding aluminium in my view is a symptom of android as a platforms success and also samsungs success. I can't recall an issue concerning build quality and Samsung polycarbonate phones but I can with other mobile phone manufacturers and this has been due to the choice of build materials.

Polycarbonate has proved reliable and efficient, durable and malleable. It's also a substance people associate with longevity due to its ability to stand up to the abuse. Now Samsung and android as a platform have a few iPhone refugees which is good and they require phones in the form factor using the materials which they have been indoctrinated into believing Is premium. In addition to those who were always with the platform but felt somehow sort changed by polycarbonate because Apple told them to feel so.

The HTC One is for them, together with the same shortcomings minus the necessary AppleCare needed for the inevitable problems that will arise due to what I consider lacklustre build materials despite the great form factor and components.

 

[chris2k5]

Samsung phones are not known for poor build quality. Choice of build materials is something else. This relatively recent and faddish issue surrounding aluminium in my view is a symptom of android as a platforms success and also samsungs success. I can't recall an issue concerning build quality and Samsung polycarbonate phones but I can with other mobile phone manufacturers and this has been due to the choice of build materials.

Polycarbonate has proved reliable and efficient, durable and malleable. It's also a substance people associate with longevity due to its ability to stand up to the abuse. Now Samsung and android as a platform have a few iPhone refugees which is good and they require phones in the form factor using the materials which they have been indoctrinated into believing Is premium. In addition to those who were always with the platform but felt somehow sort changed by polycarbonate because Apple told them to feel so.

The HTC One is for them, together with the same shortcomings minus the necessary AppleCare needed for the inevitable problems that will arise due to what I consider lacklustre build materials despite the great form factor and components.

Samsung is known for poor build quality. The S3 and Note 2 creak like crazy when gripping them. I know someone fanboy is going to come in and say theirs doesn't creak but that is no defense.

The older Samsung Windows Mobile 5 and 6 phones had poor build quality too.

 

[The Real X Dawg]

Samsung is known for poor build quality. The S3 and Note 2 creak like crazy when gripping them. I know someone fanboy is going to come in and say theirs doesn't creak but that is no defense.

The older Samsung Windows Mobile 5 and 6 phones had poor build quality too.

Of couse the only thing more annoying to me than fanboys are their opposites that spout a bunch of BS. None of the S3 or Note 2 I've came across had those issues including my own Note 2.

Sent from my Jelly Bean chomping Infuse 4G!

 

[The Hustleman]

Of couse the only thing more annoying to me than fanboys are their opposites that spout a bunch of BS. None of the S3 or Note 2 I've came across had those issues including my own Note 2.

Sent from my Jelly Bean chomping Infuse 4G!

I sell the phones daily and never saw that problem

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[planoman]

Of couse the only thing more annoying to me than fanboys are their opposites that spout a bunch of BS. None of the S3 or Note 2 I've came across had those issues including my own Note 2.

Sent from my Jelly Bean chomping Infuse 4G!

My current Note 2 Power button squeaks and my S3 home button would get the edge stuck periodically. I was glad to see a more oval shaped home button on the s4 like the Note 2. I do not think these issue affect the operation of the phone, but they are there and reported in enough numbers that they are not anecdotal.

 

[The Real X Dawg]

My current Note 2 Power button squeaks and my S3 home button would get the edge stuck periodically. I was glad to see a more oval shaped home button on the s4 like the Note 2. I do not think these issue affect the operation of the phone, but they are there and reported in enough numbers that they are not anecdotal.

It's like people who got scratches on their new iPhone or now people are posting about dead pixels on their HTC One, manufacturing errors can happen. It is one thing saying that some people unluckily got a bad product, it's another making it sound like a company just puts out crap products and you're lucky to get a good product.

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[planoman]

It's like people who got scratches on their new iPhone or now people are posting about dead pixels on their HTC One, manufacturing errors can happen. It is one thing saying that some people unluckily got a bad product, it's another making it sound like a company just puts out crap products and you're lucky to get a good product.

Sent from my Jelly Bean chomping Infuse 4G!

Agreed, but I guess each of us has our opinion formed by experiences with particular brands. An N of one is anecdotal data but it is powerful if it is our experience. To indict an entire line of devices from a manufacturer is probably not accurate but that is how brand loyalty is formed. We all have bias. The amount of trolling going on shows that...

 

[Suda]

Just to drive home the point that build material ≠ build quality. They're often times related to each other depending on how the person uses the term, but the two are not mutually exclusive.