Alright - I know some of you are coming from iPhones.

[anon(8702321)]

So, I'm wondering how you like it? Are there things that you miss?

 

[BouncyRoo]

Everything is better, camera, screen size & color, etc. The only thing missing probably is iMessage. Some people are only on iMessage (iPod, iPad only), so I'll just direct them to another platform, maybe Facebook?

 

[blaine07]

@felloffthetruck ?

 

[Bertolus]

So what about dual camera, taptic engine, stereo speakers, longer battery life, higher benchmarks and a front faced fps?

 

[anon(5630457)]

So what about dual camera, taptic engine, stereo speakers, longer battery life, higher benchmarks and a front faced fps?

Don't forget FaceTime. That's why I'm keeping my iPhone 7 Plus instead of purchasing the S8+.

 

[swarlos]

I'm getting one in tomorrow to try out but I can already tell I'm going to miss the mute toggle, 3D Touch on the keyboard for moving the cursor among other things. In the past 4 years I've tried the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, and multiple 6Ps all at an attempt to switch back to Android but every time it's failed because there are so many little things in iOS that add up which just aren't in Android given all its openness and customization there are still some things that aren't there which is kind boggling to me.

 

[Victor Hernandez Jr]

Don't forget FaceTime. That's why I'm keeping my iPhone 7 Plus instead of purchasing the S8+.

Coming from the iPhone 7 plus and before that I had the note 7 a short amount of time then before that the s7 edge and tons of Samsung devices before. Honestly there's a few features like FaceTime Imessage and dual camera I wish I could bring to the s8 plus

 

[Highrisedrifter]

It's a gorgeous phone. The screen is amazing, the size of the thing in comparison to my iPhone 7 plus is great. The hardware is shiny, no gaps, no fitment issues and is basically a far cry away from the Samsung of my former Android years. Stunningly well put together and probably the best looking and best designed smartphone of the year, if not of all time, in my humble opinion.

However, I do miss certain things.

It seems every app has something to say on my phone, well that is before I went to the notifications settings and turned off every single app apart from phone, all the emails, some social media and SMS messages. No I don't need a dictionary to use my SMS tone to notify me about some random rubbish. No I don't need the Edge Screen to notify me about adding something-or-other. No, the Play Store can't tell me about the exciting new what'sthisthingnow. OK< I don't know if the last two ever sent me notifications but i''ve had maybe half a dozen of the most bizarre notifications from apps that really have no right in sending you stuff. Clearly they are trying to say "Hey, look at me! I'm still here! Don't forget me!" and nothing more.

Whenever you install and run an app for the first time on iOS, developers are required to ask you whether you want notifications turned on or off right then and there. Brilliant. Saves me from being woken up at 3am by Super Mario Run whining that you haven't played it for a few days (not that i'm much of a gamer on either platform, except Sudoku maybe).

I'm surprised that more granular control over notifications isn't a thing on this platform. On the iPhone, you can choose if you want app badges and/or lockscreen notifications and either banners or popups. Also, sounds and vibration can be controlled on a per app basis. Here on Android, you can do most of that but it would be really nice to be able to turn off notifications utterly and completely except for app badges. Unless of course i'm missing some functionality after only five hours playing with the phone after five years away. I just get the feeling that although i'm turning off notifications, there's still some app, or system that's going to spam me with something in the not too distant future at the worst moment possible.

My view of notifications is that unless I require them, like email, phone, social media and SMS, pretty much every other notification can get bent.

App badges are hit or miss. The baked in email doesn't display them, neither does Gmail or Outlook at all. Necessitating me grabbing Nova Prime and TeslaUnread to get that functionality back as it's an absolute must for me.

bxactions still works although I wish there was a silent toggle, much like the mute switch on my iPhone, as an option. The best I can do is 'Do Not Disturb' which is sub-optimal.

Overall, what I can deduce is that the hardware is equal, even surpassing Apple but the software still has a way to go until it's as easy and fluid to use as my iPhone 7 Plus.

Overall though, I love the phone and can't wait to try the camera out at the Renaissance Faire in Irvine this weekend.

 

[swarlos]

It's a gorgeous phone. The screen is amazing, the size of the thing in comparison to my iPhone 7 plus is great. The hardware is shiny, no gaps, no fitment issues and is basically a far cry away from the Samsung of my former Android years. Stunningly well put together and probably the best looking and best designed smartphone of the year, if not of all time, in my humble opinion.

However, I do miss certain things.

It seems every app has something to say on my phone, well that is before I went to the notifications settings and turned off every single app apart from phone, all the emails, some social media and SMS messages. No I don't need a dictionary to use my SMS tone to notify me about some random rubbish. No I don't need the Edge Screen to notify me about adding something-or-other. No, the Play Store can't tell me about the exciting new what'sthisthingnow. OK< I don't know if the last two ever sent me notifications but i''ve had maybe half a dozen of the most bizarre notifications from apps that really have no right in sending you stuff. Clearly they are trying to say "Hey, look at me! I'm still here! Don't forget me!" and nothing more.

Whenever you install and run an app for the first time on iOS, developers are required to ask you whether you want notifications turned on or off right then and there. Brilliant. Saves me from being woken up at 3am by Super Mario Run whining that you haven't played it for a few days (not that i'm much of a gamer on either platform, except Sudoku maybe).

I'm surprised that more granular control over notifications isn't a thing on this platform. On the iPhone, you can choose if you want app badges and/or lockscreen notifications and either banners or popups. Also, sounds and vibration can be controlled on a per app basis. Here on Android, you can do most of that but it would be really nice to be able to turn off notifications utterly and completely except for app badges. Unless of course i'm missing some functionality after only five hours playing with the phone after five years away. I just get the feeling that although i'm turning off notifications, there's still some app, or system that's going to spam me with something in the not too distant future at the worst moment possible.

My view of notifications is that unless I require them, like email, phone, social media and SMS, pretty much every other notification can get bent.

App badges are hit or miss. The baked in email doesn't display them, neither does Gmail or Outlook at all. Necessitating me grabbing Nova Prime and TeslaUnread to get that functionality back as it's an absolute must for me.

bxactions still works although I wish there was a silent toggle, much like the mute switch on my iPhone, as an option. The best I can do is 'Do Not Disturb' which is sub-optimal.

Overall, what I can deduce is that the hardware is equal, even surpassing Apple but the software still has a way to go until it's as easy and fluid to use as my iPhone 7 Plus.

Overall though, I love the phone and can't wait to try the camera out at the Renaissance Faire in Irvine this weekend.

Although I've yet to get mine I couldn't have echoed those sentiments better myself.

 

[Markisss88]

Can anyone suggest a good way to file transfer on a MAC ? I cant ever seem to get it to work.

 

[tattooed4515]

I'll be coming from a 7 plus. Pick up my s8 plus. I'll miss the 3D Touch for sure, not that I used it all that much honestly. Mainly to reply to texts from the lock screen. Raise to wake feature is nice. FaceTime...only because I use it to tell my daughter good night on those nights I work late. I will try skype to replace that though. There's more reasons for me to get this phone then not to. Can't gaurentee I will keep it. But definetly going to try it out. iOS and the basically 3 year old design of the iPhone is boring me. And the "leaks" of the new one isn't to attractive. Looks like a recycled iPhone 4 and iPhone 6/6s/7 design. And the camera bump thing is getting old.

 

[mudcat62]

What about handoff? I get home put my iPhone 7plus down and my iPad takes over. I can take calls, texts, FaceTime, Apple TV remote. It's the ecosystem baby. And the iPhone is central. Can do all of this on my Mac Pro too.

 

[bandofbrothers2112]

I came from the iPhone 4 launch up to the iPhone 6 Plus.

Adjustments were needed.

Nearly 8 months in from using my s7 edge and I'm loving it and will soon change to the s8.

 

[Highrisedrifter]

What about handoff? I get home put my iPhone 7plus down and my iPad takes over. I can take calls, texts, FaceTime, Apple TV remote. It's the ecosystem baby. And the iPhone is central. Can do all of this on my Mac Pro too.

I definitely hear you on that. I had a MacBook but that died last year and my iPad 2 is basically so slow that the only thing it's good for now is reading books. So now i have divested myself of my last Apple device, I feel kinda free!

 

[Vipmediastar]

Airdrop- Must have for me when I edit photos. Export LR then airdrop to Iphone to verify and post on social. Workaround but I can do it.

Facetime- ill just have to use something else.

iMessage- convenience and well integrated.

Handoff is great but hardly use it, same with 3d touch and dual cameras. The second camera is great to zoom in optically vs digitally but I hardly use my phone for photography.

Biggest Plus moving to android besides the features, google and etc is that my kids will not ask for my android phone.
I got them samsung tablets before but we ended up with ipads.

So I really want android for google integration, widgets, nova launcher and all the stuff I can't do with iphone.
For everthing else im ok with ipad (pro-create), already have an ecosystem with family and apple but for my daily personal toy its the S8+ in addition to Gear VR.

What I found is that I also prefer samsung health vs google or apples offering. Gear Fit and watches seem to work better with me as well in comparison with apple watch.

 

[gpatrick15]

I'll be coming from a 7 plus. Pick up my s8 plus. I'll miss the 3D Touch for sure, not that I used it all that much honestly. Mainly to reply to texts from the lock screen. Raise to wake feature is nice. FaceTime...only because I use it to tell my daughter good night on those nights I work late. I will try skype to replace that though. There's more reasons for me to get this phone then not to. Can't gaurentee I will keep it. But definetly going to try it out. iOS and the basically 3 year old design of the iPhone is boring me. And the "leaks" of the new one isn't to attractive. Looks like a recycled iPhone 4 and iPhone 6/6s/7 design. And the camera bump thing is getting old.

Duo is a better FaceTime replacement than Skype, in my opinion. It's simpler and cleaner.

 

[jfrancour]

Although I've yet to get mine I couldn't have echoed those sentiments better myself.

Ugh now I'm not sure I'm as excited about this as I thought I was. I've been on iOS for 9+ years and at several times have attempted to move to a Galaxy S device and always go back before my trial period is up. My GS8+ is sitting at a UPS store waiting for me to get off work. But what you describe missing makes me think of the last few failed attempts to convert me from iOS.

 

[swarlos]

Ugh now I'm not sure I'm as excited about this as I thought I was. I've been on iOS for 9+ years and at several times have attempted to move to a Galaxy S device and always go back before my trial period is up. My GS8+ is sitting at a UPS store waiting for me to get off work. But what you describe missing makes me think of the last few failed attempts to convert me from iOS.

LOL yeah what's funny is I used Android for 2 years after bashing iOS in the early days for not having MMS, copy/paste and lack of customizing ringtones but now I've been back for 5 years and like I said every time I've tried to switch back I can't stand it LOL.

 

[EMGSM]

So, I'm wondering how you like it? Are there things that you miss?

I chose the S8 and with that in mind, I like that it feels better in the hand. I also like its pocketability. I do miss that double tap the home button to bring the screen down. I also like the 3D touch.

 

[jeep_man]

I would say for me coming from a 7 plus the thing I miss most is having a somewhat flat screen. I love glass screen protectors and can't go naked for fear of scratching or cracking my screen. So I ordered a tempered glass screen protector off of Amazon and a spiegen case and while the glass protector fit nice, as soon as I put on the case it popped off. So I need a case friendly screen protector now...any suggestions? Other than that I miss stereo speakers and consistent badge notifications (gmail) etc...