My Wife's Contact Pic Changed...Only On My Phone - Profile Sharing Related?

[johnatthebar]

So my spouse and I both switched to S8s recently and having previously been on Nexus devices (for the most part) we've actually been reasonably happy.

Just yesterday it seems her contact pic on my phone however has changed to an animated gif of colored dots. When I view her contact details her Google profile photo is still under that "tab" but under "Profile Sharing" I see this other image. I read up on Profile Sharing but what's happening still isn't clear to me.

Did her creating a Samsung account then change her profile for anyone else she's connected with who also has a Samsung account?
I unlinked the "Profile Sharing" account and it's back to normal, but have I lost any benefit?
Will this happen for other contacts I have?

I feel like I'm missing a broader concept here. Perhaps I'm also a little annoyed b/c these little "we think we know better than you" things are what have made me weary of branded devices in the past.

Thanks in advanced for any clarification.

 

[munnarg]

I noticed this recently as well. There's no real benefit to is as far as I can see. Just another "social feature" tossed in there.

So my spouse and I both switched to S8s recently and having previously been on Nexus devices (for the most part) we've actually been reasonably happy.

Just yesterday it seems her contact pic on my phone however has changed to an animated gif of colored dots. When I view her contact details her Google profile photo is still under that "tab" but under "Profile Sharing" I see this other image. I read up on Profile Sharing but what's happening still isn't clear to me.

Did her creating a Samsung account then change her profile for anyone else she's connected with who also has a Samsung account?
I unlinked the "Profile Sharing" account and it's back to normal, but have I lost any benefit?
Will this happen for other contacts I have?

I feel like I'm missing a broader concept here. Perhaps I'm also a little annoyed b/c these little "we think we know better than you" things are what have made me weary of branded devices in the past.

Thanks in advanced for any clarification.

 

[anon(238680)]

I would agree with @munnarg. I would have separate Samsung and Google accounts on each phone and have each backed up.