Response from Samsung regarding IR blaster removal.

[droidntn]

I emailed Samsung and told them that many of us STILL use the IR blaster and would like to see it return on future models.
Please email them about how you use your IR blaster.

Here was their reply:

Dear Mark,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us at Samsung Technical Support. We always appreciate hearing from our customers.

We can understand your disappointment with the unavailability of the IR blaster on the Galaxy Note 5, that supports the device to work as remote. I will help you with the required information.

I understand your requirement for the IR blaster on the device. IR blaster has been removed from the Note5 phone as of now. We are constantly improving and updating our operating systems, and with every improvement there is always a chance an older feature may be changed or removed. We value your input about your favorite features on our devices, we will pass along your suggestion for future updates.

Samsung always strives to produce the products which meet customer's necessaries, demands on functionality, user reliability, and technical durability of materials. Samsung keeps developing products using the currently available technologies in the market and will be releasing them on a timely basis.

Hopefully you might be getting all the features that you are expecting in the devices with the updates which will be released in the future.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Should you desire additional assistance, we invite you to access the web-link Contact Samsung Support to speak to a Chat Specialist. Our technicians are more than happy to assist you further. Chat Support is available 24X7.

For additional support and updates regarding your product, please follow us at @SamsungSupport on Twitter or like our page at https://www.facebook.com/samsungsupport.

Thank you for choosing Samsung products.

If you have a minute, please fill out a brief survey to help us serve you better. To begin the survey, click on the “Start Survey Here” link at the bottom of this email. Please note that you can access the survey page only when the pop-up blocker is disabled in the browser.

Sincerely,

Vivek

 

[kirksucks]

Long winded whole lot of nothing form response.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Coraya]

Long winded whole lot of nothing form response.

Posted via the Android Central App

At least they responded at all

Posted via the Android Central App
no advertisements here.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

I know a lot of people use the IR blaster. Sucks that they stripped it out. But (there's always a but).

They collect data about every feature, and know exactly how many people used the IR blaster, and how often. I'll make a guess that based on the amount of use, it was profitable to remove it as one of those features few customers would care about. Saving a few pennies on parts for every model, and a considerable amount for software support adds up.

The best thing you can do is politely let them know you want it back. Have other people politely (that's the key word — rude emails are first to be deleted. Trust me ) do the same thing. If they see the demand is there, they will reconsider.

 

[droidntn]

I know a lot of people use the IR blaster. Sucks that they stripped it out. But (there's always a but).

They collect data about every feature, and know exactly how many people used the IR blaster, and how often. I'll make a guess that based on the amount of use, it was profitable to remove it as one of those features few customers would care about. Saving a few pennies on parts for every model, and a considerable amount for software support adds up.

The best thing you can do is politely let them know you want it back. Have other people politely (that's the key word — rude emails are first to be deleted. Trust me ) do the same thing. If they see the demand is there, they will reconsider.

Yes, please let them know we want the IR blaster back.
NICELY.

 

[zhris]

I like how they hint that they might be adding an IR blaster in a 'future update'. ( :

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[AXEL314]

At least they responded at all

Posted via the Android Central App
no advertisements here.

Still whole lot of nothing. It's the same cut and paste response they use in the Galaxy App store.

Note 4 910C 5.1.1 | Android Central App

 

[naira1]

That's sound like a standard template response.

 

[Coraya]

A lot of R&D goes into these devices. I'm sure one of their favorite places to check are fan forums like this one. There's tons of support for the IR blaster here on AC. I wouldn't be surprised if they brought the thing back.

Posted via the Android Central App
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[indysteve9]

I use my IR blaster frequently. I have a couple of remote apps on my Note 4 and I have set up every remote I have on these. That way if a remote control dies, and they will die, or the batteries die, and they will die, I have my trusty Note 4 as a back up. If Samsung never puts an IR blaster in one of their phones again, I will keep my Note 4 as a universal remote control.

 

[kirksucks]

Many people who buy these phones don't even know they have the capabilities they have.

Omg I can use my phone as a tv remote?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jordyd]

Many people who buy these phones don't even know they have the capabilities they have.

Omg I can use my phone as a tv remote?

Posted via the Android Central App

Your're right. I expect that overall, the number of note users using the IR blaster is relatively small. I don't use mine, but I can understand why people want it.

Maybe they can reintroduce the IR blaster and have a smaller battery to make room for it.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Uh, the IR Blaster isn't something you can add in an "update". It's a hardware feature.

Anyhow, I do like using the IR blaster, but I don't use it often enough for me to consider it a "MUST-HAVE" on my next phone, especially considering that I still have the HTC One M7, which boasts and IR blaster integrated in the power button.

That said, given that the S6 dropped expandable storage and water-resistance, the Note5/S6 edge+ dropped the IR blaster while the S7 brought back expandable storage and water-resistance (the latter of which is improved from the S5), maybe the IR blaster will return on the Note6?

 

[natehoy]

We can only hope. Meanwhile, thankfully, the Note 4 has both IR Blaster and a replaceable battery, so even if I retire it from cell phone service it can continue to function as a remote, and a TV feed over Miracast to my Smart TV, and a home tablet for quite a long time to come.

It will also meet my S-Pen productivity needs, so I may just keep it around as a productivity tablet and go with a smaller phone from someone else for a while if the Note 6 doesn't pan out.

 

[Coraya]

I decided to try out the IR blaster yesterday and found its convenience; turn off the TV while my wife is watching. But in all honesty I did try it out and although it's convenient, I wouldn't be missing anything if they decided to keep it away from the Note 6

Posted via the Android Central App
no advertisements here.

 

[droidntn]

As Phil Nickenson said, there's nothing like groping for physical buttons without having to look at a screen to change channels / volume etc.
I had an IR on a Note 3 but it was a short lived novelty.
Maybe it was a question of packaging and not having to compromise on other features.

Mine doesn't replace my remotes. It's just an EXTREMELY handy thing to have if you don't have the remote around you.

 

[blastir1]

I bought a s7 today my peel-smart remote is not working. Now I find out there is no IR BLASTER.
Idiots Tomorrow I will switch back to my s5. That was my master remote. Work, Home, Moms house, and random bars. Bad move Samsung. I am not happy.

 

[droidntn]

I bought a s7 today my peel-smart remote is not working. Now I find out there is no IR BLASTER.
Idiots Tomorrow I will switch back to my s5. That was my master remote. Work, Home, Moms house, and random bars. Bad move Samsung. I am not happy.

Right? I cannot understand why they would remove it.

 

[kirksucks]

Because a large percentage of people don't even know what an ir blaster is or that that their phone has it.

Iphones don't have them so why bother

My friend lost his remote and has been manually changing the channel. I took out my phone opened the guide and he was blown away. He has an iphone but his girlfriend has had an s5 the whole time. He thought you had to have WiFi connected to the cable box.

Learn your device people!! Ugh

 

[droidntn]

last night my wife was sitting on the couch and I was in my big chair. She tossed me the remote like it was a boomerang .
It hit the floor short.
I was like 'no worried'.
Picked up my phone and changed the TV input, hit the Roku remote app on my phone, found a Netflix.
Problem solved.
Still, IDK how losing that ability is a good thing.
They clearly don't have sore feet after working a day at Samsung.