It’s getting really hard not to support Samsung

I was never really a huge Samsung fan for some reason. I think this can be partly attributed to my love for the underdog, be it in sports, gaming or the smartphone world.

Of course, Samsung has been anything but the underdog for nearly a decade. It dates back to 2012 when it defeated Nokia for the first time and became the world’s leading smartphone maker. Since then, the company has enjoyed almost uninterrupted success at the top.

In those early days of Samsung dominance, I preferred brands like former top player Nokia with its amazing cameras and the now ailing HTC for classic devices like the HTC One X and the HTC One M7. It didn’t help that Samsung at that time started with the “throw things on the wall and see what’s inside” approach to hardware and software.

Just a few years ago, I was sitting comfortably on the Huawei train when I decided to buy a phone with a contract. This was definitely a case where another brand’s phone just appealed to me more than Samsung’s merchandise, which felt way too conservative at the time. But fast forward to 2021 and it’s getting harder and harder not to root for Samsung.

A massive commitment to updates

Perhaps the first sign that Samsung is on its way to becoming a company worth supporting was the announcement that select models would receive three generations of Android version updates. Sure, we’ve seen Google doing this for a while, and OnePlus is unofficially implementing this policy on some of its phones. However, Samsung’s decision to publicly announce a pledge of this magnitude earned it a lot of attention and goodwill. This has also been a huge win for consumers looking to stick with their phones for the long term.

It didn’t hurt that the South Korean manufacturer didn’t limit this promise to new flagships either, as it also targets older devices, mid-range phones and tablets. Even if you have a Galaxy A51 (see above), Samsung has you covered.

Read more: Samsung has raised the bar for Android updates

The company has since announced that it will also keep deploying security patches to devices for four years, and this is an important step as well. This means that Samsung’s cell phones are arguably the most secure devices in the Android landscape. Samsung will reduce the frequency of updates to a few times a year when a device reaches end-of-life status, but it’s still welcome news.

There’s certainly a good argument that the company even outperforms Google on updates. Google’s phones will receive updates to the Android version for three years and security patches for three years. But even if Samsung stuck to patches for three years, the mere fact that it supports so many devices is already a more impressive feat.

The undisputed king of leaflets

Another reason to support Samsung these days is simply that it was without question the front runner in the foldable phone space. The company got off to a shaky start with the delayed launch of Galaxy Fold due to hardware glitches, but the company has more than recovered since then. You could even say Samsung has done more than any other company to make leaflets a viable form factor.

The solid Galaxy Fold delivered a solid experience, while the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip series clearly beat Motorola in its own game by reviving a retro form factor with a modern twist. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the culmination of Samsung’s foldable efforts to date. It listened to fans by offering a better smartphone display, removing that large cutout from the main screen, and introducing ultra-thin glass into the main panel for improved durability.

Samsung is currently the undisputed leader in foldable phones. Competitors follow in his footsteps.

Since then, Huawei and Xiaomi have also launched collapsible, foldable phones, which shows that Samsung had a lot of foresight in choosing this form factor for the original Fold. Our own Kris Carlon noted that the Huawei Mate X2 is setting a new standard for leaflets in general, but even he had to admit that it feels like a precursor to what Samsung has in store for the Z Fold 3. And good luck finding a Mi Mix Fold outside of China.

Speaking of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, it is expected to have S Pen support when it launches later this year. The company is going all-in on its foldable marquee in the absence of a 2021 Galaxy Note release. Rumors of a cheaper Galaxy Fold model also give us hope that leaflets will go mainstream. In both cases, Samsung is arguably the only OEM with brand awareness, software chops and international reach that is driving the emerging form factor.

Offers for price-conscious users

Samsung’s competitors like Xiaomi and Realme have long been the first choice for enthusiasts who want an affordable flagship experience. Devices like the Poco F3, Mi 10T series, and Realme X50 Pro have all earned credit for offering phones at cheaper prices while still delivering high-end performance.

In 2020, the South Korean manufacturer stepped up its game in this area, and the Galaxy S20 FE made big waves in this area. At $ 699, the phone came with flagship performance, really versatile cameras, a big battery, and a lot more. They even have features like wireless charging and an IP68 design that are unusual at this price point. It won the 2020 Editor’s Choice Award for good reason.

Read more: What we want to see from the Galaxy S21 FE

The company continued that trend in 2021, launching the Galaxy S21 for just $ 799. That makes it $ 200 cheaper than the introductory price of the S20 family. The phone is not perfect, it lacks microSD memory, it is noticeable from QHD + to FHD + and the rear glass is exchanged for plastic (sorry, “Glasstic”). Still, you still get the latest flagship processor, strong camera setup, water resistance, and wireless charging. Combine these offers with Samsung’s generous promotions and it’s no wonder S21 series sales tripled in the first month of availability in the US compared to the S20 series.

Samsung’s budget phones used to be solid, but always lagged behind the other competitors. Here, too, the company pulls up its socks. The Galaxy A series has delivered really good devices, and the brand new Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 entries look great. The Galaxy A52 5G in particular has an OLED screen with a high refresh rate, a solid Snapdragon 750G SoC, a large battery with reasonable charging speeds and even an IP rating. That’s not bad for a phone that is expected to retail at around $ 500 when it finally hits the US market.

Burning on all cylinders

When the U.S. trade ban against Huawei first went into effect, one of my first thoughts was that Samsung couldn’t afford to be complacent. At the time, Huawei felt like it was essentially the waiting king, ready to reclaim its crown if the ban was lifted. After all, the company had just overtaken Apple for second place and was on track to beat Samsung in several quarters.

Connected: The best Samsung phones

It seems like Samsung has been listening as it has been far from complacent since the Huawei ban came into effect. The steps above, like a longer commitment to updates, cheaper devices, and its foldable series, show that a company is shooting at almost every cylinder. It has even released legitimate powerhouse devices like the Ultra range, while Huawei is practically on the rise with its own Google-free Pro and Pro Plus offerings.

Anyway, I’m glad to see Samsung are taking the right steps and a few more to cement its place at the top of the food chain. We look forward to the day the U.S. ban on Huawei is lifted because while Samsung continues to deliver killer devices infested with software battles, Samsung has hit the gym and sparring hard while its rival has been gone. If the two giants ever fight again, it will be a competition for the ages.