Why Samsung rules Android !?

Samsung rules Android.

Following the previous blog which was very successful, Alexey asked me to publish this one as well:

Somewhere around October published Brian S Hall this article, you are welcomed to read it.

Alexey “Technologov” did an analysis after this piece and here it is:

Samsung rules Android – Introduction

I have bought a Galaxy S3 a few months ago, was absolutely stunned by it, so I went to learn Android from others.

Brian S Hall said:
Apple = Hardware + Software + Ecosystem.
And Samsung = Hardware.

This is WRONG!

Many people think that all Androids are equal, and this is a race to the bottom with the cheapest vendor wins.

This could not be farther from the truth.

Samsung in reality

In reality- Samsung = Hardware + Software. (+small ecosystem inroads)
I decided to compare *software* in this article.

Here is the outcome
Differences between Samsung Android 4.0 (i9300 Galaxy S-III) and vanilla Google Android 4.0 (Nexus or Chinese phones) are HUGE:

[in square brackets I put the bonus effect of a particular feature on total handset value]

Samsung killer features

Samsung smart stay

The phone looks at you and does not shutdown screen as long as it detects your face.

Killer feature! Worth at least +10% of total handset cost! [+10%]

Video Pop up play

lets me browse the web + see video clips same time!

In video clips, the main focus is music, not the video, so I focus on the Internet while putting only half-eye on the video clip.
This is available on PCs since Windows 98, yet lacks on every other smartphone! Killer feature! [+5%]

Samsung nice-to-have features:

Each feature by itself doesn’t change the picture but combined together, they increase the value of Samsung Android products.

Shortcut to screen brightness

This is imba simple to implement, very small, yet super-useful feature, as I tend to change screen brightness very often, and it is super-easy with the S3
Why hasn’t Google done it?

Because Samsung UI team do a better job of human user experience testing.

This is why I value it so highly, and can easily justify another $20 on this feature alone. [+3%]

Samsung gestures

(screen-shot, double tap, etc…) [+3%]
I can swipe my hand over the Galaxy S3 screen, and it will take a screenshot! This is imba cool

Better icons

TouchWiz UI [+3%]

Extra codecs:

*.wma, *.wmv (I’m kind of shocked and surprised, that Sammy intervened so deeply in the O.S) [+3%]
-assistive Flashlight widget (this is much easier to use as a widget, rather than other flashlight applications) [+1%]

Much improved lock-screen

with water effects [+1%]

Better Clock app

Has a smart alert (slowly increasing volume in the morning, so I don’t need a hammer to silence my phone), timer, stopper, world clock (multi-time zone).

Everything integrated with one GUI. [+1%]

Dropbox

50 GB for free for 2 years (cloud service) [+1%]

S-Voice

Cloud service [+1%]

Not yet valued features:

S Memo / S Note
S Planner
S Beam (NFC+Wi-Fi direct combo)
AllShare cast (remote desktop/streaming) – with Samsung TV.
Music Player and Video Player software in S3 are superior (made by Samsung)

Android vs. Non-Android

Based on my rough estimation, I believe, that Samsung Android worth over at least +25% (perhaps +35%) more per device vs. non-Samsung Android of the same hardware.

Depending on the values you put on those individual Samsung Galaxy S3 features.

In other words, if the (hypothetical) Galaxy S3 comes with vanilla Google Android 4.0, I could pay like 3000 Israeli Shekels for it, but for the same hardware with Samsung Android 4.0, I could easily justify 3750 for it.

Samsung Premium

This is the “Samsung premium” I would happily pay for their *software* alone.

At this rate, I expect Samsung to keep on improving the software in Galaxy S4, and keep charging a premium over the other Android vendors.

Recommendation for you

If you don’t believe me, just use the Galaxy S3 for a month, then try the vanilla Android for a few days. You will understand the difference very quickly.

You will not want to go back.

And this is why Samsung rules android

Samsung Galaxy vs Galaxy Nexus

Now let’s compare the true value or so-called bang-for-the-buck:
Galaxy SIII 16 GB i9300 vs. Galaxy Nexus i9250
Price 3300 vs 2400 Israeli Shekels on Sep/2012 from ksp.co.il +38% higher price.

Hardware: (value for me)
MicroSD slot +15% (I put 64 GB of extra storage, used for videos —
the use case is to convert the S3 into an HDTV in my pocket and watch it in bus or parks)

Bigger Battery +5% (2100 vs 1750 mAh)

Again, for traveling reasons, I take 3 batteries when on long travels.

Probably would have to take 4 if I were using a Nexus.

Replacing the battery is just a 1 min inconvenience on my Galaxy S3.

For normal work days, the S3 battery is good enough, and I still have ~25% at the end of the day.

CPU Quad-core +5% (potential of HEVC decoding, future-proof).

Camera (8mp vs. 5mp) +0% (I don’t care, but other people might put a value on it) = +25%

Software as mentioned earlier, worth at least another +25% premium for the S3.

S3 value is at least +50% higher than the Nexus! (price only +38% higher)

Bottom line

The Galaxy S3 is one of those rare gems, that even after huge marketing spending.

It still delivers a great bang-for-the-buck, and I can easily justify the premium.

And I rarely buy marketed computers.

I can say for sure that Samsung rules Android

Economics

The actual material usage (BOM), bill-of-materials, and complexity are probably close.

Producing the S3 hardware costs Sammy maybe +5% more over producing the Galaxy Nexus (my rough estimate is around $220 vs $210 per handset).

But they can easily charge +50% extra for it. Easy profit.

HTC lacks killer features

Samsung in the software department: namely Smart Stay and Video Pop Up play.

Also, HTC One X lacks both removable batteries *and* removable storage (MicroSD), for me it is worth no more than the Nexus, maybe less.

Indefinitely *much much* less than the Galaxy S3.

I would be ready to pay between one-half to two-thirds for the One X, if I needed a new phone today, vs the S3 price.

One last note- Samsung Android 4.0 is better not only than Google Android 4.0 but also wins vs. Google Android 4.2, and on tables Samsung’s advantage is even greater, due to the introduction of world’s first full-blown Window Manager for Android, allowing you to have multiple windows floating around, just like on MS Windows.

Just look at Samsung Galaxy Tabs and you will understand what I mean.

I would love to read your thoughts about it…