We thought last year’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ had everything we needed from a Samsung device, but in typical Samsung fashion, the company was able to bring certain additions to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to get potential buyers and even myself excited about them.
In our full reviews, we came away mostly positive with the phones, though, there is always room for improvement. The 2018 Galaxy S devices feature dual stereo speakers, a first for Galaxy S devices, plus Samsung continued to deliver exceptional mobile cameras, opting for a dual shooter on the Galaxy S9+. My main criticism is the software experience, but hey, we can overcome that.
Overall, the phones are packed with goodies, but let’s break them down into something more easily digestible if reading a full review isn’t something you have time for.
Here are 5 reasons the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are worth buying.
1. It’s a Complete Package
A lot of times when a new phone is announced, there’s something clearly missing, like a feature or spec. With Galaxy devices from Samsung in general, that is hardly the case. If anything, there’s too damn much, leaving you with a phone priced as much as your monthly mortgage payment. For Android fans who want it all, though, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ meet all demands, offering high-end displays, good cameras, a well-placed fingerprint reader, fast wireless charging, expandable storage, a headphone jack, water resistance, iris scanning which we tend to forget, and now they even have dual stereo speakers and an ultra slow motion shooting mode for the camera. While the looks haven’t changed much year-over-year, Samsung is still cramming in new stuff.
Like I just mentioned, Samsung could probably get away with charging more for these devices than they are, but the fact that they aren’t charging $1,000 is, like, really awesome. Before pricing was confirmed, Kellen and I had guesses for pricing, but both of us were way off when Samsung announced that the US unlocked Galaxy S9 would start at $719.99 and the unlocked Galaxy S9+ would cost $839.99. If you end up getting a less expensive device, you will notice big differences, too. A lot of the less expensive devices won’t have the IP68 rating, as good of a camera experience, and forget things like wireless charging and iris scanning.
Compared to other devices on the market, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ offer the most at this point in time.
2. Camera
Samsung has been putting out good cameras for its flagship devices for years now, with the S9 and S9+ being no exception. Things were changed a bit this year, though. In the past, both Galaxy S models came with a single backside shooter, but this year, the S9 came with the usual single camera (12MP Dual Pixel w/ OIS) while the S9+ was equipped with a dual rear-facing camera setup (12MP Wide Angle + 12MP Telephoto both w/ OIS). Essentially, the S9+ has the same setup as the Galaxy Note 8, but instead of being placed horizontally, it’s vertical.
The camera on the S9 and S9+ not only take good pictures when pointing and shooting, but there is a ton of software and features to play with. There is a Pro mode for really getting into controlling certain aspects and values, as well as filters, an AR Emoji feature for turning yourself into a shareable emoji, plus that slow motion aspect I previously mentioned. With that, the camera can capture video at 960 frames per second (FPS), meaning the videos of your dog running through water or tall grass are going to look super awesome when you share them on Instagram.
We have many words to share about the S9 and S9+ camera in our full review, but I’ll go ahead and place a few samples below just to give you an idea of what you’re working with.
3. Size Options
Like past years from Samsung, as well as Google and its Pixel devices, you’re getting two options for the Galaxy S9. You can go the smaller, more compact Galaxy S9 route, or upgrade to the Galaxy S9+. The choice is yours, but let’s break down the exact differences.
The most noticeable is size, of course. The S9+ comes with a 6.2″ display over the standard S9’s 5.8″ display. The S9+ also packs a bigger 3,500mAh battery, while the S9 has a 3,000mAh battery. Other differences include more RAM (2GB more at 6GB, to be exact), plus the dual rear-facing cameras (Wide Angle + Telephoto) instead of a single camera (Wide Angle).
For the bigger display and battery, plus more RAM and an additional telephoto lens on the back, buyers are asked to pay $120 more for the unlocked Galaxy S9+. That’s not bad at all. If you were to ask my opinion on which one to get, I’d tell you to go with the S9+. I’m a sucker for bigger batteries!
4. Tons of Software Features
Samsung is in the business of piling features on top of features for its flagship devices, with both the S9 and S9+ bursting at the adhesive with stuff. Users can utilize an Edge Panel, Bixby AI voice commands, Samsung+, enhanced gaming modes, plus so much else. Couple all of that Samsung software with Google’s own Android features and you have a smartphone that is essentially ready for anything and everything.
While I stress that I’m not the user of all things you’ll find baked into these phones, I can confirm that much of it could be useful to other people. I can certainly appreciate someone else’s needs, so even though I’m not a huge advocate for everything Samsung builds into its software, I at least realize that Samsung isn’t building every phone with just me in mind. Yes, the narcissistic a-hole inside of me hates that, but I’ve come to live with it.
While it would take all day to do a complete rundown of the different software features on the Galaxy S9 and S9+, let’s go over just a few that I think you can get some good usage out of. There is the aforementioned Edge Panel, which has a few panels for quickly accessing contacts and different applications (and even sports scores!), Game Launcher for game organization and enhanced features inside of games (recording, etc.), as well as Samsung’s Multi Window that has been around way longer than Android’s native Multi Window and Picture-in-Picture features. The point is, even if you don’t think you’ll use some of these features, they are there if you need them!
Let’s say you don’t care for most of what Samsung offers here. That’s totally fine. Thanks to tweaks you can easily perform, why not turn your Galaxy S9 into a Pixel?
5. Updates Should be Better
The S9 and S9+ are the first Samsung devices to launch with Oreo, meaning they’re also the first devices to launch with Google’s Project Treble. Treble’s goal is to make major Android software updates less difficult for OEMs and we have our fingers crossed Google’s work pays off for consumers.
As we know, Samsung just rolled out Oreo to last year’s Galaxy S8 and S8+, a solid half of a year after Oreo’s official release. I don’t know about you, but waiting a half year to get a highly anticipated update isn’t what I’m about. I know many might shy away from anything that isn’t a Google device specifically because of updates, but Treble should alleviate that feeling a bit for you.
While we can’t put a timeline on when the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will receive Android P, we have to assume it will come quicker than Oreo, thanks to Treble. For more info on Treble, I recommend you read this.
Buy the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+
- Samsung Store
- Verizon Galaxy S9
- AT&T Galaxy S9
- T-Mobile Galaxy S9
- Sprint Galaxy S9
“5. Updates Should be Better”
Actually probably not. Project Treble separates the hardware vendor(like Qualcomm) implementation from the rest of the OS. If the delay of updates was a result of hardware vendor code then Project Treble would certainly be helpful. However, that isn’t the case. The biggest cause for delay of updates is the OEM (like Samsung) customizations which isn’t impacted by Project Treble.
I thought $650 was a lot for a phone now it seems $1000 is the standard. No thanks. I though advances in tech were suppose to make things CHEAPER.
#5 is the big one for Samsung who are notorious for slow updates. It will be very interesting to see if they take advantage of Treble and if so how much faster their update process is.
Project Treble won’t help. At least not significantly. Project Treble is about separating hardware vendor code from the OS. Updates are slow because of OEM customizations.
That’s the whole idea, being able to update the OS separately from those customizations/OEM skins.
That’s not what Project Treble does. Project Treble updates the implementation of hardware vendors(like Qualcomm, etc) not actual OS customizations.
Take a look at this.
https://www.xda-developers.com/how-android-software-update-sony/
In those pictures Project Treble applies to step #3. It’s step 5 that’s the OS customizations.
Yes, Qualcomm provides the drivers(for phones with their chips)for each new Android OS version and now with Treble the OS and those drivers run independent of OEM customizations which allows those OEMs to update the OS regardless of said customizations.
The OEM can still choose to continue to hold back the update anyways however but configuration of the customizations to the new OS are no longer necessary as they can now be done separately either by separate updates and/or through monthly security patches like Samsung does now.
You still don’t understand. The driver part has ZERO impact on the OEM OS customizations. Just because hardware implementation is separate from the rest of the OS doesn’t mean OEM customizations are separate as well. Two TOTALLY different things.
It’s not that the OS and the drivers run independent from the OEM customizations. It’s the drivers that run independent from the OS and customizations.
Refer back to the link I posted in my last comment. Project Treble addresses step #3. OEM OS customizations is step #5. VERY DIFFERENT.
Here is a picture I made that shows it better.
https://i.imgur.com/7yrMIuW.png
Android Authority.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/072c59cb86f4b689221dbd18d930a305bc4ccf731ab06ccdb8cff923ba5200c9.png
The most common complaint about Android updates is that they are notoriously slow to release. Worse still, handset support is promptly re-evaluated once new models come along. Consumers have been complaining about this problem to OEMs and Google for years. The situation finally looks set to change with the arrival of Project Treble.
Project Treble is included as part of Android 8.0 Oreo and represents a major re-architecture for the OS framework. The initiative’s ultimate aim is to make updates faster and easier for OEMs to roll out to devices. Treble is arguably one of the biggest changes introduced to Android Oreo, but one that consumers won’t even notice as it works primarily behind the scenes. Here’s how it will affect the future of Android.
>> How Oreo is better than Nougat
Why the need for Project Treble?
In a word: fragmentation. It’s a criticism of Android that industry followers will be very familiar with, and it’s not unfounded. While iPhones receive major OS updates for three or four years, the most expensive Android smartphones are lucky to receive two, and lower cost models may never see an upgrade at all. Missing out on the latest features is unfortunate, but it’s the lack of security and increasing vulnerability of these older devices that is the real worry. Not just for users, but for Google also.
It’s the lack of security and increasing vulnerability of unsupported older devices that is the real worry
As smartphones take on an increasingly important role in using and securing our personal, financial, and otherwise important data, fixing security vulnerabilities is of utmost importance. As much flak as OEMs take for being slow with updates, there is a deeper reason for these delays that has, until now, made it difficult and expensive to support devices in the long term.
The core idea of Project Treble is to remove the requirement to rework vendor implementations, allowing the OS layer to be updated independently.
The slow update problem has to do with the way that Android software layers communicate with underlying phone hardware. In order for applications to run on a CPU or use a camera, the OS has to talk to connected hardware via a hardware abstraction layer (HAL). This is important if, for example, you want third party apps from the Play Store to work with any phone’s camera – HALs are designed to be low-level driver-agnostic. Below this is the Linux kernel, which handles the hardware specific communication between the HAL and the exact components in the phone. It has to be compiled depending on your handset’s specific hardware.
The problem with Nougat and older version of Android, is that there’s no separation between the vendor’s low level hardware code and the higher level AOSP operating system code that Google maintains. In Android 7.x and earlier, no formal vendor interfaces existed, meaning that device manufacturers had to update large portions of the Android code with each update. This includes waiting on hardware vendors, such as SoC manufacturers, to provide their code to hook hardware into the new OS.
Unfortunately, Android didn’t used to have much in the way of plug-and-play compatibility with low level hardware; code had to be heavily tailored. This takes a considerable amount of time, testing, and cost on the part of silicon vendors and OEMs. Project Treble is designed to solve this problem by separating the Android OS Framework from the vendor hardware code implementations, therefore allowing Google and OEMs to update the OS without having to reconfigure all the the lower level hardware parts.
Project Treble separates the Android OS Framework from the vendor hardware code implementations
OEMs will still want to introduce their own proprietary hardware and software features, which will add to development and testing time. And OEMs will still have to take extra time incorporating their unique features into the AOSP from Google after Project Treble’s introduction. Treble simply reduces the amount of work that needs to be done by third parties, particularly SoC vendors who provide much of the hardware code.
How new updates will work
It’s important to reiterate that Android uses the Linux kernel under the hood. A kernel is the part of an operating system which handles input/output and computer instructions from the application layer, essentially allowing the application software to communicate with the hardware. To make changes to the way Android handles this communication is to make some notable changes to the way the Linux kernel operates.
EDITOR’S PICK
Linux kernel long term support extended to 6 years for Project Treble
Android runs on top of the Linux kernel. All of Android’s memory management, input/output, processes, locks, networking, etc happens through and via the Linux kernel. Each new release of Android uses a newer version of …
To solve the hardware abstraction layer issue, Android O formalized the division between hardware sub systems like audio or camera, and their clients on the software side. These new formal divisions specify the interface between a HAL and its users. There are now around 60 formal interfaces for various hardware components, known as HIDLs.
The goal of a HIDL is to allow the framework to be replaced without having to rebuild HALs. HALs will be built by vendors or SoC makers and put in a /vendor partition on the device, enabling the framework, in its own partition, to be replaced with an over-the-air update (OTA) without recompiling the HALs. To update devices running earlier versions of Android to Android O, developers can wrap both conventional and legacy HALs in a new HIDL interface too.
Linux kernel support has recently been extended from 2 to 6 years for Project Treble
Equally as important, Linux kernel long term support has recently been extended from 2 to 6 years for Project Treble. This means that major fixes to the kernel are no longer missed over a device’s longer term life cycle. Previously a device would at best see a year’s worth of support left by the time it hit the market.
As you can see, the switch to Project Treble requires a little bit of work on the hardware vendor side too, as the way the vendor implementation is programmed to expose the hardware to Android is different to previous OS versions. Once this revised vendor implementation is on the device though, manufacturers can choose to deliver a new Android release to consumers by just updating the Android OS framework, without any reworking required from the silicon manufacturers.
Phones updating to Oreo from Nougat won’t necessarily be Treble compliant though
An interesting note in Google’s documentation is that “Project Treble will be coming to all new devices launched with Android O and beyond.” This implies phones coming to Oreo from Nougat won’t necessarily be Treble compliant. We’ve already seen that this is true with the unveiling of the OnePlus 5T, a phone that ships with Nougat and that won’t be seeing Treble with its eventual update to Oreo. Meanwhile, the original Pixels do support Treble, following their update to Oreo.
EDITOR’S PICK
Here’s how Project Treble will improve security in Android
Good news: Android O is about to get a lot more secure thanks to Project Treble, which you may remember as the initiative that will deliver upcoming Android updates in a more timely manner. But …
Devices shipping with Oreo out-of-the-box have to fully support Treble, as OEMs will be coding the vendor implementation in this way from the get-go and are now obliged to have a working version of AOSP on their hardware. As of Android 8.0, the new vendor interface is validated by a Vendor Test Suite (VTS), to ensure that the updated OS is compatible with the existing hardware setup.
Project Treble doesn’t necessarily mean that all handsets will see updates instantaneously, as Google is not handling them directly
Project Treble doesn’t necessarily mean that all handsets will see updates instantaneously, as Google is not handling them directly. OEMs are still free to tweak and skin the OS, as well as embed their own software into the Android OS release. So there’s still going to be some time taken for OEMs to build and test their own particular take on Android. However, by taking silicon vendors out of the equation, these updates should still be faster and software should be much easier to apply across numerous devices.
Implications of Project Treble
From a user perspective, OS updates will be delivered in exactly the same way as they are now. Vendors will still be able to push OTA updates, which you can download at leisure in the background without having to do anything more than tap a prompt. Hopefully we’ll end up seeing them appear a little quicker than before and for longer into a device’s lifetime.
Project Treble has some interesting implications for the revival of the custom ROM scene too, as there’s likely to be less work required to get software and hardware playing nicely. It could take just days, rather than weeks or months, to port AOSP to a device that supports Treble. XDA community members are already excited about the prospects. Developer OldDroid went as far as to call this a breakthrough, after booting Oreo on the Mate 9, which hadn’t even seen a single custom Nougat ROM. Other developers have also already shown off a single system image capable of booting on different devices with different processors.
For custom ROM fans, a single system image is now capable of booting on different devices with different processors
The prospect is that we may be edging closer to a time where Android software can be easily ported across a range of devices, much like how Windows can run on a huge range of hardware configurations with minimal effort. But that’s not the goal of Treble at the moment.
With Project Treble, Android is moving closer to Google’s idealized world of more frequent and longer running updates.
Closing thoughts
Project Treble sounds very promising, but it’s important to understand that it has limitations. First, this isn’t Google taking over updates. Product manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei, and LG are still responsible for compiling and rolling out updates, and they won’t be anywhere near as fast as Google is with the Pixels. Treble is instead an OS structure optimization designed to speed up rollouts from manufacturers. Google has done its part, now it is up to the OEMs.
Second, only handsets with Android 8.0 Oreo or newer out of the box must support Project Treble. Phones that upgrade to Oreo from Nougat don’t have to fully support Treble, though OEMs can choose to if they wish. We’ll have to pay close attention to which manufacturers say what as they roll out their Oreo upgrades. It’s also unlikely that custom ROMs will be able to introduce Treble to many older devices, as lower level hardware access isn’t open source.
If you’re looking for a phone with Treble support now, currently Google’s Pixel series, the Essential Phone, and Huawei’s Mate 9, Mate 10, Honor 9, and Honor 8 Pro are your options. It’s not yet clear which other OEMs plan to support Treble on their existing handsets. Of course, next year’s flagships with Oreo installed will all ship will full support for faster updates out of the box. And that, my friends, will be a great thing for Android.
That picture is pretty is basically the same thing as my picture. In the picture you referenced it clearly shows that the VENDOR IMPLEMENTATION is separated from everything else. The OEM customizations are NOT part of the vendor implementation. To put it even more clearly the OEM customizations are part of the GREEN section NOT the GRAY section.
I’m not saying Project Treble won’t help at all but it doesn’t address the main issue.
The first Samsung phone to support Project Treble is the Galaxy S9 and I’d be willing to bet that you won’t see Android P (which will probably be release early September 2018) on the Galaxy S9 until probably February-March of 2019. If vendor implementation really is the main cause of slow updates then the Galaxy S9 should get Android P before the end of 2018.
And another thing, the monthly security updates don’t have any dependency on changes to vendor implementation and OEMs are STILL AT BEST two months behind on security updates.
Ah, now I see where you’re getting it wrong, you actually think that Vender/OEM customizations are part of the “Android OS framework”…they are not. Customizations are no longer a valid excuse for slow updates, at least not for Treble supported phones.
That’s not to say that they’ll be Pixel like fast either but much faster than before is certainly possible now for those devices. Whether it actually happens or not is another story…
You are putting vendor software and OEM customizations in the same category. That’s not true. OEM customizations are direct modifications to the core OS code.
Project Treble has NOTHING to do with OEM customizations. Project Treble separates VENDOR IMPLEMENTATION from the rest of the OS but NOT OEM customizations.
I’m starting to wonder if you even know what is meant my OEM customizations. TouchWiz is an example of OEM customizations.
As far as I’m aware skins like Samsung’s TouchWiz, HTC Sense ect are called “skins” for a reason as they are additions “on top” of the Android OS and they don’t directly affect the Android OS framework but needed to be configured for each new version.
I’ll look more into it on the weekend when I have more time but Treble is supposed to help OEMs to update faster, that’s the whole idea behind it. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen but for me, more important than that is whether OEMs will adopt the extended support via the extra year/extra OS version Google has announced for the new Pixels. That would be a bigger deal than the speed of updates imo.
That’s why I hate the term “skin” to refer to OEM customizations. It goes far deeper than just being “on top”. Take things like Iris unlocking, battery saving modes, Samsung KNOX, etc. Those things aren’t just “on the top”. To build off the “skin” analogy the changes go all the way to the “bones”. Changes to power management, security, memory management, etc.When a new version of Android comes out the OEMs have to tweak a lot and possibly add more. Separating out the vendor implementation does nothing to change that.
Another interesting point is that for phones that are already out and getting updated to a new OS version probably need very few changes to the vendor code since that is hardware specific and the hardware hasn’t changed.
I guess that would depend on the skin as some are practically stock like HTC Sense or the Essential phone that only has a different camera app for example but is otherwise stock Android. Samsung definitely does do the most stuff to their phones.
Looks can be deceiving. Just because it LOOKS like stock doesn’t mean it is. There could be lots of changes “under the hood”. That’s another reason why the term “skin” isn’t very good.
Well in Samsungs case it’s those differences that make them so popular. People don’t buy their phones for fast updates obviously, they buy them because of things like screen to body ratio, the latest features, Samsung Pay etc.
I love my OG Pixel, it’s the longest that I’ve ever kept a phone but there’s no denying how impressive my wife’s S8+ is. They’re both excellent devices imo, albeit for different reasons.
Software is the primary reason I avoid Samsung.
The screen to body ratio is really the only thing I like. Bezels like that with a 5.2″ screen would finally result in a phone that can be used with one hand.
The original Pixel only came out 1.5 years ago and that’s the longest you ever kept a phone? How often do you switch phones?
I don’t mind their software or at least the stuff I don’t delete or disable. They do some stuff better than Google like Samsung Pay, health apps and smartwatch etc. The last Galaxy I had was the S6 but I did buy my wife the S8+ for her birthday and it’s an impressive device.
I’m the same as you with the preference for smaller devices, it has me considering the new Sony XZ2 compact but I’m not sure if it’s going to be available for my corporate account. Either way I like to buy something different each time so hopefully something good is still to come this year if I can’t get the Sony.
Yes,y Pixel is the longest I’ve kept a phone. Before that the S6 I was the longest and before that my HTC One M7. I used to get a new flagship each year but the year to year improvements are no longer substantial enough to justify that so I started keeping them past the year mark a while ago. It helped that my wife didn’t mind my hand me downs but now she has a new phone so I just might keep my Pixel for the full 2 years which is fine because it’s a fantastic phone so I don’t feel like I’m missing much.
I was always disappointed with the screen size of the Sony compact phones. To some extent you have to sacrifice screen size for a smaller device but Sony pushed it to the extreme because of the HUGE bezels.
With Samsung software there are many apps you can’t uninstall. It creates duplication and wastes storage and memory. The launcher is terrible and while you can replace it you can’t remove or fully turn off the stock one completely. The Settings app is a mess. The customizations are ugly. There was also very noticeable lag as recently as the Galaxy S8. I haven’t used a Galaxy S9 yet so I’m not sure about lag on that. And to top it all off Samsung added that Bixby garbage.
Sony has shrunk the bezels and finally changed up the design somewhat, it’s been long over due and now I find myself interested for the first time.
I think that Samsung’s strategy with duplication is born from the idea of them eventually breaking free from Android should they ever mature their own Tizen OS to the point that they could use that instead. I’m thinking that Google feels the same hence their desire to go premium with the Pixels in order to gain back dominance over their own Android OS, an OS that Samsung currently dominates.
So far my experience with my wife’s S8+ has been quite good. Like you I’m not a fan of some of the UI elements including Samsung’s launcher so I switched it out for the Google launcher…also disabled the unwanted Bixby. I’ve always found in my experience that performance criticisms of Samsung phones to be greatly exaggerated. Sure they’re not quite as smooth as the Pixels, nor as fast and of course updates aren’t as good either but the difference is small imo and Samsung has their own advantages that sort of balance things out. It just depends on ones preference really, both the Pixels and Galaxy phones are very good, just for different reasons obviously.
That said, if you hate one or the other then they’ll be no convincing the hater to not hate…
Last week I looked at the US unlocked S9+ to maybe replace my S8+, if I had an older phone, I would have bought one, just to myself I couldn’t justify the expense. My phone is in perfect shape and works great. But if you’re in the market, I would go for it.
I too use the s8plus, very satisfied with it’s performance. Considered upgrading, but I’m holding out for the note9 and proposed larger battery. Never owned a note before!
Last week I looked at the US unlocked S9+ to maybe replace my S8+, if I had an older phone, I would have bought one, just to myself I couldn’t justify the expense. My phone is in perfect shape and works great. But if you’re in the market, I would go for it.
I did the same. I use the s8+ and tried out the s9+ with my carrier. The stereo speakers, 6gb’s of ram & the 845 are very nice. To me an upgrade is not needed. But I hear the note9 will have a larger battery. Now you have my attention. So I will just wait & if by chance the battery is bigger I will purchase. Never owned a note & I would like to try it out!
Reason #6: No notch to mar that gorgeous display.
No notch, but useless curved sides.
Oh, like the useless two tone back of muh Pixuhl?
Yeah, because you interact with a phone’s paintjob like you do a phone’s display. ????
What an idiotic comparison.
Useless yes, but not nearly so ugly as the notch…
Depends on the notch, and the person looking at it.
No notch, every possible premium feature known to mankind. They hate the notch as much as I do! Plus the stereo speakers & ear buds in the box. Very nice!
I bought the S9 to replace my S7, but I’m returning it. I could not get app notifications to work reliably. Smartthings, hangouts, and others would sometimes give notifications, but not always. Tried changing the apps’ priority level, but it didn’t help. I suspect this has more to do with Oero than the S9, and hopefully over time the apps will be updated to fix this, but in the meantime I’ll stick with my S7 and look again when the S10 (or whatever they end up calling it) comes out.
Go to device maintenance>battery>battery usage>hit the 3 dots on top right and go to optimize battery usage
Once there select “all apps” and turn off all of the apps you’re having problems getting notifications for.
Kellen mentioned this in one of the S9 videos.
Edit: this video 11 min mark
https://www.dev.droid-life.com/2018/03/22/video-galaxy-s9-tips-and-tricks/
I already returned the S9, but thanks for sharing this. It makes me feel more confident that I won’t have problems with the S10. Thanks again!
Without monthly security updates and timely OS updates, I’ll stick with Pixel. After 5 Galaxies, I’ve sworn off; though an Android One Galaxy, now were talking…
Hmmm… I have had consistent monthly security updates. On the timely OS updates, it seems that the Pixel may receive updates to quickly at times. I hate being a beta tester. After being one for Microsoft for 4 years, I was ready for the updates to slow down. But to each their own.
Again I have to agree with you, I want those security updates!
This ^^^ 1000 times over. Ain’t nobody got time to deal with fast (aka buggy) OS updates.
Umm…don’t install said update until you’re ready then?
Yes, consistent. Consistently 2-3 months behind.
If the updates don’t come to a phone than it don’t matter how good the phone it is. Support is the main of the game.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/68faec9892e83a6e2bcac2f14df40ef1a13640317708b8241f7c2cb1b1fec7f0.jpg
I have that on my Pixel but I don’t consider it an issue when I buy Samsung. For one, I don’t change security settings so I can side load content and second, Samsung phones are so feature rich already that they often have the least to gain from said OS upgrades.
Now duration of support/updates is another story. The Pixels get that extra year/extra OS version that as far as I’m aware no other Android OEM has committed to match. I figure that even if you don’t keep your phone for 4 years that extra support should help in resale value.
Google phones are done right. Only the others that are so bad at it. Hopefully tremble will help but it’s a long shot.
But tell me, what does an Android OS update, today, at its current level of maturity, give you that makes it something of a must have? Still waiting for any of the Nexus/Pixel fanboys to answer me that. Does it magically make your device do things it couldn’t before? Run apps you couldn’t on the previous version? The answer is an obvious no, but some think it comes packed with new features you can use on a daily basis like the iPhone. Unless it gives me something I can use daily, I really don’t care.
Amazing
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d79deafdb0c98b6cd180ab27755b06ef5b0948bd5ca02d6aa855afdff319f8ff.gif
No not really.
Agreed. #1 would be a headphone jack according to my wife. This was the deal breaker between the pixel 2 and S9.
I think the idea of not including a 3.5mm headphone jack is ridiculous. Including it didn’td hurt anything. It makes no sense to not have the option.
Having said that I don’t really miss it on my Pixel 2 XL. Especially when the alternative is not having stock Android and especially when the alternative is TouchWiz.