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Sure, the Galaxy Note 8 isn't exactly what you would call a game-changer.
However.
It's still a Samsung device. And it's guaranteed to create buzz and sales, and we're quite sure most of customers will be the loyalists, eager-beavers who want to hit back at critics with that 'WE TOLD YOU SO' battle cry.
And it has its unique advantages over its chief rival, the iPhone. And we'd like to point those out for you - and, as an added bonus, some insight on what Apple could do about it
And what's with the headline? Well, initially I was able to list down eight, but after doing some scouring around (akin to being given the correct or missing answers in an exam, huh?), I missed one, which was a total oversight. (Thanks, Business Insider.)
It has a stylus
Called the S Pen. Dang, ever been into a debate in which you argue if you put the most obvious one first or last? You can doodle around with the Note series' signature buddy, and it's always being improved. Apple isn't really stylus-free (see: iPad Pro's Apple Pencil), though it will be interesting (and surprising) if they churn out one for the iPhone (not the one coming in a couple of weeks). Remember, the late great Steve Jobs described the stylus as he viewed it: 'yuck'.
You can add extra storage
Apple has its own reasons to refuse putting a memory card slot into iPhones, and among them (possibly) are that having one may affect sales of higher-capacity models and some things related to security. In any case, the microSD has been a Note staple, and if you're not satisfied with its default 64GB storage, you know what to do. Maybe an 'Apple Card' could some day be developed solely for the iPhone.
Wireless charging
Fact: toothbrushes beat smartphones to the draw when it comes to wireless charging (Oral-B did it in the 1990s). Another fact: Samsung's first device that supported wireless charging was the Galaxy S4, so they've beaten Apple to the draw for years now. Possible fact: the drums of wireless-charging rumours on the next iPhone have become louder by the day.
You can transform it into a PC
Well, Microsoft will definitely have something to say about this with their Continuum contraption. But anyway, using Samsung DeX significantly increases the capabilities of the Note 8; it connects your device to a monitor, keyboard and mouse, plus, for good measure, a special Android desktop version. Apple's (sort of) counter? iCloud and its smooth way of syncing all your Apple devices.
Unlock it with your eyes or face
See (pun intended), there's a good number of stuff on the Note 8, which has six methods of getting unlocked: PIN, password, pattern, fingerprint and, of course, iris scanning and facial recognition. Apple's offerings? PIN and fingerprint. Won't be surprising if One Infinite Loop will add on (at least one) to these soon.
Both lenses have OIS
Basically, this unforeseen feature means that both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses on the Note 8 will help you put the handcuffs on moving objects while your chasing them with the camera, which in turn will be less likely to be blurry and out of focus. The iPhone 7 has one lens with OIS, and there's no word about catching up with Samsung on this.
You can run two apps at the same time
Does App Pair ring a bell? That's the name for the Note 8's trick in order for you to run two apps at the same time (really helps when you have some really big digital property in your hands). It makes it easier to multitask with it; try playing two games at the same time with it. As for Apple, here's a clue: iOS 11.
Blur your photos after or before you take them
This is actually fun; imagine playing around with your shot in that way before snapping away - even before you take it. The iPhone can't do that, even in its Portrait Mode. Period. And with the next iPhone, there really isn't much talk about the camera compared to other more discussed possible features.
Samsung Pay makes Apple Pay pay (whew!)
This is what I missed. Samsung Pay works with most magnetic card readers in the world, which means you don't need a special pad, dock, strip or whatever that's required by Apple Pay. That's convenience; in other words, it's easier to hunt for a shop that accepts the former (in theory and apparently). Apple should be taking note of all of these; no pun intended.
alvin@khaleejtimes.com
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