The brand new Galaxy S7 edge is the greatest Android smartphone that has ever been created, and the standard version of the Galaxy S7 isn’t far behind. In fact, in terms of hardware, the S7 edge is probably the best smartphone of all time, iPhones included. Samsung indeed finally managed to out-Apple Apple, though it undeniably took a bit of inspiration from Apple to make it happen.
If you’re on the hunt for a new high-end Android phone, there’s no question in my mind that the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are the top choices. But of course, not everyone agrees.
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An article published on CNET on Tuesday morning highlights four reasons not to buy the Galaxy S7. It’s not a hit piece or anything, and each and every one of the listed points makes perfect sense. They’re all things that will likely prevent some people from buying a new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.
But I disagree with every single one of them.
1. No removable battery
People. It’s 2016. It’s time to get over the whole “removable battery” thing.
When is the last time a top-tier, top-selling flagship smartphone had a removable battery. I could be mistaken, but I believe it might have been 2014’s Galaxy Note 4, a phablet category leader. Apple’s iPhones don’t have removable batteries. The Galaxy Note 5 didn’t have a removable battery. The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge didn’t have removable batteries.
Battery life is still obviously an important issue, but why exactly would carrying around a tiny spare battery be a better solution than carrying a portable charge or a battery case? It’s not.
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2. Cheaper alternatives
Cost is always a factor, but top-tier flagship smartphones are all priced in roughly the same range. If you want a cheaper phone, buy a cheaper phone — but I can promise you that it won’t be on par with the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge in terms of performance, style and overall user experience.
3. Software updates
This is the closest I came to agreeing with one of the points made in CNET’s article, but it’s still off track.
The argument here is that Samsung’s Android phones will never get updates as quickly as Google’s Nexus phones, so users won’t have access to the latest features as quickly. There’s no question this is true, but by that logic people should only buy Nexus phones.
The problem of slow Android updates is real. The most widely used version of Android in the world right now is 17 months old. But the issue of slow updates is much more serious at the lower end of the market than it is at the top.
No Android phones will ever get updates as quickly as Google’s Android phones, but Samsung’s flagship phones are updated as quickly as Samsung can push new software through with its carrier partners. Top-tier phones from top-tier vendors aren’t abandoned like cheaper models often are.
4. Wait to see what the LG G5 has to offer
Last but not least, the good ol’ wait and see argument.
If you want, you can avoid purchasing a Galaxy S7 or a Galaxy S7 edge because something better might come out. In fact, I can guarantee something better will come out. And then after that, something better will come out again.
If you always want to have the latest and greatest, all U.S. carriers now offer purchase options that let you upgrade every year. Go for it. But adopting the wait and see approach will leave you waiting and seeing forever.
Of course with all that having been said, I’m still not buying a Galaxy S7 or a Galaxy S7 myself and here’s why.
