6 things the Galaxy S24 needs to steal from the iPhone 15 (and 1 thing it better not)
Samsung needs to steal, or steal back, Apple features
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TheSamsung Galaxy S24is on the way, and if history is our guide, we should see it soon after the new year. It’s too late to make any big changes to that phone, but that doesn’t mean I can’t wish for a few things that I’d like to see. Since I’ve been using aniPhone 15 Pro Maxalongside myGalaxy S23 Ultra, I have a few ideas that I’d like to seeSamsungcopy fromApple’s latest and greatest iPhone.
1. NameDrop gestures between Galaxy friends
Okay,don’t call the cops on me for suggesting this, but I’d love to see Samsung add bump gestures to its phones. I know that Android phones used to have bump gestures, but they went away, and now I want them back. This is a really fun part of having aniPhone 15, getting to bump into friends and then bump iPhones to share my phone number or whatever music I’m listening to.
In fact, that bump gesture can start a whole world of sharing between iPhones. You can share music, game sessions, and photos, all of which seems a very…Android thing to do.So let’s do this, Samsung. Let’s have Galaxy owners bumping into each other.
In fact, let’s make it exclusive to Galaxy owners, no other Android fans allowed. Hah! Just kidding. That would be a very Apple thing to do, and Android isn’t about that. If Samsung added bump to its phones,Googlewill certainly copy it for future Android systems, just like it did whenSamsung added multi-window to its Galaxy phones.
2. That titanium frame sure is nice
It’s only on theiPhone 15 Proand Pro Max, but that titanium sure is sweet. It’s firm, light, and looks very cool in every anodized color. I’d love to see Samsung bring titanium to theGalaxy S24 Ultra, and perhaps the rest of the Galaxy S24 lineup as well. It would be an easy way to one-up Apple’s base model iPhone 15.
Also, I’m getting tired of glass on both sides of my phone. No matter how strong that glass may be, it’s still glass. It’s not TITANIUM! As we all know, the only thing stronger than titanium is adamantium, and I’m not sure if that actually exists. Okay, it doesn’t exist. Somake the phone out of titanium!
3. Check In safety features should be on every phone
Apple added aCheck Infeature to iMessage that lets your friends and loved ones know if you arrive at a destination, or if you are okay after a certain period of time.Check in before you start a drive homelate at night. Check in before you go for a run alone, or on a first date. The benefits are obvious. In the same way that we need a seat belt on a car, we need a safety check in feature on all smartphones.
There is a check in feature built into the Androidpersonal safety app on Pixel phones, but it’s hard to find. If you didn’t know that Android already had a check in feature, I’ve proven my point. Samsung has emergency SOS options, but not a passive check in feature that is easy to find and unobtrusive to use.
Check in should be a key feature in phones moving forward, and it should work across platforms. Samsung should add this to the Galaxy S24 as soon as possible if it’s not already there.
4. A mute switch, not another button
Here’s an opportunity to eat some of Apple’s lunch. Apple took the mute switch off the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. There is still a way to quickly silence the iPhone 15, but on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, I’m using the newAction Button to open the camera. I don’t have a mute switch.
There has never been a mute switch on a Galaxy phone, not that I can remember, so this would be a radical change, but it would be welcome.OnePlus had a mute switch on its phonefor years, then removed the mute switch on the OnePlus 10T. Fans were irate. The OnePlus 11 and OnePlus Open brought it back.
See! A mute switch inspires passion among fans! At the very least, Samsung could add a mute switch to the Galaxy S24, then take it away for the Galaxy S26, and from then on we could have a ‘will they or won’t they?’ drama every year about whether the next phone would have a mute switch. I’m here for it.
5. StandBy is just a glorified always-on display
The new iPhone 15 feature that I use the most often actually came with the new iOS 17, so it’s available on a lot of iPhones. TheStandBy mode turns my iPhone into a desk clockwhen it is charging and positioned in landscape mode. It’s incredibly useful, and gives me a clock with weather, notifications, or even just a photo album, instead of just a useless slab on my desk.
Samsung pioneered the always-on displayon smartphones, and itsOLEDscreens could handle the feature before fancyLTPO displayscame along. This StandBy mode is just a glorified always-on display, so it’s a shame that Samsung hasn’t stolen this feature back from Apple already. Hopefully, we’ll see it on the next Galaxy S24.
6. Call screening so I can listen and decide to answer
Applebrought back the answering machine with live voicemail. You can now listen to somebody leave a message (or at least read a transcript) and decide if you want to pick up the phone and take the call. It’s like the 80s all over again. It’s also a great way to screen calls, especially from people you care about.
Samsung should make this a part of its phone app, but let’s be careful about adding AI features. We just need a simple answering machine; we need a way to screen calls that’s better than Caller ID. We don’t need a robot or a phone that answers in my voice. Keep it simple, but get it here fast.
7. Definitely no Samsung Journal app, thanks!
Apple’s newJournal appmay be tempting to Samsung, but we have plenty of apps on our Samsung phones, thank you very much. Samsung has PenUp, a social network for artists based around the S Pen-enabled devices. It’s actually a rather fun and vibrant community. If you’ve never heard of PenUp, once again I’ve proven my point. There are too many apps, too many to keep track.
Okay, Samsung, I’ll make you a deal. You can add one new app for every three apps you remove. Take away Samsung Notes, Samsung Gallery, and Samsung Internet Browser, and I will happily accept Samsung Journal. We already have those former apps from Google, and they sync with our Google account on Android. No need for duplicates.
Then I would accept a Samsung Journal app. Who knows, it might be as good as PenUp. At the very least, it wouldn’t be a duplicate of a Google app, and it wouldn’t be trying to sell me anything. If we toss some of the junk apps, we’ll have space to try new things.
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Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, starting more than 20 years ago at eTown.com. Phil has written for Engadget, The Verge, PC Mag, Digital Trends, Slashgear, TechRadar, AndroidCentral, and was Editor-in-Chief of the sadly-defunct infoSync. Phil holds an entirely useful M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University. He sang in numerous college a cappella groups.
Phil did a stint at Samsung Mobile, leading reviews for the PR team and writing crisis communications until he left in 2017. He worked at an Apple Store near Boston, MA, at the height of iPod popularity. Phil is certified in Google AI Essentials. He has a High School English teaching license (and years of teaching experience) and is a Red Cross certified Lifeguard. His passion is the democratizing power of mobile technology. Before AI came along he was totally sure the next big thing would be something we wear on our faces.
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