Galaxy M12: Is Samsung unable to make cheap phones?

[Redaktion]

For years, Samsung has been the leader when it comes to high-end smartphones, at least as far as the Android market is concerned. But the review of the Galaxy M12 once again showed that the manufacturer prefers to settle for mediocrity when it comes to budget phones.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Galaxy-M12-Is-Samsung-unable-to-make-cheap-phones.543674.0.html

[Fred]

The biggest problem with Samsung devices isn't the hardware, it's the software. The company is afflicted with Not Invented Here syndrome, replacing every piece of Google software that it possibly can, regardless of how well the Google stuff works - or how well the Samsung replacements... don't. And why? Because the heads in charge at Samsung feel that the users of their devices should not have their privacy and data monetized by a corporate entity? That may be the popular line. But, from using one for several months... One has developed the strong impression that (those in charge at) Samsung wants to BE that corporate entity. I own a Galaxy A51 5G and the hardware (with a few obvious caveats) is fine. As for its software... Text entry is often slower than on the last flip phone that I owned, because I have the choice of either tapping in one letter at a time, or of entering text via the accepted way on an Android OS cell phone - and then going back and correcting 15% to 30% of the words. Anyone considering the purchase of one should borrow a friend's so they can run Samsung's app store and take a look at the ratings and reviews of the pre-installed Samsung-branded replacements (of the stock Android apps) that they'll be using if they do purchase one. I still feel that the quality of the OLED display (but not its oddball aspect ratio), the fact that it wasn't made in the PRC, and its ability to "spoof" old fashioned magnetic strip credit card readers that aren't equipped with NFC radios make the device worth owning. But, some days, it's a very close call.

[Mayogisense]

Since 2016 Samsung ignored the midrange smartphones because wrong assessment of more profits by the premium range devices. And today Samsung lost the ground of entry level and midrange smartphone segment.
People are not so foolish as Samsung thinks.

[S.Yu]

I had to go check out how slow it was and...it's not very slow. I don't think people buying these phones will be able to afford 40Mb/s broadband, nor are public WiFi that fast. It's fast enough anyhow, most of my torrents don't download nearly as fast and you have even less of a need for high speed on mobile.

The biggest problem with Samsung devices isn't the hardware, it's the software. The company is afflicted with Not Invented Here syndrome, replacing every piece of Google software that it possibly can, regardless of how well the Google stuff works - or how well the Samsung replacements... don't. And why? Because the heads in charge at Samsung feel that the users of their devices should not have their privacy and data monetized by a corporate entity? That may be the popular line. But, from using one for several months... One has developed the strong impression that (those in charge at) Samsung wants to BE that corporate entity. I own a Galaxy A51 5G and the hardware (with a few obvious caveats) is fine. As for its software... Text entry is often slower than on the last flip phone that I owned, because I have the choice of either tapping in one letter at a time, or of entering text via the accepted way on an Android OS cell phone - and then going back and correcting 15% to 30% of the words. Anyone considering the purchase of one should borrow a friend's so they can run Samsung's app store and take a look at the ratings and reviews of the pre-installed Samsung-branded replacements (of the stock Android apps) that they'll be using if they do purchase one. I still feel that the quality of the OLED display (but not its oddball aspect ratio), the fact that it wasn't made in the PRC, and its ability to "spoof" old fashioned magnetic strip credit card readers that aren't equipped with NFC radios make the device worth owning. But, some days, it's a very close call.

"Not invented here syndrome", wow, tell that to the Chinese companies  ;D