Samsung = INFURIATING

I have no inside information but I will say I think it’s a security move. Some Youtube tech vloggers have intimated, some more forwardlymthan others, that the apps that remap that button are a bit suspect. I’m not sure why the apps couldn’t have just been flagged as malicious, if they were, but I think others may have quickly popped up. There might be internal code or hardware reasons too. IDK. I get mine Wednesday and it will be my first Android device after years, decades actually, of contributing to Apple’s financial benefit. I’m keeping the iPhone as well. Anyway, it may be frustrating. That’s up to you of course. But there might be reasons.

It may be a security move, it may be a Brand protection move, it may have to do with some upcoming legislation regarding the ability to contact 911 without having to unlock the phone.

Apple has offered the emergency call option for several years:

Most android phones have offered a similar ability, but there of been a lot of complaints, particularly about Samsung phones, that it’s too easy to hit this feature from the pin pad screen.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/lg-optimus-g-pro/286677-too-easy-accidentally-call-911-lock-screen.html

Lots of supposition that Samsung intended to eventually move the 911 call feature to the Bixby button. If so, they definitely wouldn’t want that changed.

But who knows? We’ll see what happens when it’s actually released.

1 Like

I can’t see how the loss of this feature would be anything close to a deal breaker for most people that buy this phone.

Since we’re just ranting about Samsung here, I called ST phone support for the first time recently. They couldn’t fix my issue. They said something about kicking it up to tier 2 phone support but couldn’t guarantee I’d get a call back, and suggested I just deal with the email support people as well. Then I got a follow-up call but it was just a survey asking “how’d we do.” I definitely let the rep know how I thought they did.

1 Like

Speaking as someone who has to have voice control as I can’t really use my hands, I do see why not having this option might cause someone to delay buying the phone.

The new AI from Samsung, Bixby, isn’t quite fully baked yet, and they only just recently announced that it will be launching without voice recognition. You’ll have to type in your queries. They do expect voice recognition to come eventually, but not at launch.

Being able to remap the Bixby button would have enabled it to be mapped to Google assistant, which does have voice recognition.

I don’t have an android phone, so I don’t really know how much different that is from “hey Google” or the other voice options, but my understanding is that that was one of the initial reasons why The independent developers involved wanted to be able to do the remapping.

Verge files this under “How to mess up your launch,” as the voice recognition features have been a big part of the early Samsung marketing materials and demos of bixby:

"Anything you can do with touch, you can do with voice” is how Samsung reps have boasted about Bixby in the lead-up to, during, and after the S8 launch event last month.

But just a week ago…

Key features of Bixby, including Vision, Home, and Reminder, will be available with the global launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8 on April 21. Bixby Voice will be available in the US on the Galaxy S8 later this spring,”

So, oops…

(Hardware is hard. Also voice recognition. :wink: )

All of which is to say, I do understand why not being able to remap the Bixby button would be a dealbreaker for some potential customers. I just also understand why Samsung might choose not to offer the remap ability.

And my advice on any electronics remains the same: buy it for the features it delivers at the time of purchase, not for anything that might be promised for the future.

2 Likes

Can you use google voice in the meantime? Bixby seems to be an ambitious product and may take a while to iron out.

Me personally? I use iOS products, the accessibility features are much better for me. That’s true for many people who are quadriparetic/quadriplegic.

1 Like

I understand. I’m committed to Apple as well. I’m just going to tey the S8 to see what all the hubub is about. I do like the ability to customize but I’m not sure it’s going to be that important after the newness wears off.

1 Like

When I first read the OPs initial message, I immediately thought about why Samsung would prevent this. Bixby is something newish to an already crowded Personal AI market. Siri, Google, and even Cortana. On my SurfacePro, Cortanta is actually pretty good. Let’s not forget that Samsung learned a lot of very painful lessons with its ill-fated and ill-designed S-Voice. Most of we long time Galaxy owners never really used it. I think it was a Center Long Button press or something like that - I do remember people trying like crazy to hack that to switch it to Google Now. Instead we installed Google and then later Cortana. So I guess I can see why they’re trying to lock this down again.

Mine is supposed to arrive on Friday. Due to a job change, I moved away from Android after many many years to the iPhone and I am ready to pull my eyebrows out. I can’t stand this device. I am very excited about the S8 but I doubt I’ll use Bixby unless it does something unique or different from the existing alternatives.

2 Likes

I fully get why Samsung would prevent re-mapping that button!
I also know that preventing people from customizing the things they purchase is, in my view, the opposite of good customer service. And therefore I will not be buying that phone. Combined with Samsung’s abysmal service in so many other regards, it’s one more reason for me to not consider buying ANY of their products.

Hurry up and return your Smartthings hub before they decide to block you from converting it into a Wink V1 Hub. Wait a minute. They are doing that on their own… #fixthelag

:grin:

Exploding phones that melt in your mouth, hands, and pockets. Washing machines that decapitate themselves. Watches that no longer charge after a couple months because of flawed design. ‘Smart’ tvs and appliances that don’t connect. Phones sold with a promise of Imminent OS upgrade, but that upgrade never materializes in three years. SmartThings hubs that promise future BT functionality but never deliver. New GAlaxy phones that ship with voice-activated assistant that, oops, is unable to voice activate yet. And when you try to get some help from them on many of these things, the company literally hangs up on you. Now add on that when you find a reason to want one of their products, they say “No we won’t allow you to use it that way” and close off that functionality.

It is my prayer that Samsung sells off SmartThings to a company that gives a damn about customer service.

1 Like

I must say this thread has confused me somewhat.
If you are continually getting appalling service from a company and continually being let down by them not honouring their promises, why would you sign up for a pre-release product that is subject to change, blowing up in your pocket, whilst charging etc.
Just wondering.

3 Likes

Wouldn’t be as fun to enjoy the new gadgets if it wasn’t for crying out loud about limitations. Without complaining there is no evolution! :smile:

I’ve complained about Apple for a decade and they rarely evolve, just copy software and hardware features Android has had for years then proceed to call themselves magical and revolutionaries. Not so sure about that statement. :grin:

2 Likes

Wonder no more. I did not sign up for anything. I simply saw the news item, and decided this would be a good moment to exhort my fellow ST enthusiasts to NOT sign up for what is certain (based on the available evidence) to be a lousy customer experience. Don’t sign up for the pre-release, and more than that definitely don’t hand your $800 over to them.

My own history with Samsung is an Exhibit 2 phone some years back that when purchased, they promised the OS/firmware would be upgraded within a few months. That never happened, and so the stuff I bought it to do could ultimately not be done (I use these gadgets as everything but a phone lol). And when I kept demanding they do as promised, they eventually hung up on me.

The second item was SmartThings. Again, a promised functionality not delivered in Bluetooth.

Third strike, Samsung is out: wife wanted a smart watch for Xmas 2015. I got her the Samsung, as it seemed very capable and it was the one she wanted. Within days of the expiration of the warranty, the charger stopped clicking in to the watch so it would not charge. Got a replacement charger… turns out the issue is the retaining mechanism in the watch itself, not the plastic tabs on the charger. So now, absent a MacGuyver ‘solution’ that drives the wife nuts because it no longer naturally aligns itself, the thing does not charge. Again I contacted Samsung to ask them to make good on what was obviously a significant design flaw (go check the web, this is an issue to most owners of this watch)… and again, the prvks hung up on me. Right after that is when news of the exploding/melting phones and shrapnel-generating washers hit the news, with Samsung originally being very reluctant to assist those customers too.

So now? Now I recommend people refuse to buy their products. Bad designs, bad implementations, bad service… it hits us right here on ST where, rather than make an effort to support the current product properly (not a knock at the ST team, but at the parent company), they instead are working on yet another new product to grab our money. I’m tired of it, so when news of them preventing folks from re-mapping the button hit I saw yet one more instance where they are just looking to hook you and grab your money while refusing to give you decent service.

So I’m denouncing them with gusto. They deserve it.

They might not deserve your money, but they get mine every time. One thing though buy Samsung for what features already has not for promises. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Just remember, have what you need and need what you have!

oh and I have a cheap fix for your wife’s watch…she only charges it once a day…so clamp it!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000224BW/ref=pd_aw_fbt_469_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZC7VYQF2RQR4F1XRCWYN

Actually, the road to hell is paved with glazed brick. I’ve seen it.

5 Likes

Quite true.

This issue is not limited to Samsung, but is endemic in the industry. Vice Presidents are measured on ability to ship product, regardless if it works. Their mantra is, “Ship it and fix it later, when/if the customer discovers the flaws!”

Prior to my retirement a year ago, I was adding a feature to a product. There was another, similar, variation that was on the product roadmap. I pressed to do both features at the same time. The code was almost identical – it required only configuration/setup additions and minor support code. My estimate was (literally) about an hour of my time!

Management answer, “No! We don’t have time for that now! Ship it the way it is!!!”

Fast-forward a few months into my retirement. They call me. “We hired a guy to take over this product. Can you teach him how to add (the additional feature)?” Now understand, I’d given them five months notice of my impending retirement and a clear roadmap to hiring & training my replacement. Think they followed any of my suggestions? No!

But, the VP met his quarterly quota of shipments :rage:

2 Likes

Is this Bill Gates?

I hope you gave your consulting terms and made $150k like you could have for that kind of engagement! :smiley: