Samsung Has an Eventful Day of Copying Apple Products
Samsung announced a perfect summer quintet of products on Wednesday, live from its Unpacked event in Paris: the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Buds 3. I’ve stopped caring about Samsung’s foldable smartphones because they mainly have turned into iterative marketing ploys rather than beta versions of promising phones, so this year hasn’t gotten me particularly excited. My favorite and perhaps the most memorable Z Fold update was the second generation, announced in 2020, which brought significant display improvements to the cover and inner screens as well as better battery life and durability, but for the past four years, Samsung has followed a vicious cycle of rinsing and repeating the age-old normal phone strategy: update the processor, add some more megapixels to the camera, switch up the colors, hike the price, and that is the next generation. That cycle isn’t inherently bad, it just kills any hope for actually useful and practical foldable phones.
Here’s Allison Johnson, who, for The Verge describes iteration No. 4 of this pattern:
If you had any remaining hopes, despite leak upon leak, that Samsung’s foldables would get a major update this year, then I hate to be the bearer of bad news. They’re a little more durable, a little lighter, and come with a handful of tiny upgrades. Even so, both models got a boost of a certain kind: higher prices, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 now starting at $1,899 and the Z Flip 6 at $1,099.
Both phones use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset specially tuned for Samsung, and like the S24 series, they both include seven years of OS and security update support. They’re both a little bit sturdier, claiming better resistance to drops thanks to improvements to the hinge design and materials. The inner flexible glass is also more durable, and both phones are now rated IP48. That definitely looks better on paper than the previous IPX8 rating — the X indicating a lack of dust resistance — but the “4” only means the devices are officially protected from foreign objects of 1mm and greater, not against dust.
The cover display of the Z Fold 6’s aspect ratio has changed slightly to be more comfortable, but that is entirely it. Oh, and, of course, it sells for an astonishingly high $1,900. Why anyone would buy this version of a nearly $2,000 smartphone when last year’s model is practically the same — even down to the camera system — I don’t understand. Refurbished Z Fold 5 models will probably sell for much cheaper; I’ve seen “regular” phone upgrades more innovative than this.
The Z Flip 6’s cover screen measures 3.4 inches, same as the Z Flip 5, and it’s now significantly smaller than the 4.0-inch screen on this year’s Motorola Razr Plus. Samsung hasn’t focused a lot of energy on outer screen software improvements, either — there are new smart reply suggestions when responding to messages from the cover screen, more options for widgets on the cover panel, and some new interactive wallpapers that respond to the movements of your phone.
That’s great, Samsung is being beat out by Motorola of all companies, and all of the new features are software-related. And, of course, a price increase for more memory, a larger battery, and more storage, all of which the more expensive Z Fold 6 omits — but the latter still gets a price increase.
There’s also a new “sketch to image” feature that uses AI to turn S Pen doodles into images, and interpreter mode gets an update to take advantage of the foldable form factor to display translations on the cover and inner screens.
“Sketch to image” reminds me of Apple’s “Magic Wand” feature, but it was probably conceived earlier.
Speaking of carrying an unusual resemblance to Apple products, the Galaxy Watch Ultra. It might be a real mystery where Samsung found the “Ultra” name for its watch to some — and the Samsung fanboys will certainly be the first to point out that Samsung used “Ultra” first, not Apple — but what isn’t a mystery is where the company picked up on design cues. Victoria Song, reporting for The Verge:
Last month, Samsung announced a cheaper, entry-level Galaxy Watch FE. And today, it announced a refreshed $299.99 Galaxy Watch 7 and the all-new $649.99 Galaxy Watch Ultra. It doesn’t take a genius to see that Samsung’s taking a page from Apple’s smartwatch playbook — and nowhere is that more obvious than with the new Ultra.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra replaces the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro as the premium smartwatch in Samsung’s lineup. Like that watch, this one caters to the outdoor athlete. But whereas the Pro had its own distinct vibe, the Ultra isn’t exactly hiding where it got its inspiration from.
I’m not exaggerating or being a hater, either. It’s in the name! Apple Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch Ultra. Everything about this watch is reminiscent of Apple’s. Samsung says this is its most durable watch yet, with 10ATM of water resistance, an IP68 rating, a titanium case, and a sapphire crystal lens. There’s a new orange Quick Button that launches shortcuts to the workout app, flashlight, water lock, and a few other options. (There is a lot of orange styling.) It’s got a new lug system for attaching straps that looks an awful lot like Apple’s, too.
Just look at the watch: Go to The Verge and look at the image or watch the YouTube video. This is not homework copying from that old joke, this is plagiarism and copyright infringement. The watch, down to the orange accent color plastered throughout the buttons, bands, and software, is a one-for-one replica of the Apple Watch Ultra, aside from the slightly more rounded corner radius. Samsung’s watch is a squircle, and Apple’s is a square for all intents and purposes. Other than the minor semantics, both products look exactly the same, only one came two years before the other. How is this legal? Are there no copyright laws in South Korea? It is almost uncanny how similar these products are, and it truly segments Samsung’s name as a blatant rip-off artist just like Xiaomi, which copies Apple’s software features down to the pixel.
Samsung is the second largest smartphone maker in the world, and it had the audacity to pirate Apple’s design so unashamedly that it makes the company look like a cheap Chinese-state subsidized spy agency disguised as a legitimate corporation. I remember when Samsung was original in its designs just a few years ago and people were in awe at how it beat Apple to the punch every year in innovative, feature-packed, lust-worthy products. For a while, Samsung was at the top and Apple was the one playing catch-up, but that is no longer the case not because there isn’t more room for improvement, but because Samsung has decided to play cheap games instead of doing its job. This rip-off branding is South Korea’s finest now, and it is truly unbelievable and upsetting.
It’s also not totally fair to call this an Apple Watch Ultra knockoff. Samsung does bring its own flavor. The 47mm titanium case is a squircle shape. Next to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the squircle shape was chonkier overall. I had mixed feelings as to the style — I miss the rotating bezel!
Is Song kidding her readers? Samsung eliminated a feature from its flagship smartwatch just so it could emulate Apple, but stopped halfway so that it wouldn’t be sued. This is a new low for this company and I do understand how anyone can make excuses for it. Samsung didn’t put a spin on anything, it just tried not to get caught, and it failed laughably. It is as if the company fired its entire marketing department and brought in junior interns with amateur Photoshop skills to copy Apple’s products and give them new names. This is not just imitation, it is thievery.
This isn’t even the worst of Wednesday’s theft. Chris Welch, reporting for The Verge:
Alongside its latest folding phones and wearables, Samsung is introducing the new Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Galaxy Buds 3. As leaks (and early sales) confirmed, the company has moved away from the subtle in-ear design of past generations to a stemmed look that gives these an AirPods-esque look and feel — especially in white. Both earbuds also come in a gunmetal gray finish that, combined with the angular “blade” design, makes me think of Tesla’s Cybertruck. But there’s no denying the overall similarities to Apple’s massively popular AirPods.
Samsung’s press release says the switch was the direct result of “a variety of collected statistical data” that showed a stem form factor produces better comfort and in-ear stability. So, here we are. I’ll miss the vibrant purple Buds 2 Pro, not to mention the bean-shaped Buds Live.
To see Samsung’s design team go so far in the other direction and settle on such a familiar, same-y design here is rather disappointing, though it’s possible the end product will be significantly better because of it. The Galaxy Bud controls are also now basically identical to those of the AirPods Pro, with pinch gestures for play / pause / track and swipes.
This “statistical data” can be chalked up to navigating to the AirPods section of Apple’s website, putting it up on a projector at Samsung’s headquarters, and then saying, “Hmm,” before taking a screenshot and sending it to the factory. Again, this is another shameless rip-off with no explanation given for the striking similarities between the two competitors. Look at the images: the standard Galaxy Buds 3 look almost exactly like third-generation AirPods from 2021 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are similar to AirPods Pro down to the silicone ear tips. Even the charging cases are alike: They’re both made of white, glossy plastic and have an indicator light at the center.
Samsung used to make innovative in-ear monitors, beginning with the Galaxy Buds Live, which were bean-shaped to mimic the soundstage of open-back over-ear headphones. They weren’t the best, but reviewers loved them for their unique design and form factor. While the AirPods Pro were still a better product overall, the Galaxy Buds Live were an extraordinary example of true innovation, whereas Samsung’s current-day products are poorly made knock-offs based on the world’s most successful technology brand. Clearly, the new strategy is working for the company’s financials, but it is a net loss for consumers to be faced with two brands whose products look the same.
Samsung also revealed the Galaxy Ring, its competitor to the Oura Ring, after teasing it at the last Galaxy Unpacked in January. Again, Victoria Song, reporting for The Verge:
Right off the bat, the Galaxy Ring hardware is quite nice, though its overall design doesn’t stray too far from other smart rings… It comes in three colors: gold, silver, and black. All have a titanium frame and look fetching, but like a magpie, I found myself partial to the gold, as it had the shiniest finish. I can’t quite speak to the durability yet, but it’s got 10ATM of water resistance and an IP68 rating.
At 7mm wide and 2.6mm thick, it felt slimmer when worn right next to my Oura Ring, though that might be because the ring itself is slightly concave. It’s also lightweight, though not noticeably so compared to other smart rings. It weighs between 2.3 and 3g, depending on the size. Speaking of sizes, there are nine total, ranging from size five to 13.
But while the Galaxy Ring didn’t stand out from the other smart rings on my finger, its charging case is eye-catching. Samsung isn’t the first to put a smart ring in a charging case, but the ones I’ve seen don’t have this futuristic transparent design and LED situation going on…
Like the Oura Ring and the vast majority of currently available smart rings, this is primarily meant to be an alternative, more discreet health tracker. If you were hoping for something that can give notifications or has silent alarms like earlier smart rings — you’re out of luck. There are no vibration motors, LED light indicators, or anything like that. As for sensors, you get an accelerometer, optical heart rate sensor (including green, red, and infrared LEDs), and skin temperature sensor. Broadly, you’ll be able to track sleep, heart rate data, and activity, though Samsung is introducing some new Galaxy AI-powered metrics to the mix.
I’ve never really understood the concept of smart rings, but for $400, this one is overpriced and only viable with Samsung phones. (It does work with other Android phones, but the feature set is narrow.) Maybe the Justice Department should sue Samsung for locking its wearable devices to its popular smartphones next since harassing technology companies seems to be global governments’ largest priority despite the myriad geopolitical, economic, and social threats the world faces daily. The ring also doesn’t have nearly as many functions as the Oura Ring, showcasing that adding artificial intelligence to a product doesn’t necessarily mean it is more intelligent. Energy Score, much like Oura, uses Galaxy AI — Samsung’s bespoke AI suite — to use various vitals collected by the device to provide a readiness score each day. The ring also displays live heart rate readings, can track sleep, and can read skin temperature.
The biggest advantage the Galaxy Ring has over Oura is Samsung itself and the brand exposure that comes with it. This ring is made for Samsung users, so people who already own Samsung phones will be inclined to purchase it over the Oura Ring, especially since it doesn’t require a subscription and integrates with Samsung’s other fitness and health offerings. Moreover, from what I have seen, Oura is a relatively small and obscure start-up and cannot be trusted, whereas I have relative faith in Samsung maintaining support for this product — not as much faith as I would have in Apple, but enough. Personally, that guarantee is enough for me to spend $400 on this product, but I don’t use Android so I have no use for it. From Unpacked on Wednesday, this is the only device that seems to have a solid footing.