Should you switch from Spotify to YouTube Music? Here's
Should you switch from Spotify to YouTube Music? Here's
Youtube Music vs Spotify : YoutubeMusic - reddit
YouTube Music vs Spotify - SoundGuys
YouTube Music vs. Spotify vs. Apple Music - reddit
What Is YouTube Premium, and Is It Worth It?
YouTube Music vs. Spotify: Which is the better streaming
youtube premium vs spotify reddit
youtube premium vs spotify reddit - win
[ERGEBNISSE] BEST OF THE YEAR 2020 - SUBREDDIT-EDITION!
Bis zuletzt hat uns 2020 abgefuckt! Hätte jemand letztes Jahr um diese Zeit gesagt, wie die nächsten Monate werden würden, hätte man es nicht glauben wollen. Aber scheiß drauf, wir wollen mit euch nach vorne schauen, indem wir noch ein paar mal auf die schönen Momente zurückblicken. Danke für ein interessantes Jahr voller Einreichungen und Diskussionen. Danke für die Unterhaltungen auf Augenhöhe (meistens) und das Unterstützen unserer Arbeit durch Reports oder Zurechtweisungen. Danke für den nicen eigenen Content! Wir sind gespannt, was uns nächstes Jahr alles erwarten wird.
Hinweis: Ich habe jede Kategorie dreimal neu geladen und dann den Mittelwert bestimmt, da Reddits Votingsystem einen Manipulations-Schutz hat. Da ihr jetzt alle Kategorien einsehen (und voten) könnt, stimmen die Zahlen vermutlich nicht mehr überein.
Henning May vs Döll (47 Punkte)! Die Quarantäne hat so allen Künstler:innen einen Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht. Man musste also kreativ werden. Einen interessanten Weg ging Yassin: Er streamte auf Twitch, produzierte live, sprach über Beats, veranstaltete kleine Challenges und kam so in den Genuss einer stabilen Zuschauerschaft. Einer der Höhepunkte war das Gast-Battle zwischen Henning May und Döll. Beide erhielten Zeit, um einen Part zu schreiben und ihn dann vorzutragen. Die Unterhaltung war garantiert! Link
Wir wissen, dass Battles gerade vor Ort eine schwere Zeit durchleben. S/o an alle, die stabil bleiben. Grüße gehen auch raus an das Mammut-Remix-Projekt von DLTLLY. Alle Battle-Einreichungen könnt ihr hier sehen.
🏆Der beste Post im Sub war für euch... 🏆
Ich hasse euch von u/artyvyd. (102 Punkte) Hier traf Shitposting auf die wohl treffendste Beschreibung unseres Subs, wenn wir uns mal wieder selbst beweihräuchern. Das OG-Keemo-Meme ist allen bekannt und hoffentlich bald endlich durch. Danke für die Tirade, wir haben sie genossen - oder wie sagt u/Larmoyanz so gerne? Er hasst alles an diesem Post. Link
Kennt ihr den Song von Samra von u/Lord-Loerres (79 Punkte) Ursprünglich mit Frage-Flair, entspann sich innerhalb kürzester Zeit eine (Sinn-)Suche nach dem Sound von Samra. Der Lörres-Lord fragte wie noch einmal der Samra-Song hieße "indem er über den Sheytan, Autos, Zigaretten, Kokain und Gucci rappt, "Raaaaaaa" schreit und Gott um Vergebung bittet" und die Community antwortet.Link
Symba (139 Punkte). Zugegeben, er ist nicht direkt 2020 erst auf den Schirm gelandet - hat aber in dem Jahr absolut abgeräumt! Egal ob Angels sippen, Mario Run oder Battlefield Freestyle - man bekommt das Gefühl, dass Symba alles was er anfässt zu Rapgold verwandelt. Es verwundert mich deshalb nicht, wenn er dieses Jahr mit deutlichem Abstand zum besten Newcomer des Jahres gewählt wurde.Link
Funkvater Frank - Malik (mit OG Keemo) (77 Punkte). Keine Bestenliste ohne das ikonische Duo! Franky hat es geschafft, noch kurz vor Jahresende einen absoluten Überbeat rauszuhauen. Als erste Single-Auskopplung für das erscheinende Album "Mann beißt Hund" schafft Franky es, sich seinen eigenen Signature-Sound beizubehalten und dabei weitere zeitaktuelle Einflüsse mit einzubinden. Link
Alles von Manuellsen. Es ist quasi der Award für sein Lebenswerk (174 Punkte). Was war das bitte für ein Jahr für den Herren, an dessen Tisch nicht gelogen wird? Highlight war wohl der unberechtigte Ausfall gegen den Publikumsliebling Willi Wetzel (aka Willi wills wissen) aufgrund eines schlechten Videozusammenschnitts. Aber auch sonst lief abseits der Musik einiges mächtig schief. Hoffen wir, dass er sich wieder fängt.
Eno mit der "Deutschrap ist fresher denn je"-Geschichte (144 Punkte)
Ali As' Twitter-Rampage gegen TUA, Juicy Gay, 3Plusss usw. (92 Punkte)
Pashanim – Airwaves (93 Punkte). Der aktuelle Top-Comment auf Youtube lautet: "Die sehen alle einfach aus wie die Kinder in französischen Schulbüchern aus der 7. Klasse." Dass das keinen negativen Einfluss auf Pashanims Durchstarten hat, zeigen die Views und die Liebe hier im Sub. Der Song trägt durch ein scheiß Jahr, den Vibe haben einfach alle gefühlt. Die Leichtigkeit des Beats gepaart mit gefühlt Geschichten aus seinem Leben tragen Pashanim auf Platz 1 unseres Track-Votings!Link
Haftbefehl - Das weiße Album (101 Punkte). "Wie oft kann man eigentlich in einer Bestenliste auftauchen, aber immer ganz knapp Platz 1 verpassen?" Das war der Grundtenor, als ich die Listen hier festmachte. Aber glücklicherweise gibt es dieses Happy End: Haftbefehls "Das weiße Album" ist unser Album des Jahres geworden. Es vermischt klassischen Hafti-Sound mit neuen Einflüssen. Es erlaubt mutige Features und bahnbrechende Beats. Worauf die Weißheit des Albums alles bezogen werden kann, verdeutlicht sich zwischen Bolon und 1999 Pt. 6 vielfältig. Fest steht: Das 5. Studioalbum des Offenbachers wird uns noch einige Winter wärmen!
Halt stop, das war nur der erste Jahresrückblick! Wir wollten es dieses mal noch genauer wissen und haben gemeinsam mit Leuten aus unserem Sub uns zusammengesetzt und einen "Kritiker"-Rückblick erstellt. Dieser wird in den nächsten Wochen Stück für Stück veröffentlicht und enthält - nachdem wir uns alle durch unsere jeweiligen Favoriten hörten (etwa 30h Alben & Tracks), Top-Listen mit Kommentaren der "Jury". Bleibt geschmeidig!
👑 P.S.: Reddit-Premium-Gewinner:innen:
Bevor sich nun alle wieder zerstreuen, wollen wir die Gewinner:innen bekanntgeben, welche sich in den Einreichphasen qualifizierten. Zusätzlich dachten wir uns, dass definitiv die Threadersteller:innen vom besten Meme sowie dem besten Post gewürdigt werden sollen. Hinweis: Reddit schüttet die Coins für das Premium uns Mods erst Ende Januar aus, es dauert also noch etwas, bis ihr euren Gewinn erhaltet! Er erhalten Reddit-Premium weil sie es wollten:
u/Utrenyaya für "Coole Votings, doch was dank dir Penner hier fehlt /Wieso wird nicht auch das beste Rap-Battle gewählt? "
u/SAM11880 für " Die Bitch hat einen festen Freund / Doch fickt schon für paar Reddit Coins "
I'm not tired of Android, but I'm tired of Google neglecting Android
After 10 years on Android, I'm tired of Google. I'm not tired of Android itself; this isn't a post about me trying to validate switching to another OS (*cough* iOS). I'm tired of the mess that Google has allowed Android to become. To begin, here's a list of smartphones that I've owned (or at least remember owning; a decade is a long time):
- HTC Evo 4G - Samsung Galaxy S II (Sprint) - iPhone 4S (for like 2 weeks before running back to the S2) - HTC Evo 3D - Google Nexus S - Google Galaxy Nexus - Samsung Galaxy S III (Unlocked) - Samsung Galaxy S4 - HTC One X (briefly) - Motorola Moto X (original) - Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - Samsung Galaxy Note 4 - Google Nexus 6 - Motorola Moto X 2015 - Google Nexus 6P - Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (Unlocked) - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (Unlocked) - OnePlus 6 (Still have it in my drawer) - Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (Current phone)
About me: I'm in my late 20s and I'm in the US. I use most of Google's core products/offerings - Gmail, Photos, Drive, GPM/YTM/YT Premium, etc. The beauty of Android is that you have choice and, for the most part, control over what you do and what you use. For example, I'm not really sold on Pixels because I find them to be too limited for my liking (e.g. no expandable storage, no headphone jack, etc). But there are people who find the Pixel to be great, because it does fit their needs. And that's awesome. On iOS, all you've got is the iPhone, and tough luck if you don't like its features. I've used Android instead of iOS (for the past 10 years) because it allows me to do more and fits my daily routines better. Having real file management, and letting apps work in the background (Photos backups, Spotify downloads, etc) is great. But in terms of Google products and their image as a company, I'm just so jaded and burnt out by them. I find myself looking for alternatives to their products now more than ever.
One of the first times I jumped ship from a Google service was from Google Play Music to Spotify. While I had personal music uploaded, I mostly used GPM like one would Spotify or Apple Music -- for new music and curated playlists. The service was mostly great despite not having any official desktop app, but Google really let the Android app get old and buggy. Swiping through songs on the Now Playing screen, or even scrolling through playlists caused rubberbanding, unrelated to device performance. Songs would randomly not play. Etc. Most of my friends were on Spotify anyway, so switching made it easier for us to trade songs and playlists. I switched and haven't looked back. And I'm glad that I haven't, because YouTube Music is a mess. I still have a GPM/YTM subscription because of the introductory pricing, and I've tried the service. It lacks common sense features like sorting on the web interface, and overall just feels like a YouTube audio player skin because of the way it looks and behaves. But I guess that's what I should expect from "YouTube Music".
Another example was switching to the Outlook Android app for my Gmail accounts. What made me do it initially was Google killing Inbox (RIP) and taking their sweet time rolling out dark mode for Gmail (despite their other apps both randomly supporting and not supporting dark mode). But I found that Outlook was a lot more focused and cleaner, on top of offering a true dark (AMOLED) mode. I also don't have any ads in my inbox anymore. Everything just works, and I always get notified of important emails, unlike with the Gmail app that didn't give me any notifications half the time.
But those are just random examples of Google apps; why am I here complaining about Google's Android altogether? Well, in my 10 years of using Android, I've seen it improve, both aesthetically and functionally. But I've also seen Google shift focus from bettering the ecosystem for everyone to making change for the sake of change, and not addressing major painpoints for both users and developers. Here are just some examples of things I think need addressing in Android altogether:
In the literal decade I've been using Android, we still don't have a proper, native, fully-inclusive backup and restore system. iOS has had this since Day 1. The best you can do is root and use Titanium Backup (which is fairly hit and miss, especially when restoring on a different device). Or you can use an OEM application which never includes app data for 3rd party apps
We're past the $1,000 USD mark for flagship devices with barely adequate software support. Even flagship "killers", like OnePlus are charging about as much. And for what, 2 years of support on average? If you buy a cheaper device, like a Moto G, not only do you lose common features (like NFC), but you either get 1 or no major updates. Again, I'm not advocating that people go out and buy an iPhone. But, completely separate from that, what is the point of investing in short-lived devices anymore? They continue to function perfectly fine, but they are no longer updated, which is important when Google fixes bugs or adds new APIs for common features in their version updates. And if you've got a locked bootloader (which is most major flagships sold in the US, at least), you're screwed out of aftermarket support
For the most part, you can either buy a Pixel for an extra (3 total) Android version updates. Or you can buy a more fully-featured device (e.g. Samsung Galaxy whatever) and put up with only 2 major Android updates, but you have most of the next version of Android's features already. You can argue that, since Google is developing the entire OS, they should be providing more than 3 years of support (and OEMs more than 2, for sure). Especially when Apple provides 5. Either way, perfectly capable devices are having their support dropped, and Google won't do anything about it. I understand that Google doesn't control Qualcomm or the other OEMs, but they're also a multi-billion dollar corporation that develops and controls and entire ecosystem. Do something impactful about it. I mean, fuck, they were able to force OEMs to add "powered by Android" on their bootscreens. One cannot claim that Android is about choice, while also saying that the Pixel is the only acceptable device for people to buy
The OEMs are leading in terms of common-sense features. Samsung and other OEMs have had things like scrolling screenshots, screen recording (WITH internal + microphone audio), customizable task changer, etc. Google, meanwhile, introduces these features several years later, and they're often broken, half-baked, or inferior to the ones they are derived from. I don't understand why a company with the size and resources of Google isn't leading the pack and integrating these features into the core OS from the get-go. Yeah, it's become kind of a meme at this point, where non-Pixel users say that they've had such and such feature for a while, and Pixel users argue that it's better that it comes from Google because then it's available to everyone. That last part is true, but it doesn't apply when a lot of devices are being left behind in terms of Android updates and Google takes forever to add those features
Collections of minor Android changes/fixes are being labeled and released as entire version changes. Once upon a time, Google used to release Android 4.4, 4.4.1, 4.4.2, etc with fixes and minor new features. Now, it's Android 8.0, 9.0, 10, 11, etc. This, combined with most flagship devices only promising two major Android updates, means that most devices will never see updated system-wide APIs (RCS?) and features because "Android 10.1" is being released as "Android 11". Even Apple does it the old school way to this day; for the most part only their major OS updates are labeled with a full number (e.g. iOS 14)
RCS still doesn't have an API, ~5 years after RCS was announced. You're still stuck using either Google Messages (which is just another app for most people to download) or praying that your carrieOEM messaging app has RCS built in (99% don't). Yes, I also use Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger. But RCS is supposed to be universal and just work without needing to download any additional apps (which people in some parts of the world don't want to do in order to talk to one person). Apple is/was supposed to implement RCS, but with even Google barely doing a good job, I can see why they're hesitant/dragging their feet. This seems trivial to the rest of the world, but in the US most people you encounter have an iPhone, which will default to SMS when messaging an Android user. So most people end up inadvertently using SMS. SMS sucks for everyone, and RCS is supposed to be the new lowest-common-communication method for everyone
Google is still a "faceless" company in terms of support, and developers often have no idea why their apps are taken off the Play Store. Google will also randomly ban people's entire Google accounts for vague reasons, such as "being used in a way that violates Google's policies" (without explaining what happened), or simply Google associating you with someone else who has "done so." Example (and this one was resolved). So developers end up not taking Android as seriously as iOS because, while the barrier to entry is lower (e.g. no $99/year Developer Account), you're really not getting much, if any support, and your account can get shut down at any time
If you do own or are able to buy a Pixel, features are restricted by country. Actually, scratch that; it's not just the Pixel. A lot of Google's apps/features/products/services are simply not available outside the US. That leads to people buying other devices, which usually end up being cheaper anyway while performing the same or better. Meanwhile, if you buy an iPhone anywhere in the world, not only can you get physical, in-person support almost anywhere in the world, but the phone performs just about the same regardless of where you're located
We don't have a standardized IMS (VoLTE/Wifi Calling) framework, which means that you have to cross your fingers that devices brought from one carrier to another fully function on their network. This isn't an issue with iOS, even if you argue that Apple is only supporting a single OS on a handful of phones. This is really important, because you need it to work in order to call and text over LTE (and soon 5G) as 2G and 3G networks are recycled into LTE and 5G (which is currently happening)
Carriers are still allowed to modify/add/remove system components on devices, and still control/gatekeep the updates on many of them. This is especially bad in the US vs the rest of the world, because carriers have even more control here. So now you have multiple SKUs of the same device, meaning they're often treated as entirely different devices. Again, not an issue on iOS as a SIM lock is really all that they're allowed to do. Even Google allows this with their own phones, as Verizon and DoComo have an entirely different set of Pixel SKUs with locked bootloaders and purposely-disabled LTE bands. Verizon even disabled eSIM for the longest time because they didn't want people using other carriers
So I'm here, stuck in the middle. I don't know what the solution is for all of this is other than Google restructuring their Android division or something. None of their app developers seem to speak with each other, and Android feels very "self-service"/"you're on your own". I don't root my phones anymore, especially because Google punishes people who do (SafetyNet / hardware attestation incoming), nor do I want to rely on XDA/homebrew apps to do the things the core OS should do. I really think that Google needs to get their shit together. Not just with Android, but this is /Android, and Android is supposed to be a "platter" for their services. The more I visit reddit and read blogs like Android Police, the more I see comments from people simply burnt out and giving up. Even the site authors are putting out articles praising Apple's long-term support and adding of features (because they're the only real alternative mobile OS). Does anyone else feel similar? Edit: I also want to add the random A/B testing (when some users get new features like dark mode, and others don't) and beta-like updates; frequently Google puts out updates that break something, particularly on Pixel devices, but also for their apps themselves.
Old granny yells at the trainstation " You youngsters are not exemplary at all"
What's up reader First of all how i found to this place? I found this reddit over youtube and from my older brother and i like it realy much :3. I watched some vid's and thinked to tell some story's wich happend to me :3 Oh and I'm from germany so pls don't be so mad about my englisch, my englisch is not the yellow from the egg ^^" Anyway now to the story It was a monday, i had late layer and so i had the chance to make my day's chilled, i had the chance to sleep out, making breakfast and all this stuff. Then around 11:30 clock and i maked my way to the trainstation, to my bad i didn't had Spotify premium anymore and had no money to get new premium (Btw, i have Autism 50% and it explain some reaktions ^^") and so was the way to the trainstation a little bit stressful, it wasn't a long way but anyway. I arrived the station met a friend who worked with me at the same place, he is a rly nice guy and is the same way derpy like me. Lost in our idea to buy in the future a locomotive (Yes we are rly thinking about that) and talking about some other stuff. But then it happens, i heard a lady yelling: EG: PUT YOUR DAMM MASK ON Then i saw the old lady yelling to 3 guys who didn't had theyer mask on and one of them said G: Ok ok whe are doing itEG: You youngsters are the reason why corona isn't gone yet!!! Aaand this was the moment where i was a little bit annoyed and answered in a light stressed tone Me: This could have been said a little more politely! And man i wish i didn't said these words... EG: You youngsters don't care about the older people, making home party's and all this other shit and this is why corona isn't gone yet Classic Boomer vs youngsters conversation, at this moment i was so annoyed that i yelled at her Me: Oh rly? All youngsters are bad? Do you think i'm making these shitty corona party's or whatever they called? And what about these stupid corona demonstrations in Berlin? And which age groups are predominant there? Right, the same people in the age of your's, but hey calling all youngsters stupid and useless is simpler right? Then i turned my back to her and said "Cunt" and everyone was then quiet at last, then I apologized to my friend because i was so scared he was scared from me but he said with a little smile "Don't worry, you tried to defend the boys", but then our train came and we wen't to work. Ps: I know how i reacted was totally wrong, not a single women on this planet should be called cunt, but this women maked me so angry, that i couldn't resist and i hope i don't meat a person like this anymore buuuut i live in germany and whe have a lot of this people. So yeah this was my little story and i know it's nothing big, but i wanted to share this with you and pls be a bit chilled about my englisch, i promise it's getting better ^^Anyway i wish you all a great day and a safe one :3 (Whenever you read this)
Beginners' Guide Part II: FPL Glossary and Useful Links
Hey everyone! It's me again, back with Part II of my Beginners' Guide. Part I kinda got swept under all the chaos of the game going live, so here it is for reference again. As I've mentioned, in this post, I'll be sharing some of the common terms we use in the community, as well as some links which will aid you in your FPL journey! These links can actually be found on the sidebar, but with new Reddit it's not as accessible, so I've listed them here for you to check them out! Once again, this post is more for those who are new to FPL in general, or new to the subreddit. For long-timers, maybe the useful links at the bottom are worth checking out if you already haven't done so before. The next post onwards should contain more useful tips, so stay tuned for that!
Common Acronyms
OR: Overall Rank Most elite managers would aim for a top 10k finish; if they do achieve their targets, they’re skilled at the game, but should they fall short, then they'll say that the game is just all about luck :p RMT: Rate My Team FT(s): Free Transfer(s) ITB: In the Bank When you’re posting your team for others to critique, you can ask someone to RMT, and you’d also include the number of FTs you have remaining as well as how much ITB you have so that others can help you easily. (e.g. RMT please! 1 FT 0.2 ITB) EDIT: If you want someone to RMT in this subreddit, post a comment under the pinned daily thread instead of creating your own post. This helps to reduce clutter in the subreddit, and you can also read through other peoples’ teams to give yourself an idea of who others are choosing and which questions have already been asked! TV: Team Value Everyone starts with a Team Value of 100M, but this can change during the season due to price changes. BB FH TC WC Chip names! Chips are used during the season to hopefully gain an advantage. More on that in a separate post... When people add a number after the chip, it signals which GW they’re planning to use those chips in (e.g. WC4 means they’re planning to use their WC in GW4) BGW / DGW: Blank Gameweeks / Double Gameweeks Blank Gameweeks occur when for some reason a fixture cannot be played in the original GW it was scheduled, usually as a result of cup matches (FA Cup QFs and SFs which clash with the weekend games) Players who are in a team which has a BGW automatically scores 0 points. These matches are rescheduled into another GW, hence forming a Double Gameweek for the teams affected. Players in teams with a DGW will get points for both matches played in that one GW! ITK: In-the-Know ITKs are basically people who have connections with the clubs, and can sometimes leak injury news or early team sheets. Be careful though, some of the leaked team sheets might be fake... BPS: Bonus Points System BPS is used to track and reward the players’ involvement in the game. Players will accumulate points during the game, and at the end of every game, Bonus Points are given out. Typically, the 3 best performing players from each match will receive BPs. (3, 2, 1) OOP / POO: Out-of-Position players and reverse OOP players Look out for players who play in a different position than listed in the game; OOP players are pretty valuable, for example a forward listed as a midfielder gets 1 more point for every goal he scores and 1 point for every CS as well. In contrast, POO players should be avoided since they are disadvantaged—they score one less point per goal and don’t get the extra CS points. xG xA PPG PPG/M VAPM... Different metrics used to evaluate whether to bring a player in or not. xG stands for Expected Goals, while xA stands for Expected Assists. You can compare both of these stats to the players actual output, and figure out if he’s over-performing or under-performing. PPG or Points per Game is used to see the average number of points a player returns in one week, while PPG/M or PPG per Million is used to evaluate the player’s value for their cost and VAPM stands for Value Added per Million, which is is similar to PPG/M but disregards the appearance points.
Common Terms
Classic and Head-to Head (H2H) The two different ways of scoring in the game, either the classic scoring, where your points are accumulated or the H2H scoring, where each week you'll be paired with an opponent in the league, winner takes 3 points, draw is 1 point apiece and 0 points for a loss. Mini-Leagues (ML) Leagues which you set up with your friends. Cup The cup starts in GW17, where the top 4,194,304 managers in GW16 are pitted against each other in a knockout format; the winner advances to the next round. This happens all the way until GW38, where the last two managers will contest in the final. Draft Draft is a different way to play the game, where each player can only be owned once in the league. This mode is usually the most fun in a group of 6-10 friends. Click the 'Draft' tab to find out more. Premium/Heavy hitter A 6M+ defender or a 10M+ midfielder or forward who is usually one of the main captaincy choices. Ideally, your initial team should have around 4-5 premium players. FoddeEnabler The bottom of the barrel players (4.0 keeper and defender, 4.5 midfielder and forward) which are crucial to include in most teams as it enables you to afford your premiums while not compromising your starting team. These players usually sit on your bench, thus the term bench fodder. Bargain A player who is a lot cheaper than what we’d expect him to be priced at, would be a good pick to start the season. Nailed, Rotation, Bald Fraud A nailed player is expected to start every match bar injury; Conversely a player prone to rotation could often not start or is subbed off frequently. When choosing a GW1 squad, you should choose players who are nailed, or at most only 1-2 players which have competition for their starting spots. (e.g Leno and Martinez, who will start as the first-choice keeper? You should avoid if you’re unsure) The Bald Fraud (Pep) is notorious for naming and unpredictable lineup; if you haven’t been realising this before you started playing FPL, as the season progresses you will definitely notice how fraudulent he is with his teams. Essential Someone who is a ‘must-have’ in your team. Most people use this word loosely, so it’s ok if you don’t have said player, but you should definitely be putting him on your watchlist. Sometimes also referred to as FPL assets. Blank, Haul/Return A blank is when a player gets no returns and only has 2 points from playing, or even less. A haul is the opposite of a blank, where a player returns multiple times for a double-digit score. FPL Assist Not officially an assist, but is considered by FPL to be one. Check under the 'Rules' section found in the 'Help' tab to understand what counts as an assist. Hits Taking a hit is to spend 4 points for an additional transfer. Average/Top 10k Average The average score for the GW. Most elite managers usually focus on the top 10k average, because the average shown on the site would include dead teams (teams where the manager hasn't made a transfer in 5+ GWs) and those who have little experience playing the game, so it's not an accurate representation. Template Differential EO: Effective Ownership These three terms are somewhat linked. Template picks are players owned by a majority of the player base. Conversely, someone who isn’t owned by many managers (<10% ownership) is considered a differential. The effective ownership of a player is essentially is the percentage of managers which started said player + percentage of managers which captained said player. Usually managers will look for the Top 10k EO to get a sense of which players are popular, and look at the EO around their rank to see what players can make a difference. Punts Punts are essentially a short-term differential, usually for only 1-2 weeks. They are commonly used when a manager is using WC soon, and he can choose to select a player that he won't keep beyond 1-2 matches, preferably someone who has good fixtures but isn't commonly owned by the masses because it wouldn't be a sensible move for the rest of the managers not planning to WC. Bandwagon Points-chasing Kneejerk A bandwagon is when a player has performed well and a vast number of managers are transferring him in. You'll need to decide whether to jump on this bandwagon or not. If you choose not to, likely it's because you think this is points-chasing; The player has only done well in one performance and it's premature to bring the player in because he may not replicate that score in future games. Some managers are often hasty with their transfers, and sometimes before all games are finished, they've already made a knee-jerk move without even seeing their player play for that week! Most of the times, this happens without much thought into the pros and cons about the transfer and is a short-sighted move. Underlying Stats Over-performing vs Under-performing Regression to the mean Assessing a players' output using different metrics as mentioned above, as well as taking into account shots, shots on target, crosses, key passes, maybe even their heat map. Comparing these underlying stats to their actual output is an indicator if a player is over or under-performing. If a player scores a lot of points, but you realise there is a huge variance between the expected outcome and the actual outcome, you might want to be wary about bringing this player in: Is this a case of a player being so good that he's a consistent over-performer, or will he eventually regress to the mean? If there's any common terms or acronyms I might have missed out, let me know in the comments section! To wrap up this post, below are some useful links and resources which most managers have access to. Do check them out if you have the time!
Useful links
Check this post out for a similar compilation Price Change Predictors http://www.fplstatistics.co.uk/ https://www.fantasyfootballfix.com/ Although neither site can claim to be 100% accurate, in the past 2 seasons, I've found fplstatistics to be more reliable and easier to use. Nonetheless, fffix also has other cool stuff, including expected points and transfer algorithms. Live GW points https://www.livefpl.net/ https://www.fplgameweek.com https://www.anewpla.net/fpl/ All three sites are really useful to check on live GW points. livefpl has top 10k ownership and top 10k average easily available, and a live rank feature as well. fplgameweek on the other hand allows you to track live updates in your leagues, and compare the EO within your own ML. It's also able to show the captain choices of your selected league. I often find myself opening both tabs together and alternating between them every GW. anewpla also allows you to check live leagues, but I don't usually use that site much, since the other two sites are enough. However, anewpla has other cool stuff too, such as a season review tool (https://www.anewpla.net/fpl/report/), where you can analyse your choices. The FPL ID they request can be found when you press the Gameweek history tab under your summary on "My Team" or "Points". The number 'XXX' you see in the link (https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/XXX/history) is your FPL ID. Statistics https://www.whoscored.com/ https://understat.com/ https://www.fplanalytics.com/index.html You can find various statistics on these websites, including xG, xA Key Passes/90 mins... These are useful in comparing between two similar players you might want; checking out their underlying stats might be the swing factor. FPL Websites https://fantasyfootballpundits.com/ https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/ https://fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/ (PAID) I don't usually trust FPL blogs in general, because the authors are usually fellow FPL managers, some of whom may not be that credible and even offer poor advice. However, these sites I've listed are more "official" in nature, and offer weekly tips backed with statistics rather than just based on "feels". ffscout also has a members' area, which offers a player comparison tool, so it's a lot more convenient than manually searching for the statistics yourself, However, it it is a paid feature, so it's on personal preference whether you want to spend the cash or not. Based on personal experience, I've gotten by the last 2 years just fine without having to fork out any cash. Similarly, FFH is also only for members, but it has a wide range of features, including statistics and articles written by seasoned veterans, as well as private WhatsApp groups with veterans who'll help you with your teams. FPL Tools https://www.game-change.co.uk/ https://fplreview.com/ I've personally never found either really that useful, but some managers might be intrigued at the various tools they offer. fplreview in particular might suit those with a more advanced understanding of stats. Twitter Accounts Ben Crellin : Master of navigating schedules with his spreadsheets, which are free! Also has a paid section which helps you in visualising your team while planning transfers. Ben Dinnery : Reliable injury news AbuBakar Siddiq : Post-restart, he has been offering weekly threads on what to look out for in the upcoming GW. Always a worth to read. Podcasts There's a lot of podcasts available, I find that they're really useful in putting ideas in my head, even though I rarely follow the hosts' moves like-for-like, listening to podcasts gives me different perspectives and could highlight things I might have not considered before. Each podcast has its' own personality, I'd recommend you to find one you like to listen to. Here's a list:
FMLFPL
Always Cheating
Who Got The Assist (WGTA)
FPL Surgery
FF Scout
Official FPL
FPL Family
Planet FPL
59th Min
I usually listen to FMLFPL, Always Cheating and FPL Surgery podcasts on Spotify when commuting to and fro work. I also like to check out the blog posts by WGTA. Some of these podcasts also have a Youtube channel or a Twitter account, so you can check them out.
Communities
Lastly, there are a couple of FPL Communities, the first one obviously being this subreddit itself. Beyond that, there's also a Discord and Telegram community. As a member of all three communities, here's what I think are the advantages of each:
Reddit: Easier for useful analysis posts and guides to remain at the top for viewing
Discord: Easier to have your team rated in a smaller community; live_rant channel is da bomb
Telegram: Easier to make polls on 50/50 decisions, RMTs are usually also answered more frequently than on this subreddit, but by fewer people compared to on Discord
Moving from S10+ to iPhone 11 Pro - An In-Depth Review and Comparison
I'm someone who has used many flagship Android phones in the past 6 years - namely LG G4, S6 Edge+, S7 Edge, S9 and S10+. I'm an engineer, and very much a technical guy and so I always enjoyed Android. Before my LG G4, I used the iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPhone 5S, so I'm not foreign to the Apple world too. I had the S10+ (Exynos) from release date, for a little over a year. This is a review of how I feel about the S10+ (a recent flagship Samsung) and the iPhone 11 Pro (a recent flagship iPhone) which I've used for over a month now. For S10 and other Samsung users, I made these threads of tips here and here. I would say that even though my in-depth review is written for the S10+ specifically, most of it is still relevant for the S20 series, so anyone tossing up between the S20 series and iPhone 11 Pro series will find this useful. My motivation for changing phones: I wanted a smaller phone as my 6.4" S10+ felt too big for my small hands. I always research phones, and battery is a huge factor to me, so I know that the "smaller" Android flagships always have really subpar battery - i.e. S10E, Pixel 3, Pixel 4, etc. I found that the "smaller" iPhone 11 Pro is still a champ in the battery department. I also wanted to try the newest iPhone of 2019 as my last one was from 2013 (the 5S). Performance & Software Experience The iPhone 11 Pro simply wins here, by far. Everything is absolutely seamless and free-flowing, and there is never even a slight hiccup. The whole OS is incredibly stable and smooth. The S10+ made leaps and bounds with One UI and Android 9 and 10, for sure. However, I feel that any flagship Android just has that ever so slight hiccup in experience compared to the same-generation iPhone, and this is only explainable if you have used a latest generation iPhone for a few days. If you have not, you probably won't know the feeling that I'm talking about. For sure, I miss the S10+'s software customization with things like One Hand Operations+, Good Lock, Launchers and so on. However, what the iPhone lacks in customization, it more than makes up for in feel and experience. Every single thing that I do on my phone is a pleasure to do due to this amazing software feel. For example, the landscape rotation on the S10+ is always a bit glitchy and laggy, for games and other landscape apps, where as the iPhone transitions so smoothly between portrait and landscape apps, and going home from them, etc. It's really a matter of taste, but my opinion is that the extreme smoothness and seamless experience/integration trumps the ability of full customization with widgets and launchers, etc. Also, the iPhone's software is usually supported for ~ 5 generational updates, where as for the S10+, it is 2 generations of updates (and then only security patches like the S7 got for some years). This is really disappointing for the S10+ and all other Android flagships (except the Pixel? Correct me if I'm wrong). Processor Disparity The disparity between the Exynos and Snapdragon models for Samsung flagships is very, very disappointing. Firstly, the battery performance of the Exynos models are simply worse in every way, especially standby drain. Secondly, it heats up more and thermal throttling is worse. Lastly, even the camera processing is different however neither wins here, but perhaps the Snapdragon takes better photos. What's even more annoying is, you could be reading reviews online before buying the S10+ but those reviews will be Snapdragon-American reviews so their battery and performance reviews won't be the same as the Exynos version of the phone in your region (everywhere in the world but US/Hong Kong/South Korea/Canada?). It's like you're using a totally different phone almost. Before the S8, the Exynos was superior and the Snapdragon was worse. This disparity really has to stop, Samsung. Due to this big difference, some people even import Samsung phones from Snapdragon-countries to get a better phone, but lose out on the home-country warranties, repairs and support. This is just so annoying. This is totally different for the iPhone side, because I can be 100% sure that every review I read on the iPhone 11 Pro will be the exact same phone that I will buy in my country. No headache at all, won't have to think about importing. RAM Management Both phones are great in this - remember folks, you don't need to close your apps on phones these days unless they are bugging! I did notice though that the S10+ with its 8GB RAM kept more apps open in the background than the iPhone. But it's not a huge deal since the iPhone's performance is faster anyway and opening apps from the beginning is super fast anyway. But the S10+ wins here for keeping more apps open in the background. Display The S10+ has a gorgeous WQHD+ display (1440x3040) and I loved it, watching YouTube and Netflix was a pleasure, and the hole cut didn't bother me after just a week of getting used to it. The iPhone 11 Pro still has a really high-quality display (1125x2436) and I found the colour balance to be much nicer than the S10+, i.e. the colour gamut was more pleasurable to look at and wasn't overly vivid. The HDR and contrast of both screens are excellent. The iPhone has a big notch and that takes a bit of getting used to - however the sensors and camera there do an excellent job compared to the S10+'s respective sensors and camera (referenced later in the review in Biometrics, Sensors, Vibration and Camera), so I'm not too annoyed at that. For all apps and activities, both screens are excellent. Only on YouTube and Netflix, I give the edge to the S10+ because it has 1440p instead of the iPhone 11 Pro's cap at 1080p - and I can definitely notice it. I'm someone who can always tell the difference between FHD/QHD. Also the S10+ has Always-on-Display which shows the time, date and notification icons which I really liked - however it drained a little battery. Lastly, I was a partial fan of the edge display of the Samsung phones (which I had on the S6/S7/S9/S10 series) and it is cool. However, other than "One Hand Operations" and the odd use of the edge panel, I had no need for it and the drawbacks are bad. You can't put a good screen protector on the curved screens and they often interfere with cases, hence I rocked my S10+ with the factory protector and when that was worn out, I rocked it naked. Also, the edge display has more accidental touches unless you have a thicker case on. The iPhone 11 Pro's slight increase in side bezel was so good for me - it meant that I could never make an accidental touch and I had a flat screen for once! I was able to flawlessly install a Spigen glass protector onto it - wonderful! This was such a big relief. Camera Both cameras are fantastic off the bat. On the S10+, I found that I had to turn Scene Optimizer off to get nice natural-ish shots, otherwise they would be way too saturated and HDR'd. Night Mode goes to the iPhone, hands down - the exposure toggle on this phone is excellent. The S10+ has made improvements in Night photography but it is still behind. The Ultra Wide Angle camera on the S10+ picks up slightly more detail but always has an unwanted extra saturation and HDR added to it that makes it look unpleasant (even without Scene Optimizer). The portrait mode on the iPhone is more versatile and has cooler options like the contrast black/white portraits. Both phones do a great job taking portrait shots overall. I give the camera win to the iPhone for sure, any random shot is usually always better on the iPhone. There is more detail in the pictures, and colours are way more natural - also gives me more room to edit photos in Lightroom/Snapseed. Front camera is much better on the iPhone as it retains detail and doesn't soften the face too much like the S10+ does. But to be honest, once I modified the camera settings on my S10+ to my liking, it was an excellent camera system overall and I'd still be fine with it today. Also, the Camera app on the iPhone is just far, far superior. There is no delays in switching between modes and sub-modes, and video recording is also flawless. The S10+'s Camera app is fine, but simply not as seamless and smooth as the iPhone's. Physical Build This is all preference here, and I think they're both awesome. I like that the S10+ weighs less than the regular iPhone 11 Pro (175g vs. 188g) - note that this is for the glass-back S10+, the ceramic-back S10+ weighs 198g. Also I like that all 3 cameras on the S10+ lie on one flat plane, where as the iPhone 11 Pro has 3 separate circles - this is just nit picking, but three separate camera circles indented means a bit more dust particles gathering there. Both phones are beautiful and solid overall, but the S10+ gets the slight win here. Inputs and Storage The S10+ gets the win for inputs simply because it has a headphone jack and micro SD card slot - I always used the SD card slot with a 64GB card to turn my 128GB phone into 192GB. I used the Galaxy Buds so I hardly ever needed the headphone jack, but it was still useful to have. On the iPhone, I was forced to buy the 256GB model because the lowest storage model at 64GB isn't enough for me. A "pro" phone should start at 128GB minimum. Another difference is that the iPhone 11 Pro can support a second SIM via an eSIM. The S10+ has both single SIM and dual SIM models - usually most countries sell the single SIM version. Battery The iPhone 11 Pro (non max) is better than the S10+ (the max equivalent) in battery - this is pretty incredible although mind you, I had the Exynos model. Firstly, standby battery drain is amazing on the iPhone, better than the Samsung. The S10+ had pretty good battery to be honest, but on the iPhone I'm regularly getting 8 hours of Screen-on-Time a month in. The S10+ got around 6-7 hours out of the box, but then degraded over time. I had the Exynos S10+ which suffers in 4G idle drain as well, which is a pity. Shame on Samsung for such a huge disparity between the two processors. I guess I'll have to wait a year to see how the iPhone 11 Pro's battery holds up. Secondly, for the S10+ (and many other Androids), a user has to tinker with so many different settings and annoying little toggles and everything to squeeze a good battery life out of it. For example on the S10+, you have to tinker with adaptive battery, adaptive power save, deep sleeping apps, normal sleeping apps, optimized charging, turning things off like Nearby Device Scanning, etc. The list goes on but you always have to play around with the settings a lot to get good battery out of it. On the iPhone, there are some things you may want to turn off but overall if you leave the phone as it is out of the box, it will still give great battery performance. Speakers Both are excellent with their stereo speakers, I might give the slightest edge to the S10+ here. It's just slightly louder I think. Apps, Update Structure and Cleanness For stock apps - both phones have good stock apps for Clock, Calendar, Calculator, etc. However for the S10+, stock apps like Samsung Weather, Samsung Pay, Samsung Health, etc. always have annoying and intrusive ads on the top banner. When I go into Samsung Health, I don't want to see ads for Galaxy Watch or the Calm Meditation app. When I go into weather, I don't want to see random ads and when I go to Samsung Pay I don't want to see ads for YouTube Premium or a Note 10. I have checked all possible settings and you cannot opt out of these ads, and it varies by region. This is unacceptable for the stock apps on a phone, especially such an expensive one. The iPhone counterparts for these apps are always much cleaner and with zero ads of course. The photos app on the iPhone is smoother and faster than the gallery app on the S10+, but it's not a huge deal. For third party apps, in every instance, the iOS app is better in experience. Spotify is so much smoother and nicer, so is Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and so on. Almost all apps seem to be made better on iOS in my experience so far. But that doesn't mean all apps are "bad" on Android, they are generally pretty good and I only appreciated the difference when I got the iPhone 11 Pro. The S10+ has an annoying app structure and update integration. Firstly, you have duplicate apps and bloat apps out of the box with a mix of Google and Samsung apps for things like Email, Browser, etc. and other carrier software (if you got it from a carrier) so you have to disable the ones you don't use. Secondly, there is a Galaxy Store as well as the usual Play Store to complicate things. The one good thing I got from the Galaxy Store is Good Lock (for added customization). Otherwise, I find it really weird that you can get things like "Samsung Browser", "Samsung Health" and "Sound Assistant" from both Galaxy Store and Play Store - it just complicates things. Also for the Samsung, you'll get miscellaneous system updates from Play Store and Galaxy Store, and often they are really confusing like "PaymentFramework UI" update from Galaxy Store, or "Billing" or any other little update within the software of the phone. Things like this are just confusing for the user and should just be done in major OS updates or in silence, it makes the experience feel cluttered. On the iPhone 11 Pro, the App Store is the only place to get apps and it updates in silence (no notifications like Android). And all system related updates are done in iOS updates. For a technical guy like me, these factors are fine but for the average user, it really makes the iPhone stand out in this regard where as the Samsung/Android just feels a bit weird. File Management S10+ wins here, all day. You can connect to a PC to drag and drop any folder of photos, videos, music, files, and it just works in all apps flawlessly. You can't do that with the iPhone and you have to sync photo folders through iTunes or iCloud. When you connect your iPhone to a PC, all you can do is browser through the DCIM folder of photos and videos, and you cannot write anything to the disk space either. Where as on my Samsung, I can put in any file like a computer - PDFs, docs, songs, photos, whatever. It just works so well. For the iPhone, I need to heavily use iCloud Drive or Dropbox for these things which I'd prefer not to. Voice Assistant, Automations, Dedicated Button I personally don't like to use my voice too much, but here's my review of both systems. Firstly, Bixby is not very good on the S10+ - the software is cluttered and the voice control isn't a seamless, nice experience. However, it can do some quite in-depth things if you can learn how to do it, such as opening apps and doing very specific things in them, or changing in-depth settings. Siri on the iPhone is decent and can help out with quite a few things, but again it also has its limitations. I think it is more seamless and smooth than Bixby, but its capabilities are similar. The S10+ also has Google Assistant integrated into the system which is probably the best voice assistant in the world. For automation, I found Bixby Routines to be excellent. I was able to create routines for putting my phone into "car mode" when connecting to its Bluetooth - it would automatically open Spotify and play my library, and this worked every single time. I also created many other routines such as when reaching my work location, go to silent and media volume to 0%. Great experience. For the iPhone, the Automations functionality is workable but there are disadvantages. Bluetooth cannot be activated instantly without a user input prompt and unlock, for security reasons. So I can't just walk into my car and let the music auto-play - it will only auto-play if Spotify was open. If Spotify is closed, I have to go into my phone and do it myself. I give the automation win to Samsung for sure. The iPhone also has shortcuts (custom commands) which can go into great detail - much more than the Samsung, and you can download a bunch of unique shortcuts created by others for things like Media downloading. This is quite cool but it isn't perfect. The S10+ has a dedicated Bixby button. Out of the box, this is useless if it connects to Bixby which most people don't like to use. However, you can use the BxActions app to re-route the button to anything you like. I set it up so that if I hold the Bixby button down it would turn on the flashlight (a literal lifesaver!) and if I press it, it flicks between Sound, Vibrate and Silent. This was awesome. The iPhone doesn't have a dedicated hardware button for doing whatever I like with it. However it does have a physical switch for Sound and Silent. Biometrics, Sensors, Vibration The in-display fingerprint scanner worked quite well for me usually (a lot of others had issues with this). However, it just wasn't that smooth of an experience, there would always be a slight hiccup when waking the phone with fingerprint. Face recognition on the S10+ is not good - firstly, it's just a camera image based scanner so it isn't secure at all, doesn't work too well in the dark (hence the screen has to brighten itself) and I found the circle ring animation on the lock screen to be bad in design. Face ID on the iPhone seems to work from much wider angles and work in basically every scenario ever, and it is super seamless. Also the notification contents are hidden until it is unlocked with a successful face scan, and I love that. The S10+ has a little advantage though, because you can just scan your finger while the phone is flat on a table and open it, where as for the iPhone, I have to move my face to look at it. The iPhone has a little advantage too - it has single-tap to wake which I prefer, where as the S10+ only has double-tap to wake. Slight difference, but not a big deal. The proximity sensor (such a simple given thing on any smartphone) was simply not good on the S10+. There was a proximity sensor issue and battery drain in the early months, and after VibeWhatsApp calls, the proximity sensor would cause issues and drain battery. Also, the Always On Display wouldn't turn off when in a pocket, which the S7 Edge and S9 didn't have an issue with! The iPhone's proximity sensor works fine. Haptic feedback (vibrations) on the iPhone 11 Pro is simply leagues ahead. There is a great level of precision between the levels of vibration and it feels great, plus many of the system and app elements use varying degrees of haptic feedback to the user and I really like it. Actually I never had an issue with the S10+ haptic feedback, but once I used the iPhone, then I realised that it can be done even better. In comparison, the S10+ just feels like a "loose vibration" where as the iPhone vibration feels more "compact and precise" - hard to describe. Overall, the biometrics, sensors and "little things" are simply better on the iPhone, hands down. Contactless Payment Hardware capability wise, Samsung Pay wins since it has MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) which gives the S10+ the ability to emulate the swipe of a physical card when NFC-based payment isn't available. So when someone gives you the "we don't have pay-wave", you can still wow them and pay with your S10+. However, I've only found this useful when travelling, as in Australia, I found that every single payment terminal always has contactless payments, even in random country towns. Software wise for payments, the iPhone 11 Pro wins without question. The Apple Pay (or Wallet) app is much, much cleaner than Samsung Pay. The process of making a payment from the moment your phone is in your pocket is significantly faster on the iPhone - you double tap the lock button and instantly it uses Face ID then has your primary card ready to make a payment, literally takes 1 second. For Samsung Pay, you can swipe up from the bottom while the screen is off and then there is always a slight delay before Samsung Pay opens, then you have to use the in-display fingerprint scanner and finally you are able to pay - this takes much more time than Apple Pay. It didn't bother me too much until I used Apple Pay and I was in awe of how fast this process is on the iPhone. Also, as discussed above, the Samsung Pay app has ads on the top banner which is unacceptable. This could not be removed no matter how many settings I tried (others in different regions have been able to remove them). The location of the NFC chip on the S10+ is towards the middle of the back of the phone so you have to place the back onto a scanner, kind of. On the iPhone, it's located on the top border of the phone so you kind of just hold it out like a beam. This isn't a huge deal but I find that slightly more convenient. For me, Apple Pay wins overall since my country has no need for MST, and the software experience is way better. But others may find Samsung Pay better because of this unique feature. Price ($AUD) and Value Release day RRP for the S10+ 128GB was $1499 and for my iPhone 11 Pro 256GB was $1999 (64GB model was $1749). I think that overall, the iPhone is severely overpriced, and the S10+ is also quite overpriced but it is easier to find promotions and deals on the S10+. Flagships overall have spiraled into ridiculous prices, but I think the iPhone 11 Pro shouldn't be that much more expensive than an S10+. However, the iPhone wins hands down in retaining value over time. After 1 or 2 years, the iPhone will always re-sell for more because they garner more interest than used Android phones, and secondly, they are usually in good nick comparatively. Verdict Taking all these factors into account, right now I'd personally go with the iPhone 11 Pro. However, the S10 and S20 series are still fantastic phones and you may prefer them. Since I obviously like writing about tech, I started my own blog if you are interested.
Moving from S10+ to iPhone 11 Pro - An In-Depth Review and Comparison
I'm someone who has used many flagship Android phones in the past 6 years - namely LG G4, S6 Edge+, S7 Edge, S9 and S10+. I'm an engineer, and very much a technical guy and so I always enjoyed Android. Before my LG G4, I used the iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPhone 5S, so I'm not foreign to the Apple world too. I had the S10+ (Exynos) from release date, for a little over a year. This is a review of how I feel about the S10+ (a recent flagship Samsung) and the iPhone 11 Pro (a recent flagship iPhone) which I've used for over a month now. For S10 and other Samsung users, I made these threads of tips here and here. I would say that even though my in-depth review is written for the S10+ specifically, most of it is still relevant for the S20 series, so anyone tossing up between the S20 series and iPhone 11 Pro series will find this useful. My motivation for changing phones: I wanted a smaller phone as my 6.4" S10+ felt too big for my small hands. I always research phones, and battery is a huge factor to me, so I know that the "smaller" Android flagships always have really subpar battery - i.e. S10E, Pixel 3, Pixel 4, etc. I found that the "smaller" iPhone 11 Pro is still a champ in the battery department. I also wanted to try the newest iPhone of 2019 as my last one was from 2013 (the 5S). Performance & Software Experience The iPhone 11 Pro simply wins here, by far. Everything is absolutely seamless and free-flowing, and there is never even a slight hiccup. The whole OS is incredibly stable and smooth. The S10+ made leaps and bounds with One UI and Android 9 and 10, for sure. However, I feel that any flagship Android just has that ever so slight hiccup in experience compared to the same-generation iPhone, and this is only explainable if you have used a latest generation iPhone for a few days. If you have not, you probably won't know the feeling that I'm talking about. For sure, I miss the S10+'s software customization with things like One Hand Operations+, Good Lock, Launchers and so on. However, what the iPhone lacks in customization, it more than makes up for in feel and experience. Every single thing that I do on my phone is a pleasure to do due to this amazing software feel. For example, the landscape rotation on the S10+ is always a bit glitchy and laggy, for games and other landscape apps, where as the iPhone transitions so smoothly between portrait and landscape apps, and going home from them, etc. It's really a matter of taste, but my opinion is that the extreme smoothness and seamless experience/integration trumps the ability of full customization with widgets and launchers, etc. Also, the iPhone's software is usually supported for ~ 5 generational updates, where as for the S10+, it is 2 generations of updates (and then only security patches like the S7 got for some years). This is really disappointing for the S10+ and all other Android flagships (except the Pixel? Correct me if I'm wrong). Processor Disparity The disparity between the Exynos and Snapdragon models for Samsung flagships is very, very disappointing. Firstly, the battery performance of the Exynos models are simply worse in every way, especially standby drain. Secondly, it heats up more and thermal throttling is worse. Lastly, even the camera processing is different however neither wins here, but perhaps the Snapdragon takes better photos. What's even more annoying is, you could be reading reviews online before buying the S10+ but those reviews will be Snapdragon-American reviews so their battery and performance reviews won't be the same as the Exynos version of the phone in your region (everywhere in the world but US/Hong Kong/South Korea/Canada?). It's like you're using a totally different phone almost. Before the S8, the Exynos was superior and the Snapdragon was worse. This disparity really has to stop, Samsung. Due to this big difference, some people even import Samsung phones from Snapdragon-countries to get a better phone, but lose out on the home-country warranties, repairs and support. This is just so annoying. This is totally different for the iPhone side, because I can be 100% sure that every review I read on the iPhone 11 Pro will be the exact same phone that I will buy in my country. No headache at all, won't have to think about importing. RAM Management Both phones are great in this - remember folks, you don't need to close your apps on phones these days unless they are bugging! I did notice though that the S10+ with its 8GB RAM kept more apps open in the background than the iPhone. But it's not a huge deal since the iPhone's performance is faster anyway and opening apps from the beginning is super fast anyway. But the S10+ wins here for keeping more apps open in the background. Display The S10+ has a gorgeous WQHD+ display (1440x3040) and I loved it, watching YouTube and Netflix was a pleasure, and the hole cut didn't bother me after just a week of getting used to it. The iPhone 11 Pro still has a really high-quality display (1125x2436) and I found the colour balance to be much nicer than the S10+, i.e. the colour gamut was more pleasurable to look at and wasn't overly vivid. The HDR and contrast of both screens are excellent. The iPhone has a big notch and that takes a bit of getting used to - however the sensors and camera there do an excellent job compared to the S10+'s respective sensors and camera (referenced later in the review in Biometrics, Sensors, Vibration and Camera), so I'm not too annoyed at that. For all apps and activities, both screens are excellent. Only on YouTube and Netflix, I give the edge to the S10+ because it has 1440p instead of the iPhone 11 Pro's cap at 1080p - and I can definitely notice it. I'm someone who can always tell the difference between FHD/QHD. Also the S10+ has Always-on-Display which shows the time, date and notification icons which I really liked - however it drained a little battery. Lastly, I was a partial fan of the edge display of the Samsung phones (which I had on the S6/S7/S9/S10 series) and it is cool. However, other than "One Hand Operations" and the odd use of the edge panel, I had no need for it and the drawbacks are bad. You can't put a good screen protector on the curved screens and they often interfere with cases, hence I rocked my S10+ with the factory protector and when that was worn out, I rocked it naked. Also, the edge display has more accidental touches unless you have a thicker case on. The iPhone 11 Pro's slight increase in side bezel was so good for me - it meant that I could never make an accidental touch and I had a flat screen for once! I was able to flawlessly install a Spigen glass protector onto it - wonderful! This was such a big relief. Camera Both cameras are fantastic off the bat. On the S10+, I found that I had to turn Scene Optimizer off to get nice natural-ish shots, otherwise they would be way too saturated and HDR'd. Night Mode goes to the iPhone, hands down - the exposure toggle on this phone is excellent. The S10+ has made improvements in Night photography but it is still behind. The Ultra Wide Angle camera on the S10+ picks up slightly more detail but always has an unwanted extra saturation and HDR added to it that makes it look unpleasant (even without Scene Optimizer). The portrait mode on the iPhone is more versatile and has cooler options like the contrast black/white portraits. Both phones do a great job taking portrait shots overall. I give the camera win to the iPhone for sure, any random shot is usually always better on the iPhone. There is more detail in the pictures, and colours are way more natural - also gives me more room to edit photos in Lightroom/Snapseed. Front camera is much better on the iPhone as it retains detail and doesn't soften the face too much like the S10+ does. But to be honest, once I modified the camera settings on my S10+ to my liking, it was an excellent camera system overall and I'd still be fine with it today. Also, the Camera app on the iPhone is just far, far superior. There is no delays in switching between modes and sub-modes, and video recording is also flawless. The S10+'s Camera app is fine, but simply not as seamless and smooth as the iPhone's. Physical Build This is all preference here, and I think they're both awesome. I like that the S10+ weighs less than the regular iPhone 11 Pro (175g vs. 188g) - note that this is for the glass-back S10+, the ceramic-back S10+ weighs 198g. Also I like that all 3 cameras on the S10+ lie on one flat plane, where as the iPhone 11 Pro has 3 separate circles - this is just nit picking, but three separate camera circles indented means a bit more dust particles gathering there. Both phones are beautiful and solid overall, but the S10+ gets the slight win here. Inputs and Storage The S10+ gets the win for inputs simply because it has a headphone jack and micro SD card slot - I always used the SD card slot with a 64GB card to turn my 128GB phone into 192GB. I used the Galaxy Buds so I hardly ever needed the headphone jack, but it was still useful to have. On the iPhone, I was forced to buy the 256GB model because the lowest storage model at 64GB isn't enough for me. A "pro" phone should start at 128GB minimum. Another difference is that the iPhone 11 Pro can support a second SIM via an eSIM. The S10+ has both single SIM and dual SIM models - usually most countries sell the single SIM version. Battery The iPhone 11 Pro (non max) is better than the S10+ (the max equivalent) in battery - this is pretty incredible although mind you, I had the Exynos model. Firstly, standby battery drain is amazing on the iPhone, better than the Samsung. The S10+ had pretty good battery to be honest, but on the iPhone I'm regularly getting 8 hours of Screen-on-Time a month in. The S10+ got around 6-7 hours out of the box, but then degraded over time. I had the Exynos S10+ which suffers in 4G idle drain as well, which is a pity. Shame on Samsung for such a huge disparity between the two processors. I guess I'll have to wait a year to see how the iPhone 11 Pro's battery holds up. Secondly, for the S10+ (and many other Androids), a user has to tinker with so many different settings and annoying little toggles and everything to squeeze a good battery life out of it. For example on the S10+, you have to tinker with adaptive battery, adaptive power save, deep sleeping apps, normal sleeping apps, optimized charging, turning things off like Nearby Device Scanning, etc. The list goes on but you always have to play around with the settings a lot to get good battery out of it. On the iPhone, there are some things you may want to turn off but overall if you leave the phone as it is out of the box, it will still give great battery performance. Speakers Both are excellent with their stereo speakers, I might give the slightest edge to the S10+ here. It's just slightly louder I think. Apps, Update Structure and Cleanness For stock apps - both phones have good stock apps for Clock, Calendar, Calculator, etc. However for the S10+, stock apps like Samsung Weather, Samsung Pay, Samsung Health, etc. always have annoying and intrusive ads on the top banner. When I go into Samsung Health, I don't want to see ads for Galaxy Watch or the Calm Meditation app. When I go into weather, I don't want to see random ads and when I go to Samsung Pay I don't want to see ads for YouTube Premium or a Note 10. I have checked all possible settings and you cannot opt out of these ads, and it varies by region. This is unacceptable for the stock apps on a phone, especially such an expensive one. The iPhone counterparts for these apps are always much cleaner and with zero ads of course. The photos app on the iPhone is smoother and faster than the gallery app on the S10+, but it's not a huge deal. For third party apps, in every instance, the iOS app is better in experience. Spotify is so much smoother and nicer, so is Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and so on. Almost all apps seem to be made better on iOS in my experience so far. But that doesn't mean all apps are "bad" on Android, they are generally pretty good and I only appreciated the difference when I got the iPhone 11 Pro. The S10+ has an annoying app structure and update integration. Firstly, you have duplicate apps and bloat apps out of the box with a mix of Google and Samsung apps for things like Email, Browser, etc. and other carrier software (if you got it from a carrier) so you have to disable the ones you don't use. Secondly, there is a Galaxy Store as well as the usual Play Store to complicate things. The one good thing I got from the Galaxy Store is Good Lock (for added customization). Otherwise, I find it really weird that you can get things like "Samsung Browser", "Samsung Health" and "Sound Assistant" from both Galaxy Store and Play Store - it just complicates things. Also for the Samsung, you'll get miscellaneous system updates from Play Store and Galaxy Store, and often they are really confusing like "PaymentFramework UI" update from Galaxy Store, or "Billing" or any other little update within the software of the phone. Things like this are just confusing for the user and should just be done in major OS updates or in silence, it makes the experience feel cluttered. On the iPhone 11 Pro, the App Store is the only place to get apps and it updates in silence (no notifications like Android). And all system related updates are done in iOS updates. For a technical guy like me, these factors are fine but for the average user, it really makes the iPhone stand out in this regard where as the Samsung/Android just feels a bit weird. File Management S10+ wins here, all day. You can connect to a PC to drag and drop any folder of photos, videos, music, files, and it just works in all apps flawlessly. You can't do that with the iPhone and you have to sync photo folders through iTunes or iCloud. When you connect your iPhone to a PC, all you can do is browser through the DCIM folder of photos and videos, and you cannot write anything to the disk space either. Where as on my Samsung, I can put in any file like a computer - PDFs, docs, songs, photos, whatever. It just works so well. For the iPhone, I need to heavily use iCloud Drive or Dropbox for these things which I'd prefer not to. Voice Assistant, Automations, Dedicated Button I personally don't like to use my voice too much, but here's my review of both systems. Firstly, Bixby is not very good on the S10+ - the software is cluttered and the voice control isn't a seamless, nice experience. However, it can do some quite in-depth things if you can learn how to do it, such as opening apps and doing very specific things in them, or changing in-depth settings. Siri on the iPhone is decent and can help out with quite a few things, but again it also has its limitations. I think it is more seamless and smooth than Bixby, but its capabilities are similar. The S10+ also has Google Assistant integrated into the system which is probably the best voice assistant in the world. For automation, I found Bixby Routines to be excellent. I was able to create routines for putting my phone into "car mode" when connecting to its Bluetooth - it would automatically open Spotify and play my library, and this worked every single time. I also created many other routines such as when reaching my work location, go to silent and media volume to 0%. Great experience. For the iPhone, the Automations functionality is workable but there are disadvantages. Bluetooth cannot be activated instantly without a user input prompt and unlock, for security reasons. So I can't just walk into my car and let the music auto-play - it will only auto-play if Spotify was open. If Spotify is closed, I have to go into my phone and do it myself. I give the automation win to Samsung for sure. The iPhone also has shortcuts (custom commands) which can go into great detail - much more than the Samsung, and you can download a bunch of unique shortcuts created by others for things like Media downloading. This is quite cool but it isn't perfect. The S10+ has a dedicated Bixby button. Out of the box, this is useless if it connects to Bixby which most people don't like to use. However, you can use the BxActions app to re-route the button to anything you like. I set it up so that if I hold the Bixby button down it would turn on the flashlight (a literal lifesaver!) and if I press it, it flicks between Sound, Vibrate and Silent. This was awesome. The iPhone doesn't have a dedicated hardware button for doing whatever I like with it. However it does have a physical switch for Sound and Silent. Biometrics, Sensors, Vibration The in-display fingerprint scanner worked quite well for me usually (a lot of others had issues with this). However, it just wasn't that smooth of an experience, there would always be a slight hiccup when waking the phone with fingerprint. Face recognition on the S10+ is not good - firstly, it's just a camera image based scanner so it isn't secure at all, doesn't work too well in the dark (hence the screen has to brighten itself) and I found the circle ring animation on the lock screen to be bad in design. Face ID on the iPhone seems to work from much wider angles and work in basically every scenario ever, and it is super seamless. Also the notification contents are hidden until it is unlocked with a successful face scan, and I love that. The S10+ has a little advantage though, because you can just scan your finger while the phone is flat on a table and open it, where as for the iPhone, I have to move my face to look at it. The iPhone has a little advantage too - it has single-tap to wake which I prefer, where as the S10+ only has double-tap to wake. Slight difference, but not a big deal. The proximity sensor (such a simple given thing on any smartphone) was simply not good on the S10+. There was a proximity sensor issue and battery drain in the early months, and after VibeWhatsApp calls, the proximity sensor would cause issues and drain battery. Also, the Always On Display wouldn't turn off when in a pocket, which the S7 Edge and S9 didn't have an issue with! The iPhone's proximity sensor works fine. Haptic feedback (vibrations) on the iPhone 11 Pro is simply leagues ahead. There is a great level of precision between the levels of vibration and it feels great, plus many of the system and app elements use varying degrees of haptic feedback to the user and I really like it. Actually I never had an issue with the S10+ haptic feedback, but once I used the iPhone, then I realised that it can be done even better. In comparison, the S10+ just feels like a "loose vibration" where as the iPhone vibration feels more "compact and precise" - hard to describe. Overall, the biometrics, sensors and "little things" are simply better on the iPhone, hands down. Contactless Payment Hardware capability wise, Samsung Pay wins since it has MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) which gives the S10+ the ability to emulate the swipe of a physical card when NFC-based payment isn't available. So when someone gives you the "we don't have pay-wave", you can still wow them and pay with your S10+. However, I've only found this useful when travelling, as in Australia, I found that every single payment terminal always has contactless payments, even in random country towns. Software wise for payments, the iPhone 11 Pro wins without question. The Apple Pay (or Wallet) app is much, much cleaner than Samsung Pay. The process of making a payment from the moment your phone is in your pocket is significantly faster on the iPhone - you double tap the lock button and instantly it uses Face ID then has your primary card ready to make a payment, literally takes 1 second. For Samsung Pay, you can swipe up from the bottom while the screen is off and then there is always a slight delay before Samsung Pay opens, then you have to use the in-display fingerprint scanner and finally you are able to pay - this takes much more time than Apple Pay. It didn't bother me too much until I used Apple Pay and I was in awe of how fast this process is on the iPhone. Also, as discussed above, the Samsung Pay app has ads on the top banner which is unacceptable. This could not be removed no matter how many settings I tried (others in different regions have been able to remove them). The location of the NFC chip on the S10+ is towards the middle of the back of the phone so you have to place the back onto a scanner, kind of. On the iPhone, it's located on the top border of the phone so you kind of just hold it out like a beam. This isn't a huge deal but I find that slightly more convenient. For me, Apple Pay wins overall since my country has no need for MST, and the software experience is way better. But others may find Samsung Pay better because of this unique feature. Price ($AUD) and Value Release day RRP for the S10+ 128GB was $1499 and for my iPhone 11 Pro 256GB was $1999 (64GB model was $1749). I think that overall, the iPhone is severely overpriced, and the S10+ is also quite overpriced but it is easier to find promotions and deals on the S10+. Flagships overall have spiraled into ridiculous prices, but I think the iPhone 11 Pro shouldn't be that much more expensive than an S10+. However, the iPhone wins hands down in retaining value over time. After 1 or 2 years, the iPhone will always re-sell for more because they garner more interest than used Android phones, and secondly, they are usually in good nick comparatively. Verdict Taking all these factors into account, right now I'd personally go with the iPhone 11 Pro. However, the S10 and S20 series are still fantastic phones and you may prefer them. Since I obviously like writing about tech, I started my own blog if you are interested.
Quick lossless take and Denon AVR wireless streaming notes
There was a recent post on an Amazon Music HD feature that inspired me to give lossless another shot. Below are my thoughts on the differences between Spotify Premium and Amazon Music HD, and the pros and cons of the various streaming options with a Denon AVR.
Lossless vs Spotify
This will be quick: Lossless does not sound that much better, if it sounds different at all. But, the soundstage of lossless via Amazon Music HD is significantly better than Spotify. With lossless there is much better imaging and I get the phantom center experience in my living room like when I listen near field at my desk. Other than the sound, I have been pleasantly surprised by the Amazon Music app.
Denon AVR streaming
To get it out of the way, here’s what’s hooked up to my Denon AVR:
Denon x3500
Emotiva A-300
SVS Ultra Bookies
SVS SB 2000 x 2
SVS Prime Center and Bookies for surrounds
The Denon AVR supports Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, and Heos. Here’s my notes on all three wireless streaming options: Airplay 2: Really easy to get the music from your iPhone to your stereo using whatever app. Huge downside is that your phone will use Airplay for everything, not just the music app. Airplay will interrupt the music and beam sound from that random reddit video, youtube, etc to your stereo. Also, not clear on what quality it supports. Amazon Music HD FAQ says Airplay supports HD playback; Apple doesn’t explicitly say what quality Airplay supports. Regardless, this is my least favorite method to stream music on the AVR. Out of the three options, music sounds the worst from Airplay via Spotify and Amazon HD. Spotify Connect: For those that don’t have Spotify, it is probably the best for music discovery, convenience, and polish. Spotify Connect lets you play Spotify from one device and control it from any other device. For example, if Spotify was playing from my computer, I could use my phone to control the action. For the Denon AVR, when you send music to play on the AVR from the Spotify app on whatever other device, it’s playing from the AVR and not being streamed from your device. So unlike with Airplay, your phone stays independent. Sound wise, I have Spotify Premium and it sounds pretty good connected to the AVR. Also, by far the best wireless streaming experience. Heos: This is Sound United’s connected, whole home, zone listening, branded Thing. Heos probably supports whatever service you use to stream music and will play up to FLAC 192 kHz files. To stream your music from you phone to the AVR and get lossless, you have to use the Heos app. Within the Heos app, you use the Heos module of your streaming service. The AVR then connects to the service and plays the music up to 192 kHz. This setup is serviceable if you want to listen to a specific album. Otherwise, any features from your streamer’s app are gone within the Heos app except search and play. And searching is slow, clunky, and unforgiving. You have to spell the artist or album you want perfectly or you won’t find it. When you return to your streamer’s native app, it doesn’t seem to have tracked what you listened to within Heos—taking away from your history and discovery. This setup gets you lossless wireless streaming. But anything beyond albums you know you want to listen to completely, the user experience is pretty terrible.
Connected an iPad to the AVR
I had given Tidal Hifi a try but the option to wirelessly get lossless to my AVR discouraged me from continuing to use it past the trial. I saw a post on Amazon Music and noted it was 2/3 the price of Tidal. I already had a mostly idle iPad with a camera kit, so I grabbed another Topping DAC and a set of RCA cables to permanently get lossless in my living room. I’m only an evening into this setup, but so far I love it. There’s a ritual to playing music this way similar to playing vinyl: you have to get up, walk to the stereo, then play your album. Only with this, I don’t have to return every 15 minutes. I also fully expected the external DAC to just be an expensive dongle that allowed me to connect the iPad to the AVR. But there is marginal improvement in the sound. I get a bit tighter bass from the DAC over the AVR, which is nice. So here’s another recommendation for a Topping DAC. I have an E30 on my desk and now a D50s in my living room. Both are awesome. And that’s it. Just a recap of my week listening to music and tweaking my gear.
Moving from S10+ to iPhone 11 Pro - An In-Depth Review and Comparison
I'm someone who has used many flagship Android phones in the past 6 years - namely LG G4, S6 Edge+, S7 Edge, S9 and S10+. I'm an engineer, and very much a technical guy and so I always enjoyed Android. Before my LG G4, I used the iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPhone 5S, so I'm not foreign to the Apple world too. I had the S10+ (Exynos) from release date, for a little over a year. This is a review of how I feel about the S10+ (a recent flagship Samsung) and the iPhone 11 Pro (a recent flagship iPhone) which I've used for over a month now. For S10 and other Samsung users, I made these threads of tips here and here. I would say that even though my in-depth review is written for the S10+ specifically, most of it is still relevant for the S20 series, so anyone tossing up between the S20 series and iPhone 11 Pro series will find this useful. My motivation for changing phones: I wanted a smaller phone as my 6.4" S10+ felt too big for my small hands. I always research phones, and battery is a huge factor to me, so I know that the "smaller" Android flagships always have really subpar battery - i.e. S10E, Pixel 3, Pixel 4, etc. I found that the "smaller" iPhone 11 Pro is still a champ in the battery department. I also wanted to try the newest iPhone of 2019 as my last one was from 2013 (the 5S). Performance & Software Experience The iPhone 11 Pro simply wins here, by far. Everything is absolutely seamless and free-flowing, and there is never even a slight hiccup. The whole OS is incredibly stable and smooth. The S10+ made leaps and bounds with One UI and Android 9 and 10, for sure. However, I feel that any flagship Android just has that ever so slight hiccup in experience compared to the same-generation iPhone, and this is only explainable if you have used a latest generation iPhone for a few days. If you have not, you probably won't know the feeling that I'm talking about. For sure, I miss the S10+'s software customization with things like One Hand Operations+, Good Lock, Launchers and so on. However, what the iPhone lacks in customization, it more than makes up for in feel and experience. Every single thing that I do on my phone is a pleasure to do due to this amazing software feel. For example, the landscape rotation on the S10+ is always a bit glitchy and laggy, for games and other landscape apps, where as the iPhone transitions so smoothly between portrait and landscape apps, and going home from them, etc. It's really a matter of taste, but my opinion is that the extreme smoothness and seamless experience/integration trumps the ability of full customization with widgets and launchers, etc. Also, the iPhone's software is usually supported for ~ 5 generational updates, where as for the S10+, it is 2 generations of updates (and then only security patches like the S7 got for some years). This is really disappointing for the S10+ and all other Android flagships (except the Pixel? Correct me if I'm wrong). Processor Disparity The disparity between the Exynos and Snapdragon models for Samsung flagships is very, very disappointing. Firstly, the battery performance of the Exynos models are simply worse in every way, especially standby drain. Secondly, it heats up more and thermal throttling is worse. Lastly, even the camera processing is different however neither wins here, but perhaps the Snapdragon takes better photos. What's even more annoying is, you could be reading reviews online before buying the S10+ but those reviews will be Snapdragon-American reviews so their battery and performance reviews won't be the same as the Exynos version of the phone in your region (everywhere in the world but US/Hong Kong/South Korea/Canada?). It's like you're using a totally different phone almost. Before the S8, the Exynos was superior and the Snapdragon was worse. This disparity really has to stop, Samsung. Due to this big difference, some people even import Samsung phones from Snapdragon-countries to get a better phone, but lose out on the home-country warranties, repairs and support. This is just so annoying. This is totally different for the iPhone side, because I can be 100% sure that every review I read on the iPhone 11 Pro will be the exact same phone that I will buy in my country. No headache at all, won't have to think about importing. RAM Management Both phones are great in this - remember folks, you don't need to close your apps on phones these days unless they are bugging! I did notice though that the S10+ with its 8GB RAM kept more apps open in the background than the iPhone. But it's not a huge deal since the iPhone's performance is faster anyway and opening apps from the beginning is super fast anyway. But the S10+ wins here for keeping more apps open in the background. Display The S10+ has a gorgeous WQHD+ display (1440x3040) and I loved it, watching YouTube and Netflix was a pleasure, and the hole cut didn't bother me after just a week of getting used to it. The iPhone 11 Pro still has a really high-quality display (1125x2436) and I found the colour balance to be much nicer than the S10+, i.e. the colour gamut was more pleasurable to look at and wasn't overly vivid. The HDR and contrast of both screens are excellent. The iPhone has a big notch and that takes a bit of getting used to - however the sensors and camera there do an excellent job compared to the S10+'s respective sensors and camera (referenced later in the review in Biometrics, Sensors, Vibration and Camera), so I'm not too annoyed at that. For all apps and activities, both screens are excellent. Only on YouTube and Netflix, I give the edge to the S10+ because it has 1440p instead of the iPhone 11 Pro's cap at 1080p - and I can definitely notice it. I'm someone who can always tell the difference between FHD/QHD. Also the S10+ has Always-on-Display which shows the time, date and notification icons which I really liked - however it drained a little battery. Lastly, I was a partial fan of the edge display of the Samsung phones (which I had on the S6/S7/S9/S10 series) and it is cool. However, other than "One Hand Operations" and the odd use of the edge panel, I had no need for it and the drawbacks are bad. You can't put a good screen protector on the curved screens and they often interfere with cases, hence I rocked my S10+ with the factory protector and when that was worn out, I rocked it naked. Also, the edge display has more accidental touches unless you have a thicker case on. The iPhone 11 Pro's slight increase in side bezel was so good for me - it meant that I could never make an accidental touch and I had a flat screen for once! I was able to flawlessly install a Spigen glass protector onto it - wonderful! This was such a big relief. Camera Both cameras are fantastic off the bat. On the S10+, I found that I had to turn Scene Optimizer off to get nice natural-ish shots, otherwise they would be way too saturated and HDR'd. Night Mode goes to the iPhone, hands down - the exposure toggle on this phone is excellent. The S10+ has made improvements in Night photography but it is still behind. The Ultra Wide Angle camera on the S10+ picks up slightly more detail but always has an unwanted extra saturation and HDR added to it that makes it look unpleasant (even without Scene Optimizer). The portrait mode on the iPhone is more versatile and has cooler options like the contrast black/white portraits. Both phones do a great job taking portrait shots overall. I give the camera win to the iPhone for sure, any random shot is usually always better on the iPhone. There is more detail in the pictures, and colours are way more natural - also gives me more room to edit photos in Lightroom/Snapseed. Front camera is much better on the iPhone as it retains detail and doesn't soften the face too much like the S10+ does. But to be honest, once I modified the camera settings on my S10+ to my liking, it was an excellent camera system overall and I'd still be fine with it today. Also, the Camera app on the iPhone is just far, far superior. There is no delays in switching between modes and sub-modes, and video recording is also flawless. The S10+'s Camera app is fine, but simply not as seamless and smooth as the iPhone's. Physical Build This is all preference here, and I think they're both awesome. I like that the S10+ weighs less than the regular iPhone 11 Pro (175g vs. 188g) - note that this is for the glass-back S10+, the ceramic-back S10+ weighs 198g. Also I like that all 3 cameras on the S10+ lie on one flat plane, where as the iPhone 11 Pro has 3 separate circles - this is just nit picking, but three separate camera circles indented means a bit more dust particles gathering there. Both phones are beautiful and solid overall, but the S10+ gets the slight win here. Inputs and Storage The S10+ gets the win for inputs simply because it has a headphone jack and micro SD card slot - I always used the SD card slot with a 64GB card to turn my 128GB phone into 192GB. I used the Galaxy Buds so I hardly ever needed the headphone jack, but it was still useful to have. On the iPhone, I was forced to buy the 256GB model because the lowest storage model at 64GB isn't enough for me. A "pro" phone should start at 128GB minimum. Another difference is that the iPhone 11 Pro can support a second SIM via an eSIM. The S10+ has both single SIM and dual SIM models - usually most countries sell the single SIM version. Battery The iPhone 11 Pro (non max) is better than the S10+ (the max equivalent) in battery - this is pretty incredible although mind you, I had the Exynos model. Firstly, standby battery drain is amazing on the iPhone, better than the Samsung. The S10+ had pretty good battery to be honest, but on the iPhone I'm regularly getting 8 hours of Screen-on-Time a month in. The S10+ got around 6-7 hours out of the box, but then degraded over time. I had the Exynos S10+ which suffers in 4G idle drain as well, which is a pity. Shame on Samsung for such a huge disparity between the two processors. I guess I'll have to wait a year to see how the iPhone 11 Pro's battery holds up. Secondly, for the S10+ (and many other Androids), a user has to tinker with so many different settings and annoying little toggles and everything to squeeze a good battery life out of it. For example on the S10+, you have to tinker with adaptive battery, adaptive power save, deep sleeping apps, normal sleeping apps, optimized charging, turning things off like Nearby Device Scanning, etc. The list goes on but you always have to play around with the settings a lot to get good battery out of it. On the iPhone, there are some things you may want to turn off but overall if you leave the phone as it is out of the box, it will still give great battery performance. Speakers Both are excellent with their stereo speakers, I might give the slightest edge to the S10+ here. It's just slightly louder I think. Apps, Update Structure and Cleanness For stock apps - both phones have good stock apps for Clock, Calendar, Calculator, etc. However for the S10+, stock apps like Samsung Weather, Samsung Pay, Samsung Health, etc. always have annoying and intrusive ads on the top banner. When I go into Samsung Health, I don't want to see ads for Galaxy Watch or the Calm Meditation app. When I go into weather, I don't want to see random ads and when I go to Samsung Pay I don't want to see ads for YouTube Premium or a Note 10. I have checked all possible settings and you cannot opt out of these ads, and it varies by region. This is unacceptable for the stock apps on a phone, especially such an expensive one. The iPhone counterparts for these apps are always much cleaner and with zero ads of course. The photos app on the iPhone is smoother and faster than the gallery app on the S10+, but it's not a huge deal. For third party apps, in every instance, the iOS app is better in experience. Spotify is so much smoother and nicer, so is Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and so on. Almost all apps seem to be made better on iOS in my experience so far. But that doesn't mean all apps are "bad" on Android, they are generally pretty good and I only appreciated the difference when I got the iPhone 11 Pro. The S10+ has an annoying app structure and update integration. Firstly, you have duplicate apps and bloat apps out of the box with a mix of Google and Samsung apps for things like Email, Browser, etc. and other carrier software (if you got it from a carrier) so you have to disable the ones you don't use. Secondly, there is a Galaxy Store as well as the usual Play Store to complicate things. The one good thing I got from the Galaxy Store is Good Lock (for added customization). Otherwise, I find it really weird that you can get things like "Samsung Browser", "Samsung Health" and "Sound Assistant" from both Galaxy Store and Play Store - it just complicates things. Also for the Samsung, you'll get miscellaneous system updates from Play Store and Galaxy Store, and often they are really confusing like "PaymentFramework UI" update from Galaxy Store, or "Billing" or any other little update within the software of the phone. Things like this are just confusing for the user and should just be done in major OS updates or in silence, it makes the experience feel cluttered. On the iPhone 11 Pro, the App Store is the only place to get apps and it updates in silence (no notifications like Android). And all system related updates are done in iOS updates. For a technical guy like me, these factors are fine but for the average user, it really makes the iPhone stand out in this regard where as the Samsung/Android just feels a bit weird. File Management S10+ wins here, all day. You can connect to a PC to drag and drop any folder of photos, videos, music, files, and it just works in all apps flawlessly. You can't do that with the iPhone and you have to sync photo folders through iTunes or iCloud. When you connect your iPhone to a PC, all you can do is browser through the DCIM folder of photos and videos, and you cannot write anything to the disk space either. Where as on my Samsung, I can put in any file like a computer - PDFs, docs, songs, photos, whatever. It just works so well. For the iPhone, I need to heavily use iCloud Drive or Dropbox for these things which I'd prefer not to. Voice Assistant, Automations, Dedicated Button I personally don't like to use my voice too much, but here's my review of both systems. Firstly, Bixby is not very good on the S10+ - the software is cluttered and the voice control isn't a seamless, nice experience. However, it can do some quite in-depth things if you can learn how to do it, such as opening apps and doing very specific things in them, or changing in-depth settings. Siri on the iPhone is decent and can help out with quite a few things, but again it also has its limitations. I think it is more seamless and smooth than Bixby, but its capabilities are similar. The S10+ also has Google Assistant integrated into the system which is probably the best voice assistant in the world. For automation, I found Bixby Routines to be excellent. I was able to create routines for putting my phone into "car mode" when connecting to its Bluetooth - it would automatically open Spotify and play my library, and this worked every single time. I also created many other routines such as when reaching my work location, go to silent and media volume to 0%. Great experience. For the iPhone, the Automations functionality is workable but there are disadvantages. Bluetooth cannot be activated instantly without a user input prompt and unlock, for security reasons. So I can't just walk into my car and let the music auto-play - it will only auto-play if Spotify was open. If Spotify is closed, I have to go into my phone and do it myself. I give the automation win to Samsung for sure. The iPhone also has shortcuts (custom commands) which can go into great detail - much more than the Samsung, and you can download a bunch of unique shortcuts created by others for things like Media downloading. This is quite cool but it isn't perfect. The S10+ has a dedicated Bixby button. Out of the box, this is useless if it connects to Bixby which most people don't like to use. However, you can use the BxActions app to re-route the button to anything you like. I set it up so that if I hold the Bixby button down it would turn on the flashlight (a literal lifesaver!) and if I press it, it flicks between Sound, Vibrate and Silent. This was awesome. The iPhone doesn't have a dedicated hardware button for doing whatever I like with it. However it does have a physical switch for Sound and Silent. Biometrics, Sensors, Vibration The in-display fingerprint scanner worked quite well for me usually (a lot of others had issues with this). However, it just wasn't that smooth of an experience, there would always be a slight hiccup when waking the phone with fingerprint. Face recognition on the S10+ is not good - firstly, it's just a camera image based scanner so it isn't secure at all, doesn't work too well in the dark (hence the screen has to brighten itself) and I found the circle ring animation on the lock screen to be bad in design. Face ID on the iPhone seems to work from much wider angles and work in basically every scenario ever, and it is super seamless. Also the notification contents are hidden until it is unlocked with a successful face scan, and I love that. The S10+ has a little advantage though, because you can just scan your finger while the phone is flat on a table and open it, where as for the iPhone, I have to move my face to look at it. The iPhone has a little advantage too - it has single-tap to wake which I prefer, where as the S10+ only has double-tap to wake. Slight difference, but not a big deal. The proximity sensor (such a simple given thing on any smartphone) was simply not good on the S10+. There was a proximity sensor issue and battery drain in the early months, and after VibeWhatsApp calls, the proximity sensor would cause issues and drain battery. Also, the Always On Display wouldn't turn off when in a pocket, which the S7 Edge and S9 didn't have an issue with! The iPhone's proximity sensor works fine. Haptic feedback (vibrations) on the iPhone 11 Pro is simply leagues ahead. There is a great level of precision between the levels of vibration and it feels great, plus many of the system and app elements use varying degrees of haptic feedback to the user and I really like it. Actually I never had an issue with the S10+ haptic feedback, but once I used the iPhone, then I realised that it can be done even better. In comparison, the S10+ just feels like a "loose vibration" where as the iPhone vibration feels more "compact and precise" - hard to describe. Overall, the biometrics, sensors and "little things" are simply better on the iPhone, hands down. Contactless Payment Hardware capability wise, Samsung Pay wins since it has MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) which gives the S10+ the ability to emulate the swipe of a physical card when NFC-based payment isn't available. So when someone gives you the "we don't have pay-wave", you can still wow them and pay with your S10+. However, I've only found this useful when travelling, as in Australia, I found that every single payment terminal always has contactless payments, even in random country towns. Software wise for payments, the iPhone 11 Pro wins without question. The Apple Pay (or Wallet) app is much, much cleaner than Samsung Pay. The process of making a payment from the moment your phone is in your pocket is significantly faster on the iPhone - you double tap the lock button and instantly it uses Face ID then has your primary card ready to make a payment, literally takes 1 second. For Samsung Pay, you can swipe up from the bottom while the screen is off and then there is always a slight delay before Samsung Pay opens, then you have to use the in-display fingerprint scanner and finally you are able to pay - this takes much more time than Apple Pay. It didn't bother me too much until I used Apple Pay and I was in awe of how fast this process is on the iPhone. Also, as discussed above, the Samsung Pay app has ads on the top banner which is unacceptable. This could not be removed no matter how many settings I tried (others in different regions have been able to remove them). The location of the NFC chip on the S10+ is towards the middle of the back of the phone so you have to place the back onto a scanner, kind of. On the iPhone, it's located on the top border of the phone so you kind of just hold it out like a beam. This isn't a huge deal but I find that slightly more convenient. For me, Apple Pay wins overall since my country has no need for MST, and the software experience is way better. But others may find Samsung Pay better because of this unique feature. Price ($AUD) and Value Release day RRP for the S10+ 128GB was $1499 and for my iPhone 11 Pro 256GB was $1999 (64GB model was $1749). I think that overall, the iPhone is severely overpriced, and the S10+ is also quite overpriced but it is easier to find promotions and deals on the S10+. Flagships overall have spiraled into ridiculous prices, but I think the iPhone 11 Pro shouldn't be that much more expensive than an S10+. However, the iPhone wins hands down in retaining value over time. After 1 or 2 years, the iPhone will always re-sell for more because they garner more interest than used Android phones, and secondly, they are usually in good nick comparatively. Verdict Taking all these factors into account, right now I'd personally go with the iPhone 11 Pro. However, the S10 and S20 series are still fantastic phones and you may prefer them. Since I obviously like writing about tech, I started my own blog if you are interested.
I'm giving away an iPhone 11 Pro to a commenter at random to celebrate Apollo for Reddit's new iOS 13 update and as a thank you to the community! Just leave a comment on this post and the winner will be selected randomly and announced tomorrow at 8 PM GMT. Details inside, and good luck! (28605 points, 88505 comments)
Introducing Apollo, a brand new Reddit experience for iOS. Gorgeous, iOS centric design, an incredible Media Viewer, fully customizable gestures, a full Markdown editor, and sculpted by thousands of Redditors. (18036 points, 4604 comments)
So... Apollo made $5,087.23 yesterday. Yeah no joke. Just sent it to the local animal shelter. THANK YOU SO MUCH! (Animal pics inside) (15657 points, 635 comments)
I'm a former Apple engineer and I build the Apollo Reddit client! Today for my birthday I'm donating 100% of Apollo's proceeds to my SPCA Animal Shelter who really need the help. If you've ever had a passing interest in Apollo (or even already have it, secrets inside) there's no better day! 🐶🐱 (13134 points, 715 comments)
I build the Apollo Reddit app and I'm donating 100% of today's proceeds to our local SPCA animal shelter. It's kitten season and the hardest time of the year for shelters for food and supplies, so your help would be absolutely AMAZING in helping the kitties and puppies out there! 🐶🐱 (8831 points, 886 comments)
I built the Apollo Reddit client and I'm donating 100% of the proceeds today to our local SPCA animal shelter that's really low on food and supplies due to kitten season so your help would be AMAZING! (7565 points, 492 comments)
I don't even know how to title this, typing from the floor. We raised $27,355 yesterday. TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. They told me that's the largest single day fundraiser IN THEIR HISTORY. Thank you so so so so so much, the Reddit Apple community is beyond incredible at saving animals. 🐶🐱🐰 (7221 points, 270 comments)
[Self Promo Saturday] I released a really big update to my Reddit app Apollo for Reddit, featuring a supercharged Media Viewer, Smart Rotation Lock, Portrait Lock Buddy, GIF conversion, Reddit video downloading, Share as Image, new icons, awards, polls, iPad trackpad support, and more! (5829 points, 485 comments)
[Update on yesterday's Apollo SPCA Fundraiser] We raised $42,749.29 yesterday for the SPCA Animal Shelter. FORTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. Thank you Apple! That's the historic RECORD for SPCA donations in a single day! We made such a difference to these animals, you're amazing. 🐶🐱🐰 (4206 points, 79 comments)
I'm giving away an iPhone 11 Pro to a commenter at random to celebrate Apollo for Reddit's new iOS 13 update and as a thank you to the community! Just leave a comment on this post and the winner will be selected randomly and announced tomorrow at 8 PM GMT. Details inside, and good luck! by iamthatis (28605 points, 88505 comments)
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Youtube music is really quick and responsive and I can find everything I want in a short time. gpm is a bit slower with its bigger menus, but still better than spotify. I also tried apple music, amazon music and tidal but they're all way worse from the user experience. What Is YouTube Premium? YouTube Premium is the site’s paid subscription service. It offers ad-free viewing of all videos, offline playback, and exclusive, paywalled content primarily made by famous YouTube personalities. For U.S. subscribers, it currently costs $11.99 a month, and this includes a YouTube Music Premium subscription. Pros: Value for money. Both YouTube Music and Spotify Premium subscriptions cost the same, including family and student plans. However, if you're considering signing up for YouTube Premium, it While both Spotify and YouTube Music offer premium subscription plans, it isn’t required. Both services offer decent free tiers that let users use the service without needing to spend a dime. Of course, be prepared to be blasted with ads if you choose to go this route. Both Spotify and YouTube Music will play ads in between songs which can really get in the way of a good playlist. It isn’t YouTube Music vs. Spotify vs. Apple Music. Which is better in your opinion, and why? 23 comments. share. save. hide. report. 43% Upvoted. This thread is archived. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast . Sort by. best. level 1. Comment deleted by user 1 year ago. level 2. 1 year ago. Hahahaha, it’s like taunting the Many-Faced God. 2. share. Report Save. level 1. 1 year ago YouTube Music vs. Spotify: Stability and sound quality. YouTube Music is starting to mature, but it is still lacking many features. There are some UI bugs, especially when using the app offline
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