Why Do Samsung Phones Still Frustrate Loyal Users Despite Amazing Features?

What Makes Samsung Phone Owners Love and Hate Their Devices Simultaneously?

I've been using Samsung phones for years now, and while I genuinely love what they bring to the table, there are some persistent issues that really get on my nerves. Let me walk you through the six biggest problems that keep bugging me about these otherwise fantastic devices.

The Bloatware Problem Gets Worse Every Year

When I unbox a new Samsung phone, I feel like I'm opening a digital junk drawer. The sheer amount of pre-installed apps is overwhelming. Samsung doesn't just give you their own apps like Samsung TV, Samsung Members, and SmartThings. They pile on Microsoft apps too - Office 365, LinkedIn, OneNote, and OneDrive all come ready to go.

This creates a messy first impression that makes your brand-new phone feel cluttered before you even start using it. These apps don't just sit there looking pretty either. They:

• Eat up precious storage space
• Drain your battery in the background
• Slow down your phone's performance
• Create notification chaos

The problem hits hardest on budget Galaxy phones where every megabyte of storage and every bit of processing power matters. Sure, I can remove most of these apps later, but why should I have to clean up my phone right out of the box?

Missing Multi-User Support Makes No Sense

Here's something that drives me absolutely crazy. Android has supported multiple user profiles for years - it's one of the biggest advantages over iPhones. You can create separate spaces for work, family members, or guests. Each profile gets its own apps, settings, and data.

But Samsung phones? They completely skip this feature. It's baffling because Samsung tablets actually support multiple users just fine. On phones, they give us Secure Folder instead, which is great for privacy but doesn't solve the same problem.

I want to hand my phone to my kids without worrying about them messing with my work apps. I want a clean separation between personal and professional use. Samsung's solution just doesn't cut it.

The One UI Confusion Trap

Samsung quietly created a confusing mess with their software versions. They used to clearly label the stripped-down version as "One UI Core" so you knew what you were getting. Now they've dropped that label, and both versions just say "One UI 6.1."

This means you might buy two Samsung phones thinking they'll work the same way, but one gives you the full experience while the other leaves out key features like:

• Edge Panels and Edge Lighting
• Link to Windows integration
• Secure Folder
• Good Lock customization support

The worst part? Samsung doesn't make this clear in their marketing. You only find out what's missing after you've already bought the phone and tried to use a feature that isn't there.

Duplicate Apps Create Digital Clutter

Samsung insists on including their own version of every basic app. I get Samsung Gallery, Samsung Internet, Samsung Messages, and Samsung Phone alongside Google's versions of the same apps. Some Samsung apps are actually pretty good, but having two of everything creates unnecessary clutter.

The real frustration comes when you try to clean house. If you prefer Google's ecosystem, you're stuck. Samsung won't let you remove their core apps like Gallery, My Files, or the Galaxy Store. You can hide them, but they still take up storage space and system resources.

This forced duplication makes the phone feel bloated and gives you less control over your own device.

Ads on Premium Phones Are Unacceptable

Nothing kills the premium experience faster than ads popping up on a phone that costs over $1,000. Samsung puts ads everywhere - lock screens, notification panels, and even inside their own apps.

What makes this particularly insulting is that budget phones from other brands justify ads by offering lower prices. Samsung charges flagship prices but still serves you ads like you're using a free service.

Getting rid of these ads requires digging through multiple settings menus, tweaking app permissions, and disabling notifications one by one. Even after all that work, some ads still sneak through. For anyone coming from an iPhone or Pixel's clean experience, this feels like a major step backward.

Charging Speeds Stuck in the Past

While competitors like OnePlus and Motorola push charging speeds to 100W and beyond, Samsung seems content to crawl along at 45W maximum. Even their latest Galaxy S25 Ultra, which costs well over $1,000, charges slower than phones that cost half as much.

This becomes a real problem in daily use. When my phone dies, I'm looking at over an hour to get a full charge. Meanwhile, friends with other Android phones go from zero to 100% in 30-40 minutes. The Galaxy S25 Edge makes this worse with its small 3,900mAh battery that needs frequent top-ups.

Moving Forward

I still recommend Samsung phones because they excel in so many areas - displays, cameras, build quality, and software support. But these recurring issues hold them back from being truly great. Samsung has the resources and expertise to fix every single one of these problems.

The question is whether they'll listen to user feedback or continue prioritizing partnerships and revenue streams over user experience. Until they address these concerns, we'll keep dealing with workarounds and compromises on devices that should deliver a premium experience from day one.

These issues might seem minor individually, but together they create friction that shouldn't exist on phones in this price range. Samsung can do better, and their users deserve better.