Samsung Apps 2-Week Report: Only 2 Replaced Google Apps

Background of the Test: Questioning the Default

Many users of Android smartphones, especially the Samsung Galaxy series, consider the standard pre-installed Samsung applications as “bloatware” during the initial setup of their new devices. They typically move them all into a folder and install additional Google apps like Chrome, Gboard, and Google Messages from the Google Play Store. This behavioral pattern is widespread.

Behind this lies the reality that Google services have become the de facto standard in the Android ecosystem. However, Samsung invests hundreds of millions of dollars annually in software research and development, designing the One UI ecosystem for seamless integration with its hardware. Could there be potentially superior software being overlooked due to habitual practice?

To test this hypothesis, Ben Khalesi of Android Police conducted a unique two-week test. The test was straightforward: in daily use of a Galaxy smartphone, use all pre-installed Samsung applications as the default software, and live a life with as little reliance as possible on Google-made applications. The insights gained from this process shed light on the reality of application choices within the ecosystem.

Keyboard:

Caught Between Technical Differences and Customization

In smartphone use, keyboard input is the most fundamental interface between the user and the device, and its experience significantly affects the overall feel of the device. During the test period, the Samsung Keyboard was examined from multiple angles.

The biggest challenge was text input efficiency. The Samsung Keyboard’s text prediction was poor at handling slang and new phrases, and the auto-correction feature tended to apply literal corrections without deeply understanding the context. As a result, users found themselves hitting the backspace key more often than expected, frequently interrupting the flow of typing. Even considering the adaptation period for the layout, it felt inferior to Gboard in terms of usability.

On the other hand, a major strength of the Samsung Keyboard is its customizability. Using Samsung’s “Good Lock,” users can finely adjust the size and spacing of keys. This opens up the possibility of building an environment optimized for one’s personal typing style. However, this convenience derived from customization could not overcome the fundamental advantages of Gboard’s learning-based prediction and extensive vocabulary support. The above details are based on the report by Ben Khalesi of Android Police.

Messaging:

The Constraint That Doesn’t Cross Device Boundaries

Communication functions, especially messaging apps, are the area where text input is most utilized, linking closely with the topic of keyboards. Here too, Google’s superiority was revealed.

Both applications support RCS (Rich Communication Services) functionality, capable of providing a feature-rich messaging experience. However, there is a fundamental difference. Google Messages has a web interface, allowing message sending and receiving from a PC or other browser. In contrast, Samsung Messages is designed to be tied to its own hardware, with no current means provided to use it via the cloud from other devices.

For the many users accustomed to the multi-device workflow of checking and sending messages via a browser tab during work hours, this limitation of Samsung Messages is a clear competitive drawback. The experience, walled off by device boundaries, is far inferior to the versatility of Google Messages.

Password Management: The Wall of Ecosystem Lock-in

Managing passwords and credentials is a critical security foundation for modern smartphone usage. The evaluation in this area vividly reflects the degree of ecosystem dependency.

Samsung Pass is deeply integrated with Galaxy devices, achieving seamless password autofill and payment authentication through methods like fingerprint recognition. The experience on its own hardware is very smooth and highly convenient. However, this convenience is limited to the Samsung device ecosystem. According to Android Police, there is currently no convenient method to access or use Samsung Pass on other platforms or devices.

On the other hand, Google Password Manager, based on a cross-platform strategy, allows credentials to be synced and used across different environments like Android, Chrome, and Windows. The fact that it works regardless of device or operating system is a decisive advantage for users who value ecosystem portability. Samsung Pass excels within its own fortress, but lacks a means to cross the wall.

The Two Apps That Were Adopted

After the two-week test period, Khalesi ultimately chose two applications to incorporate into daily use, permanently replacing their Google counterparts.

The first was the Samsung Keyboard (a derivative leveraging its customization features). Although inferior to Gboard in basic input performance, its advanced customization via Good Lock offers unique value for specific user segments that Gboard does not provide. The ability to fundamentally change the keyboard size and layout creates the potential for a comfortable experience during long typing sessions or for users with physical constraints. This is a depth of personalization that Google does not standardly offer.

The second was Samsung Notes. This app became a standout during the test. While the Android Police article does not detail the full picture of its note-taking experience, Samsung Notes is said to offer a highly polished experience for multimedia notes, handwritten input on PDFs, and stylus integration. It is inferred that this was evaluated for its ability to cater to more professional and feature-rich note-taking needs, different from the simplicity of Google Keep.

Editorial Opinion

Short-Term Impact The results of this test revealed the reality of application evaluation within the One UI ecosystem deployed by Samsung. Particularly in the keyboard and messaging domains, Google’s learning-based algorithms and cross-platform strategy still hold a significant advantage. In the next 3 to 6 months, Samsung may take steps based on this evaluation to enhance the input prediction engine of the Samsung Keyboard or develop a web access feature for Samsung Messages. Expanding the adoption of its own apps is key to the ecosystem maintenance strategy, which is directly linked to hardware sales.

Long-Term Perspective Over a span of 1 to 3 years, this trend could influence the software strategies of other smartphone manufacturers. While Google’s apps hold an advantage in versatility, manufacturer-made apps like Samsung Notes can leverage areas where optimization with hardware and customizability can express potential uniqueness. If they can provide an outstanding experience in specific use cases, they may change user adherence to a particular ecosystem.

References

• “I forced myself to use Samsung apps instead of Google; only 2 earned a permanent spot”, by Ben Khalesi — Android Police, 2026-08-20T19:00:10.000Z (ARR)
• Source URL: https://www.androidpolice.com/i-forced-myself-to-use-samsung-apps-instead-of-google-2-earned-permanent-spot/