Earlier this year, I made a pretty drastic, all-in move to Apple. That included laptop, tablet, phone, and watch. And so far, I haven’t been tempted to go back.
But recently, I was challenged in wondering what could eventually drag me out of Apple’s walled garden ever again. After considering it for many weeks, I concluded that it’s an impossible challenge. So many of my frustrations around using an Android phone, Google Wear watch, and Windows laptop were resolved by Apple Continuity — and despite the recent advances, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Windows on Arm isn’t quite there
I’m right in the middle of reviewing a couple of the new Windows on Arm
But it’s still
Until Microsoft fixes reliability, I’ll struggle to go back to Windows as my daily driver. And given all the issues my Windows-using wife experiences on a regular basis, I’m working hard to convince her to start using the MacBook Pro 14 that I’m not using as much since I picked up a new iPad Pro 13. I’m fairly certain that she’ll make the same conversion.
Samsung to the rescue?
My laptop is the most important piece of my computing puzzle. It’s where I do most of my work, and no other device is quite as vital. So, any solution would have to incorporate an excellent laptop that provides close to the same performance, battery life, keyboard quality, and display quality of my MacBook Pro 16.
As I said above, while the current crop of Windows on Arm aren’t quite as efficient as MacBooks, they’re close enough for me. And I’ve reviewed several Windows
The challenge is that few other laptop makers also offer smartphones, with a short list that includes Samsung, Lenovo/Motorola, and Asus. If I include tablets that most closely match the iPad Pro (i.e., they’re optimized for tablet use, unlike
That leaves Samsung as the sole manufacturer that offers Windows
The question then is this: Does Samsung’s integration match Apple’s Continuity? Does the Galaxy Watch 6 work as closely with Galaxy smartphones as the Apple Watch does with iPhones? Does the Galaxy Tab offer the same, easy-to-use features as Apple Sidecar? Do messaging and phone calls work as seamlessly across every device? For that matter, do Galaxy Buds switch from phones to tablets to
This is an open question. I’ve read Samsung’s marketing materials and watched some YouTube videos, and it seems like there’s a strong ecosystem there. But in order to really test it, I would have to make just as significant an investment as when I switched to Apple. And even that sets aside the question of whether I’d like Samsung’s entire breadth of products as much as I like Apple’s.
My experience with Samsung is admittedly limited. My wife uses a Galaxy S24 Ultra and I owned an
Short of Samsung sending me all these devices to test for myself, I simply can’t justify such a massive and uncertain trial. And I suspect that’s true for most people who are in the Apple camp. Once you’re in, there’s a strong incentive to never leave.
An app ecosystem that surprised me
Don’t get me wrong: I’m no prisoner. In fact, I’ve been surprised at the quality of the Apple app ecosystem. I’ve always assumed that the Windows ecosystem was larger, and it might be when considering the vast store of legacy Windows apps that never made it to an Apple OS. And I was always aware that iOS apps outnumbered
As I used my various Apple devices more and more, I started branching out in choosing the best apps. I’ve long been settled on Microsoft’s suite of
But, because OneNote has some characteristics that have always bothered me and maintaining Windows compatibility has become less important over time, I’ve started looking at alternative
I’ve also been looking for a good journaling app for capturing the random thoughts that strike me throughout the day. Here, I’ve found many better Apple-only options than I’ve found for Windows or
The bottom line is that I’ve found a polish to many apps that’s just a cut above what I’m used to on Windows and
I’m still looking
So, for now, my answer remains the same: There’s no one thing that would cause me to switch back to Windows. And, so far, there’s no combination of things, either. I didn’t even mention Apple Intelligence, and that’s an approach to AI that appeals to me.
I’ll keep looking, though. Technology changes quickly, and companies like Samsung are working hard to better compete with Apple across the board. I’ll be sure to report back if my position changes.
