Samsung often uses its in-house Exynos processor in its Galaxy phones, but a new petition circling the Web complains about its inferior performance.
Samsung Galaxy users complain about Exynos processor, start petition
The petition, titled “Stop selling us inferior Exynos phones!,” belongs to a Daniel H. who intends it for Samsung. Daniel says that Samsung uses its own in-house Exynos SoC in phones outside the US, along with its own ISOCELL-branded camera sensors. In the US, however, Samsung uses Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC chips and Sony camera sensors.
He believes that Qualcomm and Sony parts are superior in performance. As a result, he wants Samsung to stop using their inferior parts in non-US phones. He essentially wants Samsung to use the same parts in non-US phones as it uses in US phones.
“Phones with Exynos SoC chips are shown to perform slower, have less battery life, use inferior camera sensors and processing, overheat and throttle faster, amongst other issues,” Daniel says in his change.org petition.
The reason behind his petition is that he believes Samsung cheats non-US customers. The Korean giant charges more for its Galaxy flagships outside the US while using these presumably “inferior” components, Daniel says.
Currently, the inferior Exynos petition had 2,300 signatures when reported by Android Central. It now has 20,732 signatures as of this writing. Daniel has a personal goal of 25,000 signatures, and it looks as if he’ll get those signatures, if nothing else.
Exynos processor brand: Samsung’s reality, Android’s dream
What Galaxy processor petition signers may not realize about the Exynos SoC is that it is not only Samsung’s brand. It is also the dream of every Android OEM. Every Android phone maker dreams of a day when it can place its own processor into its mobile phones.
Xiaomi tried to do this with its Surge processor lineup, but financial circumstances have put an end to the Chinese OEM’s ambition. Developing a phone processor takes money and R&D (research and development). Without money, there can be no R&D, and there can be no R&D without money.
How does Samsung get the funds to research and develop its Exynos processor brand? It gets them from placing Exynos SoCs into phones for sale. Without someone buying the company’s SoC and using it, Samsung couldn’t continue to make it better nor keep its processor line.
Non-US customers pay more for phones, but US customers pay more for data
A common complaint in Europe and Asia is that their customers pay more for phones than US customers. The petition states that customers are paying more for phones that don’t perform as US flagships do. And yet, what Daniel H. and other protestors may not realize is that American customers pay far more for 4G and 5G data than their international counterparts. Non-US customers pay more for phones, US customers pay more for data. No customer base, whether global or national, gets everything they want.
Non-US “Galaxies” come with colors, features, and “Editions” American versions do not
Non-US Galaxies such as the Korean Editions, often come with unique colors that are exclusive only to South Korea, Samsung’s home country. Samsung doesn’t sell these versions to US customers and doesn’t concern itself with what American buyers think about the matter. Special Burgundy, Red, and Blue colors go to non-US markets but rarely touch down in the USA. Special edition phones go live in South Korea but never arrive in the US.
Galaxy processor petition signers forget when Exynos saved Android flagships
Then there’s that time when Samsung’s Exynos SoC saved the “Galaxy” lineup from the overheating Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. Samsung’s Exynos performed so well that year that Qualcomm asked Samsung to design the 820 for Android flagships. If the Exynos SoC is that terrible, what motivated Qualcomm to go with an inferior processor design option?
Samsung’s 2019 processor market share is motivation for 2020
Last but not least, Samsung’s recent win over Apple in its 2019 processor market share is motivation to continue down the same path for 2020. Why would Samsung stop using Exynos chips when Exynos has now surpassed Apple’s A-series chips in usage? Increasing sales in India reveal that, contrary to Daniel’s petition, not everyone dislikes Exynos chips.