Apple fan tries Tab S9 Ultra

This is my first long-format article, so I apologize if my ramblings make little sense, but figured this the best outlet to write down my thoughts and experiences in case anyone is in a similar boat, or wants a deeper dive into understanding why use the technology I do.

(I apologize for the lack of quality imagery in this article, as I hadn't intended to write this.)

As a long term iPad user, I love tablets. However, over the years the software experience has left me feeling a little wanting. Seeing all the capabilities in regards to multi-tasking, software compatibility, choices and form factors made me a little Android-curious.

I'm no stranger to Android devices, as many of my friends and colleagues know. In the last 365 days alone, I have owned a 14 pro, 2x 14 pro maxes, an S23 Ultra, and 2x Z Fold 4s. Somehow always finding my way back to the iPhone and Apple Ecosystem which I call "home" for one reason or another.

I currently posses an iPhone 15 Pro max, iPad Mini, and a Macbook Air M2. I love the ecosystem, but understand the limitations such a fenced in experience provides. Having my large-format tablet be part of the ecosystem is a big deal to me, but I was willing to forgo that level of continuity for a superior single-device experience. I watched reviews, I read the specs, and I made my decision. I purchased the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. The unboxing experience is extremely similar to Apple's, forgoing plastic wrapping in favor of carded pull tabs sealing the box shut. (As I go back and forth between devices, it's always astonishing to me how even something as little as how a package is sealed is lead by Apple.)

Opening the impossibly thin box containing the S9 Ultra reveals an equally impossibly thin and LARGE tablet. This thing is seriously thin, holding it feels like something that shouldn't physically be possible. The canvas is large, vast, and a superior aspect ratio (16:10) for media consumption. The addition of IP68 gives this tablet an extra peace of mind as well. Not relevant to me, but during my research, IP68 makes a lot of sense for boat owners out there looking for a tablet device to use at sea. Powering up the device immediately shows off the advantages of Samsung's SUPERAMOLED displays, gorgeous white and crisp text against a black background. The first impression experience is really nailed here, coupled with the included-in-box S-Pen.

I signed into my Google and Samsung accounts, did some general update housekeeping and was on my way to explore my new device. As things start to get a little more negative moving forward, I want to preface by saying that this is by no means a mark against Samsung, but the Android ecosystem as a whole. Samsung has done literally everything they can to make Android a usable experience. I see first hand why most large tech reviewers and media outlets say that if you are in the market for an Android tablet, and it has to be Android, Samsung is the only option.

I experienced and odd bug, where call and text forwarding was still linked (and showing as connected with a little image of a SIM card AND my phone number) to my S23 Ultra. A phone I had not had in my possession since May of 2023. I did not have the phone in my Samsung Account, and it was removed from Samsung's version of "FindMy" as well. I had to go to a different location without any insight or guidance, to un-enroll my device. Why wouldn't this just be auto-un-enrolled when the device is factory reset?

Skipping to the end of the story, I ultimately returned the S9 Ultra for a 12.9 M2 iPad Pro, here's the reasons why:

  • Fingerprint Unlock - not as seamless or thoughtless as FaceID
  • Web Browser - Safari just does it the best for this form factor. Sure, you have options to use third party non-webkit browsers, but Android is the wild west. My first thought was to use FireFox, since I use FireFox on my Windows Desktop, I figured syncing between the two could be cool. Android does not have a tablet-specific version of FireFox. There are no visible tabs or tab bar, and you cannot set your homescreen in FireFox to a specific page. Your only options are Firefox Home, and FireFox home with sponsored ads. Firefox on a tablet of this size with horrific tab magagement is a dealbreaker. Okay, let's try Chrome. Android Chrome does not support extensions of any kind, and using the web without any sort of ad-block in 2023 is quite frankly, horrifyng. Especially when a device of this size merits itself to full desktop layouts. This leaves Samsungs browser, which, admittedly, is the best. But syncs with nothing and isn't all that visually appealing or enjoyable.
  • Keyboard Input - There are multiple ways Android can handle external keyboard input. Unfortunately the method Samsung has chosen to translate input from an external source is NOT compatible with most remote desktop applications, making them useless.
  • Apps - This is probably the biggest one, and where Samsung tries it's best. I NOW understand why it's a Samsung tablet or nothing, and why the Pixel tablet is largely not recmmended by most. Using most apps on a tablet that is wider than it is long is downright terrifying. Samsung does an excellent job is trying to force apps to make use of the canvas, and this largely works with their foldable line, since the foldable screen is still relatively small in comparsion, and is still taller than it is wide. However here, there is just no saving some of the apps. The Reddit app is GIANT, WIDE, and uses size 96 font. You can save this by running another app along side of it, thanks to Samsung's expert multi-tasking, and get the ratios back in order. However, in order to get reddit usable, you basically have to always open it alongside another app. s9
    Goodnotes, one of my iPad staples is finally on Android! However it's an extremely watered-down experience that launches as a chrome-app (WTF?). I can keep going on apps, but this has largely been my experience. Apps are either unsuable standalone or watered down experiences compared to their iPad counterparts.

Seeing how applications are running was the final straw for me. Hardware is only a means for us to interact with software. If the software is shit, it doesn't matter how great the hardware is. That being said, there are some areas where the S9 Ultra excels, thanks to it's aspect ratio and open-ness. Media consumption on this is a gem and far better than on the iPad. The ability to patch YouTube to Revanced is amazing, and a feature I definitely will miss. However, those two pros are not enough to outweigh the nightmare that is tablet-based Android.