Samsung phone – unacceptable high-handedness !

Monanore

Samsung updated its ‘One UI’ layer to version 8 on my phone.

Result : Panic : I couldn’t switch it off ! Fortunately, thanks to chatgpt I got it working.

It turns out they had intercepted the side button in order to force a sign-on to Gemini AI. It seems they want their users to talk to the phone instead of using menus.

This is simply unacceptable behaviour. I’ve put up with them changing my settings before but this takes the biscuit. The worst part is that they neither warn you nor explain the changes.

And I don’t want all this !?*# anyway, I just want a fuss-free reasonably priced smartphone.

I wouldn't care except these days a working phone is vital - for 2FA for instance.

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6664713/samsung-phone-unacceptable-high-handedness

You could move to something like Fairphone, if you want to leave Samsung, and avoid this nonsense.

https://www.fairphone.com/

Edit - I moved from Samsung to a Pixel when I last changed my phone as the Bixby button drove me mad. I'm pleased with my Pixel. My husband has a Fairphone and likes his.

Peter999_2

I'd agree, Pixel's are very good phones without any of this Samsung nonsense. I've had a 7,8 and now a 10. They can be had very cheaply as well if you keep an eye on UK hotdeals.

Ayr_Rage

Get a NOTHING phone.

flaneurs_lobster

Go to Settings, type "side button" into the search, change the side button to do whatever you like.

Samsung are renowned for having a "feature rich" interface, One UI will let you change and customise pretty much anything you interact with.

They are as guilty as the other tech companies at the moment of trying to foist their particular AI Assistant between you and whatever you are trying to do on your phone/laptop.

I really like playing with this kind of stuff, not because it's essential that I can shave seconds off my daily phone interactions but I like gadgety tech.

Can well understand that this kind of stuff drives others crazy (my partner is one such) maybe as others have said, move to another phone - those Pixels are highly regarded.

RumRat

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6664713/samsung-phone-unacceptable-high-handedness

'Panic'?? 😂 All you needed to do was change what the side button does to Power Menu. Always best to familiarise yourself with the settings menu on any new phone.

Personally I use the side button for the very useful Gemini and a double tap to open another app, but each to their own. Samsung sell around a couple of hundred million phones a year, guess they can't please everyone.

Vitor

• Settings → Advanced features → Side button

• Set “Press and hold” to Power off menu