Just upgraded from the s10e to the s23. It's definitely a downgrade in some areas (lack of headphone jack, no SD card for storage expansion, etc) but I thought hey, it's a small phone like I need, decent camera, no AI like the new s24-s25 right?
Right.... until the phone did a system update and now my s23 is riddled with all the generative AI b.s.
Does anyone know if you can completely remove it? Or am I stuck with "disabling" and hoping to forget the huge Galaxy AI tab now in my settings? Will I have to "disable" the AI with every new update?
Does anyone know if android will eventually make an update where AI isn't forced on us? Can they not create an update where AI is optional / an additional download for those that want it?
I seriously am thinking about returning this phone and just using my wonky s10e until it completely dies. I have never been more disappointed in samsung/android than I am right now. Ridiculous.
(Editing to add: I've made this post using my s10e. I will use the s23 as little as possible because of this situation.)
UPDATE: couldnt return the phone due to the system update that happened, which canceled out the return policy. I have reactivated my s10e for now and will use it until it dies out. the s23 will be kept as an unfortunate last-resort backup for when the s10e dies, unless i can find someone to sell it to. Out of $350, no closer to a genuine upgrade, and beyond frustrated. Yay samsung. ๐ the s23 is a serious downgrade on multiple levels and I will not make this mistake again.
UPDATE 8/6: writing the update on my s10e still, but I switched over to Apple for the time being. Still without a headphone jack and SD card, but my iPhone 15 is small, has 0 generative AI (even with system updates), better storage. Maybe I'll come back to android in a few years, but for now I'm vibing with the change. Using my old s10e as a browsing phone currently. The s23 has been gifted to my mom; she also immediately wanted the AI turned off.
Hopefully in the future samsung will create a phone that 1) has a good baseline for internal storage (start at 256gb minimum, since the system and undelete-able apps take up so much space), and 2) have 0 generative AI features (make the AI a separate download if needed for the small percentage that wants it). Bonus points if they can bring smaller models back.
So I'm suffering either way. Is it safe to assume that any android is now going to have the AI updates (including the A series) then? Should I even bother trying to return the s23?
And yep. I was looking into the zenfone 10. The "where to buy" tab goes to mobile advance, amazon, walmart - and is sold out. The zenfone 11 is too big, and also sold out.
The A series will not get AI, not the advanced features anyway.
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