More users will switch to Pixel if Google copies this feature from Samsung!

People love Samsung Galaxy, but lately, many people are getting tired of the feel of its new devices and are considering switching to Google Pixel. Unfortunately, switching to a Google smartphone means giving up one of the features you use every day.

Samsung's Modes and Routines Will Make You Rethink Your Smartphone

Think about a typical day and you’ll notice that most of the tasks you do on your phone are highly repetitive. You turn on DND before bed, Bluetooth when streaming videos, mobile data when out and about, and battery saver when your battery is low.

No matter how excited we get about new features, most people use their phones for very basic tasks and in predictable ways. If that’s the case, a truly smart smartphone should be able to anticipate your needs and adjust these settings automatically.

This is exactly what Samsung’s Modes and Routines feature is designed to do. It’s a dedicated set of automations on your Galaxy phone that gives you an unparalleled level of control over your device. Modes and routines essentially do the same thing, but they’re set up differently.

Modes are editable presets that Samsung has added for common tasks like sleeping, driving, or exercising. Think of them as extensions of Android’s Digital Wellbeing feature. Routines are like IFTTT applets that let you change individual settings when certain criteria are met.

Routines are more customizable and can be tailored to your specific needs. You can trigger them manually via widget, voice command, or automatically based on location, time, and activity. Here are some routines that can be used on your phone:

• Bedtime : Start manually. Reduce brightness to 1%, switch screen to grayscale, and turn on Do Not Disturb, Eye Comfort Shield, and Extra Dim.
• Going out : Start manually, turn off Wi-Fi and Dark Mode, turn on mobile data, Bluetooth , location and Dolby Atmos.
• Location : Start automatically. Turn on location when opening Google Maps, weather app, food delivery app, or ride-hailing app.
• Streaming : Automatically enabled. Turn on auto-rotate, Bluetooth, and Dolby Atmos when opening YouTube and streaming apps.
• Internet : Automatically starts when Wi-Fi strength drops to two bars or less. Turn on mobile data and data saver.
• Save battery : Automatically start. Turn on battery saver and turn off Always On Display when battery level falls below 10%.

Of course, these are just a few examples. There are countless other ways you can set them up to suit your own needs.

Automation on Pixel is just average

If I were to ditch Samsung for another Android phone brand, I'd probably go with the Pixel. But the Pixel lacks a lot of the nuance that Samsung offers with its automated features.

For starters, you’re mostly limited to Google Assistant routines or the built-in Rules feature. The former is available on all Android phones because it works through Google Assistant. The latter can only change your sound settings (ring, vibrate, or silent) or enable DND when connected to a specific Wi-Fi network or detects you’re in a certain location.

That means that to use Rules as intended, you have to have your phone connected to the internet and have location settings turned on all the time. That’s a huge waste of battery, and it’s surprising that anyone with a Pixel actually uses the feature.

Compared to Google Assistant routines, Modes and Routines are superior in every way. The main takeaway is this: Google relies too heavily on its AI capabilities to bother with a cohesive automation system. Samsung, on the other hand, offers everything you could want and more. You can even use Good Lock and some of its various modules, like Routines+, to create even more in-depth automations.

Switching to Pixel would be a lot less painful if Google committed to delivering something similar to what Samsung does. In fact, the foundation is already there. All Google has to do is follow the blueprint Samsung has perfected.