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5 Things You’ll Hate About the Samsung Galaxy Note 4

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is still an excellent smartphone and there are a lot of things that it does well. There are also some things that we dislike about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and you’ll want to keep these in mind as you look to buy your next smartphone.

Last year, Samsung took the stage at IFA 2014 in Berlin to announce new entries into the Galaxy Note series. The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 made their debuts on stage and since then, the Galaxy Note 4 has ruled as the company’s flagship big screen smartphone option.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 was one of the best smartphones of 2014 and it remains a top option for those looking to get a high quality device with tons of screen real estate. We recently took a deep dive into some of the things we love about the Galaxy Note 4 almost a year after the phone’s release.

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We’ve been using this phone for awhile now. And while there are definitely a ton of things that we love about Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4, there are also some things that we don’t like. The Galaxy Note 4 is an outstanding device but it’s not perfect. No smartphone is.

With a Galaxy Note 5 on the way and Galaxy Note 4 deals popping up, we want to take a look at the Galaxy Note 4 and tell you about a few things we don’t like about it. For some of you, these things won’t be a problem. For others, they’ll be game-changers. Here’s what we don’t like about the Galaxy Note 4.

Slow Software Updates

Slow Software Updates

We're not the first people to call this out and we won't be the last. Samsung's software support for the Galaxy Note 4 has been extremely slow and unpredictable and now that the phone is a year old, it's probably not going to improve. 

If you are coming from an iPhone, know that Samsung's software updates can take awhile. Instead of quick bug fixers, you get slow unpredictable releases that sometimes come weeks or months after they're actually needed. This doesn't just apply to smaller bug fixes either. 

You also have to wait for Samsung's bigger updates. Take Android Lollipop. The Galaxy Note 4 was released at the tail end of last year though its Lollipop release was extremely slow and extremely unpredictable. Honestly, it was surprising to see the device get such horrendous treatment after launch.

Samsung is still updating some of its Galaxy Note 4 models to Lollipop right now. And no, we're not talking Android 5.1.1. We're talking older versions of Lollipop that have taken half a year to hit the flagship smartphone. 

If you need another example, take a look at the new Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update that started rolling out to Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S5 users in June bringing crucial bug fixes to both of those devices. 

The update is reportedly coming to the Galaxy Note 4 but it's still not clear when Samsung will make the big push. If one comes at all. We'll give you one more example. 

The Android M update that's coming out in Q3 probably won't hit the Galaxy Note 4 in Q3. And we'll be lucky if Samsung gets the update out in Q4. The Galaxy Note 4 will lose flagship status in August when the Galaxy Note 5 arrives and that means that it will probably take a back seat when it comes to software support from Samsung and carriers. 

This has frustrated us to no end and if you're used to fast updates with tons of communication, you're going to be in for a long couple of years if you buy the Galaxy Note 4. 

15 Comments

15 Comments

  1. GOAT78

    07/27/2015 at 12:52 pm

    The only real issue here is the fingerprint scanner. You can’t use software as a complaint against the phone. Blame software issues on google and Samsung. Learning curve is not the fault of the Note 4. Can’t teach stupid.

    • Bill

      07/27/2015 at 10:54 pm

      Adam, both of these folks are spot on. You are blaming the wonderful Note 4 which I have on KitKat for slowness of Lollipop? What kind of logic is this?? Everybody I know hates Lollipop because it is buggy and has a horrible UI, battery drain etc which is Google’s fault. So why blame my Note 4? KitKat on a rooted phone makes me happy. We don’t need or want an update so why are you pushing that? We are happy where we are on KitKat.

      The price? Premium for premium quality phone. My choice to pay or not. Is worth it.

      App choices and S pen? Knew that going in. Love it. I and many are ex-Palm devotees. Simplified Touch wiz? Do you mean Material Design? Hate it. Bad colors and I want the dark theme so wrong on that one too. Only thing you got right is finger print scanner. Worthless ad you are correctangular. Doesn’t work. Next time pick some true reasons. The Note 4 is the best phone on the planet bar none. That is why I have it. Love it and could care less about updates. I am on KitKat will stay on KitKat and will be happy forever because this phone has got everything and has got everything else beat! Case closed.
      Bill

  2. Paul

    07/27/2015 at 1:46 pm

    Agree with above finger sensor is a dog. Secondly SAMSUNG are slow to update but never had any major problem.
    My daughter has an iPhone. I hate it. Android is more powerful and no need for iTunes.
    Pointless article.

  3. Subbaraman

    07/28/2015 at 10:43 pm

    “……but if all you want is a big screen (and a handful of great software features) there are options with better prices.”

    Which are the options can you elaborate

  4. Leaffan

    07/29/2015 at 7:23 pm

    Thank you Paul, Bill, Goat78. You have said everything I was thinking as I read this article. Reads like an Apple advertisement. I have the Note Edge and love it! When you have this phone or the Note 4, updates and upgrades to new versions aren’t as important as when you have an IPhone apparently. We don’t seem to need changes to make them better. They are great already!

    • Bill

      07/30/2015 at 12:22 am

      Well said! You are right as rain.
      Bill

  5. Tasya

    07/30/2015 at 1:50 am

    I completely disagree with this article. I am a account management for a marketing firm. I use to have an iPhone but it would lag and take forever while I was dealing with customers and my bosses. I switched to the Galaxy Note4 and have none if these issues. It updates 10 times faster then the iPhone, and it is cheaper then the iPhone (including if my charger gets lost or breaks I don’t have to spend over 10 dollars to get a new cord). Also the S pen and all those “unnecessary” apps you speak of, well they make a lot of sense once you’re use to using them. IPhones are user friendly so everything is overly simplified, you actually have to play around on this phone to learn it. Which most people don’t have the patients for which sucks for them; because this is way easier than a simple stylus pen. And lastly the finger print scanner… I honestly get it to work everytime, I have had this phone for a while and I have never had any issues with it including being able to use one hand for it to work (maybe it’s operater error). How ever this phone isn’t for everyone, but it’s the phone for me.

    • Cody Spaulding

      08/25/2015 at 1:44 pm

      Did any of you morons dead the article? You guys sound like crybaby fanboys.. Clearly he said .” The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is still an excellent smartphone and there are a lot of things that it does well”. He wasnt just hashing the note 4 but pointing out facts about a wack phone. Do your selves a favor just buy an iPhone next time. That way you wont be bitter and unhappy with your primitive devices and feel the need to defend them because you are mad you overpaid for garbage.
      Reply

  6. Ntegrob

    07/30/2015 at 6:15 am

    I agree, sumsung”s software update policy is quite simply pathetic. I see no reason why a flagship phone can’t have the latest version of touch wiz software with all relevant features. At the end of the day, one is left with a great (hardware), expensive phone that became outdated 3 months after purchase, and with no hope of ever getting updated the latest features… I’d b very hesitant to invest the same amout of money in the Note 5, only to have it 4 gotten 3 months later.

  7. toby davis

    07/30/2015 at 10:19 am

    Ok so you found 5 things you hate about the note 4 ? I honestly don’t think you can blame samsung or the note 4 for lollipop update or the time it takes to update …so that leaves you with 3 things .I buy and sell phones for a living and it sounds like you are missing your iPhone . I can think of more than 5 things I hate about apple and more than five things about most phones including the lg g3 and g4 and certainly more than 5 about any apple product.I will make you a deal send me you note 4 and I will send you a iphone and next month I will write the samsung review of the note 5 .gotta be mobile please see if you can replace this young man with someone who knows what they are talking about .thanks for your time

  8. Cody Spaulding

    08/25/2015 at 1:42 pm

    Did sny of you morons dead the article? You guys dound like crybaby fanboys.. Clearly he said .” The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is still an excellent smartphone and there are a lot of things that it does well”. He wasnt just hashing the note 4 but pointing out facts about a wack phone. Do your selves a favor just buy an iPhone next time. That way you wont be bitter and unhappy with your primitive devices and feel the need to defend them because you are mad you overpaid for garbage.

  9. Ironix

    12/23/2015 at 8:42 am

    iPhones are diehard phones. I loved the iPhone, in fact the first four. I tried as hard as l could to remain with the iPhone, but l had to face the facts that Android were not the Android of old and were quickly catching up with The Apple empire.They eventually overtook Apple, a long way back now and Android look to be making the gap larger each year. The only people who now stick it out with whatever the next iPhone will be, are those who are too stuck with iPhone that they cannot learn anything else and those whose refuse to wake up and smell the coffee. This Galaxy Note 4 is just one of the big guns that has long left the iPhone 6 and all its predecessors in its immense wake. I truly wish that one day Apple surprise us with a unit which can again bring some competition to the table upon which the new Android superphones proudly sit, and more importantly, a removable battery which we can replace during the evening out, so we don’t have to borrow a friend’s Android super unit!

  10. Tru Colors100

    04/06/2016 at 1:46 pm

    TruColors100

    I simply hate my Note 4! Short and sweet some of you most likely will disagree I’m fine with that.

    • Renata Jelacic

      04/15/2016 at 12:12 am

      I agree with you. I cannot wait until my contract is up.

  11. CESAR

    05/12/2016 at 7:13 am

    Adam Mills, This is one of the stupidest article ever created online.. It clearly seems that you are a iPhone follower, and the only thing you are doing is demonstrating hade about a device that has 10 times more technology than an iPhone, it looks like you are jealous that iphone doesn’t have the Technology that Samsung already have on their devices, and that makes you really upset ending up writing an stupid article like this one.

    Clearly you don’t or cannot difference between “Software and Hardware” ..
    The top of the line Samsung phones provide superior technology over Apple. At this time apple will not be able to catch samsung in any way.
    Galaxy Notes have tons of hardware and technology that are over 6 years beyond Apple.
    The most expensive iphone VS the most expensive Galaxy can be compared because iphone don’t have the technology to be compared and it fails in every aspect.
    The only reason iphone make people think is the best phone , is because is very popular and have tons of followers, and tons of sales.. But take away the money and iPhone will fall in the hole like blackberry did.
    Apple against Samsung…? NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO COMPETE ..!

    Iphone it maybe years in the game because the money they make in sales but NOT because technology…!

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