1. Hardware: Samsung has the best hardware of any Android phone in North America. Yes I realize that there are many Chinese manufacturers that make superior hardware. I am also aware that there are manufacturers that are making hardware that is more "advanced" in some respects (like tri folding phones) but Samsung offers the best combination of hardware and software, which on the whole, I believe provides a better experience overall. They also have the most robust line of products, from watches, to tablets, refrigerators, microwaves, TV's, speakers. This lets me do a lot with a lot of the smart things in my home.
2. One UI: Specifically for the phones, since this is most of what seems to go on this forum, they have the best flavor of Android bar none. They have the best balance of stability, costumizability and and features. Pixel OS has almost nothing that One UI cannot do. Chinese manufacturers may have unique features (like an IR blaster for example) but they frankly have not proven their longevity and reliability for long periods of time. Samsung has been around for a long time and I trust that the company won't suddenly shut down or be bought out in the near future. Anything I want to do, I have (almost) always found a way to make it happen. Anything I want to change or modify to my liking I can do. I have very rarely had issues with performance or stability on the phone or tablet or watch.
3. Software updates: I want to address something that has landed Samsung some attention recently. That is the updates. Samsung may not be the first to push out the latest flavor of Android, but they really don't need to. Pixel OS may be one or two updates ahead of galaxy at any point in time but they can't do even a quarter of the things that Samsung phones can (even if they are an Android build behind). I have had the Pixel 9 Pro and it feels just like the I-phone. Rigid, changing things is like jumping through hoops. Samsung seems to encourage their users to do whatever they want with their devices. I don't have to worry about whether or not I can do something with my phone. I know I can do it. I just have to look up how. I have been on One UI 6.1 for a couple of months and everyday I'm finding out that there is something else I can do within the software that I did not know I could do.
Security: Samsung Knox. Government grade security. Nuff said.
Samsung Store: Samsung is the only Android make that is trying to cultivate a store of apps that are specifically designed to work on Samsung phones. These apps work better and are designed for these line of phones so you don't have to worry about buggy subpar Android apps that crop up. Whether or not they have been successful is a different story but they have been trying. Other manufacturers don't do it because it isn't easy to have a brand of phones that people trust and buy enough to incentivize developers to build apps for exclusively. There is a lot of work that is involved.
TLDR:
Samsung makes the best combination of software, hardware, and security that overall I believe gives the user the most robust and useful experience of Android bar none. I would rather have a million features and not need them than to have a few features and then suddenly need one and not have it. You can keep the phone as simple as you want (in fact Samsung has a feature in the settings called "easy mode") that essentially makes the phone dummy proof or as complex as you want to make it (with routines+, pentastic, homeup, life up, etc.). I can have a navigation bar or not. Gestures or not. A pen or not. Whatever I want, I can change it to do that.
One UI 7 has only increased the level of customizability that we have available (which I did not think was possible) within the homescreens and I suspect in ways of which I am not aware of. And if there are some things that you want back that have changed...guess what? You can change it back!
