[citation][nom]IAmVortigaunt[/nom]I really don't understand the appeal for these Samsung phones. I understand wanting to avoid Apple, but what's so great about Samsung? In my estimation, they make some pretty generic looking phones made of cheap looking light plastic. IMO, HTC makes better phones...and, of course, Nokia. I like Samsung's TVs and some of their other products, but I just don't think they make quality hardware when it comes to phones.[/citation]
I agree on the phone design for the Samsung phone. I personally don't like it either. But, I think the main reasons there are so many customers behind Samsung pretty much comes down to three things.
1) Removable battery and SD card expansion
2) Choice (people who want a 200 dollar phone can't buy an Apple brand. Yet Samsung has multiple choices all the way from low-end to high-end phones).
3) Up-to-date internal hardware. When they launch a new phone from their high-end line of phones (Galaxy S and Galaxy Note) it's pretty much the cream of the crop in terms of specs. Like the S3 is pretty much a year old and yet they still use it to compare other Android phones that recently launched.
There was an article on Wozniak calling Apple arrogant because instead of giving consumers the freedom of choice to pick out their phones, they just bring out one phone to rule them all. It worked 3 years ago when consumers didn't understand Smartphones as much as today. Now, consumers KNOW what functions to look for in a phone and want variety. Which is probably why Apple is coming out with the mini and a rumored iPhablet.