I'm kind of surprised the latest S series phone isn't on there every year. I've always thought of it as the premium non-Apple phone.
Samsung annoy me with all the bloatware etc but the hardware is decent. I am in, I think, my seventh year with my S10 and it's going strong.
I found myself using both phones as I transitioned off the old one and barely noticing the difference mind you, which is a good sign in my eyes. I think Smartphones for the last 6 to 8 years are finally very stable. More stable than a Windows 11 laptop on Hardware people in the 2000s could only dream of.
If it wasn't concerned on how nice it play with linux, I would already have one
https://www.ifixit.com/News/101397/an-update-on-iphone-repai...
Pros:
Better screen, cameras and build quality. Like way better. The glass on this phone is durable enough to not use a case and I don't. After beating it up for a year, its looks and works great. The build quality of this device is bordering alien.
Face ID is very nice. Touch ID does not like my skin.
I like the magnetic accessories and MagSafe.
Visual intelligence is actual quite useful for helping to identify stuff. I’m a curious person and actually use it.
Having flashlight on the action button makes it feel like a tool. I use the flashlight virtually every day.
It’s nice to not have my phone lag, which was a problem for the SE2. This phone is very capable, battery life is much better too.
Cons:
I have had more camera crashes on this iPhone than any I’ve ever had on a new flagship. Less than on my dying SE2, but the camera should not crash on a new flagship. It’s mission critical equipment in my book.