Before Google released Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, manufacturers’ customized skins over the mobile OS used to be problematic. But when Google smartened up with a lot of things in ICS namely design & performance, so did Android handset makers as well. Namely HTC and Samsung. HTC UI skin is called Sense and Samsung’s skin is dubbed TouchWiz. Both companies have come a long way in regards to progressing along with the smartphones & OS. Before we delve into things, a little background on both to get us started.
HTC’s Sense started out as skin back the company made Windows Mobile phones but went under another name – TouchFLO 3D. The skin debuted in 2008 on the Touch Diamond and like Sense of today, the UI skin offered its own set of apps/widgets on top of the OS. Since transitioning into Sense, many experts hold the UI accountable for additional lag within HTC Android devices. All of this changed with HTC decided to lighten its load when working on Sense 4 which debuted this year on their One series. Now it is a lot more welcomed amongst consumers than years/devices before.
Samsung’s TouchWiz started on feature phones back in 2007 back as the Croix UI on the F700 here in the US. As the company began its venture into the cellphone market, the UI was initially created to give their devices appeal to compete with the first iPhone. The company decided to change the name when it came time to update the UI to TouchWiz. Samsung’s UI skin has gone through several changes on smartphones and tablets. At one point TouchWiz seemed to be a skin poorly modeled after iOS but in its latest version, it has finally come more into its own.
Now to get into the matter at hand. We have already dug into the two company’s high-end Android hardware with the One X and the Galaxy S III. By highlighting options/features one skin has over the other will be make up the deciding factor of which one is better. Let’s begin, shall we?
Starting with the initial visuals like the homescreen, one is more of their own rather than leaving well alone sticking with stock ICS format. With TouchWiz being more of their own looks rather plain & dated compared to the ICS format that Sense follows. It’s just meh from a visual standpoint. HTC keeps its iconic weather & clock widget but other than that, it follows ICS’s homescreen format. Companies like LG has more or less ripped off the TouchWiz basic homescreen which wasn’t the best skin to steal from. The Apps/Widget screens more or less the same with their own little spin on ICS. I’m giving this to one HTC.
Next up, the camera software for all of your optical needs. Both have their own setup and design style but who’s better? HTC’s new ImageSense software does quite pack a punch by offering a built-in video & photo editor, more photo effects that rival even Instagram’s filters, and the ability to shoot up to 4x in slow motion natively. That is definitely a tough act to follow. Samsung’s TouchWiz software only has three different effects (Black & White, Negative, & Sepia) and a Cartoon shooting mode. While a photo editor can be downloaded from Samsung’s App Center, it still lacks a native video editor. However, Samsung has a feature called Pop-Up Play where it allows you to watch videos on any screen like Picture-In-Picture. It only works for videos downloaded to the device not YouTube or other media streaming apps. Again HTC takes this one by offering more without searching the Google Play Store for app solutions.
“Samsung is no slouch in audio department.”
For all of you audiophiles out there, you may feel drawn to Sense due to its inclusion of Beats Audio but there is competition here. Although they have no notable audio-enhancing software, Samsung is no slouch in audio department. Even compared to the infamous Beats Audio software. The rear speaker on the Galaxy S III outperformed the one on the One series easily. Although this is a mention of hardware, HTC pushes Beats as a premier audio software and is outdone. Samsung takes this one.
TouchWiz
Both skins made sure to step and offer a little more than the standard offerings of ICS. HTC does offer abilities like to you can quickly access the speakerphone while on a call by simply placing the device face down, automatically raise the ringer when inside of a pocket or bag, and to silence the ringer when you move the device. Not bad but let’s see what the competition has to offer.
On the Samsung side of things, you can also do some interesting gesture actions with your device. You can also mute incoming calls/notifications by placing your device face down, you can do a palm swipe from left to right or vice-versa to do a screen shot, Smart Stay uses the device’s front-facing camera to tell if you are still looking at the device in order to keep the display lit or to dim, and the S Memo app last seen on the Galaxy Note; now all you need is the C Pen stylus to become available to use it like the Note. Also when in contacts, you call a particular person by going inside that contact & placing the phone up to your ear. Samsung has placed the quick toggle options (Wi-Fi, GPS, Screen Rotation, Power Saving, Driving Mode, etc.) within the Notifications shade for added convienence. This is where Samsung’s skin really makes it mark over HTC’s.
TouchWiz
Overall
Since we are pretty much at a tie between the two skins. Personal preference will definitely be the tie-breaker. HTC’s Sense still has things like a better Recent Apps screen and Samsung’s TouchWiz has a better-looking stock keyboard, I honestly prefer the latest TouchWiz UX over Sense 4. Prior to the release of the Galaxy S III, I would have went with Sense 4 over the last version of TouchWiz but I like what I like. I am partial to some things on both, I have to choose the better skin.
TouchWiz
The TouchWiz Nature UX takes it in my opinion as the better UI. Although TouchWiz isn’t the best by a design point-of-view, it offers more functionality most consumers will use. I would prefer stock Android over either skin but only the Nexus is doing that and I didn’t care too much the Galaxy Nexus as a whole. If you think Sense is better or I missed some key points, let me know in the comments.
