Over the past year I noticed a common trend between the latest devices hitting shelves and it’s ability to work well. It’s something that’s been plaguing industry-leading companies for a while and has been a continuous problem that has yet to be fully addressed. What is it? Quality control. It’s something we customers don’t really think about because we assume that companies have this under “control” and that the devices we purchase will work as advertised. As of late though, this is clearly not the case and this is where I come in to point out a number of devices that are suffering.
I can name three phones right of the bat that are suffering from quality control. Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Note 7 had an internal battery issue. It didn’t affect everyone, but it affected a large majority of customers. It was so bad that it was recalled and eventually discontinued because of the seriousness of the problem and Samsung’s inability to solve the issue. While tech enthusiasts and customers praised the company for creating such an amazing, top-tier device, the fact that the majority of the phones were not in tip top shape led to it’s short lifespan.
It hit the market in August 2016 and was permanently discontinued in October 2016. Fast forward a few months later and the Galaxy S8 seems to have no quality control issues. In order to mitigate those issues, Samsung initiated a new process where machines and humans further ensured that every device was safe before it left it’s facilities. The company also actively created commercials to win back it’s customer’s trust and loyalty. Luckily this time around the South Korean company was able to do it right as the S8 is posting record profits and has turned the company around.
However Samsung isn’t the only victim of quality control. In fact, Google’s Pixel 2 XL has also experienced some serious display issues. Whether it be unresponsive and washed out screens, Google is under some serious scrutiny to fix the problem. This is a major issue because not only is the Pixel 2 XL not a “cheap” phone anymore starting at $849.99, but it’s also the flagship Android phone. This is the phone that all other Android OEMs will be looking to beat as tech enthusiasts and Android purists will be going for this phone to receive the latest Android updates. So the fact that the most expensive model is suffering from display issues poses a major threat to Google, but in return creates an opportunity for it’s competitors to beat the Pixel 2 XL. I guess the good thing is that Google is aware of the issue, but as of late it does not seem like there is an immediate fix other than to buy another Pixel 2 Xl or go for the lower end model.
But again, Google and Samsung aren’t the only victims because Apple is also part of that mix. Specifically speaking, the newly released iPhone X which has been out for less than a month is also facing display issues. In this case it has to do with the operating temperature. During colder areas of the world the iPhone X’s display will stop working which is a serious concern and could actually be worse than the Google Pixel 2 XL. Furthermore, customers are reporting crackling sounds coming from the speakers. Whether this is a hardware or software issue remains to be known, but it wasn’t long ago when Apple’s new iOS 11 autocorrected the letter “i” with a capital A and a question mark in the box and people complained all over the Internet about the issue. Luckily that issue has since been resolved with a new software update, but this doesn’t mean Apple is perfect. It still needs to address the iPhone X’s display issue.
Wrap-Up
Mistakes happen all the time. They’re inevitable and they’re hard to completely avoid. Say what you will about it, but for better or for worse, companies like Samsung, Google and Apple are treated differently than OnePlus or Oppo simply because these are industry-leading companies. These are all companies that have been around for many decades and have built a strong and loyal customer base. These customers are extremely needy and as such companies need to deliver on their promises of exceptional quality and user experience in exchange for a premium. With Samsung, Google and now Apple all having been or currently are victims of quality control, it further strengthens the argument on the importance of quality control. I hope that as we progress through the next wave of devices, companies will put greater emphasis on quality control and ensure that it won’t be something we customers have to worry about.
Image Source: 9 to 5 Google
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