For years, Android users have been able to simulate the iOS look on their smartphones through third-party themes while the opposite has remained impossible. Samsung’s new web app aims to give iPhone users a glimpse of what its One UI interface running on Android looks like, without having to switch phones. “We can’t replicate every function, but you should quickly see that there’s nothing daunting about switching to the other side,” Samsung said.
To use the web app, iPhone users can visit the iTest website, which was recently launched by Samsung New Zealand. Here they will find a QR code which they can scan using their camera app. They will then be asked to install the web app to their iPhone’s home screen. The application opens a simulated Samsung Galaxy home screen with a variety of applications and settings that users can explore.
As users navigate, they will receive numerous tips which will pop-up throughout the interface. They can browse the Galaxy Store, apply different themes, as well as access messages and the phone app. During the experience, users will also get simulated phone calls and text messages to tell them about Galaxy features.
In addition, when users tap the camera app, plumber and photographer Logan Dodds walks them through the various photography options of a Galaxy smartphone. When users browse through the Settings app and tap on a setting, a pop-up window jokingly responds with “We’ve simplified the settings menu experience, just so our developer could have a lunch break”. According to MacRumors the web app requires an iPhone 7 or newer.
The launch of this web app comes after a SellCell survey from March 2021 suggested that brand loyalty among iPhone users was increasing, while Samsung owners were more likely to switch to other smartphones. Apple’s brand royalty peaked at an all-time high of 92%, which increased from 90.5% in a survey during the period in 2019. At the other end, Samsung brand loyalty dropped from 85.7% to 74%. The images below show the different features a user can access and explore on the app.
