Samsung really wants iPhone users to try out the Galaxy S23… from their iPhones

Ben Schoon | Mar 31 2023 - 5:50 am PT

Samsung is trying out a new tactic to entice iPhone owners to give the Galaxy S23 a shot. Instead of an in-store demo or pop-up event, Samsung will let you try out the Galaxy S23 directly from an iPhone (or other device).

The new “Try Galaxy” demo tool gives iPhone owners the chance to virtually try out the software of the Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and Galaxy Z Fold 4, all without leaving their current device. On visiting the Try Galaxy website, iPhone owners are prompted to “install” a web app by adding the site to their homescreen.

Samsung is clearly aiming this at iPhone owners, and when you open the page up on an Android device (such as a Pixel), you can’t try it out.

Once that’s done, the “app” gives users a “little taste of Samsung Galaxy” by simulating One UI 5.1, Samsung’s skin on top of Android 13. From there, there’s a quick navigation tutorial, and then you’re good to play around with the UI. Everything works roughly the same as on a Samsung device, but it’s noticeably laggier, probably because it is just running through a web app.

Experiences you can try include Samsung and Google’s core apps, including Google Messages (which, hilariously, doesn’t use RCS and rather prominently shows SMS/MMS – probably not the greatest advertisement). Samsung will send some fake messages as you use the demo to show other features of the device, such as the camera and Object Eraser, a tool that can remove objects from a photo just like Google’s Magic Eraser.

There are also demo experiences of Samsung Health, Smart Switch (for transferring data from another phone), Samsung’s Kids Mode, and more. In the Settings menu, Samsung highlights wallpaper and Google’s Material You theming, as well as highlighting Android’s security and privacy settings.

This demo alone probably wouldn’t sell anyone on switching from an iPhone to a Galaxy device, but it’s a good option to check out what you might be missing without leaving your current device.