People may write it off because of its simple name Samsung Internet, but upon using it, users will discover many quality of life changes that makes this browser app stand out from Chrome and others on Android.
A little background on Samsung Internet
Samsung Internet was the default internet browser app on Samsung’s mobile devices which was exclusive until 2015 when it was released for everyone on Google Play. The browser is based on the open source version of Chrome (Chromium) with deviations in the UI and settings.
Samsung Internet Features
There has to be a reason for people to choose your browser over what comes default, right? Samsung does not disappoint with features.
Sync
Samsung Internet has a sync feature that allows users to bring their bookmarks and other data with them from their computers. Just make sure you have a free Samsung account and install the extension in Chrome for macOS/Windows/Linux, and you are good to go.
Add-ons
While not able to support Chrome extensions, Samsung Internet does allow for add-ons if they are designed specifically for their browser. The most popular kind of add-on would be an ad blocker. Players such as Adblock Plus and Adguard are featured here. Another popular add-on is the QR code reader, allowing you to scan and access links from QR codes directly in the browser.
Dark mode
This has to be the hidden gem of this browser. The dev team has done such a great job at implementing dark mode into Samsung Internet. When enabled, the UI itself doesn’t just turn dark, but all websites will be dynamically changed so that their backgrounds are black and the text white. This is truly useful, especially for those with AMOLED screens or those surfing the web at night. In fact, I wish this feature was available for non-mobile browsers on computers it’s so good. Other browsers such as Brave have a dark mode UI, but nothing like the dark mode featured here.
The little things
Little touches here and there have been applied to the browser that you may not know about until you discover them as you use it. For example, when scrolling through a long article, a circle with an arrow will appear. By tapping this, you can return to the top of the page without having to manually use your finger to swipe up. There are dozens of small customizations like this that make using this browser a pleasure on mobile.
Final Thoughts
I never thought that I would love using Samsung Internet as much as I do. It’s a bit difficult to believe that this app comes from a major manufacturer like Samsung and not someone like Mozilla, Opera, etc. For anyone with an Android device, I highly recommend giving it a try. Just don’t forget to install an ad blocker add-on to get the most out of your browsing experience.
How about you?
Do you use Samsung’s browser on your phone? If not, what’s your main browser and why did you choose it? Any special features from other apps that I should be aware of? Please let me know in the comments if I missed anything.
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