Samsung announced a new feature on Wednesday for its Android-toting customers called Flow that shows its innovation skills haven't changed. Flow looks a lot like Apple's Continuity feature in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite because lets users jump from smartphone to tablet to computer, and continue to work on the same documents, view photos, handle email messages, and more.
Flow lets users start watching a movie on their Android-based tablet, for example, then pick up where they left off on their computer or smart TV. You can start working on a document on your tablet and finish on your computer or smartphone. Everything moves seamlessly, just as Apple Samsung says it should.
On one hand, the announcement feels like yet another "me, too" response from Samsung. On the other hand, we don't live in a one-device world any more, and users expect to be able to access and work with their data no matter what screen happens to be in front of them at the moment. Samsung's announcement plays to that, and no doubt will be a welcome experience for its customers.
One big difference between Flow and Continuity is that Apple's cross-device system is available today. Samsung isn't saying when its customers will be able to try out Flow, or which Android-based devices will be compatible.