29 Sept 2025
Samsung has increasingly adopted Apple's product and marketing strategies in recent years, a trend seen across the tech industry where companies often follow established market leaders. Despite this mimicry, Samsung remains a corporate giant with its own innovative strides, particularly in areas like foldable phone technology and artificial intelligence.
The video discusses why companies, especially Samsung, have begun imitating Apple's moves in the tech market in recent years, deviating from their historically independent paths.
This copying phenomenon is not exclusive to Samsung; other brands like Xiaomi also mimic Apple, for example, by adopting similar naming conventions such as 'HyperX 26' after Apple announced 'iOS 26'.
Apple itself previously copied Samsung's practice of naming phones by year (e.g., S21, S22), which Samsung had adopted from automakers who introduce models a year in advance.
In the 1980s and early 2000s, Samsung was not a dominant player in the phone market and lacked significant innovation compared to leading brands like Nokia and Motorola.
The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 profoundly changed the mobile market, compelling established companies, including Samsung, Nokia, and Motorola, to innovate and adapt.
The first Samsung Galaxy S series closely resembled the iPhone with a physical home button and similar design, leading to a billion-dollar lawsuit where Apple claimed damages for patent infringement.
Samsung eventually developed its own distinctive design language, notably with the S4/S5 and significantly with the S6, which introduced an aluminum body, glass combination, and curved edge displays (S6 Edge).
Apple's removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack with the iPhone 7, which Samsung initially mocked, was later adopted by Samsung in its own phones. Similarly, Apple's decision to remove the charger from the iPhone 12 box was criticized by Samsung but mirrored shortly after with its Galaxy S series.
Samsung also removed the SD card slot from its S21 series and the included Bluetooth stylus from the Note series, now selling it separately for an additional cost. These moves, along with the charger removal, reduce transportation costs by allowing more phones per shipping container and increase profits from accessory sales, often justified by 'environmental' claims.
Companies operating at a global scale, like Samsung, which holds a larger global market share than Apple, tend to be more risk-averse. They allow smaller brands, particularly Chinese companies, to test innovations before adopting successful ones in their own products.
Chinese companies such as Huawei and Xiaomi exhibit a higher capacity for risk-taking due to their large domestic markets, allowing them to experiment with features like multi-camera setups or satellite communication, even if global sales are initially lower.
Samsung is recognized as a pioneer and leader in foldable phone technology, having made significant advancements in hinge mechanisms, display durability, and waterproofing for these devices.
Samsung excels in screen technology due to extensive research in television and display panels, providing it with a significant advantage in developing advanced foldable screens.
Chinese companies are known for rapid progress driven by efficient copying and reverse engineering, quickly replicating and improving technologies, a phenomenon also observed in their automotive industry at trade exhibitions.
Samsung is praised for its significant advancements in artificial intelligence features, such as subject separation, background recreation, and Jerksy AI, which are considered to outperform Apple's current offerings like Visual Search, Apple Intelligence, and Emoji Mix.
This competitive copying ultimately benefits consumers by making successful innovations available across various brands and price points, offering more feature-rich devices within different budget ranges.
When companies reach a large market scale, their focus shifts from being feature-rich to ensuring the reliability of existing features, leading them to adopt strategies proven by others.
| Aspect | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Market Imitation Trend | Samsung and other brands increasingly mirror Apple's product and marketing strategies. | Samsung's adoption of naming conventions and feature removals after Apple. |
| Historical Context | Samsung was a minor player before the iPhone's 2007 debut, then developed its unique design after early iPhone resemblances led to lawsuits. | Early Galaxy S designs similar to iPhone; later S6 introduced distinct glass/aluminum body. |
| Specific Copied Features | Samsung adopted Apple's controversial moves, such as removing the headphone jack, charger, and SD card slot. | Initially mocking iPhone 7's missing headphone jack, then removing it from its own phones. |
| Strategic Motivations for Copying | Large market players prioritize reliability and reduce risk by adopting proven innovations from others. | Removing accessories lowers shipping costs and boosts profits from separate accessory sales. |
| Areas of Samsung's Innovation | Samsung demonstrates leadership in foldable phone technology and advanced AI features. | Pioneering foldable screen durability and AI capabilities like subject separation and background recreation. |
