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Samsung is the most well-liked Android smartphone maker globally, however my greatest downside with the corporate is that its flagship telephones obtain few {hardware} upgrades in comparison with rivals. Don’t consider me? The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus have new processors, however supply the identical charging and digicam specs because the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus. Even the Galaxy S25 Extremely merely gives a brand new processor, ultrawide digicam, and Gorilla Glass, however sticks with the identical battery and charging tech as its predecessors.

This may be irritating for Samsung followers and common smartphone shoppers, particularly as producers like Xiaomi, OPPO,  vivo, and OnePlus routinely supply thrilling upgrades. However with all of this in thoughts, we will suppose of some the reason why Samsung seldom gives large upgrades for its telephones.

Samsung ships extra smartphones than some other Android OEM, and its flagship telephones continuously seem in listings of the highest ten best-selling smartphones. This creates an attention-grabbing problem, because it wants a large provide of elements from companions to truly construct all of these telephones.

This problem means Samsung can’t undertake a cutting-edge half in a cellphone if its suppliers can solely produce a small variety of them. Due to this fact, the Galaxy maker could be compelled to depend on tried-and-tested elements that suppliers can readily produce in huge numbers. This could possibly be why we don’t see {hardware} upgrades like one-inch digicam sensors, variable telephoto digicam modules, and extra.

Another excuse why Samsung would possibly maintain off on main upgrades is that it’s apprehensive about security or long-term reliability. You solely want to have a look at 2016’s Galaxy Word 7 for proof of what can go mistaken, as faulty batteries resulted within the telephones catching hearth. Airways even banned the cellphone from their planes.

This saga is probably going why Samsung nonetheless performs it protected with regards to battery upgrades, because it makes use of the identical battery capability throughout a number of cellphone generations. Actually, the Galaxy S25 Extremely has the identical 5,000mAh battery because the Galaxy S21 Extremely. In the meantime, the bottom Galaxy S mannequin has solely seen modest upgrades over time, going from the S22’s 3,700mAh battery to the S25’s 4,000mAh pack.

Against this, rival Chinese language producers usually use silicon-carbon batteries of their telephones, enabling extra juice for a similar bodily measurement or the identical capability at a smaller bodily measurement. For instance, the OnePlus 15 has a 7,300mAh battery whereas the OPPO Discover X9 Professional has a 7,500mAh battery. These batteries are likely to degrade sooner than Samsung’s lithium-ion batteries, however they’re corresponding to, or higher than, Apple and Google’s conventional batteries.

This could be the principle motive why Samsung typically doesn’t supply large upgrades for its telephones. Newer elements merely value greater than older elements, so Samsung doubtless sticks with older, cheaper elements purely as a result of it nonetheless must make a wholesome revenue. That’s not a shock, as the corporate is a enterprise in any case.

Nonetheless, it’s onerous to argue that Samsung hasn’t taken profit-chasing to new extremes in the previous few years. For instance, rival producers supply flagship telephones with 3x 50MP periscope cameras, however the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus keep on with an ageing 3x 10MP digicam.

This concentrate on revenue additionally manifests in one other method, as Samsung’s base Galaxy S mannequin lacks Extremely options like 45W wired charging and Gorilla Armor safety. That is doubtless for product differentiation functions, as individuals are compelled to purchase the dearer Extremely mannequin in the event that they really need these perks. The agency additionally skips telephoto cameras on its Galaxy A telephones, ostensibly so customers need to pay a bit additional for the Galaxy S fashions.

Trade watchers like leaker Ice Universe lay the blame on the toes of cellular chief TM Roh. That is comprehensible, as Samsung’s Galaxy S telephones began to stagnate after he assumed the place. Nonetheless, Roh’s tenure additionally coincided with Covid, whereas the business has additionally endured part worth will increase in the previous few years. However regardless of the underlying trigger, revenue concerns are undoubtedly a giant motive why we don’t see main upgrades fairly often.

One understated motive Samsung won’t supply large upgrades for its telephones fairly often is that it doesn’t have a lot direct competitors on this house. Actually, colleague Megan Ellis rightfully identified that Samsung doesn’t have to fret about HUAWEI anymore owing to US sanctions.

Folks neglect that HUAWEI was making up main floor on Samsung up till 2020, and it even handed Apple for the quantity two spot globally. Units just like the P20 Professional and P20 Lite had been large sellers within the agency’s strongholds of Europe, the Center East, and Africa. Moreover, the corporate additionally popularized AI chips and periscope cameras. I’d strongly argue that HUAWEI saved Samsung on its toes and compelled it to undertake new applied sciences and massive upgrades sooner.

Samsung now not has stiff Android competitors within the US, both. Motorola, OnePlus, and TCL are the one Chinese language producers within the nation, however the perfect OnePlus telephones aren’t accessible through carriers, TCL doesn’t supply really high-end telephones, and Motorola isn’t a constant flagship participant within the area. So Samsung would possibly suppose it doesn’t must spend cash on large upgrades when its largest market doesn’t have a lot alternative within the first place. It’s a far cry from the remainder of the world, the place OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, and different Chinese language telephones are available.

Samsung isn’t only a cellphone maker. It additionally makes many elements that go into telephones within the first place. This contains processors, RAM, storage, the show, and digicam sensors.

Samsung could be obligated to make use of internally sourced elements in lieu of elements from different manufacturers. The corporate tends to make use of in-house shows for its high-end telephones, slightly than doubtlessly cheaper or higher screens from Chinese language firm BOE. The agency additionally sticks with the identical ageing Samsung ISOCELL digicam sensors, regardless of the provision of extra superior sensors each in-house and through different suppliers.

One outstanding instance of those inside obligations is the in-house Exynos processors, that are seemingly cheaper than comparable Snapdragon chips however typically much less highly effective. The agency routinely launches Exynos variants of telephones in some markets (e.g. EMEA) however doesn’t supply the Snapdragon model in these territories, depriving these clients of the perfect efficiency. What’s notably troubling concerning the Exynos chips is that they’re nearly all the time made by Samsung Foundry, regardless of TSMC’s status for superior manufacturing prowess. This resolution to offer Samsung Foundry some work nearly actually ends in inferior efficiency and battery life at occasions.

There are evidently many potential the reason why Samsung doesn’t supply large upgrades fairly often on its high-end smartphones. This doesn’t appear to be hurting the corporate, although, because the Galaxy S24 and S25 telephones each delivered implausible gross sales. So there’s clearly extra to constructing a cellphone that folks need than a spec sheet alone.

However, Samsung is clearly coasting proper now with its Galaxy S telephones. Over 55% of our polled readers thought the corporate was taking part in it too protected, whereas simply ~13% stated it was nonetheless churning out nice flagship telephones. So whereas common shoppers could be shopping for these telephones in droves, it could be a matter of time till they smart as much as the shortage of upgrades. This complacency actually opens the door for an additional main Android model to steal a few of the agency’s market share, however who will or not it’s?