Is copying Apple the only way for Samsung’s mobile business to survive?
It’s a question that’s been asked of Samsung many times. Apple did start a lengthy legal battle against the company because it felt this way. The apparent similarities between some of their products also gave rise to this sentiment in the market. For years, and one can certainly argue that it was incorrect, it was widely held that Samsung’s Galaxy devices are a bit too inspired by Apple’s iPhone.
Samsung went above and beyond to shed this stigma. It started in earnest with its “edge” models that introduced curved screens for smartphones. This enabled Samsung to expand the perception about what the front of a candybar-style phone could like. The Galaxy S6 and S7 edge were unlike any iPhone at that time. Samsung elevated itself to a unique design standard of its own making. Since then, the company has only moved from strength to strength.
The company pushed these boundaries further with the Galaxy S8 series. Bezels were trimmed significantly and the home button was removed, allowing the device to feature a larger display without an oversized footprint. This trend quickly caught on among Android manufacturers and there has been no turning back since. Almost six months after the Galaxy S8 was released, Apple released the iPhone X, it’s first smartphone without a home button.
Over the next few years, Samsung’s smartphone design would become uniquely its own. Nobody in their right mind would suggest that it was copying another Android OEM, let alone Apple. Samsung’s design elements rather inspired other Android devices. Samsung kept up this streak of individuality with the Galaxy S20 series that introduced its truly bonkers “Ultra” model that was packed to the gills with the best technology.
The Galaxy S21 series brought Samsung’s Contour Cut design, seamlessly blending the camera housing into the metal frame for a visual appearance unlike any other. It made the series and all devices after it that had a Contour Cut design instantly stand out as Samsung phones. For many Samsung fans, this was the gold standard in Samsung smartphone design.
However, it appears that perhaps Samsung wants to tone down its individuality with the Galaxy S23 series that’s due to be launched on February 1 in San Francisco. All of the leaked Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra renders we’ve seen so far give off a rather forgetful vibe. There’s nothing in the design that makes them stand out. Perhaps that’s the idea this year, blend in and don’t stand out.
That would have been fine if these devices weren’t giving off intense iPhoney vibes, in my opinion. From the character lines to the camera cutouts seem more inspired by design elements we’ve seen on iPhones over the year. Even the new wallpapers that this series is expected to come with appear to be offshoots of what we’ve seen on iPhones in the past.
It’s entirely likely that none of this was intentional and that this is the direction that Samsung now wants its design language to go in. They look so un-Samsung that it wouldn’t be surprising if people start thinking again that it’s once again taking a lot of inspiration from Apple. Maybe Samsung doesn’t care, as long as this perception remains limited to this series.
The Korean giant shows off its true capabilities with the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip foldable phones. Apple still has no answer to Samsung’s sheer dominance in this space and it’s unlikely that it will for at least a couple of years. Could it be that the company now wants the foldable series to become the true representation of a Samsung phone?
The cynics will say that with the iPhone-inspired Galaxy S23 design, Samsung is doing what it feels it must to prevent its mobile business from taking a big hit. The company already faces challenging market conditions. Its quarterly profits have seen a record decline and things aren’t expected to get better in the near future. The global economic condition may also keep demand low for expensive high-end smartphones. Perhaps the iPhone vibe may help sell more Galaxy S23 units.
I’d disagree with that assessment. While it would have been better to see Samsung retain the elements of individuality we’ve seen on past models, the company is long past hitching its cart to Apple’s wagon. Its relentless pursuit of advancement in the foldable smartphone space is a testament to that. The diversification, advancement, and sheer capability of the Galaxy S series even more so.
The Galaxy S23 series is Samsung’s first flagship launch of the year. It sets the tone for all else that’s to follow in the months to come. One can still hope that the design of the 2023 foldables remains distinctly Samsung.
