There’s a narrative in the smartphone brand wars that Apple represents the wealthy elite while Samsung makes phones for the little guy. This narrative goes right back to the start of the smartphone era, but is it still true? If you haven’t compared the prices of Samsung and Apple devices, you probably have a warped perception of how they compete.
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Now, let’s look at the status of Samsung as the ruler of the mid-priced smartphone market. Is it accurate?
Flagships
Let’s start by looking at the flagship phones for both Apple and Samsung. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is currently Apple’s most expensive phone and best in terms of performance and features. If you want this model, prices start at a hefty $1,099. The cheaper iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999.
Samsung’s latest flagship if you want to upgrade is the S22 Ultra, which starts at $1,199. The cheaper S22+ starts at $999. In other words, when it comes to the flagship devices, Apple works out to be slightly cheaper.
This is not surprising, as both the iPhone 13 Pro Max and S22 Ultra offer similar features. You can argue all day about which is better, and the answer will likely come down to which brand managed to capture your loyalty. They are two companies offering similar products at premium prices.
The narrative of Samsung being the cheaper brand is clearly inaccurate. Why do people think Samsung is cheaper and is there any truth to it?
Options
In terms of competing with Apple, Samsung devices are similarly priced or more expensive (the same is true of the Samsung Galaxy A50 which competes with the iPhone SE). The difference is that Samsung offers a wide range of cheaper phones. They have phones that cost as little as the low-tier A03s, which start at around just $150.
The range continues from there, with options at just about every price point going all the way up to the flagship devices. There is something for everyone. The question is whether these options are actually any good.
Samsung and its competitors
Samsung’s most well-known competitor is Huawei. Huawei has a similar range to Samsung, with devices at all price points and equivalent features. For years, Huawei pushed Samsung closely in the US market. But in 2019, Donald Trump banned Huawei from the US, putting it at a severe disadvantage, even in markets where it is available.
It is still possible to get Huawei phones in the US, although it can be difficult. The bigger problem is that it does not get Android updates or Google services anymore, making it a poor choice for most Americans.
Samsung’s other big competitor is the Google Pixel range. The Pixel is popular among people who appreciate the attention to detail in terms of the camera features. However, there are not nearly as many options in the Pixel range as there are in the Galaxy range. Samsungs are also the more one-size-fits-all option, which is what keeps them so popular.
Samsung’s flagship devices are not cheap. However, unlike Apple, they have a huge range of low to mid-tier options. On this level, their main competition comes from the likes of Huawei and the Google Pixel range. Ultimately, Samsungs are more popular in these ranges because of their easy usability and many price points.
