Last week, in a well-lit demonstration room in Seoul, a Galaxy S26 was sitting attached to a security cable, its screen silently using a third-party app to arrange a ride while a Samsung engineer combed through emails. No grandiosity. No animation of fireworks. The phone just used Google’s Gemini AI to complete the task in a safe, enclosed window.
It was strangely useful. That understated functionality might be the most obvious indication to date that Samsung Electronics has established a significant lead in the competition for AI smartphones, placing Apple Inc. in the unaccustomed position of having to catch up.
| Company | Samsung Electronics |
|---|---|
| Flagship AI Platform | Galaxy AI (powered by Google Gemini + Samsung Gauss) |
| 2026 AI Device Target | 800 million AI-enabled devices |
| Key Device | Galaxy S26 Series |
| Main Rival | Apple Inc. |
| Apple AI Platform | Apple Intelligence |
| Market Data Source | Canalys, Counterpoint Research |
| Official Website | https://www.samsung.com |
Apple controlled the pace of the high-end phone market for many years. bigger screens in 2014. bespoke silicon. A marketing machine that prioritizes privacy. Apple frequently showed up well-groomed, even if they were late. However, AI seems to be developing in a different way. Hundreds of millions of devices already use Samsung’s Galaxy AI ecosystem, which was developed in collaboration with Google’s Gemini and layered with its own proprietary models. According to the company, by 2026, that number will have doubled to 800 million AI-enabled devices.
Innovation alone is no longer the weapon; distribution is. Gemini-powered multi-step automation is new with the Galaxy S26. When you long-press the power button, the phone can do repetitive tasks like ordering food or scheduling a ride while you’re distracted. The AI does not completely take over the phone because it operates within a contained virtual layer. It can be interrupted at any time. As you watch it work, you get the impression that Samsung wants AI to feel more like a capable helper than a test.
Meanwhile, Apple has made mistakes. Amid delays to a redesigned Siri, Apple announced late last year that its AI chief would be leaving. With a cautious rollout, Apple Intelligence—its eagerly anticipated AI layer—integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT and promised further personalization in the future. Investors appeared uneasy. Samsung’s stock has increased steadily this year, while Apple’s shares have underperformed a number of megacap peers.
It’s possible that Apple is just sticking to its tried-and-true strategy of being late but better. However, AI is not a feature that can be subtly improved on its own. Scale, feedback, and continuous iteration all contribute to its improvement. Samsung has that scale already.
Samsung’s share increased significantly to 31% in mid-2025 U.S. market data, undermining Apple’s hegemony. A portion of that change was due to pricing strategies and tariff disruptions. However, some of it had a cultural feel. Videos of Samsung’s foldables that had been bent hundreds of thousands of times during durability testing went viral on social media. The phones appeared to be experimental. adventurous. In contrast, Apple’s lineup is still recognizable as a rectangle.
Without software ambition, hardware innovation would not be very important. Samsung’s layered ecosystem approach is what sets its AI phone strategy apart. The capabilities of Galaxy AI extend beyond chatbot windows. It uses on-device analysis to flag scam calls in real time, improves translation during live calls, and extends “Circle to Search” to detect multiple objects at once.
The contrast is difficult to ignore. Samsung discusses AI as infrastructure, integrating it into everything from security to messaging. Apple mentions AI as a feature that will be available soon.
That time difference could turn out to be important. With the help of Samsung’s Android distribution, Google’s Gemini already has hundreds of millions of users worldwide. ChatGPT from OpenAI has a very high level of engagement. In contrast, Apple’s proprietary models are still mostly hidden. In order to remain competitive, Apple, which was formerly the ecosystem gatekeeper, now appears to rely in part on external AI suppliers.
Naturally, ranking first does not equate to being the best. Samsung has a history of pursuing hardware innovations before the general public fully adopted them, such as curved screens and early foldables. Apple frequently waits to enter a category in order to refine it. After years of larger Android devices, the iPhone 6 was released. It took some time for the Apple Watch to establish its identity. Those wagers eventually paid off. AI, however, feels different.
AI changes every week, unlike screen size or design changes. Models get better with deployment and data. Samsung’s strategy gains traction the longer Apple delays integrating deep automation and reasoning capabilities into iOS. Gemini is the foundation of development. Customers get used to Galaxy AI processes. Habits develop.
An Apple retail employee in San Francisco recently characterized consumer inquiries regarding AI as “curious but cautious.” Though they don’t want them to spy, people do want smarter phones. Apple’s privacy messaging continues to be its strongest brand. Refined, on-device intelligence that is closely regulated within its ecosystem might be its counterattack.
However, there is a thin line. If you move too slowly, you will appear unimportant. If you move too fast, you run the risk of becoming unstable.
Samsung appears to be content to live on the edge. Its alliance with Google gives it instant access to AI power, and the growing market for AI memory chips helps its own semiconductor company. It is using AI and making money off of its infrastructure. It has flexibility because of its dual role.
There is a sense that the battlefield has changed as this rivalry develops. Who produces the thinnest phone or the brightest screen is no longer the only consideration. Whose AI becomes ingrained is the question.
Samsung has a simple approach to AI phones. It doesn’t depend on lofty keynote speeches. It depends on momentum, scale, and integration. Known for redefining categories, Apple is now having to respond to one.
Whether customers will eventually reward Samsung’s advantage or hold off until Apple improves is still up in the air. However, the iPhone manufacturer isn’t leading the way for the first time in years. It’s getting used to it.
