How will Apple react to Samsung?

In the world of smartphones, two of the biggest names that come to mind are Apple and Samsung. This rivalry all started when Samsung started producing the Galaxy series to rival the iPhone. Apple was content with sticking to their guns. until Samsung debuted the Galaxy S2, and it became an instant hit; that was when everyone knew we had a a major fight on our hands… and it wasn’t going to be easy.

At the time of 2010, Apple was on top of the smartphone world. Almost 50% of smartphones in circulation were an iPhone. There wasn’t a single challenger. Apple wasn’t going to mess with their winning formula, and who could blame them? As long as the competitors were in their rearview mirror, they didn’t have a care in the world… until the S2 came out.

Black iPhone 4 Samsung Galaxy S II.png

The consumers are the biggest beneficiaries of good competition, and that is exactly what Samsung and Apple has been providing. The success of the S2 cause Apple to rethink things, and step up their game. A little more than five months later, Apple released one of their most popular phones to date, the iPhone 4s. The 4s not only came with better specs than the original iPhone 4 – dual-core A5 processor vs single core A4 processor, but it came with revolutionary software.

Apple sent the iPhone 4s into the history books by partnering it with a voice-command app title Siri. Siri was born on October 4, 2011 when it was officially released as a beta to iPhone 4s users. Siri was the first of its kind. It didn’t matter how accurate it was, it was a brand new innovation. Over time, it continued to improve, and actually provided assistance to daily tasks such as texting friends, calling people, changing schedules, setting alarms, etc. Apple’s Siri sparked responses from competitors, such as Google’s ‘Google Now’ and Microsoft’s ‘Cortana’. Apple new it had to try something new, and it raised the bar.

IPhone 4S No shadow.png Samsung Galaxy S III.png

In 2012, Samsung released one of the best Android phones ever seen to date. The Galaxy S3 had it all. It came with a 4.7 inch vivid display, 2GB of ram, and the latest Krait dual-core processor. To date, this phone has sold over 50 million devices, topping the S2. After the release of the S3, Apple was feeling the heat again, until the iconic iPhone 5 was released. Apple had something new up its sleeve, but it wasn’t another Siri. For the first time ever, Apple jumped up from a standard 3.5 inch display, to a 4 inch display. It also came with a better processor than its predecessor, coming with the Apple A6 chip.

IPhone 5.png Samsung Galaxy S4.svg

A year later in 2013, Samsung fought back with their first 1080p smartphone in the Galaxy series, the Galaxy S4. While some looked at it as an updated Galaxy S3, it truly brought new game to the smartphone market. The S4 came with a great 5 inch display, huge battery, and a handful of new but bizarre features (the Smart view collection). The S4 was packed with features and a brand new Snapdragon 600 processor. The phone was very quick, and gave Apple a run for their money.

Many thought the next rebuttal to the new Galaxy device was going to the Apple iPhone 6. While it was rumored that the next phone would be the iPhone 6, Apple had different plans; they took it right out of their own book. Instead of fabricating an entirely new device, Apple just updated its previous most popular smartphone. What came forward was the iPhone 5s. It featured the fastest Apple processor to date, the A7 chip, and it came with a revolutionary fingerprint scanner. While this wasn’t on the same innovation level as Siri, it definitely contributed to Apple’s success.

The front face of the gold version of the iPhone 5S

Once again, Apple’s success caused a chain-reaction in the market. In 2014, Samsung’s latest smartphone, the Galaxy S5, came with a fingerprint scanner. Although it wasn’t as crisp as the one found on the iPhone 5s, it was a step towards fighting back. Samsung stuck to what they know, and that is continue to increase screen and battery size. The S5 came with a screen that was .1 inches bigger in roughly the same chassis, while delivering a bigger battery. While this wasn’t anything huge, it was still a great device. One of the top one’s of the year so far.

That brings us to today, where we are waiting on Apple’s retaliation to the Galaxy S5. The iPhone 6 will be debuted on September 9, 2014, but we don’t know all the details, just speculations. Rumors have it coming with a nice-sized 4.7 inch display, an all new A8 processor, and maybe even scratch-resistant glass. While these things are great for Apple, they must have another trick up their sleeve. Apple does have a history of just increasing the screen size and adding a bigger processor, but they also have a track record of being one of the most innovative smartphone manufacturers.

Only time well tell, and if Apple does bring something unexpected to the fight, it will contribute to their success and put them back on track to their 2010 domination. If all Apple delivers is a bigger screen with a new processor, their profit margins could slow down. What Apple will show up this September when the iPhone 6 is released? We will soon find out. Only 26 more days to go.