For me, that’s most likely the worst transfer from Samsung in years, and it might doom the Galaxy S26 collection to disappointing gross sales. Right here’s why.
Individuals don’t actually care about AI
I’m positive it might sound bombastic and even regressive to the die-hard AI believers, however the overwhelming majority of customers don’t care about AI on their smartphones. Even essentially the most hardcore AI energy customers are hardly bothered by issues like Galaxy AI and Apple Intelligence. Whereas they supply some good utility, these options pale as compared with the perfect AI-powered third-party apps and integrations.
Checking the best-selling smartphones of 2025 makes it manifestly apparent how little AI issues to the buyer. After a 12 months of harsh criticism of its botched AI efforts, Apple managed to beat Samsung and switch into the best-selling smartphone model on this planet. That was carried out due to the iPhone 17, which helps the famously incapable Apple Intelligence. The state of Apple Intelligence was such that even Apple didn’t discuss it throughout the launch of the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air.
Providing the iPhone 17 Professional in Cosmic Orange turned out extra profitable than AI for Apple. | Picture by PhoneArena
Samsung has the same story with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is the best-selling Galaxy Z Fold mannequin and helped elevate the worldwide foldables market and cement the corporate’s main place. Whereas that cellphone helps Galaxy AI, it might be a stretch to say it offered properly due to it.
Each the iPhone 17 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 are merely nice smartphones. Apple lastly featured a ProMotion show on the bottom iPhone, alongside significant digicam and battery enhancements throughout the lineup. The iPhone 17 Professional fashions additionally benefited from the intriguing Cosmic Orange coloration that turned viral in China. Samsung additionally caught as much as the competitors by launching its slimmest book-style foldable with vital battery and show upgrades.
Why can we purchase new telephones
The Galaxy S25 Extremely and the Galaxy S23 Extremely. | Picture by PhoneArena
These examples make it clear that built-in AI options don’t drive smartphone gross sales. What attracts shoppers are extra tangible issues, like higher shows with greater refresh charges, longer-lasting batteries, and higher designs. That’s solely pure, contemplating what makes individuals purchase new telephones within the first place.
The overwhelming majority of smartphone customers improve their telephones both as a result of their outdated gadgets have began experiencing points, like sluggish efficiency or diminished battery life, or have been misplaced, stolen, or damaged and don’t work anymore. These forms of smartphone consumers are extra keen on getting a greater consumer expertise than their final cellphone had, which is often served by the basics.
The relative minority that buys a cellphone for the brand new options is often motivated by higher cameras or shows and improved battery life. Principally, the identical issues that almost all is in search of. AI doesn’t make the checklist of the principle causes to purchase a brand new cellphone. Within the best-case state of affairs, it may nudge somebody to decide on a tool over the same competitor that doesn’t provide the identical AI magic.
Samsung’s AI drawback
Samsung’s wager on AI is problematic due to the remainder of the Galaxy S26, and particularly the Galaxy S26 Extremely. Whereas software program rumors are scarce, the {hardware} of the brand new telephones is sort of actually clear by now, and it appears like a repeat. Most specs are the identical as final 12 months’s, and a few key components are the identical as a number of years in the past. That features the digicam {hardware} and the batteries.Whereas Apple is struggling to supply AI however sells telephones that sound like nice upgrades, Samsung has a distinct technique. The Korean firm is packing a comparatively sturdy AI right into a cellphone that feels so much like a rerun of the identical present we’ve been awaiting years.
Samsung may show me flawed come February 25, however I doubt that would be the case. As an alternative, we’re prone to see one other episode of a present that I concern will find yourself a tragedy. I sincerely hope Samsung pulls an ace out of its sleeve as a result of I’d hate seeing the Galaxy S26 flop.
