Many people love it, some not so much, but the truth is that Samsung Galaxy is the face of Android today more than ever. “Galaxy” and “Android” have become synonymous, and Samsung will strengthen that perception even further at Unpacked this week.
One big reason things turned out the way they did is the bond Samsung has forged with the industry's giants, i.e., Google and Qualcomm. The partnership between these three colossi strengthened over the years, but now, they are like the Triforce of the Android experience.
Things weren't always like this. For over a decade, Samsung competed with countless Android smartphone makers and Apple alike — to the point where it started diluting the Galaxy brand. For years, Samsung spent more energy fending off its smaller Android rivals than gunning for its biggest competitor, Apple.
Although Samsung led through smartphone sales, it didn't quite have the aura of a market leader like it has today. It often followed questionable market trends rather than building its identity and image year after year.
That old way of thinking often led to severe inconsistencies in Samsung's product lineup, as the company's vision almost seemed like it was changing by the year.
Only when Samsung decided to pay less attention to what other Android OEMs were doing and embrace its two big hardware and software partners — Qualcomm and Google — did Galaxy start realizing its full potential.
The story continues after the video
The result? Things have become more predictable — some would say even boring — in the Galaxy space. But if you ask me, that's a small price to pay for what matters most: Massively improved long-term value from high-end products, much greater consistency in the user experience, and a lot more care for the expansive device ecosystem, from phones to smart home solutions with Matter capabilities.
Samsung has become the most consistent and relevant Android smartphone maker. The build quality of Samsung phones is unmatched — even when comparing its foldable phones with competing products. And every new Galaxy flagship is stronger than the last.
Likewise, Samsung's long-term firmware support is unparalleled, and this goes for flagships and lower-cost phones alike. One UI is also in a much better place than five years ago.
Samsung is now working closely with Qualcomm and Google to optimize the experience of Galaxy devices. Qualcomm delivers specially-tuned “For Galaxy” chipsets, and Samsung's collaboration with Google led to a better software experience and industry-leading AI capabilities. The three giants are also co-developing a new XR (eXtended Reality) experience.
These three brands now depend on one another more than ever, and it all seems to lead to a better experience for consumers. Things may have become a lot more predictable in recent years, but that doesn't inherently mean they've become worse. For Samsung, the era of “All flash and no substance” is gone. Now, it's all about substance.
Make sure you follow us on YouTube and other social media platforms to stay up to date with everything going on at Unpacked 2025 this week.
