I want better Samsung phones, but these new sales numbers show why we won't get them

Years ago, I considered Samsung’s flagships as the best Android smartphones to beat. But that idea has seemed increasingly nostalgic as competitors in other markets overtake the company’s smartphones when it comes to hardware specs. Sometimes, even budget and mid-range devices have features that make Samsung’s phones seem outdated in comparison.

Despite the yearning among many for Samsung to return to its history of innovation, that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon. And the key reason lies in its sales.

The S26 series left a lot to be desired

Earlier this year, Samsung launched its Galaxy S26 series with higher prices, a continued focus on AI, and minor hardware changes. The S26 Ultra brought a welcome increase in charging speeds and introduced new Privacy Display technology, but left many fans wishing Samsung had done more on the hardware front. For example, the S26 Ultra still carries a 5,000mAh battery, something that has been the standard since the first Ultra phone launched back in 2020.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies have used higher-capacity silicon-carbon batteries for years, to the point that HONOR’s budget X9d, launched in 2025, carries an 8,300mAh battery. This made Samsung’s reluctance to increase its battery capacity seem increasingly stubborn in comparison.

We eventually got the dawn of silicon-carbon batteries in Samsung phones with the launch of the company’s latest foldables. But even with this step forward, the Z Flip 8 didn’t see an increase in its battery capacity compared to the Flip 7.

The Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra did get a nice bump, from 4,400mAh on the Fold 7 to 4,800mAh on the Fold 8 and 5,000mAh on the Fold 8 Ultra. At the same time, the Z Fold 8 makes compromises that make it a no-go for me, like the lack of a telephoto camera. Samsung has also not achieved a dust-tight rating for its foldables, leaving these expensive devices much more vulnerable than I’d like.

Meanwhile, Chinese competitors outpace Samsung’s most expensive devices on multiple fronts. While the S26 Ultra offers 5x optical zoom on its 50MP lens, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra offers 10x optical zoom on its 50MP lens and 3x optical zoom on its 200MP lens. Flagships from OPPO, HONOR, and Xiaomi carry larger batteries with faster charging. When it comes to their foldables, you’ll usually find larger batteries, higher IP ratings, and more flexible camera setups.

Despite this, Samsung’s phones are still breaking records

While Samsung’s phones aren’t setting any real hardware milestones, they’re breaking records that matter to the company — specifically pre-order and sales records. The S26 series broke pre-order records in South Korea in the lead-up to the phones’ release. In the weeks following release, the series beat sales for the Galaxy S25 series by 15%.

New data from Counterpoint Research also shows that the S26 Ultra was the best-selling Android phone for Q2 2026. In fact, all 10 top Android devices in Counterpoint’s Q2 report were Samsung devices. More importantly, this was the first time an ultra-premium phone placed at the top for Android device sales in Q2.

Part of this is due to the S26 series’ later launch window, but there also seems to be particular interest in the S26 Ultra. The device accounted for half of the S26 series sales, according to Counterpoint.

According to Bloomberg, pre-orders for Samsung’s latest foldables also increased by 30% compared to the previous year. So, with consumers jumping at the opportunity to buy Samsung products, there’s not all that much incentive for the company to push boundaries and make leaps in innovation.

This is unlikely to change any time soon

While there are plenty of competitors, most don’t have a footing in the US market. Apple is the dominant smartphone maker, known for its software- and ecosystem-focused approach rather than hardware gains. According to Counterpoint Research, as of Q1 2026, Apple held 58% of the US smartphone shipments market share. Samsung accounted for 26%, while its next biggest competitor, Motorola, accounted for only 10%. Google, meanwhile, only holds 3%. Many of the really innovative devices I’ve mentioned simply aren’t available in the US. Meanwhile, OnePlus leaving the US has only reduced competition.

Samsung has also established trust among its users, whereas Chinese brands remain relatively unknown outside their home markets. Many people also distrust Chinese brands due to perceptions about quality or security fears.

Another thing working in Samsung’s favor, besides the longstanding trust in the brand, is its software. As much as I complain about its lack of hardware innovation, it provides a great software experience with really intuitive apps like Reminders and Modes and Routines. So even when there are one or two competitors on the market, users might stick with the experience they know and love.

However, I think if a broader range of competitors were available in key markets, Samsung would need to up its game. If existing US competitors like Google and Apple also pushed for hardware gains, we’d see increased pressure for Samsung to innovate. But currently, with record sales and competitors like Google also following an iterative approach with the Pixel 11 series, it may be a while before we see any real boundary-pushing.