Phones
Samsung, Apple hit by Q3 2024 decline in the US smartphone demand
Apple was the largest smartphone vendor in the US market during Q3 2024. The company alone seized more than half of the total shipments, peaking at 53%. Samsung managed to grab a 23% share in the US smartphone market.
While the Apple iPhone remains the most popular mobile gadget in the US, the frenzy is gradually declining. Samsung’s market share declined 2% on a YoY basis, dropping from 25% in Q3 2023 to 23% in Q3 2024.
Apple led the US smartphone market with a 53% share in Q3 2024. Samsung, being the runner-up, secured 23% of the market in the same period. Lenovo, HMD, and others completed the top 5 chart with shares of 14%, 1%, and 9%, respectively.
Apple’s shipments were down 5% YoY with weaker sales impacting the iPhone sales. Samsung’s sell-in decreased 13% YoY, as the Z series launched in July, with initial shipments arriving in June.
Samsung is now preparing to unveil the Galaxy S25 series early next year. The lineup is expected to come with many notable upgrades, bringing a significant push for better sales than the S24 range.
Source: Counterpoint Research | US Smartphone Market Share: Quarterly
The report also highlights that the US smartphone sell-in in Q3 2024 decreased 6% YoY due to weak demand in both prepaid and postpaid channels.
Lenovo’s Motorola increased 21% YoY primarily due to an improved prepaid performance from the Moto G Play 2024, resulting in the biggest market share shift across major OEMs.
Last but not least, Google’s shipments increased 19% YoY due to an earlier launch of the Pixel 9 series compared to the Pixel 8 which launched in October.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will set new standards for mobile cameras and performance. The company has made meaningful changes to the design, while the boxy Note design is being eliminated. Recent rumors promise exceptional photography capabilities and performance upgrades in the next Ultra flagship.
You can explore the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra specifications based on the leaks and rumors surfaced over the past few months.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Specifications
Design | Frame - Titanium Front and Rear - Corning Gorilla Armor IP Rating - IP68 |
Dimensions | Height - 162.8mm Width - 77.6mm Depth - 8.2mm Weight - 219g |
Software | Android - 15 One UI - One UI 7 Future upgrades - 7 generations of OS upgrades and security updates |
Display | Size - 6.9-inch (6.86-inch) PPI - 505 PPI Resolution - 3120 x 1440 (Quad HD+) Panel - Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X Refresh rate - 1-120 Hz |
Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm) Qualcomm Oryon CPU Qualcomm Hexagon NPU Snapdragon X80 Modem-RF System Adreno GPU |
Memory | 12GB RAM, 256GB Storage 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage 16GB RAM, 1TB Storage |
Rear Camera | Wide - 200 MP OIS F1.7, Adaptive Pixel, Optical Quality 2x Ultra Wide - 50 MP F2.2 Telephoto - 10MP (3x Optical Zoom, F2.4, OIS, PDAF) Telephoto - 50 MP OIS F2.4 (Optical Zoom 5x, Optical Quality Zoom 10x (with Adaptive Pixel sensor), Digital Zoom up to 100x) Flash - Yes Video - 8K at 30fps, 4k at 120fps Auto Focus, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), |
Front Camera | 12MP Front Camera (F2.2, FOV 80-degree) |
| Network | 2G GSM - GSM850,GSM900,DCS1800,PCS1900 3G - B1(2100),B2(1900),B4(AWS),B5(850),B8(900) 4G FDD LTE - B1(2100),B2(1900),B3(1800),B4(AWS),B5(850),B7(2600),B8(900),B12(700),B13(700),B14(700),B18(800),B19(800),B20(800),B25(1900),B26(850),B28(700),B29(700),B30(2300),B66(AWS-3),B71(600) 4G TDD LTE - B38(2600),B39(1900),B40(2300),B41(2500),B48(3600) SIM Slot Type - SIM 1 + eSIM / Dual eSIM 5G FDD Sub6 - N1(2100),N7(2600),N25(1900),N28(700),N66(AWS-3),N71(600) 5G TDD Sub6 - N257(28GHz),N258(26GHz),N260(39GHz),N261(28GHz) 5G TDD mmWave - N41(2500),N78(3500) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi 7 USB - 3.2 Bluetooth - 5.3 Location Technology - GPS,Glonass,Beidou,Galileo Wi-Fi Direct - Yes NFC - Yes PC Sync - Smart Switch USB Interface - Type-C |
| Battery | 5000mAh (supports 45W wired charging) |
| Audio | Supported Formats - MP3,M4A,3GA,AAC,OGG,OGA,WAV,AMR,AWB,FLAC,MID,MIDI,XMF,MXMF,IMY,RTTTL,RTX,OTA,DFF,DSF,APE |
| Video | Supported Formats - MP4,M4V,3GP,3G2,AVI,FLV,MKV,WEBM Video Playback Resolution - up to UHD 8K at 60fps |
| Colors | Titanium Black, Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, and Titanium Silver |
Note: These specifications may not be 100% accurate.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Source – Androidheadline)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Price and Release
Samsung is rumored to release the next-gen Galaxy S phones on January 22, 2025. The upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to be available in two RAM and three memory options.
The device could start at $1299 in the US for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, while the 1TB variant could reach up to a whopping $1659. A credible source recently revealed that there will be no price hike in Europe.
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- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra CAD Render (Source – Androidheadline)
Samsung is ready to introduce a new type of case for the upcoming Galaxy S25 series. Leaked details from a Finland retailer show that Magnetic Cases will be available for the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.
As per the information, the Magnetic Cases for the Galaxy S25 series will work with Qi2 wireless charging. The cases will be available in transparent color for all three models. These cases will not only support wireless charging but also align magnetically with Qi2-compatible chargers.
A recent report claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra will support Qi2. This means that these upcoming Samsung phones will be able to charge wirelessly as Qi2 features magnetic alignment. Now, the new Magnetic cases leak again shows the Qi2 support for the Galaxy S25 series.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra CAD Redner (Credits: Androidheadline/Onleaks)
Qi2 is a new standard for wireless charging, and it includes a feature called Magnetic Power Profile (MPP), which helps align the phone perfectly with wireless chargers. It also supports magnetic accessories like cases, wallets, and pop sockets, which can attach to your phone easily.
Samsung is expected to include Qi2 support in its upcoming S series, which would make these cases more convenient for those who use magnetic accessories. However, there’s a limitation for charging speed which is 15W.
The wireless charging speed is slower compared to the 25W and 45W wired charging speeds these phones are expected to support. The Galaxy S25 will reportedly support 25W fast charging, while the Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra could charge even faster at 45W. Stay tuned for more information.
Samsung has ‘almost’ canceled the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy S25 series. The company is solely relying on Snapdragon 8 Elite for the S25 series. Meanwhile, Samsung Galaxy S26 may mark a major comeback for Exynos chipset in 2026.
Credible source Jukanlosreve alleged that Samsung is aiming to “significantly” use Exynos chipset in the Galaxy S26 series. The lineup will indeed launch in 2026, while development and testing will run throughout the next year.
Recently, it was reported that the Foundry has stabilized the 3nm yield. However, the performance gap between the Exynos 2500 and Snapdragon 8 Elite renders the former far from its Qualcomm counterpart – tough to use in the S25 series.
Samsung is expected to begin the mass production of its 2nm process next year. It seems the Foundry business is preparing to revive its Mobile AP business by printing Exynos chipset for Samsung Mobile’s 2026 flagships.
Apple is one of the first consumers of TSMC’s 2nm process. Last year, the iPhone maker gained an edge over Qualcomm by adopting the 3nm process. Flagship SoCs from Samsung, MediaTek, and Qualcomm last year stuck to the 4nm process.
Exynos 2500 could be used in the Galaxy Z Flip 7 next year. It is also rumored that the cheaper foldable phone might also be powered by Exynos 2500. Meanwhile, nothing has been officially confirmed from Samsung’s Exynos arm.
Failure of Exynos chips significantly affects Samsung’s operating profit. It makes a double-sided impact; sole reliance on Qualcomm and loss from Exynos business. It also reduces negotiation power as no other option is left.
At present, it’s not feasible to assume much for a device that could launch in 2026. Samsung is currently focussing on the Galaxy S25 series. Exynos 2500 was planned for the S25 series but things didn’t go well, leading it to cancellation.