Samsung Lacks Agency On Smartphones And Hangs Onto Apple’s Coattails For Better Or Worse

Rohail Saleem
An animated scene depicts a figure in a coat with Apple logos walking on a golden path, followed by a character in a
Samsung has elevated imitation to an art form.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Samsung appears to have elevated it to an art form, riding Apple's coattails for the better or worse. This appears to be a growing view in light of a series of recent decisions by Samsung, be it the reintroduction of a variable aperture lens, the rumored Galaxy Z Wide Fold, or the aluminum frame for the upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup.

Samsung appears quite fond of copying Apple, as evidenced by a spate of its recent decisions

Apple introduced a titanium frame for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in September 2023. Soon after, in January 2024, Samsung also switched to a titanium frame with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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Now, however, as Apple has moved to an aluminum frame for the iPhone 17 lineup, presumably due to the frame's better thermal credentials, Samsung is also planning to follow suit with its Galaxy S26 lineup, akin to a marionette or a mindless drone that lacks agency.

Of course, this is just one anecdote of Samsung's now-legendary copycat streak. When it was reported that Apple's upcoming iPhone Fold would bear a passport-like form factor, we soon got tidbits of a Samsung Galaxy Z Wide Fold that remains in the offing now.

As if these instances do not suffice, there are reports that Samsung is planning to reintroduce variable aperture cameras in next year's Galaxy S27 lineup after abandoning the cumbersome imaging tech with the Galaxy S10. The reason: Apple is expected to introduce a variable-aperture camera setup with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

All of these instances of "random alignment" with the Apple-focused reigning tech of the day can only lead to one conclusion: Samsung has turned into a tech follower, having ceded its erstwhile leadership credentials to Apple, and has adopted the mantle of a humble follower drone.

Rohail Saleem Photo

About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.

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