iPhone 7 vs Galaxy S8: it’s likely a debate you have had with friends or family. After all, they’re the two hottest smartphones on the market that run competing operating systems which is an entirely different debate on its own. Q2 sales results are in and the battle is incredibly close between the two devices. Of course, Q2 runs April through June so this is all before the iPhone 8 and Galaxy Note 8 hype really started to pick up to the feverish levels we see now. And the result for the number one smartphone of Q2 is…
The iPhone 7! That’s right! This round of iPhone 7 vs Galaxy S8 has been settled but the results aren’t disappointing for Samsung. Check out the chart below from Strategy Analytics:
As you can see, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus led the way with the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ close behind. These results make a lot of sense if you think about it. What’s the first decision you have to make when you want a new flagship smartphone? You decide between iOS and Android. Once you have decided that then the path changes quite a bit. If you want iOS then the decision is pretty easy from there; do you want an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus? Just two choices for a current iOS flagship. If you decide you want an Android device then the final decision isn’t so easy. Do you want a Samsung device, or maybe an LG, or maybe a Pixel, or maybe a Motorola… You get the idea. There’s a lot more device fragmentation on the Android side. So, while Android as an OS is the most popular; iPhones lead the way in terms of sales.
Samsung shouldn’t hold their head in shame, though. Considering the debacle that was the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung should be pretty happy with their finishing position on the list. Consumers very easily could have decided to shun Samsung products and cause a huge decrease in sales. So, although Samsung lost this battle of the iPhone 7 vs Galaxy S8; they can probably consider it a win with all things considered.
Both devices are well out ahead of any competitors which shows how much of a stranglehold the two manufacturers have on the market. It makes a lot of sense. The iPhone 7 and the Galaxy S8 are the trend setters in the smartphone industry. For example, the iPhone 7 dropped the 3.5mm headphone port and now a lot of manufacturers are following suit. The Galaxy S8’s Infinity Display was one of the first almost completely bezel-less displays and now you see that trend emerging from a lot of other manufacturers. Each company is also known for introducing exciting new features that you can’t find anywhere else. For example, Portrait Mode in the iPhone 7 Plus is regarded as one of the best camera features out there right now. Some smartphone manufacturers have tried to emulate that feature with mixed success. No one can do it like Apple.
Let’s also not forget that the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S8 are both status symbols in a way. First, their both pretty expensive pieces of hardware. But also; they both have a unique style that grabs your attention. People will always say, “Oh is that the iPhone 7?!” Or, “Look at the display on your S8! Wow!” But no one ever comes up to me and says, “Is that a Nexus 6p?! Can I hold it?!” Mostly they just wonder why my phone died suddenly even though it has 30% battery remaining…
It will be interesting how or if these numbers change this fall once the new flagship models hit store shelves. If analysts are right, Apple will be launching 3 iPhone models this fall: the iPhone 7S, iPhone 7S Plus, and iPhone 8. Samsung will be dropping the Galaxy Note 8 which should sell well if it doesn’t catch on fire. Plus, let’s not forget Google. They have the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 coming this fall as well. We may see more fragmentation among iOS users with the addition of the iPhone 8. We will also see more high end devices being released which may eat into the market share of Samsung and Apple.
Pricing could be a big factor this fall. Many analysts are expecting the iPhone 8 to cost upwards of $1,000. That may force some people to look elsewhere. Of course, there will be the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus but after seeing the iPhone 8, some people may not want to go back to that usual Apple design.
I guess only time will truly tell. The Galaxy Note 8 is going to be announced later this month with sales expected to ship sometime in mid-September. The iPhone 8 is expected to come sometime in September as well but we do not have an official date just yet. Of course, when these releases all happen, you can bet we will be bringing you the news.
