Innovation Thrives at the Core of Boldness
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Innovation Thrives at the Core of Boldness

Apple Beats Samsung to take No. 1 spot in Global Smartphone Market in 2023

The smartphone's evolution has been remarkable. Before the Apple-Samsung rivalry, there was a creative battle dominated by BlackBerry and Nokia. I recall when BlackBerry's form factor impressed, and Nokia stood out for its innovation. Nokia was truly ahead of its time, but regretfully, execution missteps and misguided decisions led to them losing the crown. This lesson always sit heavy with me.

We're all familiar with the classic tale. In 2007, Apple revolutionized computing and smartphones with the iPhone. Samsung, seizing a different perspective, capitalized on Apple's innovations and Google's acquired Android platform. Samsung, agile and risk-taking, stood out among manufacturers. Joining in 2012, right when the Galaxy S3 was launched, was an exciting time for me professionally. That phone specifically, ahead of its time, was a marvel – a sleek combination of glass and plastic that delivered an unparalleled experience. As amazing as the iPhone was, the S3 felt like a computer in my pocket.

Let me clarify – my intention isn't to criticize these companies and their contributions. What I do miss is that adventurous Samsung era when it fearlessly stood out. Their marketing was assertive, introducing features like wireless charging, sensor tracking, the S Pen, liquid cooling for gaming, iris scanning, oversized screens, DeX, and the list goes on. Samsung's relentless pursuit of innovation with boldness was admirable. Personally, I feel both organizations have lost a bit of that characteristic. While I cannot speak for Apple and what they do, there was this energy that was within Samsung that feels absent. Mind you, I’m far removed from the source, so perhaps its me being a consumer vs. and employee during this chapter.

Phones have reached a point where yearly upgrades, driven by significant leaps in updates, are not as essential as they once were. Considering the constraints of physics and the prioritization of crucial features, there's a case to be made for focusing on software, especially with the rising influence of AI worldwide. The impact of AI on various industries is still unfolding, and Samsung seems keenly aware of this. The competition for superior AI is in its early stages and I’m more excited than concerned to watch this story unfold. No pun intended, Samsung.

Entering 2024, I'm thrilled about Samsung's collaboration with Google Cloud's generative AI technology. Best wishes to the Samsung team as they take the lead in the U.S. with AI. May they embrace boldness, daring innovation, and achieve remarkable feats that usher in a new chapter. Go after it and stay hungry!

Colin Walker

Sales & Marketing Professional, Mobility Expert, Trainer, B2B & B2C Customer Experience

1 年

very thoughtfully written- you have a great perspective, my friend!

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Patsy A.

Leasing Consultant, Notary Public, Certified Bilingual Spanish

1 年

iPhone didn't really make sense when I sold it for ATT the first day it was out. No insurance available on a glass phone? Riiiight lol. You cannot leave the sales floor and have your phone working you had to go home and hook it up to iTunes. To do that you had to have a laptop with iTunes on it. And that is what the salesperson was supposed to tell everyone, which, many failed to do so. So, when the phone crashed, the customer went back into the store for a resolution. Then you have a customer standing there saying well I had no idea I needed a laptop with iTunes on it. Of course the salesperson response to that was "It's in the contract. Did you not read it? Lol The batteries were a problem, in the beginning, for iPhones. Customers would come running in the store and say "Where can I charge my phone? Or "Do you have a charger?" To which I responded, "You have an iPhone, right?" Of course you do. LOL Just those things in the beginning turned me away from iPhone. Years later I wondered why people continue to buy them because they were so proprietary. Everything you bought for an iPhone was more expensive and they didn't have great signal either. The answer I always got was "because I've always had one". Not a very good reason.

J.D. Hurtig

Relationship building ninja, helping businesses become customer centric organizations.

1 年

I remember when the Galaxy S was launched in response to the iPhone 3G/GS and the years that followed where Samsung strove for innovation, while Apple focused on refinement, simplicity, and to a lesser extent innovation. My wife and I were recently discussing about "what has happened to Apple?" as they've gotten away from the simplistic "it just works", with so much buried within a more complex and less intuitive interface. I think the problem for both companies is that there's no longer competition, so each tries to be everything to everyone - from a portable gaming console, to productivity tool, to the window into influencers lives. There's no longer a need to innovate in their minds, beside jumping on the latest trend pioneered by someone else, and typically outside of their wheelhouse, to appear as if they're disrupting the industry as they use to. It's a tale all too common, a company disrupts the world, becomes the leader, and stops innovating to maximize revenue at the sake of innovation - until a new challenger takes their throne.

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