SEOUL (KOREA) – Samsung Electronics Co Ltd may launch its flagship Galaxy S smartphones more than a month earlier than expected. This has been aimed at grabbing market share from Huawei so as to ward off competition from Apple Inc, according to three sources familiar with the matter said.
South Korean chip industry officials hope Joe Biden’s projected presidency will relax some of the restrictions.
Samsung is preparing to launch its new Galaxy S21 as early as late January next year, the sources said.
Samsung Electronics declined to comment.
The South Korean company shipped 59% fewer Galaxy S20 5G series handsets in the United States in the second quarter compared to the previous model’s performance a year earlier, according to research firm Canalys.
Samsung had lost its No.1 position to Huawei in the second quarter, while regaining the same in the third because of the US restrictions on Huawei.
A person at one major supplier of smartphone chips said Huawei’s stockpiles were likely to fall short some time early next year.
Samsung, however, faces tough competition from Chinese rivals like Xiaomi and Oppo, expected to make the best use of Huawei’s struggle to retain market share.
Apple also launched its iPhone series in October, about a month later than usual, stepping up competition.
