Samsung breaks the Android flagship curse.

The S25 Ultra model will be launched in early 2025.

According to a report from Counterpoint Research , Samsung has unexpectedly experienced a "second spring" with its S25 series. Sales have rebounded after 8-9 months since its global launch. Currently, the three highest-end models from the South Korean company have reached 30 million units sold. This is unusual not only for Samsung but for the entire mobile industry.

According to ITHome, the smartphone market typically follows a pattern of explosive growth upon launch, followed by a cooling-off. Expensive flagships quickly attract attention, reaching peak sales within the first 90 days. In the remainder of the cycle, the product is discounted and sales slow until the next model is introduced.

According to sales charts provided by blogger IceUniverse, the Galaxy S25 series has almost broken the "Android flagship curse." In the 8th and 9th months after launch, sales did not follow the typical downward curve but instead surged, showing a rare recovery in purchasing power. This long tail effect helped the three models achieve over 30 million units sold globally.

A chart showing Samsung's flagship phone sales over the past 5 years. Image: IceUniverse.

This is the result of the South Korean company proactively adjusting its strategy. The company intends to abandon its previous quick-sale model, which only maintained interest for three months. Instead, they are shifting to learning from Apple's product lifecycle management approach, striving to extend the peak sales period of their flagship models to 12 months.

Samsung lowered prices in the second half of the year, partnered with carriers to launch promotional programs, and seized opportunities for large-scale corporate purchases before the end of the fiscal year. In this way, they gained market share in the fourth quarter of 2025, a period typically dominated by new product launches.

The tech news site Android Headline noted that, in addition to its own strategy, the "unconvincing performance" of the next generation of products also became a significant factor in the recovery of S25 sales. Regarding the upcoming S26, initial leaks suggest it will only include minor upgrades, lacking any real innovation.

This conservative product plan not only failed to stimulate consumer desire to buy, but it also encouraged a large number of waiting users to switch to the Galaxy S25 series.

Samsung isn't the only one facing this problem. This year's market trends show a safer generation of Android flagships. Manufacturers are making changes gradually, and upgrades are less explosive compared to previous generations. Except for the Xiaomi 17 Pro/Pro Max with its unusual rear display, Vivo, Oppo, and OnePlus have all added features like battery life. However, the Xiaomi phones aren't sold internationally, so they have little impact on Samsung.

Source: https://znews.vn/samsung-pha-loi-nguyen-flagship-android-post1618554.html