Samsung Overtakes Apple: Ascends as the Market Leader and the Most Profitable Tech Company

The enduring rivalry between tech giants Apple and Samsung has long sparked debates among consumers. With both companies continually pushing the boundaries in terms of design aesthetics, finger print sensor capabilities, screen resolution, battery life, camera quality and software, each new device has the potential to shift the balance of power. After a detailed comparison between the two’s latest flagship smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ was found to lead the iPhone 7 in user preference, propelling Samsung to the forefront of global mobile phone and memory chip production.

Recently released quarterly earnings reports now crown Samsung as the world’s most profitable tech firm, surpassing its Silicon Valley competitor, Apple. Bolstered by a surge of sales from the new Galaxy S8 smartphone, the Seoul-based tech conglomerate anticipates even stronger financials in the upcoming quarter, expected to report in September.

Samsung’s staggering profit of $12.6 billion convincingly outpaced the forecasted $10.6 billion for Apple, marking the company’s best quarterly results in half a decade. Addressing this comparison, Greg Roh, a seasoned analyst at HMC Investment Securities, drew attention to the two companies’ distinct profit trends:

“Samsung has surpassed its rivals but Apple usually sees little fluctuation in its profits whereas Samsung’s profits vacillate notably with changes in memory chip prices,” he said.

Bryan Ma, a tech analyst at IDC, lauded the S8 for its pivotal role in reviving Samsung after the Galaxy Note 7’s infamous exploding battery fiasco that cost billions and damaged the company’s reputation. Ma also stressed the importance of Samsung’s equally strong performance in other sectors. “It’s not all about the S8, a lot of Samsung’s momentum also comes from success in memory and display technologies,” he added.

Notably, a significant portion of Samsung’s profit also stemmed from the sale of its chips to other companies, including its closest rival Apple. As confirmed by the company, “The components business drove considerable earnings growth, spurred primarily by robust demand for high-density DRAMs and SSDs for servers.”

In view of their recent accomplishments, Samsung has announced plans to cater to rising demand for its acclaimed chips by expanding its NAND chip plant in Xian, China. This facility is key in producing high-end storage chips in response to an ever-increasing market demand.

Additionally, in a bid to finally put to rest the exploding battery issue, Samsung has announced the unveiling of its latest Note device next month in New York. With high expectations and grandeur, the release is anticipated to strengthen its leading position in the tech world.

While the tech world calculates the implications of Samsung’s ascent, consumers stand to gain the most, as both Samsung and Apple continue their quest to outdo one another and revolutionize the way we use technology.

*Featured image source: Forbes*

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.