With yesterday’s Galaxy S23 announcement, Samsung showed yet another way it’s copying Apple’s iPhone — and we love it.
Samsung has courted a ton of flak in the past for copying Apple, but in 2023, that penchant for imitating its archrival just might prove to be helpful for smartphone shoppers. Soon after revealing the asking price of the Galaxy S23 trio, Samsung announced that its previous flagship is officially getting a price cut — rather than getting axed from retail shelves.
Apple has been doing the same for years, and it has actually proved to be a wise move for everyone. With a lowered asking price worth a hundred dollars or more, buyers can digest the premium of spending on an iPhone with a lighter hit on their wallets. Of course, it also helps that buying a previous-generation iPhone doesn’t come with any serious FOMO, because Apple is usually quite modest with generation-over-generation upgrades.
This year, Samsung is serving Apple’s formula to Android phone enthusiasts. The Galaxy S22, which originally hit the shelves carrying a price tag of $799, will now be sold for $699 in the U.S. Assuming the track record of third-party sellers and retailers, you can expect the price to further go down. Should the average smartphone buyer care about the Galaxy S22 at its reduced price? Yes. More so in 2023, than ever.
Almost every single time I am asked, “Which iPhone should I buy?,” I suggest splurging on a previous-gen iPhone instead of the pricier current-gen model. That’s because the differences aren’t huge in terms of hardware prowess. Plus, Apple keeps its phone running in tip-top shape with regular software updates for at least five to six years. Just over a week ago, Apple issued a software update for the decade-old iPhone 5S.
Of course, Samsung hasn’t ever done that, and it’s unlikely that Samsung will ever be able to match Apple in this department.
