Photo Source: Tyler Lastovich
The smartphone industry is changing rapidly, with artificial intelligence (AI) becoming the new frontier for competitive advantage. Hardware innovation, which once dominated marketing, has now given way to AI-driven features that redefine user experiences.
Google and Samsung have integrated AI into their new releases, pushing innovations like Gemini Live and AI-powered photography. In contrast, Apple has opted for a more measured approach, weaving AI seamlessly into its ecosystem while staying true to its commitments to privacy and usability.
“The smartphone industry has witnessed a seismic shift in marketing focus, as promotional campaigns now prominently feature artificial intelligence,” reflecting a broader industry transformation.
Google’s Data-Driven Edge
Google’s competitive advantage in the AI space is driven by its extensive data resources, honed over years of innovation through DeepMind.
Google has crafted a marketing narrative that sets it apart from the competition by integrating AI into key services such as Gmail, Photos, and Android, “Google surely has a competitive edge,” says Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research,
“They’ve been doing this for years with DeepMind. From the data perspective, they have huge amounts of information, and they’re better placed compared to OEMs using third-party models.”
The company’s suite of AI-powered features—Gemini Live, Deep Research, and Circle to Search—are designed with seamless integration, positioning AI as an indispensable tool in consumers’ daily lives.
“From a consumer angle, there’s no company placed in the market to do AI better than Google,” adds Navkendar Singh, associate vice president of devices research at IDC.
Samsung’s AI-First Strategy
Samsung has successfully positioned AI as the defining feature of its Galaxy smartphones, capitalising on its partnership with Google.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra, branded as the “true AI companion,” illustrates this approach, incorporating AI-powered photography, voice assistance, and smart home integration into the user experience. This AI-driven strategy extends beyond smartphones, with Samsung embedding artificial intelligence across its entire product range.
The SmartThings platform, for instance, harnesses AI to foster deeper interconnectivity across devices, cementing Samsung’s status as a leader in consumer electronics. “Samsung’s diverse product lineup helps position AI as a core part of its entire consumer electronics portfolio,” ensuring AI becomes an integral part of everyday life.
Apple’s More Reserved AI Marketing Strategy
Google and Samsung have pursued an aggressive AI-first marketing narrative, while Apple has adopted a more deliberate, measured strategy. The debut of Apple Intelligence with the iPhone 16 series faced some challenges, notably the delayed launch of key features,
“Even after the delayed rollout, awareness of Apple Intelligence’s capabilities remains limited, primarily focusing on basic functionalities such as email summaries and grammar assistance.” Apple doesn’t emphasise AI as a standalone feature but instead integrates it subtly into its ecosystem, focusing on privacy-centric machine learning and enhancing existing products.
This approach is in line with Apple’s broader philosophy of prioritising user experience over purely technical specifications. Siri enhancements, predictive text, and AI-powered photo tagging are presented as natural improvements to the Apple ecosystem, rather than revolutionary new features.
Are Consumers Buying Phones for AI?
The aggressive push for AI-centric marketing has yet to align with consumer purchasing patterns, which remain grounded in traditional factors such as camera quality, battery life, and brand loyalty,
“A customer right now is not buying a phone because of AI. That inflection point hasn’t come yet,” observes Singh.
Apple’s recent performance in India, where the company entered the top five smartphone vendors with a 33-34% year-over-year increase to 12 million units, underscores this trend. While AI increases brand image, it is not yet a major influence on consumer buying decisions.
The Future of AI in Smartphone Marketing
The rapid development of AI technology will require smartphone marketing strategies to balance groundbreaking advancements with clear user education. Pathak suggests,
“There will be a lot of collaboration for smartphones. But the key will be to balance it with an exclusive experience.” For brands, the challenge will be creating AI-driven experiences that are both innovative and easily understood by consumers, offering them exclusivity and value.
Key trends shaping the future of AI marketing include:
- Expansion of AI-driven marketing partnerships: Google and Samsung’s collaboration serves as a model for future alliances.
- Tutorial-style marketing: Brands will increasingly focus on demonstrating AI features through real-world applications.
- Personalised AI experiences: AI marketing will shift toward tailored recommendations and adaptive user experiences.
Conclusion
The spotlight in smartphone marketing has shifted from hardware to AI, with Google and Samsung setting the pace through bold, feature-focused campaigns. Meanwhile, Apple remains steadfast in its approach of prioritising a seamless ecosystem.
The winners will be those who make it indispensable without overwhelming users with complexity as AI continues to integrate into everyday activities. The takeaway for businesses in the smartphone industry is clear: AI is not merely an enhancement but a defining element for brand differentiation.