Are Chinese Smartphones Stealing a March on Samsung?

The technology of Chinese smartphones is starting to overtake market leaders. They are rolling out smartphones with groundbreaking features to grab a bigger slice of the premium market dominated by Samsung and Apple.

Lenovo last Thursday unveiled the world's first bendable smartphone and tablet PC in San Francisco. It is hoping to start commercial production early next year.

Lenovo is on a newly powerful position because it acquired Motorola of the U.S. last year.

Samsung is developing a smartphone with similar traits but has yet to roll out even a prototype.

Now Chinese smartphone makers also use new software and core components faster than any other leading player. Chinese firm LeEco is expected to be the first in the world to roll out a smartphone that can use Google's Daydream virtual reality platform.

LeEco was also the first in the world early this year to release a smartphone with Qualcomm's cutting-edge Snapdragon 820 processor. The company started out as a video contents business but is now expanding into smartphones and TV sets.

Chinese companies are industry leaders when it comes to adopting high-capacity processors that can speed up smart devices. Increased memory enables smartphones to run several applications quickly and simultaneously.

Vivo was the first in the world to roll out a smartphone with 6 GB memory capacity in March of this year, and Lenovo and OnePlus also followed suit.

Apple's smartphones have only 2 GB, while Samsung's Galaxy S7 released in March has 4 GB. Samsung plans to launch 6 GB memory phones in the second half of this year.

Eight out of the top 12 smartphone makers in terms of sales in the first quarter of this year were Chinese. And now their sales are soaring not only due to cheap price tags but also due to increased recognition for quality and technology.

Their smartphones are selling well not only in China but in Southeast Asia, while Huawei, the world's No. 1 manufacturer of communications equipment, had hit products in Europe.

But critics say that the new technologies are merely gimmicks and do not signify a radical shift in the industry paradigm.

"The bendable smartphone will not be mass produced right away," an industry insider said. "It remains to be seen whether other functions will be enough to entice consumers."

Lee Jeong-dong at Seoul National University said, "Chinese smartphone makers have not fully overtaken their Korean rivals, but they're definitely developing new technologies faster. Korean smartphone makers need to maintain their lead by developing new components and innovative materials."

Source: Are Chinese Smartphones Stealing a March on Samsung?