A huge sales battle is expected in the coming quarter as Apple's iPhone 6 battles Samsung's soon-to-be-released Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
Apple's introduction of its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus last September has been a resounding success. In fact, it was Apple's most successful iPhone launch ever, and sales figures continue to be robust. A new Morgan Stanley report estimates the amount of iPhones sold in Q1 this year to be 54 million. That's 24 percent higher than last year's 43.7 million in Q1 sales, and 72 percent of the record-breaking 74.5 million units sold in last year's Q4.
Samsung, however, is hot on Apple's heels with the imminent launch of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. The Galaxy S6 handset has received rave reviews for its refined premium design, which has been compared to that of its main competitor. The Galaxy S6 Edge, meanwhile, won the award for "best new handset" at Mobile World Congress earlier this month.
As a result, consumer anticipation of the new Samsung phones is high, and Samsung recently announced that it has already received 20 million preorders, despite the fact that most territories, including the U.S., are not yet accepting preorders. Indicating huge consumer interest, Swiss preorders for the new Samsung device are four times that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S5.
How much the renewed consumer interest in Samsung's new flagships affects iPhone sales remains to be seen, but it will be exciting to watch the world's two top smartphone makers duke it out. Analysts at Morgan Stanley, in fact, predict the Samsung Galaxy S6 will be the "major variable" affecting iPhone sales in the upcoming Q2.
