Smartphone marketing is all AI now—has Google cracked it with Samsung?

Artificial intelligence has emerged as the new battleground for smartphone manufacturers, with tech giants racing to outdo one another in both capabilities and marketing prowess. With premium smartphones reaching a stalemate in hardware one-upmanship, AI features have emerged as the new currency for differentiation—but not all players are equally adept at marketing these capabilities.

The new marketing currency

The smartphone industry has witnessed a seismic shift in marketing focus, as promotional campaigns now prominently feature artificial intelligence. 

Apple has launched its Apple Intelligence, Huawei is promoting its Pangu LLMs, and Oppo is showcasing AI capabilities in its Reno 12 series. However, it's the partnership between Google and Samsung that appears to be setting the pace for AI marketing in the mobile industry.

Google's recent enhancement of Gemini Live (Gemini's live conversation mode) exemplifies this trend. The platform now supports image and file uploads, enables YouTube video discussions, and assists in practical tasks such as event styling and recipe conversions. 

In addition to this, Google has also introduced features such as Deep Research for comprehensive web analysis, Circle to Search for visual queries, and AI Overviews for streamlined information summaries—all marketed with precision and purpose.

Google and Samsung: A marketing masterclass

The collaboration between Google and Samsung has proved particularly effective in promoting AI capabilities. Samsung's Galaxy S25 series (powered by Snapdragon's Elite chipset) launch centred heavily on AI features including the Google Gemini, with the Ultra model marketed as the 'true AI companion'.

This approach aligns seamlessly with Google's strategy, creating a unified narrative in the Android ecosystem.

Both companies have excelled at transforming technical capabilities into compelling user stories. Their marketing campaigns typically showcase AI features through practical use cases: conversational assistance with Gemini Live, visual recognition for everyday tasks, cross-application functionality, AI-enhanced photography with tools like Magic Editor, and personalised content generation.

Apple's delayed response

In contrast, Apple's approach to AI marketing has been notably more reserved. The launch of the iPhone 16 series, although celebrating Apple Intelligence, faced criticism for promoting features that weren't immediately available. 

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.

The only comparable feature of iOS to Google's Gemini is its integration of ChatGPT responses with Siri.

The contrast in marketing approaches reveals distinct philosophical differences. Google and Samsung have adopted an aggressive, feature-first strategy, consistently highlighting new AI capabilities through practical demonstrations and real-world applications. 

Their marketing materials often include tutorial-style content, helping users understand and engage with AI features immediately. 

Data gives Google the advantage

Google's marketing effectiveness is underpinned by its vast data resources. "Google surely has a competitive edge," says Tarun Pathak, who is the research director at Counterpoint Research, a technology market research firm.

 "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. It gets better and better because it's about the kind of data your models are being trained on."

This data advantage translates into more convincing marketing narratives. Google can demonstrate AI features that feel more natural and integrated because they're built on years of user interaction data across multiple services—Gmail, Photos, Maps, and the Android operating system itself.

Navkendar Singh, associate vice president of devices research at IDC, a global provider of market insights, and advisory services, says, “From a consumer angle, there's no company placed in the market to do AI better than Google." 

 Singh adds, "Five to six billion people use Google’s Android on an everyday basis. The kind of intent data they have and the kind of products we use across their ecosystem and OS are bound to make people more familiar with their offerings. And with the way Google has been marketing its AI, obviously it sticks in the mind."

The impact extends beyond Android devices. As Singh observes, "My iPhone is actually a vessel for all the Google services. I don't use any of the iOS services. I use Google Photos instead of iOS photos. I may like the hardware and the form factor of the iPhone, and some of the OS features, but for everything else I am using Google on an everyday basis, even on a laptop.” 

So obviously, nobody's better placed than Google, “and to that extent, they've done well”. More importantly, there is nothing else left in terms of groundbreaking discussion in the smartphone marketplace at the moment, he says.

Impact on the ground

While AI capabilities have become a key differentiator in marketing premium smartphones, the purchases made within the category are largely still based on conventional specifications. "A customer right now is not buying a phone because of AI. That inflection point hasn't come yet," observes Singh.

This disconnect between marketing focus and consumer behaviour is perhaps best illustrated by Apple's recent performance in India. 

Despite what many considered an underwhelming rollout of Apple Intelligence—with features delayed months after the iPhone 16 launch—by January 2025, Apple had achieved a significant milestone, entering the top five smartphone vendors in India for the first time with over 9% market share. 

Annual shipments reached 12 million in 2024, showing a remarkable 33-34% increase from 9 million in 2023.

The future of smartphone marketing

Looking towards future developments, Pathak outlines the importance of partnerships: "There will be a lot of collaboration for smartphones. But the key will be to balance it with an exclusive experience. For that, the kind of features that are needed, and the hardware to go with will always be the OEM’s call.”

Just the way the Google-Samsung partnership has effectively created a narrative that positions AI not as a mere feature but as an essential aspect of the modern smartphone experience.

While other manufacturers scramble to catch up, Google's strategic advantage—built on years of AI development, vast data resources, and marketing prowess—appears set to maintain their leadership position within the AI ‘tech tussle’.

The true test will come as AI features become more sophisticated and ubiquitous. The winners in this space will likely be those who can continue to demonstrate practical value whilst maintaining a clear, compelling marketing message that resonates with consumers' everyday needs.