Apple’s iPhone 17 has once again created huge excitement in the smartphone world. Every time Apple releases a new iPhone, it sets a trend. Other brands, especially Samsung, feel the pressure to match the hype—even if it means promoting features that are already basic or standard in most phones. Recently, reports about the Samsung Galaxy S26 show how much influence the iPhone has. Samsung changed its plans for the S26 to try to keep up with the iPhone 17 price and hype. But instead of adding real upgrades that matter, many of the changes are just marketing tricks to make the phone look more advanced than it really is.
Samsung Galaxy S26: Copying the Hype, Not the Value
The Galaxy S26 was initially planned to be slim and have a bigger battery (4,900 mAh). The idea was to make it feel like a strong competitor to the iPhone 17. But when Apple kept the iPhone 17 price at $799, Samsung had to adjust its strategy. Instead of adding meaningful improvements, Samsung reduced the battery to 4,300 mAh, increased the thickness of the phone, and kept some upgrades minimal. The phone still has some new features like the Flex Magic Pixel display for privacy, but most of the other upgrades are things users expect in every modern flagship phone. In simple words: Samsung is promoting standard features as if they are new and exciting. This creates hype but doesn’t really add value for the user.
Why Brands Do This
There are two main reasons: 1. Price Matching – Samsung wants the S26 price to look competitive with the iPhone 17. But raising the price without marketing it as an “upgrade” is hard. 2. Creating Hype – By highlighting features that already exist in other phones, Samsung can make users feel like they are getting something new and special. The problem is that these features don’t improve real user experience. Users see ads about “new technology,” but it’s mostly standard stuff being hyped up.
Examples of Hyped Features
-
Larger battery (but smaller than planned)
-
Slim design (actually thicker in reality)
-
Privacy screen technology
-
Minor camera adjustments
All these are presented as big innovations, but most users might already find them in other phones or expect them as standard in any flagship.
The iPhone Effect
Apple doesn’t need to hype features unnecessarily. The brand itself creates demand. Users trust the iPhone for smooth software experience, reliable hardware, strong resale value, and long-term updates. Because of this, other brands try to copy Apple’s excitement instead of focusing on real upgrades. They want to keep their products relevant in the conversation, even if it’s mostly marketing talk.
What This Means for Users
The main takeaway is simple: Don’t get fooled by marketing hype. Not every “new feature” is truly valuable. Look at what actually improves your experience, not what sounds fancy in ads. Samsung and other brands are not adding big, meaningful upgrades. They are hype-selling features that users might already have or expect. This is a trend that is likely to continue as long as Apple sets the market standard.
Conclusion
The iPhone 17 hype is so strong that other brands feel they must match the excitement. But instead of creating real, valuable upgrades, many phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S26, promote standard features as if they are new. For users, the key is to focus on real improvements—battery life, performance, durability, camera quality—rather than being influenced by hype or marketing. Apple creates hype without exaggeration, but many other brands use hype as a tool to appear competitive, not to actually enhance the product.
Read More: Caviar Launches iPhone 17 Gold Collection
