Samsung versus Apple has been a battle for market dominance among the biggest in recent decades.
Like BMW versus Mercedes, or Pepsi versus Coca-Cola, the two powerhouses of the smartphone industry have gone head to head each year with new offerings.
While Apple kicked things off in 2007 with the iPhone , Samsung was more of a latecomer, with its first flagship Galaxy S series phone launching in 2010.
It quickly became the main alternative to owning an iPhone, and Samsung has arguably taken a more innovative approach, having introduced screens with curved edges and more recently the return of flip phones, and the introduction of the Fold phone , which expands outward so it can be used like a tablet.
There was also the introduction of stylus pens with the Note series .
This innovative approach, plus its wide range of lower budget phones, has helped Samsung to lead Apple in terms of market share.
The most recent data from Counterpoint shows that Samsung had a market share of 23 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared with Apple's 18 per cent.
What will Samsung come up with next?
To see the evolution of Samsung's top end smartphones see the slide show at the top of the page.
Samsung's high-end Galaxy phones: Samsung Galaxy S1 Samsung Galaxy S2 Samsung Galaxy S3 Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung Galaxy S5 Samsung Galaxy S6 Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ Samsung Galaxy S7 Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8+ Samsung Galaxy S9 Samsung Galaxy S9+ Samsung Galaxy S10 Samsung Galaxy S10e Samsung Galaxy S10+ Samsung Galaxy S10 5G Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Samsung Galaxy S20 Samsung Galaxy S20+ Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy S21+ Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 1 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Samsung Galaxy Flip 5G Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 Samsung Galaxy Note Samsung Galaxy Note II Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Samsung Galaxy Note Edge Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Samsung Galaxy Note 6 Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Samsung Galaxy Note 20 & Note 20 Ultra ________________________
The iPhone through the ages: Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone to the world in San Francisco, California, on January 9, 2007. It had a 3.5-inch screen and 2MP camera. Reuters
The iPhone 3G was launched in 2008 with a faster 3G connection. It also added location services. Reuters
The iPhone 3GS was released on June 19, 2009. It was twice as fast as its previous version. AFP
The iPhone 4 was released on June 24, 2010. It featured FaceTime for the first occasion as well as a retina screen. Reuters
A later release, this time on October 14, 2011, the iPhone 4S had a new dual-core processor. Reuters
Apple CEO Tim Cook takes to the stage following the reveal of the iPhone 5 in San Francisco, California, on September 12, 2012. This was the first 4-inch screen and the phone was faster and slimmer. Reuters
The iPhone 5C arrived on September 20, 2013 and was less expensive and very similar to the iPhone 5 except it came with colourful casing. Getty Images
The iPhone 5s came at the same time as the 5C and introduced touch ID and a motion data processor as health and fitness apps started to come to the fore. Getty Images
The iPhone 6 marked another double launch when unveiled on September 9, 2014. The 6 had a 4.7-inch screen, faster processor and improved camera. AFP
The iPhone 6 Plus had a 5.5-inch screen and was $100 more expensive. Reuters
The iPhone 6s came on September 25, 2015 with 3D touch and a camera that could shoot 4K video. EPA
The iPhone 6s Plus is displayed at Tokyo's flagship store on September 25, 2015. Both new phones came in a new colour - rose gold. AFP
Unveiled on March 21, 2016, the iPhone SE had the same design as the iPhone 5 and saw a return to the 4-inch screen which was preferred by some users. It was more affordable and hence lacked features such as Touch ID. AFP
The iPhone 7 announced on September 7, 2016, said somewhat controversially goodbye to the audio jack. Reuters
The iPhone 7 Plus had a dual camera added. AFP
The iPhone 8 was released on September 22, 2017 and had a new glass and aluminium design, retina HD screen. Reuters
A customer gets his hands on an iPhone 8 Plus on launch day in Tokyo on September 22, 2017. The launches also saw speakers that were 25% louder and the most powerful and smartest chip in a smartphone (according to Apple). AFP
The iPhone X marked a decade of iPhones on September 12, 2017. It's main changes were an edge-to-edge super retina screen. Touch ID was removed with Face ID introduced. Reuters
The iPhone XS was released on September 21, 2018 and had a Super Retina OLED screen with improved scratch and water resistance. Face ID was faster. Reuters
The iPhone XS Max had the largest iPhone screen to date at 6.5 inches. It could handle 3 million pixels. Reuters
The iPhone XR was slightly cheaper than the XS and came with a 6.1-inch screen. AFP
A customer looks at the iPhone 11 at an Apple store in Dubai Mall on September 20, 2019. EPA
A man tries out the iPhone 11 Pro in Cupertino, California, on September 10, 2019. AFP
Midnight Green was introduced for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, while there was also a new three-camera system. Reuters
Arriving on April 15, 2020, the iPhone SE was for budget-minded customers and was pretty much a replica of the iPhone 8. Its 4.7-inch screen felt rather on the small side compared to the big screens of its big brothers. Apple Inc. / AFP
The iPhone 12 on October 13, 2020 introduced a new processor and a screen that offered four times better protection if dropped. Apple / AFP
The iPhone 12 mini offered a 5.4-inch screen. Getty Images
Mr Cook showcases the iPhone 12 Pro during an event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on October 13, 2020. This upgrade saw a faster chip, 5G speed, a "camera system that’s killer in low light. A LiDAR Scanner for more realistic AR. And two great sizes to choose from — including our largest display ever". Apple / EPA
The iPhone 12 Pro Max was categorised as a 'legacy phone'. Reuters
The new iPhone 13 was unveiled on September 14, 2021. It has a smart data mode which helps battery life, more 5G bands and antenna lines that use material made from recycled plastic water bottles. AFP
Apple CEO Tim Cook showcasing the third generation iPhone SE featuring 5G and the A15 Bionic chip on March 8, 2022. EPA
The Apple iPhone 14, 14 Plus, Pro Max and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro were unveiled during an event on September 7, 2022. It didn’t raise its US prices during one of the worst years for inflation in decades. The biggest addition was emergency calling after a car crash. Bloomberg
Updated: August 10, 2022, 11:26 AM