Samsung may launch flagship phone early to grab Huawei share, claim sources

Samsung Electronics may launch its flagship Galaxy S smartphones more than a month earlier than expected in a bid to grab market share from Huawei and fend off competition from Apple, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Huawei Technologies once challenged Samsung’s top position in the global smartphone market, but the Chinese rival is in survival mode with US restrictions choking off its supplies of chips used in smartphones and telecom equipment.

South Korean chip industry officials hope Joe Biden’s presidency will ease some of those restrictions, although they are far from certain as they also expect the incoming US administration to maintain a tough stance on China.