Samsung may launch flagship phone early to grab Huawei share

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 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 Inc, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd once challenged Samsung’s top position in the global smartphone market, but the Chinese rival is in survival mode with U.S. 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 U.S. administration to maintain a tough stance on China.