With Apple, Samsung under pressure to amaze, what new smartphone features will we see later this year?
Augmented reality is just one new technological advancement we might see on phones this year as the two smartphone market leaders fend off competition from Chinese firms Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi and Google updates its Pixel
As they gear up to launch new flagship smartphones, Apple and Samsung are seeking a wow factor that can help them fend off challenges from rising Chinese-based manufacturers.
Apple is under particular pressure to dazzle as it looks for a way to maintain its image as an innovation leader in a global market showing signs of slowing.
“Clearly, Apple wants to do something different for the [iPhone’s] 10th anniversary,” says Stephen Baker, an analyst at research firm NPD Group.
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Baker explains that this is a challenge for Apple because “it is still going to be a flat piece of glass and the other things we talk about around a phone.”
Apple is widely expected to unveil the latest iteration of the iPhone in September, while smartphone market leader Samsung has just unveiled its Galaxy Note 8 handset.
The two market leaders are seeing rivals, mainly from China, chip away at market share, creating pressure to showcase innovation, say analysts.
