Samsung to Double Gemini-Powered Mobile Devices to 800 Million Units This Year

According to Samsung Electronics’ co-CEO, the South Korean tech company plans to double the number of Samsung mobile devices with AI-enhanced features based on Google’s Gemini. This decision places Samsung at a competitive advantage as the global AI race continues to heat up.

By the end of last year (2022), Samsung had reportedly rolled out Gemini-based AI capabilities to approximately 400 million different devices (including phones and tablets). With plans to increase that number to 800 million devices by the year 2026 (making it not only an industry leader but also increasing its share of the AI market).

“We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” said T.M. Roh in his first interview with Reuters since becoming Samsung Electronics’ co-CEO in November.

As the world’s largest supporter of Google’s Android ecosystem, Samsung’s expansion is expected to significantly bolster Google’s position as it competes with OpenAI and other rivals for consumer adoption of AI models.

Samsung is aiming to reclaim its leadership position from Apple in the global smartphone market while also defending its turf against Chinese competitors across product categories from mobile phones to televisions and home appliances all under Roh’s leadership. The company plans to roll out integrated AI services across its consumer portfolio to widen its advantage over Apple in AI-driven features, even as Apple was expected to lead smartphone shipments last year, according to Counterpoint Research.

The Intensifying AI Race
Google introduced the latest version of Gemini in November, highlighting Gemini 3’s strong performance across several industry benchmarks. The release reportedly prompted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to issue an internal “code red,” halting non-essential projects and redirecting resources to accelerate development. OpenAI followed shortly after with the launch of its GPT-5.2 model.

Roh expects AI adoption to accelerate rapidly. Samsung’s internal surveys show awareness of its Galaxy AI brand surged from around 30% to 80% in just one year.

“AI technology may still seem uncertain to some today, but within six months to a year, it will become far more widespread,” he said.

While the AI Search capability continues to be the most popular feature for smartphones, Roh indicated how there is growing interest by consumers in the use of generative A.I. technologies for tasks related to image editing, productivity, translation, and content summary creation.

A Global Chip Shortage is Affecting All Companies in the Semiconductor Industry.

A global shortage of memory chips has generated a significant benefit for Samsung's semiconductor business but has also created margin pressures for the mobile phone business segment (Samsung's second-largest source of revenue).

Roh indicated that “this is an unprecedented situation and all manufacturers will feel the effects.” The global chip shortage is impacting not only mobile phones, but also all types of consumer electronics, including televisions and household appliances.

Although Roh did not rule out price increases, he described some impact from rising memory chip costs as “inevitable.” He added that Samsung the world’s largest TV manufacturer is working closely with partners on longer-term strategies to reduce the strain.

According to market analysts IDC and Counterpoint, Global Smartphone market is likely to reduce next year because of the increased price of devices due to the increase in component prices.

Roh sees a slower than expected growth rate of the foldable smartphone category. He cited engineering challenges and a lack of Apps designed specifically for Foldable devices as the reasons for this slower growth; however, he still expects that this category will become mainstream within 2-3 years.

Roh stated that foldable phone users remain very loyal to their specific foldable phones; therefore, the majority of customers who own a foldable phone will choose a new foldable phone to upgrade to, but he did not indicate how many.

During Q3, 2025, Samsung represented approximately 63% of total foldable smartphone sales, with increased competition from Chinese brands (e.g., Huawei) as well as Apple launching its first foldable phone expected within this year.