Amid talk that Samsung is struggling against Apple and the best iPhones, not only in Korea but also in the United States, a new report suggests that Samsung is considering the possibility of rebranding from its long-standing “Galaxy” naming convention.

The report from Korean publication E-Today (via tipster Jukanlosreve on X) claims that Samsung is considering rebranding its flagship smartphone with a name other than Galaxy. This would be similar to Hyundai selling its premium cars under the Genesis brand or Lexus being Toyota's luxury car brand.

This is a surprising move and perhaps necessary as Samsung prepares to launch the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Ultra in January. Samsung has five smartphone lines under the Galaxy umbrella, the Z, S, A, M, and F series, with the Z and S reserved for flagship devices. And this is not referring to all products under the Galaxy label, including the Tab S10 tablet, the Buds 3 Pro earphones, the Watch 7 smartwatch, and the all-new Galaxy Ring.

This was apparently a concept that had been warming up inside Samsung for a long time. Lee Yong Hee, Samsung's global marketing head, said at CES 2024, “Galaxy has so many lineups, and we know that if there is an innovative turning point, people will expect a new name.

As the report points out, with a mix of high-end, mid-range, and budget devices under the same umbrella, flagship devices may not stand out.

Samsung has utilized the iconic “Galaxy” brand since at least 2009, when it launched the Samsung Galaxy with one of the first versions of Android.

Apple and Samsung are the two most popular smartphone brands in the U.S., but there is no real competition; according to Statcounter, as of September 2024, Apple had 57.3% of the U.S. market share and Samsung had 23.2%, together accounting for 80 % of the mobile phone market.

According to E-Today, even in Samsung's home country of South Korea, 64% of young people (ages 18-29) said they use iPhones, jumping to 75% among women in their 20s.

Samsung is no stranger to being accused of copying Apple when it comes to new features on its mainline S-series phones; with sales of the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 slowing and a foldable device that Apple also does not offer, Samsung executives this month earlier apologized for not being more innovative (via Android Police).

“It's not a short-term solution, but a fundamental competitive advantage. Furthermore, we believe that new technologies and perfect quality competitiveness, which do not exist in the world, are the only way for Samsung Electronics to make a comeback,” said Chung Yong-hyun, Samsung's vice president of device solutions.

It is unclear from the E-Today report how far along on Samsung's roadmap a possible rebranding is. One industry source commented to a Korean publication that “Samsung is aware that it needs a new brand name, and it is highly likely that a new brand will be launched.”

While it may be too late for the Galaxy S25 series next January to get a new brand name, it is likely that future S series or perhaps Z series devices will see it.