Top 5 phones to cure us of the awful Samsung, Apple brand loyalty

Brand loyalty is something I see no use of, so today's proclamation goes like this: "Smartphone users of the world, free yourselves!"

Since I'm not born in Prussia in 1818 (hint: google Karl Marx's year and place of birth), I guess I should cut it out before this thing turns into an anti-corporate manifesto.

There is, however, a use of talking about brand loyalty. Everybody knows (in theory, at least) how brand loyalty pays off.

Once accustomed to it, one gets to know their phone in-depth and knows what to expect of the next model from the same brand. The transfer between the new and old phones is seamless, the interface is familiar, as are the features that are there to be relied upon year after year.

But there are cons to brand loyalty and I want to drag them into the light… and then, I will present to you several phones to cure you of your Samsung or Apple attachment.

Why talk about brand loyalty? (Let the numbers speak!)

As of 2025, brand loyalty numbers tell a really fascinating story – Apple's once-dominant grip on customer loyalty has shown signs of weakening. In 2023, an impressive 94% of iPhone owners stuck with Apple. That's to say virtually all iPhone users replaced their devices with another iPhone. This coincided with the launch of the iPhone 15 series.

However, this loyalty rate dropped to 89% and has remained there, likely due to growing dissatisfaction and a perceived lack of innovation. Apple's AI efforts, including its Apple Intelligence initiative and delayed improvements to Siri, have faced criticism and underwhelmed users, to put it mildly.

Meanwhile, Samsung's loyalty rate has improved, climbing from 68% in 2021 to 76% in 2025, (minus a slight dip in 2024, but it's insignificant). Its Galaxy AI features have generally been better received than Apple's recent offerings. Samsung still competes with brands like Google, Motorola, and low-cost Android manufacturers.

This shift paints a rather juicy picture: more folks are ditching their usual dance partners and flirting with something new – particularly hopping from iOS over to Android.

Sure, many are probably ditching Apple for Samsung, as their phones are extremely popular, well-marketed and often capable. But… there's a whole galaxy of multicolored, buzzing, sizzling phones from the Far East that one should check before going down the same old beaten path of sticking with either Sammy or Cupertino.

Come on, people, what happened to your adventurous spirit?!

Do not pass by these champions just like that

These are not in any particular order, but are all worth checking closely – and if you happen to choose one of them, you won't regret it. Sure, some may not be sold in your local brick and mortar, some might even require you dealing with customs and overseas shipment. Customer service may not be available 24/7, but so what – the Internet is full of horror stories about Samsung and Apple not providing adequate services as well.

So, without further ado:

• OnePlus 13: it's got a 6.8-inch magnificent OLED screen with a 1-120Hz local high refresh rate. Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood (the best Qualcomm you could get on a phone right now) and the option for 24 GB of RAM. Simply amazing, given its $900 price tag.
• OnePlus 13T (a.k.a OnePlus 13s): it's the same phone as the aforementioned, just smaller. If you're a fan of compact phones and big batteries, you'll be happy to learn that this 6.3-inch beast packs a 6,260 mAh capacity battery.
• Realme GT7 – Launching globally on May 27, this is a true flagship killer. It features MediaTek's new Dimensity 9400e processor, delivering high performance with a 2.45 million+ AnTuTu score and support for 120 FPS gaming. It also packs a large 7,000 mAh battery (!) and 120W fast charging. Samsung's 45W charging speeds should go kick rocks.
• Xiaomi 15 Ultra or Oppo Find X8 Ultra: if mobile photography is your thing, you should definitely check those monsters that both pack an 1-inch sensor for their main cameras. They both pack two separate zoom cameras (with periscope-type lens in Oppo's case), have large cameras, large batteries and top-shelf chipsets.
• Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design – does anyone else in your friend circle rock a TRI-folding phone? No? I thought so. Well, tri-foldables are not merely an illusion, but a reality. The price is high, but you get what you pay for: a 10-inch screen that fits in your pocket and a 3.6mm thinness. True mobile innovation.

Of course, this list is way longer than that, but I wanted to give you a little taste of what's out there and beyond the Apple, Samsung realm.

More than just "exotic"

Consumers are beginning to realize that sticking with a familiar name often means paying more for marginal benefits. In many cases, these exotic brands from China deliver comparable (and better) camera systems, high-refresh-rate OLED displays, powerful chipsets, and jaw-dropping battery capacity numbers.

Breaking up with your go-to phone brand isn't disloyal – it's smart. When consumers explore new options, it forces the big names to stop coasting and start innovating. Maybe that's why Samsung is offering 45W charging speeds for the Galaxy S25, instead of the 25W of the Galaxy S24. I know, it's still miles behind the Chinese 100W that are offered, but, hey, it's something.

So skip the overpriced, uninspiring year-to-year updates and try something bold – you might be pleasantly surprised.