The tech world is full of fascinating rivalries that are more complex than they seem. Apple, Samsung, and Google may compete fiercely for your attention, but behind the scenes, their partnerships reveal a delicate balance of economics and strategy. In this blog post, we’ll explore three surprising dynamics that define these relationships in 2025—and why they need each other more than they’d like to admit.
Apple and Samsung: Rivals Who Share the Screen
Apple and Samsung are bitter rivals in the smartphone market, with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro going head-to-head. But here’s a twist: Samsung manufactures the high-end OLED displays for iPhones. Despite their rivalry, Samsung is Apple’s primary supplier because they can deliver the quality and scale Apple demands—often producing 180 to 200 million panels for a single iPhone model, like the iPhone X in 2017.
Why doesn’t Samsung just say no to Apple and sabotage their supply chain? The economics don’t add up. Samsung makes more money selling displays to Apple than they would gain by potentially selling more Galaxy phones with better screens. In 2017, Samsung earned more from iPhone X displays than from their own Galaxy S8. However, rumors suggest Apple might switch to microLED displays in the future, which could disrupt this partnership—much like when Apple ditched Intel for their own chips in Macs.
Key Takeaway: Money outweighs rivalry for now, but a shift in display tech could shake things up.
Apple and Google: The $20 Billion Default Deal
Apple and Google’s partnership is another surprising one, driven by the power of defaults. Google pays Apple $20 billion annually to remain the default search engine in Safari on iPhones. With millions of searches happening daily on iPhones, this deal ensures Google’s dominance while adding a hefty sum to Apple’s bottom line—especially when both companies reported net profits of around $100 billion last year.
But this arrangement is under scrutiny. The U.S. Justice Department argues it’s anti-competitive, calling it monopolistic behavior. If the deal ends, three scenarios could unfold: (1) Google remains the default anyway, as users expect it; (2) Apple pivots to a partner like OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT more deeply; or (3) Apple launches its own search engine—a move Google fears, as Apple devices account for over half of Google’s search business. Google even dubbed this threat a “code red.”
Key Takeaway: The default search deal is a win-win for now, but legal challenges could force a change, opening doors for competitors like ChatGPT or an Apple search engine.
Google and Samsung: Android’s Power Duo
Google and Samsung’s relationship is less about rivalry and more about mutual necessity. While both make smartphones—Google with its Pixel lineup and Samsung with its Galaxy series—they collaborate closely on Android. Samsung phones often run Google’s latest Android features alongside Pixel devices. For example, at the 2024 Made by Google event, Google demoed a new Gemini conversational feature on a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, just minutes before unveiling their own Pixel phone.
Features like Circle to Search debuted simultaneously on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8, and Wear OS 3 was announced with a Samsung partnership. Why the collaboration? Samsung relies on Android as the backbone of its devices, including Google Play Store and services. Meanwhile, Google needs Samsung’s massive market share—five times that of Pixel in North America—to distribute Android and its services globally. Court documents reveal Google also pays Samsung “enormous sums” to pre-install Gemini on devices like the S25.
Key Takeaway: Google and Samsung are deeply intertwined, with Samsung acting as Android’s biggest ambassador while Google ensures Samsung’s devices stay cutting-edge.
Conclusion: A Delicate Balance in 2025
These relationships highlight a key truth in tech: money and mutual benefit often trump rivalry. Apple and Samsung’s display partnership, Apple and Google’s search deal, and Google and Samsung’s Android collaboration show how intertwined these giants are. But as legal pressures mount and technologies like microLED or alternative search engines emerge, these dynamics could shift dramatically. Keep an eye on these partnerships in 2025—they’ll shape the tech landscape in ways we can’t yet predict.
What do you think about these tech relationships? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for more insights!
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