How Samsung built a budget smartphone empire to challenge rising Asian tech rivals

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2019, Samsung launched the Galaxy M series, a strategic line of budget-friendly smartphones designed specifically for emerging markets. By prioritizing high-capacity batteries and online accessibility, Samsung aimed to reclaim market share from rapidly growing competitors like Xiaomi, realme, and infinix, effectively reshaping the landscape of entry-level mobile technology.

The Galaxy M series debuted on 5 February 2019 with the release of the M10 and M20 models. This launch marked a significant shift in Samsung's market approach, focusing on the entry-level and mid-range segments where demand for affordable, high-performance devices was surging. Following the initial rollout, the lineup expanded rapidly throughout the year, with the M30 arriving in March, the M40 in June, and the M10s and M30s following in September. By 10 September 2020, the series reached into the upper mid-range category with the announcement of the Galaxy M51.

Central to the series' identity is a focus on battery longevity, a feature that became a defining trend for budget smartphones during the late 2010s. While these devices are positioned below the Galaxy A series in the company's hierarchy, they often share technical DNA with their more expensive counterparts, albeit with specific design and hardware alterations. This positioning allows Samsung to offer essential smartphone functionality while integrating advanced features that help distinguish the M series from a crowded field of low-cost alternatives.

The series was primarily developed for India and other developing Asian markets, though it also serves the entry-level segment in Europe. In India, the strategy became even more nuanced; Samsung introduced the Galaxy F series as a rebranded variant of the M series, created specifically for a retail partnership with Flipkart. Despite this exclusive collaboration, the original M series remains available through other retail channels, demonstrating Samsung's flexible approach to capturing diverse consumer segments across different digital and physical platforms. This multi-layered strategy reflects a broader corporate response to the intense competition from Chinese manufacturers, ensuring that Samsung maintains a robust presence in the most price-sensitive regions of the global smartphone market.

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