Both companies have a similar release schedule every year, which is why we compare to the same quarter a year ago.

Unfortunately for Samsung, falling smartphone sales figures have been an ongoing problem.

>Samsung’s mobile phone sales have been taking a hit this year. It’s a downward trend that started during last year’s holiday quarter and has persisted throughout 2018. Both IDC and Strategy Analytics report that Samsung’s smartphone sales have dipped around 13 percent in the recent quarter. That follows a 10 percent decline in Q2, a 2 percent drop in Q1, and a 4 percent dip in Q4 2017. It’s a clear sign that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 devices haven’t been competitive at the high-end

https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/2/18055094/samsung-smartpho...