The crown for the top smartphone brand in the world is a fickle mistress. A single year can see the title seesaw between different brands, especially if you tailor the criteria enough. However, one headline that’s been rare for the past few years is Apple regaining the top spot. Most of the time, it’s been about other brands overtaking Apple. Now, the iPhone maker might finally get a win.

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple is currently on track to overtake Samsung for the top spot in smartphone shipments by the end of the year. The statistics firm estimates that Apple’s share will reach 19.4 percent of the market because of a strong third quarter. In comparison, Samsung will likely top out at 18.7 percent, despite growing for the quarter.

For the first time in over a decade, Samsung will drop to second place. Even crazier, Apple is expected to keep its spot until 2029.

Despite the misgivings of the iPhone Air, Apple is seemingly thriving after the recently launched iPhone 17 series. Judging by the rumors coming out, the company isn’t done either. They are slated to launch the iPhone 17e and the first foldable iPhone next year.  Adding to this, Counterpoint Research says that the surge of users who bought an iPhone during the COVID-19 pandemic are now due for upgrades.

SEE ALSO: An analyst has revealed the iPhone Fold’s price, and it’s insane

Copying features is a trademark of the smartphone business. When one feature takes off for one brand, another brand will likely make its own version. It’s quite a bit telling, then, why there’s a lack of thin phones following the launch of the iPhone Air. Apparently, there is a reason for that.

Via DigiTimes, China’s major phone makers have all cancelled their competitors to the iPhone Air because of the latter’s poor sales. Despite launching with relatively high fanfare, the thin-sized iPhone has reportedly failed to meet expectations, especially when compared to the iPhone 17 series. Though there were plans previously, Chinese brands are now moving away from thinner form factors.

Of course, that’s not to say that no one’s ever tried. Both Huawei and HONOR have recently launched their own Air competitors through the Mate 70 Air and the HONOR 500, respectively. However, if the report is true, Xiaomi, vivo, and OPPO are no longer prioritizing the segment for themselves.

For their part, Apple has reportedly shelved the iPhone Air series indefinitely. When the thin model was first launched, the company initially planned for a sequel as early as next year. Now, it’s unknown when or if the Air is getting another model.

SEE ALSO: Apple reportedly shelved the iPhone Air series indefinitely

Back in September, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. As the “Elite” in its name says, the new processor is meant for a crop of premium smartphones. However, Elite is only part of the entire scenery of the smartphone business. What about the non-Elite version? Today, Qualcomm is finally unveiling the slightly smaller sibling: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Though it lacks the Elite branding, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is still a powerful chipset. Built with a similarly customized Oryon CPU as the Elite, the new processor tops out at 3.8GHz of performance. It’s a step below its predecessor, but it’s just as good for performance.

In comparative terms, Qualcomm says that the new chipset has 36 percent faster CPU performance and 11 percent better GPU performance, when compared to the Gen 3 chipsets. It’s a slightly dated comparison, but it’s good to know that it’s some way away from the older chips. Overall, though, it’s a bit less than the Elite.

AI is, for the umpteenth time, a buzzword for the chipset with the Hexagon NPU. Qualcomm says that it features Sensing Hub technology, which uses AI to detect the user’s intention to speak.

Right now, most brands have not announced specific smartphone models coming with the new chip. However, OnePlus has already confirmed that the new OnePlus 15R, which launches next month, will rock the chipset. Motorola and vivo have also confirmed unannounced smartphones in the coming weeks.

SEE ALSO: Qualcomm launches the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5