If asked how many phones Samsung launched this year, what would you say? Of course, there was the launch of the Galaxy S21 flagship model. And if you really know the ins and outs of new phone rollouts, maybe you know the exact amount of mid-range Galaxy A phones that have appeared under Samsung's aegis since its inception in 2021.

At least in the US, the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra were introduced in January. More recently, five mid-range Galaxy A models have been added, led by the Galaxy A52 5G. Also awaited are updates to the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip product lines, and a new Galaxy FE model, which may be either the S or Note product line, or both.

Friends, there are plenty of phones that bear the Samsung name. And at the risk of sounding like an Abe Simpson-esque wacko, there are too many Samsung phones these days.

Samsung, of course, is crying all the way to the bank about this "too many phones" conundrum: according to Counterpoint Research, Samsung has the largest share of the global smartphone market, which will be 19% by 2020. One of the reasons Samsung is able to hold off Apple and various Chinese phone makers is that the Korean electronics giant has released many phones in many places.

Samsung's strategy these days is to release phones in all price ranges to appeal to as many users as possible. We haven't yet reached the point where you can go buy a Samsung Galaxy Steve or a Samsung Galaxy Flip for your cousin who didn't even know you liked foldable phones, but it sometimes feels that way.

But there are some dangers in offering so many phones, and we are seeing them beginning to materialize in Samsung's lineup. First, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between phones with similar names.

Take a look at the Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S21 Ultra comparison: looking at the S21 and S21 Plus, other than the size of the screen and battery, and the materials used on the back of each device, there is little to separate these two models There is almost nothing. (The processor, RAM, storage options, and camera setup are exactly the same on the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus. So why pay $200 more for the Plus unless the extra 1.5 inches of screen space really makes a big difference to you?

Similarly, if you spend hours studying the three new Galaxy A phones available in the US (Galaxy A32 5G, Galaxy A42 5G, and Galaxy A52 5G) like an ascetic, you will find only slight differences here and there. Indeed, there is nothing that dramatically separates these three phones.

There are also practical consequences to having all these phones on hand. The Galaxy A72, announced earlier this year, will not enter the U.S. because it is too close in price to the Galaxy S20 FE, which Samsung announced last year to great acclaim. Of course, we don't even know how long the Galaxy S20 FE will exist. Samsung is reportedly developing the Galaxy S21 FE. (There has been talk of a Galaxy Note 20 FE, but there have also been leaks of the S21 FE, which seems safer.)

This brings up another potential problem with Samsung's "all phones for all people" approach to product development. These days, there is no telling when a new Galaxy model will be released. Whatever about Apple and its iPhone, we know when a new model will be available. The same goes for Google and its phones, with flagship models coming in the fall and budget models in early spring. This gives shoppers the confidence of knowing when they can purchase the phone without worrying that the new and improved hardware will instantly make it a higher-end model.

Samsung's launch schedule seems to be in flux these days. The company moved up the launch of the Galaxy S21 and released these phones in January instead of the customary February/March window for Galaxy S updates. Rumor has it that Samsung will move up the release of its big phones in the second half of the year from August to July in order to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The Galaxy Note 21 is unlikely to be announced this year.

Samsung will counter that it is not exactly hurt thanks to the flood of these phones flooding the market and possible confusion among casual smartphone shoppers. And it's hard to argue against a company that routinely competes with Apple for the top spot in the global smartphone market. Still, all of these Galaxy S, Galaxy A, and Galaxy Z models are likely to catch up to Samsung at some point - especially when it's getting harder to tell the difference between Samsung's various phones without a scorecard.