Aggressive Sales Drive
Samsung Electronics has launched an aggressive sales drive for the Galaxy S5 to dominate the global smartphone market. If the market is showing a cold response to the new model, the smartphone market’s center of gravity may shift away from the largest Android phone maker towards its rivals. The success or failure of the new product could affect the future of the company as well.
Samsung announced on March 21 that it will offer a Global Preview of the Galaxy S5 at home and abroad, and will begin taking pre-orders for its latest flagship smartphone. The event is aimed at providing attendees with an opportunity to experience the device themselves, which was showcased at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, along with the Gear 2 and Gear Fit accessories. Online pre-orders are scheduled in certain countries.
Starting on March 21 (local time) in the US and Switzerland, the event is planned to take place in more than 1,400 shops – including Samsung Experience Stores, mobile carrier stores, and key retailer stores – across 59 other countries such as Brazil, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
This is the first time for the Korean tech giant to hold a large-scale event to give an opportunity to experience new products prior to market introduction. It shows just how important the success of the Galaxy S5 really is to the company.
Industry experts are saying that another failure of its new flagship product, following the Galaxy S4, might jeopardize Samsung’s position in the global smartphone market. The fact that the launch price of the new model is set at 800,000 won (US$742.40), which is lower than its predecessors, can be understood in the same context.