Samsung to discount Galaxy S6 as sales continue to disappoint and here’s why
Samsung released its numbers this week and they continue to disappoint. Operating profits declined four percent to $5.9 billion, and the mobile division took a huge hit with sales declining from $3.8 billion to $2.4 billion from the same quarter last year. While still profitable, Samsung’s profits are not meeting expectations and they are planning to discount the Galaxy devices to make them more attractive to consumers. Dropping prices on any electronic device is to be expected, but the S6 and S6 Edge are still relatively new so this discount comes as a small surprise. But the poor sales in the mobile division is not a surprise to me because they are not giving people what they really want.
If we go back to last year, Samsung was selling their “ugly band-aid looking Galaxy S5 and cheap feeling Note 3 with fake leather” yet the sales of those devices fared much better than those of today. I certainly hope Samsung is getting the HINT that its true customer base cares less about the way a phone looks over the way it functions. If you talk to many Samsung fans, you will learn that they actually liked the Galaxy S5 and Note despite the critics complaints about how it looked and felt. Samsung customers don’t want an iPhone and that is why they used to buy your devices, because they used to be different. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge were products of Samsung’s braintrust that decided beauty was more important over function. That braintrust took away the removable batteries, microSd card slot, and water resistance to replace it with a device that looks absolutely stunning, but doesn’t have the gusto to match.
Even iOS users, as much as we think they buy the iPhone for the way it looks, they really buy the iPhone for the function. The design of the iPhone is a nice feature, but iOS customers like that their phones get updated regularly, have consistent battery life, and most importantly, they know what exactly what they are buying.
Samsung clearly thought they could take on Apple with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, by making a better looking device, but the numbers prove that was a failed experiment. If Samsung can get back to its roots, and give us a highly functional phone I am sure their sales will improve. But Samsung also needs to focus on getting updates to its software out much faster and they need to make a commitment to keep older phones up to date, because even phones that are just 2 years old are getting left behind. Also, Samsung could do themselves a favor by moving their programmers off bloatware projects and putting them on projects like battery optimization.
I used to be one of Samsung’s biggest fans, but now am one of their biggest critics, and I am sure there are many others like me who once loved Samsung who are now looking for replacement devices. My next device is going to be the next Moto X.
The post Samsung to discount Galaxy S6 as sales continue to disappoint and here’s why appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung is planning on giving the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge a permanent price cut
With the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus launching on August 13th, Samsung seems to be feeling the pressure. Very concerned about its smartphone sales, Samsung is planning on giving the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge major price cuts that will be permanent moving forward.
At this time, we have no word on how much the price cut will be, but with new handsets on the horizon, you can expect the discount to be a pretty penny. The company didn’t mention when and where the deal will take place, but stated it’s putting this deal into effect in order to maintain ongoing momentum. In case you have forgotten, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge didn’t include some features that were in previous iterations: water resistance, removable battery, and expandable storage. Samsung seemed to change its strategy when it comes to high-end devices, and so far it is proving to be a good move.
Source: CNET
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Samsung posts Q2 2015 financial earnings, confirms a new device is coming
The second quarter for Samsung ended on June 30th and yesterday the company posted its quarterly financial results.
The South Korean company aimed to get back on top of things after experiencing a slowdown last time around. In hope of resurgence, Samsung released the high-end Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
Samsung reported a $5.93 billion operating profit with overall revenue standing at $41.7 billion. These numbers are a slight improvement over last quarter, but is not the return Samsung was hoping for. Samsung mentioned most improvements came after strong sales in the semiconductor business, such as processors and memory products. In addition, its TV business also played a large role.
More interestingly, in the smartphone category, Samsung posted revenues of $22.4 billion and net profits of $2.37 billion. Even though the new flagship handsets didn’t sell as great as the company expected, they still increased over last years Galaxy S5. Again, these are only slight improvements over last quarter. Blame was put on low-end and mid-range handsets which allegedly didn’t sell nearly as well, thus keeping the profits at a minimum.
In other news, the company made a statement following the posting of the financial results: Samsung will be “flexibly adjusting the prices” of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge and also release “a new model with a larger screen.” The new device with a large display is almost guaranteed to be the Galaxy Note 5.
More details about Samsung’s Q2 2015 financial results can be found at the source link below.
Source: Samsung Tomorrow
Come comment on this article: Samsung posts Q2 2015 financial earnings, confirms a new device is coming
Samsung to let Chinese users uninstall pre-loaded apps
Samsung is to let users of its smartphones in China uninstall any preloaded apps they do not want to stave off the threat of additional court cases. The Korean manufacturer – alongside Chinese counterpart Oppo – was sued by a committee in China designed to protect consumer rights as it prevented Galaxy users from deleting preloaded applications.
Related: Xiaomi and Samsung are the most faked Android phone brands in China
To allow customers to uninstall preloaded apps, the manufacturer will make patches available to download at after-sales centres from next month but this may not be enough, with the committee confirming there are currently no plans to drop the lawsuit.
In a statement to KoreaTimes, Samsung said:
“Chinese consumers using Samsung’s Galaxy phones can now delete applications that were pre-installed because Samsung Electronics plans to provide software patches so things get done from next month.”
Samsung was sued after the committee found that 24 of the 44 pre-installed applications on the Galaxy Note 3 – with model number N9008S – were required in order to use the smartphone. While the move to allow customers to remove preloaded applications via the patches should appease some customers, it looks like the Korean manufacturer will be held to its promise with the committee confirming:
“If Samsung fails to meet its own promise, then the legal tussle will be continued and expanded.”
Galaxy in video:
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On its website, Samsung China said it will allow customers to preloaded unwanted applications on all of its smartphones going forward, including the latest Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung’s new devices have less bloatware than several previous Samsung flagships and while the preloaded apps can be disabled, it looks like users, in China at least, will be able to completely remove them to free up internal storage.
As the lawsuit only focuses on devices sold in China, it’s unlikely these patches will be made available to users outside the Chinese market. Do you think Samsung need to make these available to all customers? Would you like this patch for your Samsung smartphone and should other manufacturers follow suit? Let us know your views in the comments below guys!
This is what an Android clamshell looks like
The mobile industry has come a long way over the past decade but a few years back, clamshell (aka flip) phones were all the rage with customers clamouring for a portable device that was functional and feature-rich yet small in the pocket.
Related: Samsung unveils Android-powered Galaxy Folder flip phone
Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen smartphones become the rage with touchscreens that continue to grow in size and clamshell phones have gone the way of other legacy form factors by almost disappearing from the market. Samsung however, is looking to bring the clamshell back and in the Galaxy Folder, we have the company’s latest Android clamshell smartphone, which was announced a couple of days ago and shares the same name as its predecessor from two years ago.
A user on YouTube has got their hands on the Galaxy Folder and uploaded an unboxing, which gives us our first real-life look at Samsung’s new Android clamshell device.
Galaxy in video:
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Based on the video, we can see the device brings back the iconic clamshell form factor and combines big buttons with a 3.8-inch touchscreen, which allows you to make the most of the Android operating system. Other notable specs of the smartphone include 8GB expandable storage, LTE, GPS, an 8MP rear camera, 2MP front facing camera and a 1800 mAh non-removable battery that should be plenty given the relatively small screen size.
The new Galaxy Folder is set to launch in South Korea next month with prices starting at around $250 for an unlocked smartphone. The handset probably won’t be released in other markets, which is a shame as – just like the LG Gentle – we can definitely see a demand from feature phone users looking to upgrade to their first smartphone.
Samsung shipments dropped in Q2, “mounting challenges” expected for the rest of the year
Samsung announced its financial results for Q2 2015, and the news is worrying when it comes to the mobile segment.
Samsung Electronics accrued total revenues of 48.54 trillion won ($41.5 billion) in the quarter that ended on June 30, a slight increase over the previous quarter, but more than 7 percent lower than Q2 2014. Operating profit grew significantly over Q1 2015, from 5.98 trillion won ($5.1 billion) to 6.9 trillion won ($5.9 billion), but profit is still down 4 percent from the same quarter last year.
These are the company’s overall results, including the IT & mobile, consumer electronics, semiconductor, and display divisions.
The situation is less rosy if we look at the results of the flagship mobile unit. Profit increased only marginally, from 2.74 trillion won ($2.34 billion) in Q1 to 2.76 trillion won ($2.36 billion) in Q2 2015.
Despite the launch of the well-received Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, profit took a 37.6 percent plunge compared to Q2 2014.
Like in the previous quarter, strong sales in the memory chips and SoC business helped offset the decline in the mobile unit.
Samsung’s official announcement contains some clues of the reasons the mobile business is struggling. Samsung reported “increased shipments” of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, but shipments dropped overall because of “declining shipments of older middle- to low-end models.” This shouldn’t be a surprise: Chinese players have been aggressively launching affordable mid-rangers, making Samsung’s products seem overpriced and underpowered.
Samsung also blamed Galaxy S6 Edge supply difficulties (whose popularity reportedly took the company by surprise), but claimed the issues are now solved.
The company warned of “mounting challenges” for the second half of the year, with a “difficult business environment” expected to stint the growth of the mobile business. To keep sales strong, Samsung will “adjust” the price of the Galaxy S6 and release new premium devices (the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus are coming August 13).
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Samsung may not return to growth anytime soon. The industry has become too competitive, with full-on flagship phones launching at $400 and solid entry-level devices for less than $100. Samsung is still benefiting from its brand, market awareness, and distribution, but more and more consumers realize that cheaper devices from new players (or even established ones like Motorola) are a better deal. For now, the erosion is relatively slow, but the stories of former market leaders like Nokia, HTC, or BlackBerry suggest it could turn into crumbling pretty fast. That’s not to say Samsung’s days are numbered – the company is deeply embedded in the mobile landscape, and even if its market share diminishes, it can continue to reap billions off its component business.
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 Android 5.0.2 update locks out competitor keyboards
Samsung’s business orientated Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet received its Android 5.0.2 update in mid-July after a long wait to much fanfare. Unfortunately, one major feature has been broken during the update process. Non-Samsung Bluetooth keyboards or mouses are not functioning with the tablet anymore. The main keyboard users are complaining about not working is the Logitech Keyboard Pro case but after personally testing generic brand keyboards and mouses, neither the generic or Logitech brands have been able to function properly after the update. Users of Samsung branded hardware are reporting that they are having no issues using the keyboard or mouse.
The devices are able to pair to the Note Pro 12.2, but upon attempting to operate the hardware, it simply does not function. After reaching out to Samsung, we have not heard back, but Logitech did say that they are aware of the issue and are trying to fix the problem. From their end they are saying that it looks like the driver was not included in the recent update pushed out by Samsung which would mean that Samsung would have to release a patch in order to fix this huge error.
Tech forums are rampant with business users and personal users alike who are upset that their $120+ Logitech keyboard no longer functions with their tablet. This is just one of the many complaints that have risen after the update earlier in July. One must wonder how Samsung missed such an important feature which is critical for its business users for their daily use and what type of priority Samsung is giving to correct the problem.
Do you have a Galaxy Note Pro 12.2? If so what type of problems have you experienced since the update? Does your Bluetooth keyboard and/or mouse function? What brand are they? Comment and let us know.
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Galaxy S6 price adjustments incoming as Samsung looks to boost sales
2015 has been a tough year so far for the established Android smartphone manufacturers, as market shares shift and revenues remain sluggish. As part of its Q2 earnings report, Samsung has stated that it will be adjusting the price of its flagship Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphones, in order to maintain sales momentum.
Samsung did not give a date for the price adjustment, nor did the company state exactly what sort of reduction in price we are likely to see. It is possible that the price may change around the launch of Samsung new premium smartphones in August, when the company will launch the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus.
“the IT & Mobile Communications (IM) Division is expected to face a difficult business environment, the sales momentum for high-end products will be maintained by adjusting the price of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge and introducing new premium smartphone models.”
Broadly speaking, 2015 has seen the market for lower cost, higher tier smartphones continue to grow, which, combined with premium product fatigue, is taking a toll on smartphone sales from LG, HTC, Samsung, and others. With more compelling products in this category announced just recently, see the OnePlus 2 or Moto X Style, it seems that even the very best phones on the market can’t hide from this price pressure.
Newly announced flagships like the Moto X Style and OnePlus 2 are sure to keep the price pressure on Samsung.
A similar effect can be spotted in the low and mid-tier markets, with local manufacturers and cheaper Chinese brands flooding emerging markets with cost effective products. While some major players, like LG, have managed to adapt, Samsung’s products have not quite kept up with the competition.
A price cut for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge is great news for anyone who has been holding out on a purchase, although we will have to wait and see if this is enough to boost Samsung’s sale figures in the remaining quarters.
Samsung will discount Galaxy S6 phones after launch sales disappoint
Samsung’s earlier prediction for the second quarter of 2015 was spot on: the company has failed to hit its goals when it comes to the sales of its flagship devices. Its operating profits fell four percent to 6.9 trillion won ($5.9 billion), and the mobile division’s, in particular, slid to 2.76 trillion won ($2.4 billion) from 4.42 trillion won ($3.8 billion) from the same quarter last year. While those profit numbers are still three percent higher than the last, it’s going to be tough to play catch up this second half of 2015, as Apple’s slated to reveal its new iPhones — its main rival in the world of high-end smartphones. In order to combat the expected sales drop, Samsung is “adjusting” (read: dropping) the prices of both the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge. It’s already planning to introduce new premium smartphones: the company has already teased an event for August 13th, where it’s likely to introduce a new Galaxy Note and a larger S6 Edge.
According to Bloomberg and Reuters, Samsung’s experiencing this slump, because it didn’t anticipate the Galaxy S6 Edge’s popularity and wasn’t able to keep up when there was a huge demand for it. Lee Seung Woo, the analyst Bloomberg consulted, even foresees the company selling 40 million smartphones this year instead of 43 million like earlier projections stated. Whether that will change with the S6’s price drop and Samsung’s upcoming phones remains to be seen.
To note, the company’s TV and appliances division is struggling, as well, posting a 210 billion won ($180 million) profit, down from last year’s 770 billion won ($660 million). Samsung plans to expand its premium model lineup with curved TVs and other products to remedy that. Unlike its mobile and consumer electronics businesses that failed to meet expectations, though, the company’s memory chip and processor division seems to be doing very well. Its profits are up by 1.54 trillion won ($1.3 billion) from last year, and it’s reportedly going to supply the upcoming iPhone’s processors.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Samsung adds some power to its latest Android flip phone
With the tactile buttons, nostalgic looks and snappy foldability, flip phones have a certain je ne sais quoi. But nobody wants to use a feature phone like a caveman, so Samsung has just revealed its latest model, the Galaxy Folder. It’s arriving right after rival LG’s Gentle flip phone, but is quite a step up. Along with 4G LTE and Android 5.1, it’s got a higher-res 3.8-inch, 480 x 800 screen, twice the RAM (2GB), a sharper 8-megapixel camera and a much bigger battery. Imagine! That’ll let you do most of what you normally, then fold your phone away like Lindsey Graham. No, really imagine, because it’s available in Korea for $250, but ain’t likely to come here.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung (translated)
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