The South Korean tech giant plans to allow preorders from April 7 through 17. Industry watchers said Samsung, which sold 400,000 units of the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 last year via preorders, is expected to enjoy higher sales of the Galaxy S8 series. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 31 (Korea Bizwire) – Samsung Electronics Co. started a full-fledged marketing drive for its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8, in South Korea, industry watchers said Friday, ahead of the official release slated for April 21.
Samsung already started displaying the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus at its main shop located in southern Seoul on Thursday, allowing visitors to experience firsthand the top-notch features and cutting-edge design that has received positive initial reviews from home and abroad.
The Galaxy S8 series comes with a “bezelless” display, which permits a high-resolution screen to take up 83 percent of the front of the device. The curvature of the side screens that molds into the metal frame on the side of the phone causes an illusion of the device having no bezels. Samsung said this feature permits users to better enjoy video and gaming content.
Samsung plans to expand the number of locations where users can physically touch and play with the Galaxy S8. Starting in April, the devices will reach some 4,000 retails shops throughout the country.
The South Korean tech giant plans to allow preorders from April 7 through 17. Industry watchers said Samsung, which sold 400,000 units of the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 last year via preorders, is expected to enjoy higher sales of the Galaxy S8 series.
(image: Yonhap)
The outlook came as regular Galaxy smartphones sales have always surpassed that of the Note phablets that are generally favored by power users and those needing the stylus pen. The demand for premium handsets is also high after the suspension of the Galaxy Note 7, industry watchers added.
Samsung discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 phablet last year amid the rising concerns over its safety. Reports showed some of the devices caught fire due to battery problems around the globe.
Others, however, said the flagships may be unattractive to some as both of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus have double-edged Super AMOLED screens. This is a departure from the Galaxy S7 smartphones that came in either a flat-screen or curved-edged versions permitting greater choice for consumers.
Nevertheless, Samsung is reportedly planning to provide various incentives for those seeking preorders. Possible freebies include a Bluetooth speaker or a DeX, which allows users to utilize the Galaxy S8 smartphone like a full computer by connecting it to a PC.
(Yonhap)
