Samsung Galaxy S3 gets head start on rival iPhone
Samsung Electronics launched its top-of-the-range Galaxy S3 smartphone in Europe on Tuesday, aiming to outsell its previous model that helped the South Korean company topple Apple as the worldâs largest smartphone maker.
The Galaxy S3, which tracks the userâs eye movements to keep the screen from dimming or turning off while in use, hits stores in 28 European and Middle East countries, including Germany, as Samsung aims to increase its lead over Apple months ahead of its new iPhone, expected in the third quarter.
Samsung has tried to create the kind of frenzy around the launch that has become the norm for Appleâs new gadgets. But some customers will have to wait a couple of weeks to get their phone because of delays in making it in a newly-invented “Pebble Blue” color.
In Berlin, about 50 customers queued outside the BASE mobile phone shop on Monday night eager to be the first to lay their hands on the S3.
Also in Frankfurt some 100 people were in the queue this morning when the Deutsche Telekom shop on the cityâs busiest shopping street The Zeil opened.
“Thatâs about the same as when the latest iPhone went on sale,” said 21-year old Steven Barth, who was taking orders at the shop. “I think our publicity campaign also helps. We are giving away about 100 Galaxyâs today, in this shop.”
Robert, a student from Frankfurt, who declined to give his last name as he should have been studying, said he had already ordered his Galaxy S3.
“I didnât really like it when Apple was selling the iPhone only via Deutsche Telekom. Thatâs when I decided to buy a Samsung and never left,” the 28-year old said.
Other Frankfurt cellphone stores were not so busy.
And in Paris, several cellphone stores did not have the S3 and sales assistants said they did not know when they would get it.
“Consumers have been waiting for the Galaxy S3. Itâs one of the few emblematic smartphone launches this year,” said Laurent Lame, marketing director of devices for French operator SFR.
He said Samsung was aiming for a similar buzz as with iPhone launches.
“Samsung has closely guarded the details of the phone to create a sense of secrets and confidentiality that then makes the launch into an event. They do ‘teasingâ like Apple does now,” Lame said.
A spokesman for Vodafone in Britain said the device had been the most pre-ordered Android device in its line-up ever.
MASSIVE MARKETING
The smartphone, running on Googleâs Android operating system, boasts a 4.8-inch screen, one of the largest on smartphones ever, and much bigger than the 3.5-inch display on the iPhone 4S.
Top global carriers - from Britainâs Vodafone to Singaporeâs SingTel - have started to promote the S3 aggressively, fuelling speculation the smartphone could top its predecessor, the Galaxy S2âs 20 million sales worldwide.
Samsung itself has said it expects the new flagship model to outsell its predecessor.
Samsung introduced its first Galaxy in 2010, three years after the iPhoneâs debut, to counter Appleâs roaring success in smartphones when the troubles of bigger rivals Nokia and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion had started.
Samsung sold 44.5 million smartphones in January-March - equal to nearly 21,000 every hour - giving it 30.6 percent market share. Apple sold 35.1 million iPhones, taking 24.1 percent market share.
“The Galaxy S3 is a real challenger to the upcoming iPhone,” said Francisco Jeronimo, an IDC analyst based in London. “This is likely be one of the most sold smartphones this year, though the real test will come when the next iPhone is launched.”
In the race for global smartphone supremacy, Apple has accused Samsung of copying some of its products. The South Korean company counter-claims that Apple has infringed its patents. Both have denied the allegations, and a long-running court saga continues.
Apple plans to use a larger screen on the next iPhone, according to people familiar with the situation. The current iPhone 4S model was introduced last October.
Samsung has launched its own music service on the Galaxy S3, putting itself head-to-head with Apple. It has previously rebranded existing music and video services.
“Samsung is not known for our content services; we make good hardware products but we havenât done much in the content space but thatâs changing,” T.J. Kang, senior vice president of Samsung Electronicsâ Media Solution Center, said.
“We are doing it to create a better experience for our users. There are things we could do better if we have complete control over all of the service.”
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