We’ve always been curious about the Samsung Galaxy S9. We started discussing the phone series as early as July last year. After a few pages of rumors, speculations, and leaks, we were shown off the new Galaxy S9 and S9+ at an Unpacked event during the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. That was over two weeks ago and we’ve already got our hands on both smartphone variants. We have yet to publish our comprehensive mobile review but we know the reimagined camera system makes the pair a clear winner.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus now holds the top rank at DxOMark. The S9 has received the first software update. DisplayMate already deemed Samsung Galaxy S9’s OLED display as best ever. We also know the phone has survived a durability test. But what about sales performance? Well, it’s still too early to tell but pre-orders are reportedly the same or slightly lower than the S8.
In South Korea, the consumers don’t appear to be as enthusiastic about the two phones. This is according to a Business Korea article that noted: “many consumers are thinking that the latest models are not that different from the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy A8, which were released a year ago and in January this year”. The phones have been released in key markets but the S9 seems to be overshadowed by the less inexpensive Galaxy A8. That one has almost similar premium specs. It’s even better if we are to consider the dual front cameras.
The market seems to be “opting for inexpensive older phones these days amid the lack of significant performance improvement” according to a retailer. We believe there is truth to it because the Galaxy A8 which is a new phone is close to the S9. Why pay more if the differences are not that far or obvious?
The low sales in South Korea may also have something to do with the South Korean government imposing a penalty on the top three carriers in the country–SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+. Subsidies on phone units have been lessened as a result so switching to a carrier or buying a new phone can be a challenge for many people. Consumers are usually attracted to great deals especially when premium flagship phones are part of the lineup.
VIA: Business Korea
