BARCELONA // Investors cheered Samsung’s launch of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets, taking the shares nearly 5 per cent higher in Seoul yesterday.
The South Korean manufacturer, the world’s largest smartphone maker, has gone back to the design drawing board for the two devices after last year’s S5 prompted a slump in sales, attributable to its plasticky design and little perceived difference between it and its predecessor.
The S6 sports a glass-and-metal finish, giving the device more of a premium feel, while the S6 Edge sports two curved edges that can be used for notifications and shortcuts.
The devices take a page out of Apple's book by sealing the battery and memory inside the device, doing away with the removable covers of the previous models. And like the iPhone, the S6 and S6 Edge will come with multiple memory options at different prices.
Both handsets come with wireless charging built in, together with redesigned front and rear cameras, which Samsung claims capture low-light images that are superior to those taken with Apple’s iPhone.
The S6 will be available in white, black, gold and blue, while the S6 Edge will be available in white, black, gold and green.
Samsung also announced the launch of Samsung Pay, a mobile payment system developed in conjunction with MasterCard.
Unlike rival payment systems such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet, Samsung Pay will use near field communications technology and also be compatible with older magnetic-stripe card terminals.
Samsung is hoping that the new devices and services such as Samsung Pay will help it wrestle back market share from arch-rival Apple, which enjoyed bumper sales of its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices in the second half of last year.
Apple’s share of the global smartphone market rose to 19.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, just behind the 20 per cent share Samsung had at the same date.
Samsung has also been squeezed in the mid-range and lower-priced smartphone segments, where Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei and Xiaomi have made significant inroads.
While Samsung’s devices have impressive hardware specifications, the manufacturer’s devices fall down on their software ecosystems, according to Roberta Cozza, the research director at the industry analysts Gartner.
“They look and feel like high-end products with the improved design,” she said.
“It’s all very well to say that you’re improving the camera and the battery, and it’s good technology. But while it’s interesting to see their pay system, we need to see much more development of their software and services, as well as the hardware.
"The likes of Sony and HTC are catching up and are also offering more innovative hardware, especially in camera technology."
The S6 and S6 Edge will be launched across 20 countries from April 10. Samsung did not disclose whether the UAE was one of these markets. The country was one of the first markets to launch the Galaxy S5 last year.
No details were given as to specific pricing, however leaks suggest that the Galaxy S6 would retail from €699 (Dh2,873) for a 32GB, with the S6 Edge starting at €849.
jeverington@thenational.ae
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