Apple’s the only smartphone vendor with positive growth thanks to latest iPhone 14 models
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By BGR
Samsung will take the stage in its home country later this week to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 foldables. This marks the first time the summer Unpacked event is being held at home rather than in an international market. It’s also the first time the mid-summer Unpacked press conference will take place in July rather than August or September.
I thought the arrival of Google’s Pixel Fold might have scared Samsung into moving up the launch event. But what if Samsung is really looking to deal with the iPhone ticking time bomb at home by looking to launch the new foldables as soon as possible?
Until this year, Samsung has had virtually no competition in the foldables space since the first Galaxy Fold. Samsung could take its time to upgrade the Fold and Flip each year without delivering massive redesigns. But Chinese vendors started putting pressure on Samsung in previous years. And some of those devices launched in Europe and other international markets in early 2023.
The Google Pixel Fold is perhaps the biggest threat to Samsung’s dominant position in the industry despite some of its obvious faults.
Samsung is responding to these threats with the kind of big Fold and Flip design updates we’ve been waiting for. The Fold 5 will be slimmer than before, thanks to a no-gap hinge. The Flip 5 will feature a large external display occupying almost the entire surface of one of the phone’s halves.
Google Pixel Fold smartphone unfolded. Image source: Jonathan S. Geller, BGR On top of that, Samsung set its Unpacked press event for July 26th, the earliest date ever. As a reminder, this Unpacked event used to be the home of the Galaxy Note series. And it used to happen in early September before Samsung detached it from the German IFA tradeshow. The reason Samsung went to early August was the iPhone’s early September launch which would routinely obliterate Note sales.
All that is to say that Samsung might be worried about increased competition in the foldables space. But the iPhone might be the real reason it’s focusing on the Korean market.
The big iPhone problem
Samsung might want to make an impression on a specific category of smartphone buyers in its home market. Per The Korea Herald, a new Gallup survey shows that young adults in the country prefer the iPhone overwhelmingly to a Samsung phone.
The study indicates that Samsung is the main smartphone vendor in Korea, with 69% of adults owning a Galaxy phone. Only 23% of respondents have an iPhone.
But younger millennials and Gen Z like the iPhone increasingly more than Samsung phones. In the 30-39 age group, 41% of respondents have an iPhone. The percentage goes to 60% in the 18-29 group.
Samsung vs. iPhone market share in Korea for different age groups. Image source: Gallup Korea via The Korea Herald This is a major problem for Samsung. These young adults are growing with the iPhone and the entire ecosystem of apps and hardware. Switching from iPhone to Android becomes increasingly difficult the more you use the products.
As a longtime iPhone user, I can attest to that. I’ve been on iPhone and Mac for over a decade, and there’s nothing to make me switch to a different combo. And I was in the 18-29 group when I started using Apple for my main computing needs.
The young adults who bought iPhone over Samsung cited Apple’s premium branding as one of the reasons. They’d buy the iPhone even if the same storage device is more expensive than the Galaxy S equivalent. For example, the 128GB iPhone 14 costs 1,250,000 won in the country, or $980. The Galaxy S23 is 100,000 won ($78) cheaper.
Various Galaxy Fold 4 and Flip 4 foldable phones. Image source: Samsung Apple Pay, which arrived in Korea earlier this year, is another factor that convinces young adults to buy iPhones.
The study also says that 85% of respondents say they are likely to stick with their current brand. That’s great for Samsung in the older groups. But if young adults stay with iPhone, we might be looking at decades of problems for Samsung. Especially if the teenage generation in Korea positions itself in favor of the iPhone. That wouldn’t be a surprise if their parents also use iPhones.
The unsung heroes in this survey are the older smartphone users who still have LG phones. LG is no longer making Android handsets, of course.
Samsung is apparently aware of the iPhone problem. The Herald says the Korean giant opened a flagship retail store in Gangnam last month, branding it a “playground for millennials and Gen Z.” The store is less than a kilometer away from Apple Gangnam store.
Don't Miss: Proton Pass finally lets you save credit card info with a new updateThe post The iPhone is a ticking time bomb in Samsung’s home market appeared first on BGR.
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics today announced the global launch of the Odyssey OLED G9 gaming monitor (G95SC), which has been enhanced with next-level AI upscaling technology.1 Building on the success of last year’s Odyssey OLED G8 (G85SB), the new monitor joins the lineup to open a new era of OLED gaming.
“Last year, Samsung addressed the demands and expectations of even the most experienced gamers with the launch of the Odyssey OLED G8,” said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With the introduction of the Odyssey OLED G9, equipped with unrivaled picture quality, we are excited to offer our customers these powerful gaming monitors and raise the bar for OLED gaming.”
Measuring 49 inches in size with a 1800R curvature, the Odyssey OLED G9 is the first OLED monitor to offer Dual Quad High Definition (DQHD; 5,120 x 1,440) resolution with a 32:9 ratio. The large and wide screen ratio enable users to lose themselves in super-ultrawide vistas — equivalent to two QHD screens side by side. At the same time, its rapid 0.03ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response time and 240Hz refresh rate offer players a competitive edge.
The addition of the Neo Quantum Processor Pro sets the Odyssey OLED G9 apart from other OLED gaming monitors. Using a deep learning algorithm, it intelligently analyzes images and automatically upscales to adjust brightness while amplifying contrast. This enables the monitor to restore each detail and deliver the most brilliant images, pixel by pixel.
AMD FreeSync Premium Pro further enhances the Odyssey OLED G9’s super smooth gameplay experience. With DisplayHDR True Black 400, the monitor delivers incredible details and vivid colors regardless of the game being played or the content the user is watching.
The Odyssey OLED G9 features a slim design housed within a sleek metal frame. On the back of the monitor is the much-loved CoreSync and Core Lighting+ which uses advanced lighting technology to match the colors on-screen, making content more immersive and bringing the gaming experience to life. Built-in stereo speakers complement on-screen content with crisp sound.
Unrivaled Choice on a Detailed, Vivid Display
Equipped with Samsung Gaming Hub2 and smart TV apps, the Odyssey OLED G9 provides access to streaming, gaming services and entertainment all in one place. Users can watch their favorite shows from leading OTT (over-the-top) service providers without a connection to a PC or mobile device.3 Samsung Gaming Hub also enables users to discover and play games from partners such as Xbox Game Pass and NVIDIA GeForce Now — all without downloads or storage space requirements.
The Multi View offering allows users to take full advantage of the large display by enabling game play on up to two screens at once. This means that gamers now can enjoy multitasking without the hassle of a multiple-monitor setup.
The Odyssey OLED G9 offers a variety of convenient functions and features that provide an optimized experience whether gaming or viewing. Versatile connectivity options, including HDMI 2.1 and Micro HDMI 2.1, Display Port 1.4 and Auto Source Switch+, create cleaner connections from one central USB hub while providing a seamless experience regardless of the content source. The Height Adjustable Stand (HAS) enables users to find the perfect gaming or viewing position, regardless of what they are playing.
To offer a well-rounded lineup that meets users’ various needs, the Odyssey OLED G9 series also includes the G93SC model, which features the same powerful OLED performance while catering to those who prefer a solution without the Gaming Hub or smart TV offerings.
The Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC) will be available for purchase worldwide from June 12, 2023, with launch schedules varying by region. The G93SC model will be available globally from Q3 2023. For more information about Samsung’s Odyssey OLED monitors and the full Odyssey lineup, please visit Samsung.com.
To celebrate the launch of a new model, Odyssey Cup will be held on Samsung Odyssey Twitch channel on June 22, bringing 100 global gamers to Fortnite tournament.
Specifications
Model Odyssey OLED G9 G95SC G93SC Display Size 49-inch, 32:9 ratio Resolution Dual QHD (5,120 x 1,440) Panel OLED Curvature 1800R SoC Neo Quantum Processor Pro – HDR VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 Brightness (Typ.) 250nits Gaming Response Time 0.03ms (GtG) Refresh Rate 240 Hz Sync Tech AMD FreeSync Premium Pro + VESA Adaptive Sync Gaming Hub O – Game Bar O – Smart Smart TV Apps O – IoT Hub O – Voice Assistance O – Design Color Silver Metal Lighting CoreSync & Core Lighting+ Stand HAS / Tilt / VESA Usability Interface 1 DP(1.4) / 1 HDMI(2.1) / 1 Micro HDMI(2.1) / USB Hub 1 DP(1.4) / 1 HDMI(2.1) / 1 Micro HDMI(2.1) / USB Hub Built-in Speaker Yes (5W x 2) Yes (5W x 2) Multi View O – Remote Control In-Box (USB-C charging) –
1 Launch schedule will vary by region.
2 Samsung Gaming Hub only available in select countries: Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, the U.S. and the U.K. In other European countries, cloud games can be accessed through the Samsung Smart Hub. Service and content availability may vary by region and partners.
3 Internet connection required.
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By BGR
The global smartphone market suffered its fifth consecutive quarterly decline, falling by 12% YoY in Q1 2023, according to a Canalys survey. That said, iPhone sales have grown year over year from 18% to 21% due to the solid demand for the iPhone 14 Pro series after supply constraints made the company sell fewer models during the last holiday quarter.
Another interesting piece of information regards Samsung, which was the only leading vendor to achieve a quarter-on-quarter recovery and struggled back to number one with a 22% market share. That said, the South Korean company still sold fewer phones than last year when it had 24% of the market share.
“The smartphone market’s decline in the first quarter of 2023 was within expectations throughout the industry,” said Canalys Analyst Sanyam Chaurasia. “The local macroeconomic conditions continued to hinder vendors’ investments and operations in several markets. Despite price cuts and heavy promotions from vendors, consumer demand remained sluggish, particularly in the low-end segment due to high inflation affecting consumer confidence and spending.”
While Canalys predicts the inventory of the smartphone industry can reach a relatively healthy level by the end of the second quarter of 2023, it’s still too early to predict the recovery of overall consumer demand.
Image source: Canalys Of all the top vendors, only Apple and OPPO had a YoY increase with their flagship phones during the first trimester. Samsung and Xiaomi had a decrease in market share, and Vivo retained its 8% from last year.
“The sell-in volume of the global smartphone market is expected to improve due to the reduction in inventories in the next few quarters. In addition, vendors have focused more on innovations and raising production and channel efficiencies after a round of fluctuations, shifting from growing for volumes and shares to growing for quality. 5G popularization and foldable phones are also becoming the new driving forces in the industry,” said Chaurasia.
For Apple, the company could be preparing for new highs with the iPhone 15 series. Without the fear of supply constraints for another quarter, the company is still selling iPhone 14 models while preparing a solid lineup of four new iPhone versions.
With a new design, better cameras, and processors, the Cupertino firm could see a new high during the holiday quarter later this year, which could also positively impact the first quarter of next year.
Don't Miss: iPhone 15: Everything we know so farThe post iPhone sales grew in Q1 2023 despite global smartphone market decline appeared first on BGR.
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By Samsung Newsroom
▲ (from left) Sarah Larsen Tobin, Vice President of Home Entertainment Marketing for Samsung Electronics America, talked about “More Wow Than Ever + Connected Living” with Martha Stewart, well-known American businesswoman and the Queen of Domestic Arts; Carl Nassib, American professional football player; and Rosario Dawson, who played Lara in Men in Black II, at Samsung 837, Samsung’s newly reopened experience store in New York on April 4.
Unbox & Discover 2023: A Closer Look at the Global Launch Event
Samsung’s subsidiaries worldwide have begun Unbox & Discover (U&D) 2023 in April to unveil new models in local markets and take preorders for new products. After a three-year hiatus from hosting the event in-person due to the pandemic, Samsung held its first offline U&D event to showcase its latest innovations.
Major subsidiaries around the globe, including the U.S., Australia and Singapore hosted the event at special venues, bringing key retailers, media and influencers together to demonstrate the innovative experiences of Samsung 2023 TV models, centered on its Neo QLED 8K.
This year’s U&D event theme was “Global One Launch”. All of the participating subsidiaries hosted events simultaneously around the globe, with both in-person and virtual components. Samsung Newsroom is taking a closer look at Unbox & Discover 2023, which provided rich customer experiences at landmarks around the world.
▲ Samsung Electronics America’s U&D held at Samsung 837 was filled with media and influencers. The subsidiary broadcasted the event on its official website for those who weren’t able to attend.
Expanding Partnerships With Creators in America
Samsung Electronics America introduced the Samsung Neo QLED 8K and 4K, highlighting upgraded features and larger screen sizes. The company added an ultra-large 98-inch model to the product lineup and unveiled more sophisticated, groundbreaking technologies like Auto HDR Remastering and 8K AI upscaling. Amongst other media, TechRadar highly praised the QN900C, the top Neo QLED 8K model, for its industry-leading picture quality, saying “There were many moments while viewing when I silently uttered “wow,” and that’s certainly not something I find myself doing with every TV I test.”
Samsung Electronics America plans to actively partner with various creators for a series of digital content to show how Samsung home entertainment products enhance connectivity and personalize experiences that improve our daily lives.
Samsung Electronics America has also launched a limited time offer to celebrate U&D. Customers who buy the QN800C or QN900C from the official Samsung website or at select retail stores by April 16 will be given a free 32-inch Frame.
Modeling the Samsung Lifestyle in Australia
On the other side of the globe, Samsung Electronics Australia hosted the offline U&D event and targeted key retailers, VIPs, media and influencers at WatersEdge in The Rocks, Sydney. To illustrate its “Screens for every Experience” theme, Samsung Electronics Australia demonstrated its lineup throughout different rooms in a model home. Various scenarios were played out to show visitors how Samsung TVs can integrate seamlessly into users’ lifestyles.
▲ Jeremy Senior, Vice President from Consumer Electronics of Samsung Electronics Australia explained Neo QLED 8K technology to visitors
▲ Influencers attended the event to see the new lineup and share content in real time across social platforms. They enjoyed hands-on time with the 2023 Samsung TV lineup and experienced various Calm Tech scenarios via SmartThings.
▲ Samsung Electronics Australia shared interactive content to its social media channels that reflected the demonstrations at the event.
▲ Aaron Mcnamara, Head of Product, AV from Samsung Electronics Australia explained the picture quality and features of Samsung OLED to highly engaged attendees
▲ Briellyn Turton, a renowned interior designer and stylist in Australia, hosted the U&D event, introducing various user scenarios to visitors
Creating Buzz at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore
▲ Samsung Electronics Singapore organized U&D 2023 for retailers, media and customers at Marina Bay Sands from April 4 to 6. Visitors took part in a docent tour of the event set up, which included eight zones. Following the tour, visitors took to social media to share their experiences with new products.
▲ As part one if its virtual event, Samsung Electronics Singapore posted a snapshot of the event in real time on its official Instagram account. In the story, Dennis Jang, President of Samsung Electronics Singapore, introduced Neo QLED 8K to attendees (right).
▲ Visitors were welcomed with a docent tour focused on the picture quality and features of Samsung Neo QLED 8K. Twenty-eight media professionals who joined the event said that demo zones helped them better understand TV features. In particular, visitors enjoyed the Home Cinema booth and Sustainability booth, which showcased scenarios of ultra-large TV screens at home along with Samsung’s sustainability efforts.
▲ At Singapore U&D 2023, the CEO of National Gallery Singapore and a Dolby Atmos representative gave a speech on the partnership with Samsung Art Store and their efforts to improve users’ audiovisual experiences.
Intimate Experiences With Screens Across Europe
European subsidiaries, including Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, Hungary and Serbia, also hosted the U&D event on and offline, catching the attention of local media. The subsidiaries hosted a countdown timer for U&D on their websites starting on April 5 to drive excitement and conversation leading up to the event.
▲ On April 5, Samsung Electronics Hungary brought ten media professionals who focus on tech, lifestyle and interior design to a local restaurant to provide them with first-hand experiences of the 2023 Samsung TV lineup.
▲ Samsung Electronics Hungary provided media with an intimate experience to wow the crowd and give new products’ design the proper space to standout.
▲ Media and product reviewers also experienced Samsung’s soundbar, the Q Series, which was released last year as the company’s top premium model. Samsung is also marking its ninth year in a row topping the global soundbar market by sales.
▲ On April 5, Samsung Electronics Serbia invited local media professionals to showcase 2023 TV lineup and Lifestyle TV lineup.
Telegraf, a renowned local media outlet said, “This is an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with a large number of new devices at once, to see the entire Bespoke ecosystem. New TV devices also look impressive. ‘Home cinema’ is something that is more and more interesting to both us and the readers.”
Unbox & Discover, Samsung’s global launch event, provided insights into this year’s product portfolio to a global audience, with customized experiences for each local market. The event provided a platform for attendees to hear from product experts and see the innovative product lineup for themselves ahead of their global roll out.
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics has been recognized as a leader in the global soundbar market, according to the market research firm, FutureSource Consulting. A newly released report published on February 28 notes that Samsung topped the soundbar market for the ninth year in a row, commanding 20.2% in market share and accounting for 18.4% of the industry sales volume in 2022.
Samsung soundbars, including the premium Q-series lineup, are expertly crafted and fine-tuned for powerful and immersive sound quality, enhanced compatibility with TVs, and sleek and modern design. Features such as SpaceFit Sound have been praised by customers and reviewers for calibrating sounds to fit the acoustic properties of each space for tailor-made sound experiences.
In fact, Samsung soundbars have impressed industry experts and reviewers, with outlets such as AVForums selecting the HW-Q990B as the “Best in Class” Award winner for 2022 and Newsweek commenting that the HW-S800B “delivers impressive room-filling sound” in such a compact form.
This year Samsung is taking its soundbar lineup to the next level with captivating cinematic sounds and premium audio features to win the hearts of consumers and home theater enthusiasts.
▲ HW-Q990C
Samsung’s HW-Q990C is a flagship Q-series soundbar with an impressive 11.1.4-channel setup and Dolby Atmos audio. It comes with the latest Q-Symphony 3.0 feature, which analyzes and processes voice channels and audio elements to deliver perfectly synchronized audio using every speaker in both the TV and the soundbar. It also comes with SpaceFit Sound Pro, which calibrates sounds to match the acoustic properties of each space, and Game Mode Pro, which optimizes sounds by game genres for added realism when played through Samsung Gaming Hub.
“Samsung is committed to providing our customers with an industry-leading home entertainment experience that meets the evolving needs of our customers,” said Cheolgi Kim, EVP of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung soundbars are the perfect immersive match for Samsung TVs, exemplifying the pinnacle of cinematic sound with smart audio features and enhanced connectivity.”
According to Futuresource, the global soundbar market, which has been showing steady growth of about 5.7% over the past three years, recorded 23.16 million units in sales in 2022 and is expected to reach 26 million in sales by 2025.
For more information, please visit https://www.samsung.com.
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