It’s a big day for Apple, with all the media and fans waiting anxiously for the launch event and the tenth anniversary iPhone. It seems arch-rival Samsung doesn’t like that Apple is getting all the attention, so on the same day, the Korean firm has made an important revelation underlining the popularity of its latest flagship, the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone.
Initial response to the Note 8 smartphone is good
According to DJ Koh, president of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Communications Business, the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone has received the most pre-orders of all the Note series handsets so far. The Galaxy Note 8 received 650,000 pre-orders in just five days, notes Reuters. Koh said the Note 8 has gotten positive reviews in the pre-order phase alone.
“Since the August 23 New York unpack, many buyers and partners said the initial response is very encouraging,” Koh said at a media event on Tuesday.
A lot is riding on the handset, especially after the Note 7 fiasco. According to Koh, the company continued the Note brand after a survey found that 85% of 5,000 Galaxy Note users expressed loyalty to the brand.
The Note 8 faces an uphill task in China to revive Samsung’s dipping fortune in the region. According to Counterpoint Research, local players such as Huawei, Vivo, Xiaomi and Oppo have left the Korean firm with only a 3% market share in the June quarter. Koh believes it will take some time in China to get their desired results, but he expects to see some changes starting this year, as the company plans to appoint a new mobile chief, notes Reuters.
New era of premium phones
Samsung released the Galaxy Note 8 at an event in New York just last month. At the time, the Korean firm said it had done more than just design the components. The handset is bigger than the S8+, and it comes encased in curved metal and glass panels that give the phone a cleaner and more professional look than the S8+.
Another unique feature is the S Pen, which gives users with many more options while using the handset. Simply taking it out of its slot enables the user to take notes on the locked screen. In addition to notes, the super intelligent stylus also enables a user to send hand-drawn notes in the form of a GIF to someone.
There is no dearth of features and high-end specifications in the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone, from the RAM to fast and power-efficient processors. However, the battery of the handset is smaller, which may be because a lot of the space is filled by the S Pen. In the United States, the handset is priced between $930 and $960.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 comes with the new 6.3-inch Infinity display. Critics believe that comparing this high-end, innovation-rich phone with any of its predecessors would be an injustice to the Galaxy Note 8. The handset is available in Midnight Black, Orchid Grey, Deep Sea Blue and Maple Gold, although some of these colors are not available in all regions. In Australia, Galaxy Note 8 buyers will also get the Samsung Convertible Fast Wireless Charger worth $118 for free, notes ChannelNews.
Analysts hope that the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone starts a new era of premium-priced handsets, which will soon be joined by the next-gen iPhone expected to cost about $1,000. For now, all eyes are on Apple, as the company is expected to launch its tenth anniversary phone today.
