Samsung knows how the smartphone industry works like the back of its hand. It has been in the race long enough to anticipate what works and what won't. But even the connoisseurs can be wrong at times, and Samsung's bad move was the Galaxy Note 7 as we all know. But the South Korean tech giant isn't the one to give up.
Announcing the quarterly results for the quarter ended March 31, Samsung revealed that it has a "new flagship smartphone" in tow and that it would be released in the second half of 2017. Any guesses?
"As for the year ahead, Samsung anticipates market demand in smartphones to slightly increase with solid replacement demand growth in the mid- to high-end segment. However, competition is expected to intensify with newly launched smartphones in the market. The company will aim to improve performance YoY by maximizing sales of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ and successfully launching a new flagship smartphone in the second half," Samsung said in a press release.
Given the predictable timeline, Samsung is certainly going to launch the successor to its disastrous Galaxy Note 7, which is widely being referred to as Galaxy Note 8. In the previous years, Samsung has reserved the month of August to launch a fresh Note series smartphone, and it looks like this year won't be any different.
Why is it a big deal?
After the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, Samsung was rumoured to kill off the entire Note series. But the company's mobile chief DJ Koh jumped in save the day and confirmed that a Galaxy Note 7 sequel will be launched regardless. It is upon Samsung to ensure the new Galaxy Note smartphone doesn't explode literally, but carry forward the legacy of the successful Galaxy Note series with exploding sales.
Branding is a crucial part of a successful business and Samsung takes it seriously. Even though the Galaxy Note 7 debacle drilled a deep loss in the company's profits, continuing the series with a new release is a sign Samsung will make a comeback stronger than before.
Learning from the past mistake, it looks like Samsung will not rush into things with the Galaxy Note 8 despite the absence of the Galaxy Note 7. The launch of the new flagship is set for the second half of the year, and the company seems to have enough time in hand to make sure the new flagship stands out in terms of performance, specs and well, safety.
We have already witnessed the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ design overhaul and everyone seems to love it. If the company can replicate the same change in its Galaxy Note 8, complete with the much-talked-about infinite display, it might be on the edge of something greater.
We cannot disregard the fact Samsung will have a tough competition ahead. Apple will mark the tenth year anniversary of the first iPhone, and plans to make the iPhone 8 aka iPhone X aka iPhone Edition the best possible render of a smartphone. We'll just have to wait and watch. But this year is going to be exciting one for the smartphone enthusiasts.
