Phone battles heat up

JENNIFER DUDLEYNICHOLSON TWO technology giants will go head-to-head in Australia next Friday in an unprecedented clash of smartphone launches.

In one corner, the world’s richest technology company will launch two updates to its most popular handsets, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

In the other corner, the world’s biggest smartphone maker will release its most expensive handset yet, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

But this Apple versus Samsung battle is not as clear cut as you might expect, as Note users are likely to be haunted by last year’s handset fires, and Apple is rolling the dice to discover how many of its users will opt for modestly updated handsets rather than its most advanced and most expensive iPhone yet.

Regardless of which firm wins the war, industry experts predict it will force up the price of smartphones for all buyers and convince more Australians to upgrade the device in their pockets.

The big-name smartphone clash will be an Australianonly phenomenon this year after Samsung delayed the local launch of its Galaxy Note 8 until September 22 – a date revealed to be Apple’s worldwide iPhone 8 launch.

But, while Apple would normally outsell Samsung’s bigscreen flagship smartphone by a large margin, it will be challenged from within its own ranks after announcing its first premium smartphone at the same time as the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, potentially stealing their thunder.

Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said launching more smartphones could also nudge thrifty Australians stubbornly holding on to threeyear-old phones.