WILL SMOKE FROM NOTE 7 BURN SALES OF GALAXY S8?
Research shows fans of Samsung’s latest are holding true
Will the Note 7 battery fiasco NEW YORK choke sales of Samsung’s latest smartphone? Not likely, according to a new survey and optimistic projections from the Korean smartphone giant.
On redemption Friday, when consumers could start getting the company’s first major phones since the twice- recalled and ultimately discontinued Note 7 phablet, analysts expected heavy demand for the new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ devices.
Newly released research from SurveyMonkey and Creative Strategies found the Note 7 recalls had no impact on the interest in the Galaxy S8 and S8+ for 53.7% of those surveyed. Among current Samsung smartphone users, 65.2% were unbothered by the Note 7 recall. Less than one third, or 28.5%, said the recall would influence their interest in the S8.
The latest results echo data from last fall, when Creative Strategies found 62% of folks did not see the Note 7 battery fires — ultimately linked to problems with their lithium- ion batteries — as a deterrent to purchasing a Samsung smartphone in the future. The number then among owners of Samsung smartphones was 73%.
The data “suggests the Note 7 fires were never a big roadblock for consumers to begin with and even less so now. This should alleviate any concern over the Note 7 fallout impacting the sales of any Samsung smartphones released this year,” Creative Strategies principal analyst Ben Bajarin notes.
Samsung itself has said preorders of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the U. S. showed strong double- digit growth, outpacing those of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. Most of those who pre- ordered chose the larger Galaxy S8+; Midnight Black has been the preferred color. What’s more, buyers who preordered were eligible for a free Gear VR headset. The S8 and S8+ cost north of $ 720, and $ 840, respectively, with prices varying by carrier and plan. It seems, though, when it comes to phones, Samsung can’t completely avoid controversy. Some consumers in Samsung’s South Korean backyard complained of S8 displays that had an unusual reddish tint. Samsung says a software fix is coming. Samsung’s super sharp display on the S8 and S8+ was a major factor in USA TODAY’s positive review, with Samsung managing to cram larger screens into handset designs that are not much bigger than last year’s models. There was only tepid interest in Bixby, Samsung’s new digital assistant and Siri rival. That may be a good thing, at least in the short run, given the vocal component within Bixby has been delayed. Bajarin says voice assistants in general are not yet major purchase drivers.