Samsung Silent On Disastrous Galaxy S6 Sales
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The S6 always seemed like a weird miscalculation of the market to me. Samsung spent millions (billions?) of dollars advertising all the differentiating features of the S5 - how it was waterproof, had removable batteries, SD card support, etc. That "don't be a wallhugger" commercial in particular played on TV like 50 times every day. Then they threw that all away and made a total iPhone clone.
After the iPhone 6/6+ which increased the screen size thus eliminating Samsung's main advantage, they needed those extra differentiating features more than ever. They picked the absolute worst possible time to get rid of this stuff imo.
After the iPhone 6/6+ which increased the screen size thus eliminating Samsung's main advantage, they needed those extra differentiating features more than ever. They picked the absolute worst possible time to get rid of this stuff imo.
Wiktor
Member
The whole point of Samsung Galaxy for me was the functionality. Plastic design, SD card slot, replacable batteries. When you remove all of those you bassicaly have to compete on looks alone not just with iPhone, but also countless Android phones.
I hope at the very least the next Note will retain the functionality of older models.
I hope at the very least the next Note will retain the functionality of older models.
Locking the bootloader? I'm seeing people load TWRP just fine on XDA (Sprint s6). Where are they locking the bootloader?
I, too, worked for Verizon, for much longer than 9 months. You don't see sales outside of local region for phones unless higher ups are trying to use it as motivation to sell.
Google has been trying to wean people off external cards for years, for a variety of reasons, see this 2011 article: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Why-Google-wants-to-kill-SD-cards-and-whats-holding-them-back_id23986
No one is going to have a stat that shows low percentage actually desire MicroSD capability; conversely, other than polls on android central, etc, you aren't going to see the global push. The card was a supplemental back when 8 GB was standard for on board rom.
The main problem lies on on the microSD capability, but the standard minimum built in rom. 64 GB should be the minimum. This would remove nearly all demand for the cards.
The sales aren't bad. They aren't great and that is what the story should be about. The massive design change should have incited crazy sales but they are playing above the MSRP that they should be shooting for. The S6 has fantastic hardware from the best camera currently available, best screen, and a slew of small features like wireless charging which does differentiate itself from the masses. Making the phone waterproof would have made the phone stand out (and personally more desirable to me), but to basically put all features currently available to phones on this one phone is not feasible. If you start to include things like replaceable battery, you lose out on aesthetics, etc.
terrisus
Member
Hey, I said it didn't mean a guarantee of going with Samsung - just that it was a guarantee of not going with Apple, which lessened Samsung's competition.
Seems like you want to address the article in the OP, then, not our specific comments.
A lot of people seem to make the assumption that they're losing most of their customers to Apple now that Apple has bigger phones. While there may be some, they're probably getting squeezed worse by other Android manufacturers.
The crazy sales expectations come from an era when Samsung was the only player in the high end Android market and still owned the mid and low end Android markets. Now, Moto and a number of the newer Chinese companies are putting out fairly high-end phones in the mid-market price range, while LG finally rivals them in the high end market.
There is no secret to getting sales back to what they were. Expectations need to be reset. It' not because they're not putting out good phones. The market has simply changed and they will continue to face more and stiffer competition.
That all being said. The S6 is an excellent phone if you don't need an SD card (I'm all cloud). Easily their best phone ever. If the build quality of their older phones is what you're holding against Samsung, you need to check out an S6.
The crazy sales expectations come from an era when Samsung was the only player in the high end Android market and still owned the mid and low end Android markets. Now, Moto and a number of the newer Chinese companies are putting out fairly high-end phones in the mid-market price range, while LG finally rivals them in the high end market.
There is no secret to getting sales back to what they were. Expectations need to be reset. It' not because they're not putting out good phones. The market has simply changed and they will continue to face more and stiffer competition.
That all being said. The S6 is an excellent phone if you don't need an SD card (I'm all cloud). Easily their best phone ever. If the build quality of their older phones is what you're holding against Samsung, you need to check out an S6.
ClayKavalier
Banned
I know you said it's just an estimate, but how many times a day do you charge your phone? You'd only hit 5,000 charges in two years if you're charging 6+ times a day. I doubt most people hit 1,000.
First iPhone with a big screen is a big deal. Other phone sales are suffering. Not surprising.
I get that it's tempting to see a correlation between getting rid of obscure features like SD card support and sales, especially if you personally care about those things, but so far everyone claiming that that's the reason the S6 has tanked is focusing only a few flagship phones. I'd like to see if the correlation actually exists if you include every phone that's ever had SD card support.
Be more dramatic please.
Again, not much to base that off of. They aren't exactly known for being cheap phones either so not sure why price would factor in, not that much different to iPhones, especially the S6 Edge.
EdwardTeach
Member
Agreed. I don't think many people go back to ios after being on Android, you tend to stick to one camp.
lazer_bean
Member
oh yeah it must be so confusing.
Apple does that too (2 Apple 6s)
TWO phones to choose from. That's overkill.
The_Inquisitor
Member
No offense, I think you're biased to one perspective. In general the average consuimer couldn't give a shit about most external features on a smartphone. My mom and dad just got iPhones because my sister and I have one and iMessage is easy for all of us to use. My mom's favorite part of her phone is the emoji. The hardcore phone audience is dwarfed by the standard consumer. As many people are pointing out, screen size was the big differentiation for many average consumers. Now that there is parity, people are choosing the iPhone because Apple really does have better marketing than Samsung at least in the US.
I consider myself a techie. I am happy with my current iPhone 6.
This. I will be upgrading my Note 2 and my parents' Note 2s this fall. If the Note 5 loses the SD card slot and replaceable battery, I'll be buying Note 4s.
I really can't believe people are defending the removal of useful features for aesthetics/unibody design - the majority of people are going to be using cases. The ability to take a spare battery and keep on going while everyone else is hunting for a wall outlet is incredibly useful.
Umm, no, Your specific points stated that removing the SD card slot seems to have made sales bomb. If you can't bother to read the thread you're responding to which would tell you that sales are basically the same as the previous two years, then yeah, you might get called out.
Even if sales were bad, why would that matter to you if you like it?
vicissitudes
Banned
Sales are about on-par with the S4 and S5. Wouldn't call that "disastrous."
I'm actually surprised it's been selling this well, I didn't know people still cared about Samsun Galaxy phones.
I'm actually surprised it's been selling this well, I didn't know people still cared about Samsun Galaxy phones.
Plenty of techies don't care about SD slots and removable batteries as well.
Particularly the ones with money to burn lol.
HarryKS
Member
Reminds me of that ad where the girl is running circles around her dad singing 'you bought the wrong tv sillyhead'.
Found it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdRMVhlNP5I
Too many new models, too soon.
People are tired.
Found it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdRMVhlNP5I
Too many new models, too soon.
People are tired.
EightBitNate
Member
I meant looking at all the Galaxy variants. And I know it isn't exact, but it isn't a leap of logic to conclude that microSD isn't huge outside of online forums.
terrisus
Member
I said no such thing.
If you can't be bothered to read my posts, there's no point in replying to them.
The_Inquisitor
Member
I'm not sure I follow. I don't take a lot of photos or store video on my phone because I primarily stream and/or use a DSLR. So what does money to burn have to do with anything?
riskVSreward
Member
No SD and no removable battery led me to grab an S5 instead. It'll be my last Samsung phone if they don't change those.
Your response to someone saying that they doubt lack of SD card matters to most people:
If you're telling me that that isn't you implying there is a connection, then...well...I guess you know your words best. But that isn't how anyone else reading them would interpret it.
I remember Cook saying something like a third (or half?) of iPhone 6 sales were switchers from android? It was the highest number ever etc.
Zuhzuhzombie!!
Member
Yup. My only Samsung was the S4 and it was an awful phone
Oh I'm just referring to people willing to spend the dough for the overpriced 64gb/128gb phones. (and with batteries, can afford to replace them or just replace their phone any time the battery starts to go haywire.)
But as you point out, there are other reasons techies don't need or care about SD cards.
I was just backing up your point that not caring about SD cards doesn't make you a non-techie; it's a pretty odd claim that "SD card = techie." Often the choice to go for an SD slot/removable battery phone has more to do with one's budget (which was my point.)
Yeah, I had family members interested in it and they were convinced by the Verizon Wireless Sales rep to not buy the S6.
Pretty stupid imo. Samsung is getting people into these carriers stores and the carriers are fucking them over.
Yup. Dumped my S3 for an LG G3. Don't think I'll go near Samsung phones again.
Seeing as this is my personal experience, this is what I see every day in the subway or on the bus:
Everybody and their dog either has a Galaxy S4, Note3/4 or an iPhone.
The Notes are in much, MUCH higher quantities than anything else, though. I probably see a ratio of 4:1 for Notes to iPhones, and about the same for the S3/S4. Two people I know have an S5 and that's it, I never see anybody with one, and I've never seen an S6 in the wild.
People really, *really* love those bigger screens, it seems. My next phone will be a 5.4+" phone (I have an S4 on a stupid 3-year contract, ugh) and I'm either looking at the OnePlus Two (when it releases), an Asus ZenFone 2 or the Note5 (when it releases).
I've been on the Apple ecosystem for a few years with a 3GS and a 4S, but never again. I don't like the fixed ecosystem, the ridiculously convoluted system for transferring music over to the phone, the lack of control over a lot of stuff, etc. Yeah, it's a bit more user friendly I guess, but I can't stand it.
Very few people I know actually want to go back to iPhones, except for the ones that are richer, for some reason, as they view it as a status symbol.
In any case, I think the lack of removable battery and no microSD card slot really hurt the S6 more than Samsung would ever admit. It really was the two really huge differences with iPhones, and now that they're gone, I can see how people will have to choose between the S6, the Note 4 or an iPhone will either go Note or iPhone. Phone esthetics do not matter for the very large majority of the population as they will stick a massive case on the phone (understandably) so the look of their phone isn't an issue at all. What does matter, however, is if they'll be able to replace the battery on the cheap, if they can increase storage capacity on the cheap, if they can do anything on the cheap. If they can, they'll most likely pick that option.
Everybody and their dog either has a Galaxy S4, Note3/4 or an iPhone.
The Notes are in much, MUCH higher quantities than anything else, though. I probably see a ratio of 4:1 for Notes to iPhones, and about the same for the S3/S4. Two people I know have an S5 and that's it, I never see anybody with one, and I've never seen an S6 in the wild.
People really, *really* love those bigger screens, it seems. My next phone will be a 5.4+" phone (I have an S4 on a stupid 3-year contract, ugh) and I'm either looking at the OnePlus Two (when it releases), an Asus ZenFone 2 or the Note5 (when it releases).
I've been on the Apple ecosystem for a few years with a 3GS and a 4S, but never again. I don't like the fixed ecosystem, the ridiculously convoluted system for transferring music over to the phone, the lack of control over a lot of stuff, etc. Yeah, it's a bit more user friendly I guess, but I can't stand it.
Very few people I know actually want to go back to iPhones, except for the ones that are richer, for some reason, as they view it as a status symbol.
In any case, I think the lack of removable battery and no microSD card slot really hurt the S6 more than Samsung would ever admit. It really was the two really huge differences with iPhones, and now that they're gone, I can see how people will have to choose between the S6, the Note 4 or an iPhone will either go Note or iPhone. Phone esthetics do not matter for the very large majority of the population as they will stick a massive case on the phone (understandably) so the look of their phone isn't an issue at all. What does matter, however, is if they'll be able to replace the battery on the cheap, if they can increase storage capacity on the cheap, if they can do anything on the cheap. If they can, they'll most likely pick that option.
On the flip side, the only reason I bought an S6 was because there was finally an Android phone to rival the build quality of my iPhone. I was happy with my Nexus 5, but still wanted something that felt higher end.
From the WSJ.
Shame. The S6 is a really nice phone.
That said, cheap phones are getting really good, and if I had to actually buy my own phone I would almost certainly get a cheap one.
There's also the matter that old phones are fine, and upgrading to a new one constantly is getting less compelling. If my dad hadn't bought me an S6 I would be perfectly fine using my Nexus 5 till it died. (Even with it's screen cracked).
But really it seems that the bigger iPhone is eating Samsung's lunch, which is a shame. But hey, my portfolio has more Apple stock than Samsung stock, so that's fine by me
.
That said, cheap phones are getting really good, and if I had to actually buy my own phone I would almost certainly get a cheap one.
There's also the matter that old phones are fine, and upgrading to a new one constantly is getting less compelling. If my dad hadn't bought me an S6 I would be perfectly fine using my Nexus 5 till it died. (Even with it's screen cracked).
But really it seems that the bigger iPhone is eating Samsung's lunch, which is a shame. But hey, my portfolio has more Apple stock than Samsung stock, so that's fine by me
.roflwaffles
Member
I've hated Samsung phones until recently - the Note 4 and the S6 are just exceptional phones in nearly all regards other than having to deal with TouchWiz.
Exactly. Even they bring back SD card support and removal battery in a hypothetical S7 I don't think sales will change much.
The S6 is probably the last high end phone I get. The mid-range phones are starting to get to the point where they're good enough and I'll probably be very happy with the quality of them 2-3 years from now. In fact, I don't even know if I'll replace my S6 by then. I upgraded from a old Galaxy Nexus so I have no problems keeping my phone for awhile.
terrisus
Member
Sales reps don't want to sell things that people may end up disappointed with and then return.
Samsung "fucked them [the carriers] over" by releasing a phone that removed features from their previous phones.
Desperately need an upgrade, but incredibly wary about Samsung despite the fact that the latest seems to fix their biggest faults to me. All the other Android phones this generation have hard-to-overlook faults and I'm too in love with the Google experience to switch to Apple.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are the most successful iPhones Apple has launched. These new customers must be coming from somewhere.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
They lost me with the disastrous KitKat upgrade. I can't believe they released it in that state.
New Nexus 6 makes me very happy.
Those stores also just so happen to sell SD cards and replacement batteries.
Not saying it's the reason they don't recommend an S6; but it has as much plausibility as your theory.
Then why is the s6 universally reviewed extremely positively?
http://flagship.reviews/smart-phones/samsung/galaxy-s6
The one to point out there is Forbes: The best Android phone of all time.
Interesting.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
The LG4 looks hot as hell. And that camera too.
I'm happy with my Note 4 Edge for work purposes. Edge is nice. There are benefits to have it there for sure. I like the notifications and apps, and health stuff that can be shown on there.
I'm happy with my Note 4 Edge for work purposes. Edge is nice. There are benefits to have it there for sure. I like the notifications and apps, and health stuff that can be shown on there.
Much of your post is not accurate or grounded in reality. Their sales have been declining for some time, including with their Galaxy line, irrespective of the inclusion of SD card slots or removable batteries. This new release simply correlates with the trend. The biggest factor is most probably just general market saturation and the increasing costs attributed to their devices.
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