Why Samsung is Pushing its new Tizen Smartphone

Mobile phones have come a long way today. In fact, people get offended when they’re told they own a mobile phone and instead, correct you by reminding you that it’s a smartphone, what they’re holding in their hand. Yes, a competitive market, coupled with informed youth who do detailed mobile phone comparisons before zeroing in on a specific one, has put new found pressure on brands to innovate and release handsets that provide excellent value for money.

One such brand that has never shied away from innovating is Samsung. The Asian giant has borne multiple failures and yet, it has managed to stay afloat due its strategy to always innovate. Recently, Samsung had released its Samsung Z1, which was a smartphone that was powered by Samsung’s own developed software, Tizen. This smartphone was launched quietly earlier this year, after Samsung had initially reserved its Tizen software only for its select smartwatches. However, Samsung was pleasantly surprised to find that when prospective buyers opted to compare mobile phones specifications, they were happy with the Z1 and eventually, in six months, around a million Z1 handsets were sold. Encouraged by this figure, Samsung is now releasing its sequel, the Z3, which not only comes with some interesting hardware specs but also tons of goodies clubbed with Samsung’s own software. There are exclusive deals available for users of Z3, including rewarding platforms which Samsung has designed to lure customers towards this device. Launched in India first, this handset will eventually find its way to other parts of the globe later.

There are many reasons for brands to try and push their own software. This shows not just exclusivity of the brand but also highlights the immense confidence that the brand has in itself, as people buying a device with a dedicated software shows that they are willing to accept the entire package of the brand’s hardware and software. However, Samsung also needs to ensure that it is constantly looking out for reactions and keeping a tab on how well this operating system is being accepted. This lesson can best be learnt from BlackBerry, who was once a force to reckon with in the smartphone industry. Many in the business class, once upon a time, didn’t even compare mobile phones specifications but instead blindly and exclusively owned and opted for BlackBerry devices.

However, during mobile phone comparisons, with Android’s popularity soaring, BlackBerry ended up finding fewer takers over time and eventually, there was a threat that BlackBerry could end up going the Nokia way. Now, BlackBerry is reinventing and is even releasing an Android powered smartphone, all in a bid to increase sales. Thus, this flexibility of BlackBerry and its willingness to ditch its own software in favour of a more widely used and liked one may just be what saves its downfall. Let’s hope Samsung is also smart enough to keep a tab on how its Tizen smartphones are doing, so that it doesn’t end up letting its pride lead to its fall.

Is Samsung Losing its Place in the Smartphone Market?

Samsung is not new to almost any avenue of electronics, as it is truly one brand that can make the claim of been there done that. However, things have not been going smoothly for the Asian giant, as its major share in the smartphone industry has seen a drop. After last year’s debacle of the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung bounced back and made it to the latest handheld news headlines with the Galaxy S6 this year, a flagship that was much appreciated and lauded for its excellent look and features. Yes, this phone came with the latest smartphone specifications and yet, Samsung claims that the S6 performed below expectations as sales figures didn’t reach the heights Samsung had hoped for. Samsung’s profits fell 8% this quarter in a year on year analysis, spurring Samsung do go into damage control mode.

Thus, in a bid to bolster smartphone sales, Samsung is now slashing prices of its high end S6. This is clearly a desperate attempt by Samsung to help improve the profits margin for the next quarter, which will hopefully be strengthened with the release of the much anticipated Note 5. The biggest mistake that Samsung made with its two flagship handsets this year was the excessive marketing, which ate into the profits that were needed to breakeven in the first place. Samsung flashed the S6 and S6 Edge on every advertising avenue possible, highlighting the fact that these devices came with the latest smartphone specifications, leading a deficit in profits even before the release of the phones.

Also, while the sales of the S6 were disappointing, the supply of the uber cool S6 Edge was actually lesser than demand. Samsung had a tough time trying to meet the demand requirements of the S6 Edge, a premium phablet that came in minimal quantities. Thus, despite the exorbitant price tag of the S6 Edge, its demand was much more than anticipated, a move that Samsung grossly misjudged, leading to botching up an opportunity that could have done wonders for the profit margin of this quarter.Samsung has lots of reasons to worry. Once upon a time, Samsung’s biggest problem used to be Apple, who would eat into its lucrative Asian market share. However, last year Xiaomi beat Samsung to become the highest sold Asian smartphone in China. The fact that according to the latest handheld news sources, Huawei became the third largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world this year, further doesn’t bode well for Samsung.

Hence, Samsung really needs to pull up its socks and look at what options it still has in its hands to increase its profits in the coming two quarters. Unless Samsung really manages to turn things around in the coming months, sadly, things look bleak for the Asian giant.

Samsung Store Leaks Rumors about New O Series

Samsung always seems to find itself in the headlines of all the tech news around the world and for good reason. This time, the latest mobile phone news are filled with rumors that Samsung is teaming up with Oculus, a big time virtual reality company that has already produced the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition along with Samsung, to start a new series of smartphones with the Korean giants. It is reported that the series will be aptly named the “O” series. Because of Oculus’s reputation, speculation is going around that the newest upcoming series could be a line of VR or virtual reality smartphones.

There is talk of two phones namely the SM-G550 and the SM-G600 and easily remembered by Galaxy 05 and Galaxy 06 respectively, which could be centered on virtual reality features alone. Although there is not enough news about these devices to make any further comment, Oculus is hosting an event in late September and could showcase the mystery phones there.

In other news and rumors across the world, people seem to be talking about a revival of the Samsung Galaxy Mega and Galaxy Grand series which seemed to die a natural death with the Galaxy Grand Max being the last release in the series. Some people claim that Samsung is bringing out two new phones in these forgotten series called the Galaxy Grand On and the Galaxy Mega On which was later on discovered that the SM-G550 and the SM-G600 were actually the Mega On and the Grand On. The real news at Samsung will not be known until maybe a day or two before the launch of these un-named phones but whatever be the case, it seems like Samsung pushes out devices like a competitive eater pushes down hot dogs for the win.

With this series of smartphones rumored to be released, Samsung could reach a mind boggling six series of phones. The “O” series will join the Galaxy J, Galaxy, E, Galaxy A, Galaxy Note and the famous Galaxy S series. With such a plethora of smartphones to choose from, is Samsung doing the right thing by introducing something new to the audience? Or will their customers be confused as to which one to buy as they are constantly upgrading? It might even be a tactic by the company to keep customers rolling in and keep sales up. Whatever be the case, we can all agree that Samsung knows exactly what they are doing because if they didn’t, they wouldn’t be leading the race in the smartphone industry.

This has been the latest mobile phone news that is being brought to you by KnowYourHandheld where you can get your daily dose of everything technological as it happens.

A Closer Look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

The year 2015 has introduced the people to a number of smartphones that have sometimes stood out and at times just flopped out. With competition from outside like Xioami and Gionee, the “go to” companies have been losing their edge in the market. Well, not all companies are giving into these outsiders and Samsung seems to be one of the fighters. They are literally “edging” out the competition with their newest smartphone, the Galaxy S6 EDGE+. The specifications on this device will literally bring you to the edge of your seat. Let’s take a look at some of the standout features this handset brings to the table.

 

Body: Weighing in at 132 grams, the S6 EDGE+ is not too heavy in the hand but not too light that you would not know if you had it on you or not. The dimensions are just 142.1 x 7 x 70.1 mm which means it contends with all the slimmest phones out there and fits comfortably into the hand. The back panel has the latest protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 4 which ensures that the phone remains scratch free always.

Platform and Camera: Running on Android 5.0.2 lollipop, the S6 EDGE+ gives you the latest operating system which is upgradeable to 5.1.1. It boasts 3GB of RAM for a superfast experience always. Available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB so there is no external memory card slot which is not really necessary. The camera is crisp and clear and images are very good from the rear facing 16 megapixel camera. The front facing camera shoots really nicely as well with its 5 megapixel camera and is perfect for video calls.

The biggest and aptly named feature of the phone is the curved touchscreen on the device which allows the user for quicker access to frequently used apps all the time. Although the battery is not as good as other phones in the same price range, the phone lasts an entire day without constant charging. The battery is a 2600 mAh battery which like all new smartphones is non removable.

Coming into the market at a price of around 45,000, the S6 EDGE+ is a good phone for a lot of reasons apart from the stunningly unique looks but when compared to other devices in the same price range, it can fall back on the list. Nevertheless, if you are an avid Samsung user and love how they function, this is the phone to get. The camera, the internal space and the RAM are the major plus points for this giant and if there has to be a con list, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ bring a slightly below average battery and a slightly raised price to the table. Apart from that, this is “must have” smartphone for those who really want to stand out on the edge (no pun intended).

Are Selfie Phones the Future of Smartphones?

Everywhere you look, people seem to be obsessed with selfies. Clicking selfies is the new trend and apparently, everyone, right from elders to youngsters seem to be catching on. So much so, that several leading smartphone brands have geared up and released special phones that are aimed at clicking selfies. HTC released the HTC One Eye, Oppo came out with the innovative N1 and Micromax released a special Selfie phone altogether. Not wanting to lag behind, Samsung has now released two special models which hope to capture the imagination of the selfie obsessed crowd – Samsung Galaxy J5 and Samsung Galaxy J7.

These are special mid price ranged smartphones that aim to help people capture great selfies. Released under the J series in only China for now, these smartphones come with your typical mid price ranged smartphone spec sheet. The Galaxy J5 sports a 5 inch screen, and packs in a quad core Snapdragon 410 processor that’s been clocked at 1.2 GHz. The RAM is an in-between 1.5 GB and the internal storage is a respectable 16 GB, with a slot for a microSD card that can go up to 128 GB. The software on this device is the latest Android 5.1 OS, skinned with Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI. Most importantly, coming to the camera, the J5 offers a 13 MP main camera, along with a flash and a respectable 5 MP front camera. Available in black, white and gold, in simple words, the Samsung Galaxy J5 offers what is considered regular and expected fare from mid price ranged smartphones nowadays.

Coming to the slightly more expensive counterpart, the J7 comes with slightly better specs, though they are not exceptionally ahead of the J5. The screen of the J7 is slightly larger, as it spans 5.5 inches and under the hood of this device, you will find a powerful octa core Snapdragon 615 chipset that’s been clocked at 1 GHz. The RAM is once again an in-between 1.5 GB, while the device packs in 16 GB of internal storage, with a microSD card slot, which can go up to 128 GB. The camera offered is surprisingly the same as that seen in the J5, as it is a 13 MP main camera, along with a flash and a respectable 5 MP front camera. Once again, available in black, white and gold, the Samsung Galaxy J7 is nothing but a slightly upgraded version of the J5.

 

These phones were intentionally released together, so that users can have the choice of buying whichever phone they wish, according to size, specs and their budget. Whether or not phones like these will get the required visibility in the sea of mid price ranged smartphones released by several brands, especially Samsung, is something that only time will tell. For now, if people want the option of a good selfie phone, accompanied by decent specs, then the J series of smartphones by Samsung is a good enough option to consider.

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