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.

Is Online Smartphone Shopping on a Decline?

There was a time when the very idea of online shopping was met with dismissive head shakes and looks of skepticism. Fast forward a few years and today, people have the same reaction when they see folks walking into brick and mortar stores. So what has changed? Well, online shopping has now become the lifeline of countless businesses. People don’t think twice before swiping their cards for purchasing expensive products online, including full home furnishings and home theatre systems. The same goes for smartphones.

People are now willing to buy smartphones online. For this, the first step is to do a thorough study of the latest smartphone specifications. Yes, before making any purchase, especially when it is of an important and necessary device such as a smartphone, being abreast of the latest mobile specifications is a must. So, you need to know what you want before buying the device. However, is that all that needs to be seen? Is it enough to just load up on the latest handheld news and then go crazy clicking? Are all online smartphone shoppers alike? The answer is no.

Despite the draw of online shopping, there are still people skeptical of buying a phone without seeing it. While in shops, you won’t get to unbox and feel a new phone anyway, it still makes a difference to hold a phone in your hand. You can all your doubts solved and answered by the shopkeeper who is highly knowledgeable of the latest mobile specifications of practically every handset in his shop. Then there are also the umpteen incidents being reported of cases where the box was delivered without a charger or an earphone set. Worst of all is what happens when you order a phone and what you get instead is a big box of soap!

These incidents are still few and rare and despite the slight slump in online shopping figures off late, it looks like e-commerce is here to stay. Skeptics may take some time to come around. To make the transition easier, websites are coming up with interesting offers and discounts which will never be seen in brick and mortar stores. Days of big discounts in websites are days when sale figures go through the roof.

People wait with bated breath, already knowing what they’re going to buy after having studied all of the latest smartphone specifications the day before. So, as soon as the smartphone they want pops up on the screen, it’s lapped up in no time. Several smartphone models, such as Xiaomi and Yu Yureka opted for such flash sales and they proved to not only make it to the latest handheld news but also managed to garner considerable publicity. So, all said and done, despite the temporary slump in online sales of smartphones, e-commerce sites can be assured that it’s just a phase as online shopping is clearly here to stay.

Do Smartphone Specifications Matter?

Nowadays, people are swamped with choices in any and every field, whether it’s the product or the service sector. Customers have become more demanding and sellers are stocking themselves with more variety to satiate every customer’s needs. Every mobile phone store today has products that come with brochures detailing the specifications of each handset, which spans up to four pages at a time. There was a time when the latest smartphone specifications looked like Greek to the layman but all of that has changed now. Even kids today know all about the latest smartphone news and what’s hot and what’s not.

However, a disturbing trend seen today is where youngsters buy a smartphone simply by looking at its spec sheet. While specifications undoubtedly make a huge difference, they should not be the only reason for making a purchase. This is because while on paper specifications may seem quite impressive, the reality may be far from it.

For example, on paper, a 350 PPI display seems far superior to a 250 PPI display but does that really make the former’s screen much superior to the latter’s? The fact is that there is so much more to it than just the pixel density – the brightness, hue, colour contrast, added effects, screen protection, screen type, and several other features all come into play to make the display what it is. Hence, being bedazzled by the latest smartphone specifications and blindly picking a smartphone based on the same makes no sense. Similarly a 16 MP smartphone camera cannot come anywhere close to a 16 MP camera. This is because a complex feature such as photography has many facets that come together to give rise to the perfect picture.

Several other specifications also follow the same rule, although the most common culprits are the display and camera. Another major factor that dictates buyers’ interest includes the look of the smartphone. A bulky or highly angular smartphone will not be favoured by buyers. While buying, also keep in mind the budget factor – you’ll be surprised to learn that the best value for money is achieved when buying low end or mid-price ranged smartphones.

Hence, being well informed is a good way to ensure that an expensive purchase isn’t made by simply looking at the spec sheet of the product. Specifications undeniably are an important part of the attraction of any smartphone but should not be the sole deciding factor. Following the latest smartphone news for details and updates on features and reviews always helps to make an informed decision. No doubt the famous and more expensive handsets will come loaded with better features but always remember – better specs do not always make a better smartphone.