Samsung Reins in the Theatrics for Galaxy S5 - New York Times
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TOKYO â€" Don’t expect a lot of singing and dancing when Samsung Electronics introduces the next generation of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, this month.
Samsung showed off its current flagship, the Galaxy S4, last March in a glitzy gala at Radio City Music Hall in New York, billing it as “the next big thing.†But the S4 has underperformed analysts’ expectations, and Samsung’s archrival, Apple, has regained ground at the premium end of the smartphone market in recent months.
This time around, Samsung plans a relatively low-key event for the Galaxy S5, according to people briefed on the plans, in keeping with the setting, which will be more business than Broadway: a trade show called Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona.
Samsung sent invitations to the event to journalists and others this week, billing it as “2014 Episode 1†in its “Unpacked†series of product introductions.
While there had been speculation that Samsung might depart from the Galaxy name for its newest phone, the invitation was headed “Unpacked 5,†suggesting that the company had decided to stick with that nomenclature for at least one more generation of its flagship phone. A person with knowledge of the matter confirmed that the new handset would indeed be called the Galaxy S5.
After some critics disparaged some features of the Galaxy S4 as gimmicky â€" including its Air View feature, which lets users answer the phone by waving a hand above it â€" Samsung seems to be playing it safer this time around.
While there will be design enhancements and other improvements in the Galaxy S5, the company is counting on other things, like an expected new version of its Nox security software, to enhance the appeal of its devices to relatively untapped audiences, like business users.
“Meaningful innovation is the key,†said Neil Shah, an analyst at Counterpoint Technology Market Research. “Ultimately it will depend on design and the ability to lock in customers with useful features.â€
There has been speculation that the Galaxy S5 might include new technologies like an eye scanner that would allow the phone to identify its owner, or a so-called Quad HD, or WQHD, display, with ultra-high resolution. But neither of these will make an appearance on the Galaxy S5, according to a person in the smartphone industry with knowledge of the specifications.
Samsung also plans other introductions at the Mobile World Congress. At “Unpacked,†it is expected to show off an upgrade to its Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which it began selling last autumn.
The company is also participating in a separate event to show off a new mobile operating system, called Tizen, which Samsung has been developing with several partners. The Tizen Association also includes Intel, Huawei and Fujitsu, as well as several telecommunications providers.
Currently most Samsung phones use the Android operating system, developed by Google. The two companies strengthened their ties last month with a 10-year agreement to share patents. Google then agreed to sell Motorola Mobility, a handset maker, to Lenovo of China, removing a bone of contention in the Google-Samsung relationship that lies at the core of the success of Android â€" Google’s move into hardware, in competition with Samsung.
While Samsung makes a range of smartphones, a lot is riding on the success of the Galaxy S5. Mr. Shah at Counterpoint said successive generations of the Galaxy S line of phones had shown less and less staying power on the smartphone sales charts.
The Galaxy S2, for example, was a top seller for more than a year, but the S4 lasted only about half that time. In recent months, analysts say, another high-end Samsung device, the Galaxy Note 3, with a 5.7-inch screen, compared with the 5-inch display of the Galaxy S4, has actually been outselling the smaller device. Previously, the Note series was considered more of a niche product than a mainstream device.
With sales of high-end smartphones slowing, Samsung has also been relying more on tablets to fuel growth. This week, the company announced U.S. pricing and availability for a new line of tablets, some with screens as large as 12.2 inches.
The Note Pro 12.2, Tab Pro 10.1 and Tab Pro 8.4 will be available from Feb. 13, with prices ranging from $399.99 to $849.99. The Tab Pro 12.2, at $649.99, will be available in March, the company said.
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