Re: Bad news for Samsung. Good news for us?
Looks like Samsung is getting hit really hard from competition. This article suggests that there might be some big discounts ahead on the Note 4. So if you miss the $200 off pre-order from Best Buy or Samsung, keep an eye out for future deals.
Galaxy Note 4 Release Arrives Amid Bad News for Samsung
[Link deleted]
" Increased competition from the the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are part of the problem, offering bigger screens that come close to matching the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 in size, but they aren’t the only reason Samsung is looking at a potential 60% drop in operating profits from last year. In the report Samsung cites “intense competition,” and while it doesn’t name names, there is more than Apple at play here. "
Pmfji, but first, your last paragraph is in quotes. What exactly are you quoting? That paragraph is not in the report.
Second, nothing at that link suggests future discounts. Rather, the report explains Samsung's present earnings decline as the result of PREVIOUS discounting and marketing/promotional costs.
Contrarily, one might infer from the facts that such costs may be better controlled in the future.
What is said, is that Samsung will utilize "new materials" and "innovative designs" to "secure sustainable…growth". Infer what you will from that.
What I infer is that Samsung intends to out innovate Apple and the others as it did in 2014, and the two previous years.
Imvho, the only company to match Samsung in recent innovation is Motorola with the Moto G/X, as well as OnePlus re price/features.
Now that both Samsung and Apple have shown their hands, what now?
MARKETING that's what!
Clearly, the Note 4, 3, 2 and 1, are superior to the simple *matching* effort represented by the Apple 6. Can Samsung market their superior product and take market share from Apple, with it's 'first to market' advantage?
Most importantly, I think, will Samsung waste money creating and markering TOO MANY products! Too many product launches! Too much confusion! This was/is Samsung's problem.
Can Samsung realize that with all of the "Note" phones (still available), along with the S 4 and 5, they cover the market and price points with superior phones.
Note 4 competes as Flagship
Note 3 as Second level competition
Note 2 is superior to any tierary level phone, etc.
Similarly the S 4 and 5 respectively (for those for whom the Note is too large a slice of "toast" to hold against their face!
Samsung should reduce the number of offerings, thereby reducing their costs; and, by streamlining their lineup of product they maximize their marketing dollars.
Samsung should focus on the "Note". The S line s/b morphed and redesigned into the Note "mini" (or some such denotation). They should also drop the linear model notation, until such time a competitor devises an equal or superior product (feature set).
They should also (for no other reason than all the pundits think negatively) streamline Touchwiz (give the customer no reason not to buy Samsung). Doing so provides the slower Note versions a speed/function bump.
Lastly, Samsung needs to decide which is the enemy, Apple or Google?
As it is, they are directly competing versus Apple and indirectly (possibly clandestinely?) against Google.
Simply put, Samsung suffers from a lack of focus, and it is costing them!
P.S., I'd also work to align the Korean and American markets to further increase focus and reduce costs.
[Competing vs the Chinese is inevitable.]