Galaxy S5 will still sell like gangbusters

[Adranalyne]

I agree. Samsung is like the new apple. They can make a phone that the tech geeks say "oh this sucks it is awful" but the majority of consumers will see it and recognize it as "being android" and go for that over the g2 or htc one which tech sites claimed to be better. It is hard being the little guy, but i guess samsung can get a pass because they are so big and even with some claiming the s5 a "disappointment" it will still be the best selling android of all time, just like the s4 was last year and the s3 was before that. Not to mention samsung is doing what others refuse to do, offer removable battery and sd card slot. And although to many that is not a big deal, to a lot of the older and less cloud based users, they see this as a great thing and just one more reason samsung sells devices like crazy.

On screen buttons, metal design, 3GB of RAM, OIS, a 3500 mah battery, 32GB of storage, and vanilla Android. If I released a phone like that, without people even looking at it, the tech world would be all ears. Except phones like that don't sell even close to as well as what Samsung has been doing. So they refined a lot of their strengths, eliminated most of their weaknesses, and added some useful features. They'll sell a ton regardless of whether people here want one or not.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Premium1]

On screen buttons, metal design, 3GB of RAM, OIS, a 3500 mah battery, 32GB of storage, and vanilla Android. If I released a phone like that, without people even looking at it, the tech world would be all ears. Except phones like that don't sell even close to as well as what Samsung has been doing. So they refined a lot of their strengths, eliminated most of their weaknesses, and added some useful features. They'll sell a ton regardless of whether people here want one or not.

Posted via Android Central App

Sad thing is even with that device people would complain and be disappointed. 3gb of ram? why not 4? 3500mah battery? should have been bigger. People set unrealistic expectations and only have themselves to be upset with when the phone released is a "disappointment"

 

[UJ95x]

On screen buttons, metal design, 3GB of RAM, OIS, a 3500 mah battery, 32GB of storage, and vanilla Android. If I released a phone like that, without people even looking at it, the tech world would be all ears. Except phones like that don't sell even close to as well as what Samsung has been doing. So they refined a lot of their strengths, eliminated most of their weaknesses, and added some useful features. They'll sell a ton regardless of whether people here want one or not.

Posted via Android Central App

If there's a GPE the next One should be pretty close to that. Minus the battery of course

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[HOLLYWOODANT215]

This doesn't prove it's a stock battery, but you'll have to take my word for it. I have no reason to lie...

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

Kilt him with proof

Posted via Android Central App

 

[xchange]

Whether or not Samsung will continue to thrive is irrelevant, the point remains that all of the other main oems have made nicer phones than the s5

 

[shanghaichica]

I went to a Verizon store to get my mom a case for the droid mini she bought, and the clerk handed me a case for galaxy mini. I told her "Samsung doesn't make the droid" and she said "yes, they have a mini now".

The point... Samsung is android in the market's mind.

In spite of all of the different manufacturers and phones I see on Android central, in the real world, I see two different types of phones... IPhone, and Galaxy.

I work with many people, I see many new people every day, and I've never seen an HTC one in the wild. I've never seen an LG g2. Now that I think about it, I see more flip phones or feature phones than non-galaxy androids.

The key is, that this will sell because it's the "new galaxy". People say either "is that the new galaxy?" or "what kind of phone is that?" And when someone answers the name of some android device, the next question is "is it an android phone?"

The truth is that for 99% of the population in the US, Samsung doesn't have to really improve anything. They just have to keep making an awesome camera, and not screw anything up too bad.

So, to all of the negative commenters about this uninspired device... even if people hated the phone, their answer won't be that they should have gotten a different android phone...They will think "I should have just gotten an iPhone". Because that's all there is in the mind of most consumers... galaxy, and iPhone.

End of speech.

This is very true. Although I do see a couple of HTCs or Nokias out there the vast majority are Android or iPhone. I went out to dinner last night. An 8 person table and everyone had either a galaxy or an iPhone.

Posted from my galaxy note 3

 

[codycook11]

I agree. I still have an S3 and I haven't had one complaint. Still looks and runs like new. BUT I will be using my upgrade to get something else. Most likely the S5 but I'd for sure like to mess around with it first before I go throw down the cash for it. I do like the S series tho. Never had any major problems at all

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[dsignori]

Whether or not Samsung will continue to thrive is irrelevant, the point remains that all of the other main oems have made nicer phones than the s5

Well, I would say it is not irrelevant whether or not Samsung thrives. And your "point" that the other OEMs make nicer phones is your opinion. 50-70 million users who will probably buy the GS5 will differ in their opinion.

 

[xchange]

Well, I would say it is not irrelevant whether or not Samsung thrives. And your "point" that the other OEMs make nicer phones is your opinion. 50-70 million users who will probably buy the GS5 will differ in their opinion.

The "number of sales" argument is a wash. All sales totals tell us is that the product is 'good enough' combined with highly effective marketing. Nobody ever accused McDonald's of being the best food but yet...

Samsung built up their reputation a long while back for making excellent electronics, and was able to successfully translate that trusted name into the mobile phone industry, backed by really strong operating and marketing budget muscle. In other words, they had mindshare from the outset already back in the early stages. The argument here is that the S5 will sell an obscenely higher amount of phones than any other OEM. And it will. My point still stands: At least one of the OEM's every year launches a phone that's nicer than a Galaxy. Opinion? Sure you could call it that. But to counter that you would have to claim that every year the Galaxy S is the best android phone of them all. I would suggest that's a ridiculous claim to make, but one could also claim that's their opinion. Hence my sig.

 

[dsignori]

..At least one of the OEM's every year launches a phone that's nicer than a Galaxy. Opinion? Sure you could call it that. ..

What else would you call it? It's your opinion. You like other phones better than the Samsung phones. I am saying millions and millions do like Samsung better. That is their opinion. Oy ..

 

[Ry]

The "number of sales" argument is a wash. All sales totals tell us is that the product is 'good enough' combined with highly effective marketing. Nobody ever accused McDonald's of being the best food but yet...

http://blog.trophico.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2319618505_466abca992.jpg

Samsung built up their reputation a long while back for making excellent electronics, and was able to successfully translate that trusted name into the mobile phone industry, backed by really strong operating and marketing budget muscle. In other words, they had mindshare from the outset already back in the early stages. The argument here is that the S5 will sell an obscenely higher amount of phones than any other OEM. And it will. My point still stands: At least one of the OEM's every year launches a phone that's nicer than a Galaxy. Opinion? Sure you could call it that. But to counter that you would have to claim that every year the Galaxy S is the best android phone of them all. I would suggest that's a ridiculous claim to make, but one could also claim that's their opinion. Hence my sig.

We can call it that because yes, it's only an opinion.

 

[xchange]

So if I'm wrong, you'd both therefore be saying that due to sales the Galaxy has been better than every other Android phone every year?

I don't mean "better for those people" either, I mean better. Personal preference only takes you so far. A Chevy isn't better than a Ferrari no matter which you prefer.

 

[UJ95x]

So if I'm wrong, you'd both therefore be saying that due to sales the Galaxy has been better than every other Android phone every year?

I don't mean "better for those people" either, I mean better. Personal preference only takes you so far. A Chevy isn't better than a Ferrari no matter which you prefer.

They're each better at certain things. I wouldn't use a Ferrari if I was hauling equipment for construction sites.
The Galaxy line does things better than others, and vice versa.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[Ry]

So if I'm wrong, you'd both therefore be saying that due to sales the Galaxy has been better than every other Android phone every year?

I don't mean "better for those people" either, I mean better. Personal preference only takes you so far. A Chevy isn't better than a Ferrari no matter which you prefer.

Better at what?

A Chevy Spark will get better fuel economy than a Ferrari. It'll cost less to maintain as well. I think that's "better".

"Better"

"Nicer"

It's all relative.

And as I've learned with the Moto X, specs alone won't automatically make one thing better or nicer than another. It's an opinion.

 

[xchange]

I suppose we could go the route of technicalities all week but at some point you have to take a stance. If you're holding 2 phones side by side and one stands out as having a better display, UI, UX, features, camera, hardware, look and feel, speakers, performance, and so on and so on, then no amount of opinion or personal preference changes that.

But to choose sales as a yardstick with which to measure which device is 'better' ignores all the other variables. Saying the Galaxy phones are a better product than every other Android phone every year simply because they sell more is unreasonable to put it politely.

 

[UJ95x]

I suppose we could go the route of technicalities all week but at some point you have to take a stance. If you're holding 2 phones side by side and one stands out as having a better display, UI, UX, features, camera, hardware, look and feel, speakers, performance, and so on and so on, then no amount of opinion or personal preference changes that.

But to choose sales as a yardstick with which to measure which device is 'better' ignores all the other variables. Saying the Galaxy phones are a better product than every other Android phone every year simply because they sell more is unreasonable to put it politely.

Look and feel is subjective.
The display is also arguable. The S5 has better hardware and what looks like could be a better camera than most if not all phones that are currently available. So you can see why we disagree when you say that the Galaxy line sucks in comparison to other flagships

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[xchange]

Look and feel is subjective.
The display is also arguable. The S5 has better hardware and what looks like could be a better camera than most if not all phones that are currently available. So you can see why we disagree when you say that the Galaxy line sucks in comparison to other flagships

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

Ah ok, maybe there's been a misunderstanding here. I didn't mean that it sucks compared to other flagships, I meant that each year there is usually one OEM that offers a better phone - albeit not nearly as well marketed - than that year's Galaxy. I'm not saying that each year ALL other OEM's are better than that year's Galaxy. That would be just as absurd as claiming that every year the Galaxy is the best phone offered above all others. Some years yes, the galaxy may very well be the better device of all its competitors, while other years the Galaxy could end up being the least well made. This is reasonable enough, no?

My point of debate is that if this is not the case, than the opposing argument would be that the Galaxy is the best phone available every year, with those arguing this point using sales figures as their reference.

 

[UJ95x]

Ah ok, maybe there's been a misunderstanding here. I didn't mean that it sucks compared to other flagships, I meant that each year there is usually one OEM that offers a better phone - albeit not nearly as well marketed - than that year's Galaxy. I'm not saying that each year ALL other OEM's are better than that year's Galaxy. That would be just as absurd as claiming that every year the Galaxy is the best phone offered above all others. Some years yes, the galaxy may very well be the better device of all its competitors, while other years the Galaxy could end up being the least well made. This is reasonable enough, no?

My point of debate is that if this is not the case, than the opposing argument would be that the Galaxy is the best phone available every year, with those arguing this point using sales figures as their reference.

I know that the Galaxy S# isn't the absolute best phone every year, but claiming that there is always a better phone from a competing OEM isn't right either. Like I said, the S line does certain things better than others and vice versa. Depending on the user's needs, that could make it "better" or "worse" than others.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[Jdroids]

It seems to me good enough upgrade for any phone more than year old. So it should be big jump for me.
But if you carry last year's flagship phone (especially later half), it's probably not worth upgrading. I think days of new flagship completely blowing away last year's best is behind us.

 

[xchange]

I know that the Galaxy S# isn't the absolute best phone every year, but claiming that there is always a better phone from a competing OEM isn't right either. Like I said, the S line does certain things better than others and vice versa.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

If there is not at least one better phone from a competitor, then by default that means the Galaxy is the best phone. How can you acknowledge that it's not the best every year and then proceed to contradict that in the very next sentence?

Depending on the user's needs, that could make it "better" or "worse" than others.

And I will repeat my earlier statement. At some point, better no longer becomes subjective. Otherwise every product would always be equal, and not all products are, user preference notwithstanding.