Galaxy S5: 699/799? Forget it

[shanghaichica]

Depends, Motorola's flagship was only like 400, but the problem is the huge price discrpency between the carriers. for instance, a LG G2 was 600 with tmobile and 484 with ATT.

I do like how super budget phones are becoming more and more common. With the relatively nominal spec increases in the GS5, yet the same price?

Although the N5 isn't the best phone with the best specs, it is the best phone for a broke college student like me and I wish the samsung galaxy series followed a similar notion of cheap budget minded phones, that have the specs where it counts. THe only other 400 dollar phones you can buy are either used or some cheap chinese trash.

Google, LG, HTC et al are not selling tons as you put it. Samsung outsells all of them combined so I doubt they care too much about how much the nexus 5 or Moto G costs.

 

[Aquila]

Instead of working on making phones more futuristic by incorporating X megapixel camera or Y resolution screen,

How come these companies aren't working on creating a budget super phone that would instead be $350? The only reason why the Nexus 5 sells great is because it's a cheap superphone. It doesn't have the best specs, but show me another phone that has those specs for 350?

699.... I can buy two Nexus 5's for that price.

Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola, they should all be working to lower their costs and create a budget superphone, but a phone that still costs 699 in 2014.

I would only classify the GS5 as a bit superior than the N5

I can't find any "specs" on the S5 that are better than the Nexus 5 except possibly the processor (801 vs 800) and that's not a very big difference. I definitely do not see anything from a BOM standpoint that would justify any distinction in price, so we're talking 100% market variables, not anything relative to quality or price to make.

 

[Farish]

I can't find any "specs" on the S5 that are better than the Nexus 5 except possibly the processor (801 vs 800) and that's not a very big difference. .

Textured back.

 

[UJ95x]

Textured back.

That has nothing to do with specs...either way, the S5 is supposed to have a similar textured back as the Nexus.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[UJ95x]

I can't find any "specs" on the S5 that are better than the Nexus 5 except possibly the processor (801 vs 800) and that's not a very big difference. I definitely do not see anything from a BOM standpoint that would justify any distinction in price, so we're talking 100% market variables, not anything relative to quality or price to make.

The S5 is equal or better than the Nexus 5 across the board, at least in terms of specs.
Camera has twice as many megapixels, battery is 500mAh larger, and a better processor (already mentioned)

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

 

[Farish]

That has nothing to do with specs...either way, the S5 is supposed to have a similar textured back as the Nexus.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

Do I really have to use /sarcasm on that one....

 

[Aquila]

The S5 is equal or better than the Nexus 5 across the board, at least in terms of specs.
Camera has twice as many megapixels, battery is 500mAh larger, and a better processor (already mentioned)

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimKat 4.4.2

I guess what I'm looking at is a bigger, heavier phone with a lesser screen (unless you prefer SAMOLED), same storage (before SD) options, roughly equivalent processors, more or less the same on every other spec except for the battery and camera. Camera I'm willing to assume is much better than the Nexus, even though the Nexus got much better in 2013 than the Nexus 4 and it has OIS, and on the battery, I don't care much about the number in the battery size, so much as how long it actually lasts real world. For example, the battery in the Nexus 5 is bigger than the Moto X, but the X will outlast it every day of the week. On theoretical processing power the 801 is better, but which one is actually faster when the two devices are next to each other? We don't know yet, but if history is a clue, the TouchWiz will lose that race. For me, the few things it's better at are not worth the trade-off for what you lose, but for many people those things are exactly worth it and/or they don't like some of the things that I would value.

I'm not trying to say one device is better or worse than the other, because then we have to define, "better at what", etc, but instead I'm making the argument that there are no differences that would warrant a dramatically different price point to be found in the hardware, and thus the differences must be subjective and/or market driven.

To clarify, the premise of the post I was responding to seems to be that the Nexus is garbage and it's being purchased because it's cheap. I'm pointing out that it's not cheap, it's sold with a totally different strategy/philosophy and that is, from a component standpoint and a software standpoint, at least in the same league as, if not in some cases better than the other flagships that do command the much higher price stratosphere.

 

[Farish]

The question will be how long can Google subsidize the Nexus line. Rumors keep floating that they are going to move a GPE of future phones.

Nexus 5 is only cheaper because Google is probably given LG, 100-200 dollars per device sold. Remember even the carriers and Best Buy were selling the Nexus 5 higher than the Play Store and that is most likely the true retail price that LG wants for the phone.

LG Nexus 5 4G Cell Phone Unlocked NEXUS 5 16GB BLK - Best Buy

Its not a cheap phone and I am hoping they continue with the Nexus line because as a developer, buying a non nexus phone was a mistake. N6 will be my phone most likely.

I would get a Nexus Tablet but I have too many as it is......

 

[Farish]

One more thing.

Not to get into an economics debate, but you guys see the financial trouble HTC and Moto have been in.

Just because you want flagship phones to be cheaper, that might not be a realistic idea. We need HTC and Moto to be profitable otherwise all will be left is a Samsung and Apple world and no matter how much you like their products that is not a good thing.

 

[Litlprince2]

Btw, wth is a budget super phone?

Very good question. A flagship or super phone should have the best of everything and the latest and greastest crammed inside. T

This statement does not describe the nexus devices. Even with nearly no profits being made from it there are still some noticeable cuts made in hardware selection that keep the price where it is.

So far google is the only one putting in these kinds of efforts to claim no immediate profits. Don't expect the rest of the industry to follow cause hardware sales are their only source of income.

 

[Aquila]

Very good question. A flagship or super phone should have the best of everything and the latest and greastest crammed inside. T

This statement does not describe the nexus devices. Even with nearly no profits being made from it there are still some noticeable cuts made in hardware selection that keep the price where it is.

So far google is the only one putting in these kinds of efforts to claim no immediate profits. Don't expect the rest of the industry to follow cause hardware sales are their only source of income.

Such as? What hardware (or otherwise) cuts were made to any Nexus device since say, 2011? I can think of 1: LTE in the Nexus 4, however I don't think that's a monetary thing. We know from the BOMs that they're not cheaper by much (or in some cases at all) than every other flagship and I'm not aware of any device for sale today that is better on the spec sheet than the Nexus 5 except it's sister the G2 is close. The last 6 Nexus devices were all top of the line when they were released (G Nex, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2012) Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 10) and they all also brought something to the table that didn't exist or barely existed previously in Android, setting new design bars along the way. It's very confusing to me that people think of the Nexus line as "budget" devices, when they're resoundingly and consistently on par with or better than their counterparts.

 

[UJ95x]

Such as? What hardware (or otherwise) cuts were made to any Nexus device since say, 2011? I can think of 1: LTE in the Nexus 4, however I don't think that's a monetary thing. We know from the BOMs that they're not cheaper by much (or in some cases at all) than every other flagship and I'm not aware of any device for sale today that is better on the spec sheet than the Nexus 5 except it's sister the G2 is close. The last 6 Nexus devices were all top of the line when they were released (G Nex, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2012) Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 10) and they all also brought something to the table that didn't exist or barely existed previously in Android, setting new design bars along the way. It's very confusing to me that people think of the Nexus line as "budget" devices, when they're resoundingly and consistently on par with or better than their counterparts.

I think when people call the Nexus line budget, they mean it in terms of price, but even then, I don't think the Nexus 5 is a phone for someone on a budget. People who are, usually tend to buy much cheaper phones, which is why we see so many lower end Android phones, and why there are still many, many different "cheap" phones released every year.

 

[dpham00]

I can't find any "specs" on the S5 that are better than the Nexus 5 except possibly the processor (801 vs 800) and that's not a very big difference. I definitely do not see anything from a BOM standpoint that would justify any distinction in price, so we're talking 100% market variables, not anything relative to quality or price to make.

BOM of these high end Androids are close. The Moto X which has the lowest specs is around $220.the Note 3 which has the highest specs is around $230.I don't know the nexus bom, but I would guess it to be in the same ballpark.

But again, the nexus are subsidized, which is the only way they are sold at that price. No one else can sell it at that price and make a profit. Moto X isn't a good example either as moto is 26% in the red.


Also consider Samsung's operating margin is 20%. But even this is hard to determine as Samsung sells its phones to carriers for for less, and part of the $650 cost is carrier markup.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[blitz118]

The OP is broke college student (his words) and cannot afford the phone, then he should not be looking at phones that are not in his budget. There are alot phones in his budget range to choose from. This just seems like another post to dump more hate on the Galaxy S5.

 

[Bigballer]

The OP is broke college student (his words) and cannot afford the phone, then he should not be looking at phones that are not in his budget. There are alot phones in his budget range to choose from. This just seems like another post to dump more hate on the Galaxy S5.

It's not hate.

We're moving into a world where carrier subsidies are dying. Simply, the galaxy series (and all other phones) are lacking any real innovation, and therefore the price should decrease in order to stay competitive

 

[Soundtrack to Chaos]

It's not hate.

We're moving into a world where carrier subsidies are dying. Simply, the galaxy series (and all other phones) are lacking any real innovation, and therefore the price should decrease in order to stay competitive

Wait wait wait...so companies should decrease the price of their products in order to compete with garbage manufactures who can't even move phones as much as the big time ones?

"Hey consumers, we at Samsung will decrease the price of our hottest selling phones, so we can be on the level of companies like Motorola , who is hemorrhaging money quarter by quarter ,even though our devices are selling like hot cakes. "

I just don't understand this, you really should just let this thread die.


Sent from my Apple iPad Air using Tapatalk

 

[blitz118]

Wait wait wait...so companies should decrease the price of their products in order to compete with garbage manufactures who can't even move phones as much as the big time ones?

"Hey consumers, we at Samsung will decrease the price of our hottest selling phones, so we can be on the level of companies like Motorola , who is hemorrhaging money quarter by quarter ,even though our devices are selling like hot cakes. "

I just don't understand this, you really should just let this thread die.


Sent from my Apple iPad Air using Tapatalk

I want some of what he is smoking. The phone is water proof, dust proof, new battery saving features, better camera and Samsung should lower the price because he can't afford it.

 

[Soundtrack to Chaos]

I want some of what he is smoking. The phone is water proof, dust proof, new battery saving features, better camera and Samsung should lower the price because he can't afford it.

Exactly. If he can't afford it,there are plenty of serviceable alternatives, so he should focus on that, instead of being mad at Samsung.


Sent from my Apple iPad Air using Tapatalk

 

[Bigballer]

Exactly. If he can't afford it,there are plenty of serviceable alternatives, so he should focus on that, instead of being mad at Samsung.


Sent from my Apple iPad Air using Tapatalk

I agree with one of the admins here would posted on the first page.

There really aren't any "incredible features" over a N5 to justify its kind of price. Snapdragon 801 is hardly an improvement than an 800.

 

[Bigballer]

Wait wait wait...so companies should decrease the price of their products in order to compete with garbage manufactures who can't even move phones as much as the big time ones?

"Hey consumers, we at Samsung will decrease the price of our hottest selling phones, so we can be on the level of companies like Motorola , who is hemorrhaging money quarter by quarter ,even though our devices are selling like hot cakes. "

I just don't understand this, you really should just let this thread die.


Sent from my Apple iPad Air using Tapatalk

Google was hemorrhaging money quarter by quarter with the nexus 5?

I agree with you on motorola, but motorola doesn't sell TVs and laptops or anything else like Samsung. And now Motorola's sold off.

Last I saw, the N5 was sold out after 6 hours and was backorder for 1 or 2 months.

Didn't the GS4 and 2 sell 40 mill compared to the GS3 which sold 60 mill?

I'm don't have a degree in economics, but I think there's a certain word for that.