Galaxy S9 pricing now that Apple is releasing a $1000 iPhone X

[omelet1978]

So this thread is not intended to be an argument over iphones vs galaxies but more of a business related question.

Do you think Samsung will release a Galaxy S9 at a $999 price point next year as a result of the iPhone X?

The S8 currently retails for about $750-$800 from cell carriers (aside from the fact you can get it tax free on Amazon for around $650). The iPhone X is $999 and has a 5.8 screen as well and is a direct competitor to the S8. People are complaining about the $999 price tag, the notch, Face ID, Steve Jobs rolling in it's grave, and how kids keep playing on their lawns...but I think it's going to sell and this will be the pricing model going forward for them.

Oh and I currently have a S8 and prefer it over the iPhone 7 Plus I switched from.

 

[Visc]

to be fair, the iPhone 8 plus is about $800? would have to be pretty amazing to go up as high as a note

 

[Aquila]

No, it'll be pretty close to the price of the S8.

 

[anon(1733)]

I think the others a correct. I think it will stay between 8-9 and the Note will stay above 9.

 

[dov1978]

I don't think the iPhone X is a direct competitor for the s8. I'd say it sits somewhere between the s8 and the Note 8. It's got dual cameras front and back compared to the s8 single camera front and back. The Note 8 has dual cameras on the back plus the S-Pen and related software so I think it sits above the S8/S8 Plus and just below the Note 8. The s9 will almost certainly bring the dual cameras on the rear so maybe a little more expensive than the s8 but significantly cheaper than the iPhone X (which isn't hard tbh)

 

[Matty]

Do you think Samsung will release a Galaxy S9 at a $999 price point next year as a result of the iPhone X?

Im going to say no, for the reasons below in the following quote.

No, it'll be pretty close to the price of the S8.

I was thinking the same thing. This is how i see the pricing structure going.

Galaxy S8 -> iPhone 8
Galaxy S8+ -> iPhone 8 Plus
Galaxy Note 8 -> iPhone X

So for the Galaxy S9 i would presume it would still be around the normal $750 maybe pushing $799 for inflation next year but hopefully the price will remain the same. Unless Samsung starts offering storage size options on their devices like Apple does, i just cant see the Galaxy S9 going anywhere near that $1,000 mark. That mark should only be allowed with the Galaxy Note 9 and even then, its a little pricy. Just my 2c

 

[Morty2264]

I personally think it will start a pricing war between the two smartphone giants. Maybe it'll be a "bidding war" as far as who can price their phones higher and get away with it. But, maybe Samsung will price their phones lower in comparison to Apple; hoping to snag more customers.

The iPhone X... When you add taxes, etc on that purchase, that's like two months' rent for me. Or a year and a half of groceries. I could go on... Lool.

 

[Matty]

I personally think it will start a pricing war between the two smartphone giants. Maybe it'll be a "bidding war" as far as who can price their phones higher and get away with it. But, maybe Samsung will price their phones lower in comparison to Apple; hoping to snag more customers.

The iPhone X... When you add taxes, etc on that purchase, that's like two months' rent for me. Or a year and a half of groceries. I could go on... Lool.

PlayStation 4 ($299) +
Xbox One S ($299) +
Nintendo Switch ($349) +
Starbucks Anniversary Blend Coffee ($14.95)

And it would still be cheaper than 1 iPhone X makes you wonder. I definitely love the look of it and I would love to have it but that kind of money could be better spent somewhere else.

 

[Morty2264]

PlayStation 4 ($299) +
Xbox One S ($299) +
Nintendo Switch ($349) +
Starbucks Anniversary Blend Coffee ($14.95)

And it would still be cheaper than 1 iPhone X makes you wonder. I definitely love the look of it and I would love to have it but that kind of money could be better spent somewhere else.

I love your analogy! Haha. I agree, it does look kinda cool and all, but I'd never shell out that kind of cash for a phone... I feel like that money could be put to a way more practical use!

 

[illdini]

Monthly payment plan/lease + free upgrade plan = I'll only pay about $45/month (after taxes) for a $999 phone, plus I'll get a new one yearly with no financial hit.

Other than credit issues, why would anyone pay full price?

 

[anon(10181084)]

Hehehe... Samsung devices have crossed $1000 in my country (Tab S3 and Note 8). Online sellers (not reliable in my country) have it cheaper.

 

[chanchan05]

It's getting insane. I'm considering hopping off the Galaxy S line and just going for the Galaxy A. That A8 (2018) actually looks great.

 

[anon(10181084)]

Back when I got my Tab S3 (early July) the exchange rate was actually better... But a few weeks ago I converted the retail price into dollars and almost ejected myself out of my skin when I saw that it was $1052. The Note 8 is significantly more expensive. I do not have a clue whether this has something to do with my country's insane import taxes or Samsung trying to be more expensive than Huawei in order to be inaccessible to the vast majority of my country's population (price of Note 8 is more than 3 monthly teacher salaries) and thus feel more luxurious. If you count in the fact that Samsung devices are really easy to break due to glass construction, Samsung may soon stop being the primary choice of high-end consumers. Competitors from China, such as Coolpad, will start gaining popularity on a massive scale. Early this year, for example, Coolpad released the Snapdragon 821 based Cool S1 with 6GB RAM that costs only 389 euros (less than half of what I gave for my Tab S3). The only reason I dared to shell out so much money on a Samsung tablet in the first place was the AMOLED screen, good battery life, AKG speakers and the fact that other tablets have incomparably weaker performance when compared to the Tab S3.

Samsung's high pricing is uncompetitive. Let's say the production price for the S8 (materials and labor) is $350. Add on top of that $100-150 for paying the engineers and stuffing company accounts. That is still only around $500. If they priced things more rationally, they would have the edge over Apple and thus more customers and significantly more profit.

The real cause behind the high pricing may lay in the possibility that they are stashing up cash to help develop a revolutionary device for 2019 (Galaxy S10 ?).

 

[Morty2264]

Back when I got my Tab S3 (early July) the exchange rate was actually better... But a few weeks ago I converted the retail price into dollars and almost ejected myself out of my skin when I saw that it was $1052. The Note 8 is significantly more expensive. I do not have a clue whether this has something to do with my country's insane import taxes or Samsung trying to be more expensive than Huawei in order to be inaccessible to the vast majority of my country's population (price of Note 8 is more than 3 monthly teacher salaries) and thus feel more luxurious. If you count in the fact that Samsung devices are really easy to break due to glass construction, Samsung may soon stop being the primary choice of high-end consumers. Competitors from China, such as Coolpad, will start gaining popularity on a massive scale. Early this year, for example, Coolpad released the Snapdragon 821 based Cool S1 with 6GB RAM that costs only 389 euros (less than half of what I gave for my Tab S3). The only reason I dared to shell out so much money on a Samsung tablet in the first place was the AMOLED screen, good battery life, AKG speakers and the fact that other tablets have incomparably weaker performance when compared to the Tab S3.

Samsung's high pricing is uncompetitive. Let's say the production price for the S8 (materials and labor) is $350. Add on top of that $100-150 for paying the engineers and stuffing company accounts. That is still only around $500. If they priced things more rationally, they would have the edge over Apple and thus more customers and significantly more profit.

The real cause behind the high pricing may lay in the possibility that they are stashing up cash to help develop a revolutionary device for 2019 (Galaxy S10 ?).

I can certainly see what you're saying. Samsung has really hiked up their prices when they could have the edge over Apple. Plus, their construction does make owning them a little "riskier." Many devices are going to glass route, however; so it makes me happy when I see phones coming out that are not glass. (I like both types - just that you gotta be a little more cautious with glass.)

Who knows - maybe Samsung will come up with a revolutionary device in 2019, like you're saying. Merry Christmas!