The Samsung Galaxy Note has always had its fans. When the original phone was launched in 2011, it was marketed in the market segment and effectively invented the phablet segment.
Since then, the range has not changed in the past, but it has not been rated high in the last decade. There is no good substitute.
Samsung does not take this loyalty for granted and has yet to see the price of mobile phones in the UK market for 5G smartphones.
How to get there first
Like many other vendors suffering from the growth slowdown, Samsung sees 5G as a remedy for market saturation. The 5G edition of the Galaxy Note 10 follows the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G earlier this year.
By launching the Samsung Galaxy S10 as soon as possible, the company was hoping for the effective flagship for early adopters. This ambition was given a major boost by the fact, just days before the first 5G network went live in the UK, a ban on US companies doing business with Huawei went into effect.
Although the impact of this decision has yet to be resolved, suggestions that future Huawei devices will likely exit the market.
This stroke of fortune, combined with the fact that a 5G iPhone isn't expected until at least 2020, means that Samsung wants to do everything it can to take advantage of its advantages.
(Image credit: future)
'Golden opportunity'
"Obviously," CVP's Conor Pierce, Samsung UK and Ireland tells LaComparacion Pro. "The Samsung S10 5G (has been) leading the charge and occupying a significant proportion of the market: it is a very successful device.
"I think (the market) will grow." That gives us the first player advantage.
"But it's not just about selling more phones, it's about making sure Samsung is synonymous with 5G and synonymous with trust and security." That will be even more important with 5G. "
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Extension of the appeal
5G is integral to broadening the appeal of the range, as is the launch of a smaller 6.3-inch version of the device.
When the first note was released in 2011, the inclusion of a large screen and a stylus meant it was a problem. But Samsung believes that many people want the technology in the world without the largest form factor.
"Why did we (create a smaller version)?" Asks Pierce. "We know that 80 percent of the people who switch to the Galaxy Note do so because of the size of the screen." But we also know that 70 percent of those who consider buying a device is too big.
"What we are trying to do now is broaden the appeal.
"The market is more competitive than ever before. Originally, there are other options available. It goes back to the performance and uniqueness of the device."
(Image credit: Future / Mobile Industry Awards)
Productivity strengths
It's also been a conscious effort to position the Note as a media device, and 5G plays a big role in that.
"If you look at the markets where 5G is more advanced, for example, South Korea, operators are pushing a very strong 5G content and media proposition," Pierce explains.
Goal 10. Samsung has expanded its partnership with Microsoft, while Pierce says he knows SMB users who are going to do business. laptop. For them, the Note is an essential device.
"We didn't launch the Note 5 in the UK and the hype (was significant)," says Pierce. "The Note 7 was an unfortunate event and Samsung can be proud of it. That being said, the fact that the Note continues to grow... shows the strength of the user base."
Hedging bets
But since Samsung has two flagship ranges in the form of the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note, and a third in the near future with the Galaxy Fold, aren't you worried about consumers getting confused offs between devices?
"It's an opportunity, but it's a lot of hard work," he says. "We like to offer options: it's the A-series (mid-range) or the S-series (high-end).
"The UK is a single market (over € 600) and that poses its own challenges as we face macroeconomic uncertainties, like (Brexit). I think giving options and a consistent message on 5G, but the S series has a place. in the portfolio, so does the Galaxy Note, and so does the Galaxy Fold. "
"They all complement each other."