Samsung Electronics will make an attempt to change the mood for the premium smartphone market with the launch of the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, starting in the U.S. With Samsung planning a winning move in Apple's home ground, the Android phone vendor will wage an all-out war with its rival to take the initiative in the global smartphone market in the latter half of this year.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus at Lincoln Center in New York on Aug. 13 (local time), announcing its plan to roll out the two models on Aug. 20.
The Korean tech giant has started its move to solidify its grip on the phablet market through two new 5.7" models. Amid intense competition in the phablet market, Samsung showed its willingness to increase its market share with differentiated designs and functions. Samsung Mobile Business Chief Shin Jong-kyun noted, "The strong point of the Galaxy Note 5 is its practicality, and that of the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is its design."
In addition to differentiated designs using large screens and curved glass, the two models feature new services, including Live Broadcasting. The service enables users to share videos on the smartphone in real-time via YouTube.
A reduction in the size of the bezel and the width of the devices in an effort to give users a better grip was favorably reviewed. Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 5 is 0.9 mm slimmer. The Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is 0.1 mm slimmer than the Galaxy S6 Edge, and its bezel size is 0.9 mm smaller. However, the downside is that the two models come with a non-removable battery. On top of that, it is impossible to utilize memory cards.
Samsung has selected the U.S. as the market in which to introduce the two devices for the first time. The move can be interpreted as willingness to recover its share of the global smartphone market by increasing its market share in the U.S. by a great deal. The Korean tech giant was the largest smartphone vendor in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific in the second quarter of this year, but not in North America, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics. Furthermore, Apple mounted a serious challenge to Samsung in the phablet market last year, which was dominated by the Korean company, by releasing the iPhone 6+.