Posted Feb 1 2023 at 7:00 PM
No more “remote” product launches in front of empty rooms! After three years of pandemic, Samsung has released the big game for its Galaxy S23. For the first time since the Covid crisis, the global electronics giant launched in physics, Wednesday in San Francisco, its three new premium smartphones, in a major offensive movement against Apple.
The S23, S23 + and S23 Ultra take up all the fundamentals of this Galaxy range born in 2010, such as the stylus and the curved screen. But this time, Samsung says it has “passed a milestone” in photo and video, with a sensor with 200 million pixels, an algorithm that automatically improves night shots, and the “brightest and most successful screen » ever designed by the brand.
The three models, sold between 959 euros and 1,839 euros for the heaviest version, also sign the great return of Qualcomm. For the first time since 2006, the new Galaxy have the American’s latest processor. Until then, Samsung used its in-house chips in its models. Another novelty is the presence of 12 recycled components, such as the screen glass.
A shooting window of 8 months
At Samsung, the time is therefore clearly on the offensive. And for good reason: the smartphone market, already very mature before the pandemic, continues to look gray. In the fourth quarter, the number of mobiles placed on the market even fell by 17%, the worst drop in ten years, according to Canalys. Inflation, the “zero Covid” strategy in China, the economic slowdown, have come together in an explosive cocktail for all manufacturers.
In this complicated picture, Samsung has certainly managed to save the day. With 22% of the market in 2022 against 19% for Apple, Korean chaebol remains the world number one. In France, its sales have even increased, against the general trend. But with the market now moving towards increasingly premium models, Samsung finds itself in head-to-head competition with Apple more than ever, although the two rivals operate in different software ecosystems (Android and iOS).
In the fourth quarter alone, Apple even doubled Samsung in terms of market share, thanks to the success of its new iPhones 14. In this context, “Samsung has an eight-month window of opportunity to try to regain leadership,” recalls Thomas Husson, analyst at Forrester, in reference to the future iPhones 15 for the start of the school year. “The crux of the matter is customer retention. This is what guides all our actions. You have to stay humble and focused,” recognizes François Hernandez, director of the Mobility division at Samsung France.
A “premiumization” of the market
It is an understatement to say that the high-end segment (over 600 euros) has become crucial. At Samsung France, it alone represents… a good third of sales. And in fact all manufacturers are seeing a “premiumization” of the market. Clearly, consumers keep their phones longer, but opt for more expensive models when they want to change – normally after 3 years. “In France, models over 1,000 euros have recorded the strongest growth in the market,” recalls François Hernandez.
But since Huawei was sidelined by US sanctions, this segment has become even more concentrated, putting Samsung face to face with Apple. Xiaomi, the third largest player in the world, is indeed better known for its affordable models. On the fourth step, Oppo is also seeking to impose itself on the high end, with foldable models and prestigious sponsorship partnerships such as Roland-Garros. But with 9% of the market, the Chinese are still far behind their rivals. For Samsung, the countdown has started.