It’s safe to say that everyone has high expectations for the Samsung Galaxy S4. Sure, each and every one of us may be expecting something different for the upcoming flagship, but I guarantee we all have the same questions. Will it be just as good as its predecessor the Galaxy S3? What new features and improvements will Samsung bring to the table this time around? Will Samsung actually be able to compete with some of these other manufacturers who are seriously starting to up their game?
As is customary in the mobile news world, we use the predictions of market analysts to figure out what’s going to happen. Analysts are not always right, that much is true, but one could argue that no one knows market trends better than they do.
Many analysts are expecting Galaxy S4 sales to be through the roof, in excess of 10 million units to be more precise. While this projected figure is certainly impressive for the company, it could also mean there will be some problems when it comes to product supply.
For example, a design issue in May of last year cost Samsung nearly 2 million units in lost sales when the S3 launched. Quite simply, demand was too high and Samsung hit a snag in the product supply chain.
Greg Noh, an analyst at HMC Investment and Securities seems to think that any potential issues this time around will be minimal at worst.
“There could be, again, a supply bottleneck due to tight supply of components… but I think any such disruption will be very brief as Samsung is making a bigger bet on the S IV than on its predecessor with a backup plan to avoid such disruption.”
Another analyst at IBK Securities, Lee Seung-woo believes that Samsung is prepared for what’s coming.
“Based on checks we had with suppliers, Samsung has already done significant work to ensure smooth supply and not to repeat what they had to deal with last time.”
Noh also weighed in on the rumor that Samsung might have supply issues with the new processors in the unit, he seems to think Samsung has made a good choice when it comes to the individual chipsets used in the S4, but he does believe handset cases will be hard to come by.
“Handset cases again appear to be in tight supply, and Samsung may use two different processors to maximise battery efficiency through the right combination of chips for different network conditions to yield the best performance.”
Several analysts even believe that Samsung will be harmed by customer expectations. It seems like a silly thing to even talk about, but it is possible that many consumers will be let down when the commercial S4 model is launched. There have been so many rumors regarding the features, hardware and improvements the S4 will be packing. Choi at SK Securities is one such believer.
“With so many great things speculated about the S IV, it could actually disappoint in terms of wow factors. If you see Samsung’s share price, which hasn’t moved much of late, I think you can get a more cool-headed assessment of what’s coming.”
I find it hard to believe that S-Sheep will turn away from the S4 at launch just because it didn’t meet their expectations. Realistically, if you keep up with all the latest rumors then it’s quite difficult to not feel let down somehow.
Keep in mind, I use the term “S-Sheep” loosely, in more of a lighthearted manner. After all, we’re still part of the same family, and we all love Android.
Via: Reuters