Global sales of the Galaxy S8 series are weaker to those of the Galaxy S7 lineup, South Korean media reported on Tuesday, citing local analysts who expressed skepticism regarding the fact that Samsung isn’t publicizing the sales figures of its latest Android flagship pair any longer. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus sold approximately 9.8 million units in their first two months on the market, already being behind their predecessors who performed around 20-percent better during the same period. Given how the Seoul-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) now stopped publicly detailing the commercial performance of the Galaxy S8 series entirely, analysts are speculating that its devices are currently doing worse than they were a month ago.
An unnamed Samsung official cited by The Investor claimed that the sales of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge cannot be directly compared to those of their successors due to the fact that the 2017 flagship duo didn’t have a global release and initially debuted in three markets before its availability was expanded to more territories. The Galaxy S7 lineup had a significantly different launch, having been released in most markets simultaneously, though its sales figures in the first two months of the market are still comparable to those that Samsung is now recording with the Galaxy S8 series, the official said, without further clarifying on the matter.
Regardless of the reasoning behind the discrepancy in sales of the two product lines, the South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer is now reportedly contacting its supply chains and reducing some order volumes, industry sources with knowledge of the decision said. The Galaxy S8 series officially sold ten million units by May 16, though Samsung has yet to provide an update on its performance in its second two months on the market. The two high-end handsets were met with almost universal praise from critics and consumers alike this spring, having previously broken a number of pre-order records, including that in its home country held by the Galaxy S7 series. It’s currently unclear whether Samsung is planning to cut the prices of its device in an effort to respond to recent market trends, though the company will likely do so by fall following the launch of the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 8.