The Galaxy Note 8 is getting negative mass media coverage in China on a daily basis, recent reports indicate, speculating that the state-sponsored media’s motive for criticizing Samsung’s latest phablet is related to the tensions between Beijing and South Korea over the latter’s decision to approve the deployment of the United States Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system on the Korean peninsula. Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 8 opened in China around the same time those for the iPhone 8 series did, with the local media reportedly using that opportunity to compare the two and mock Samsung’s poor performance in the country. Advanced orders on the company’s new Android flagship are said to be counted in the thousands, whereas the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus supposedly already surpassed four million pre-orders in China in total.
The local branch of the South Korean original equipment manufacturer still insists that the Galaxy Note 8 is performing better than its predecessors did, noting how the company recently opted for a deposit-based pre-order system in order to increase the chances of an advanced order leading to a purchase. While Apple has no such system in place, Samsung is asking for an equivalent of $15.21 (100 Yuan) from everyone who wants to register their intent to purchase the Galaxy Note 8, indicating that the smartphone’s pre-order numbers more accurately reflect its initial commercial performance than those of Apple’s iPhone 8 lineup do, though the difference between the two is still massive. Samsung’s new offering is also one of the most expensive smartphones in the Far Eastern country which likely won’t help its sales in a highly competitive and value-oriented market like China, some industry watchers claim, noting how the most affordable Galaxy Note 8 model is priced at 6,988 Yuan, which translates to approximately $1,063. In a country whose GPD per capita is well below the world’s average, the Galaxy Note 8’s premium price tag is expected to negatively affect its commercial performance.
The Galaxy Note 8 was officially released on Friday, September 15, though a number of markets are yet to receive the Android phablet, China included. The smartphone is expected to become commercially available in the country by late September, with Samsung hoping that its new device will help it recoup some Chinese customers it’s been losing over the years. The tech giant‘s performance in the country has been on a decline for several years now and has even led Samsung to introduce some major organizational changes in a bid to revive its China business.