Pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 Ultra are higher in India; this is why ?
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Samsung on Monday said demand for its flagship Galaxy S23 Ultra in India was higher than expected as people pre-ordered the device, showing how the ultra-luxury smartphone segment is thriving in India, the second largest in the world. Strong pre-order numbers for the more expensive "Ultra" models bode well for Samsung's ambitions to capture the ever-growing premium smartphone market amid growing competition from Apple and OnePlus.
In an interview with indianexpress.com, Aditya Babar, Senior Director of Samsung Mobile Business in India, said: “Pre-orders for the Galaxy S23 series on the first day totaled 140,000 with an average retail price of 100,000 rupees. "The increase in pre-orders is focused on the Ultra."
Babar said the expansion of Samsung Finance Plus' digital lending platform and more touchpoints for the smartphone experience in small towns have helped the company double the deployment of luxury smartphones in the country. "It's a combination of technology stack and availability for the right upgrader," he said, adding that the company's focus is on expanding its premium phone offering by creating a broader range of devices and experiences. his advantage
He added: 80% of Samsung's financial customers are third-party customers and below, and 50% of those new customers are borrowers who have never borrowed or may not be able to borrow. Babar cited affordability and ease of financing as reasons behind the Galaxy S23's strong pre-order numbers. This is mainly due to consumers in small towns in India.
The South Korean tech giant last week unveiled its new flagship smartphones for 2023, the Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. It is available for pre-order now and will be officially available worldwide, including India, on February 17th. The most expensive of the three models, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, has a 200-megapixel camera, an internal stylus accessible from the bottom edge of the device, and a 5,000mAh battery. The base model starts at Rs 124,999 and the top model goes up to Rs 154,999.
Last year Samsung made it a flagship strategy to create a new class by combining the high-end cameras and performance of the S series with the performance of the popular Note phablets and the integrated S Pen. Ultra." has made changes.' line. The move was made with the aim of differentiating our flagship product to better compete with our biggest competitor in the high-end smartphone segment, Apple. We are offering a different product line .
In markets like the US and Europe, where smartphone penetration is nearing saturation and many customers are long-time smartphone users, brands like Samsung are eyeing India as the next wave of growth. With cheaper financing options and cashback programs, Samsung wants to use customer loyalty to pay higher prices for premium smartphones. The company has been successful in the past with its Galaxy Note series, which is aimed at loyal and affluent customers.
But the latest Galaxy S23 Ultra comes at a time when Samsung is aiming to lock customers into the Galaxy ecosystem, rather than just targeting a segment of its premium customers.
"The definition of the S Pen has changed," explains Baber. Since the S Pen's lengthening has happened, it fits the Ultra, but it's also available in a folded form.” Babar said the change is a step toward creating an ecosystem of devices and explained why. That's why the S Pen is now available in more Samsung products, including laptops.