The South Korean brand unveiled a wide selection of new products for its Galaxy and ATIV range at the much-anticipated Samsung Premiere 2013 at Earls Court in London, complete with sleek video presentations, product demonstrations, and even performances from international artists Will.I.Am and Emeli Sande.
Among the highlights was the ATIV Q, a hybrid gadget that claims to work well both as a tablet and as a notebook. It features a touch screen larger than most tablets at 13.3 inches, yet it also packs a full keyboard underneath that is easily accessible with a simple sliding motion.
ATIV Q also has a dual operating system using Windows 8 and Android, making it easier to use mobile applications and software packages on the same device.
"This is very important for the consumers because users can now integrate their files," said Art Samaniego, Tech Editor at Manila Bulletin, who was at the event with a handful of delegates from the Philippines.
"Usually, users cannot share their files from Windows to Android, or they have difficulty in doing that, but now it’s really easy because you can just copy files from this machine."
Continuing a hybrid theme, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy S4 Zoom. It features all the usual functionality of a high-end smartphone, but with the added bonus of a full zoom lens camera boasting 10x optical zoom with 16 megapixel, albeit relatively bulkier than other smartphones.
"It has a unique product proposition," said Abe Olandres, Editor of Yugatech.com, one of the most popular technology blogs in the Philippines.
"It combines the best of both worlds in terms of a point and shoot camera and a very capable smartphone powered by Android. It's one of the most powerful camera phones in the market today."
There was much excitement on a another new gadget, the Galaxy S4 Active, the toughest product on the range. Aimed at sports enthusiasts, travelers and adventurers, it boasts an intriguing water-resistant feature that allows the phone to remain functional even after being soaked in water.
The rugged Galaxy S4 Active claims to be fully functional underwater for a maximum of 30 minutes at a depth of one meter, and several guests were eager to test the feature for themselves with some samples in a tank full of water at the launch.
"It is one of the most exciting products here at the launch. It’s dust proof and water-resistant," said Samaniego, who was among the guests to try the phone underwater.
Galaxy S4 Active also has a special touch screen functionality that allows users to use the phone even with gloves on, ideal for cold countries, winter sports, and other tricky situations that require hands to be covered.
Samsung also worked on connectivity with the launch of Galaxy NX, the first interchangeable lens camera with 3G, 4G and Wifi capabilities, backed with an Android operating system.
"It comes with 4.8 inches of screen, so it gives you a better preview and perspective. And you don’t need to transfer this to a tablet or a laptop to see if the pictures that you took are actually accurate," said Olandres, who believes the camera will be popular for users of image-based social media.
"The Android operating system allows the camera to have wireless connectivity to other devices like Samsung tablets or laptop or third-party services. You can upload your images directly to YouTube, Instagram or Twitter. And can also download apps."
Galaxy S4 Mini
Other products at the launch include the recently announced Galaxy S4 Mini, a smaller version of the original Galaxy S4 but with much the same features, offering the experience from the popular smartphone to a much wider range of consumers.
There was also ATIV Tab 3 for tablet users, ATIV One 5 Style for desktop, and ATIV Book 9 for notebooks.
Amid the new products, Samsung also revealed its plans to release new colors for its Galaxy S4 model. Previously available only in white and black, consumers will soon have a choice from popular colors blue, red, purple, brown and pink.
"The launch was successful but we have already expected this, because every gadget that was launched today was already leaked so we’re not surprised,"Samaniego said.
"Firstly, all products were touch screen devices, so the future of devices is with touch. The next thing is that most gadgets today, at least the best gadgets, have dual personalities or identity crisis. An example is the Galaxy S4 Zoom - it doesn’t know if it’s a phone or a camera. Next is ATIV Q which is Windows and Android."
Consumer choice
He added: "But this is positive for consumers, because they can really choose now. They can integrate everything now with just one device. We did a study before that said every gadget will be integrated in the future, so Samsung is doing great with the direction it’s going. People will now have an easier time using the gadgets."
With a new wide selection of products targeted at an even wider range of consumers, Samsung has once again demonstrated its increasingly aggressive approach to product development in recent years, with its most successful devices boosting the brand’s sales and popularity along the way.
“Samsung is trying to bring their success in their smartphone and the tablet market and bring that same strategy into their camera. Almost half of the products they have launched here today are actually focused on the imaging product line. It’s very interesting and we’re curious to see how the market will accept this shift in the focus of Samsung," Olandres told ABS-CBN Europe.
"I’m personally very interested to see if Samsung can bring their success on the Galaxy line into the NX line. I’m hoping it will be released in the Philippines soon, and we’ll see how the market responds to them."
Industry observers will be interested to see how consumers react to the latest offerings, and if the wide range of products and target consumers will translate into further growth for Samsung, particularly in light of the company’s $6.4 billion net profit from the first quarter of 2013.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
