logo
Samsung's US mid-range product launch ‘strategy' is making my blood boil

Samsung's US mid-range product launch ‘strategy' is making my blood boil

Phone Arena7 days ago
The world's top smartphone vendor is selling a new mid-range device in one of the world's biggest smartphone markets (as well as one of the most populous nations out there) starting at the reasonable price of $499.99. That sounds like a huge story... very few of you paid much attention to late last week for a number of pretty obvious reasons. The fault lies almost entirely with Samsung, which inexplicably delayed the US release of the Galaxy A56 5G and perhaps even more curiously "forgot" to build buzz around the handset's long overdue regional commercial debut. But this is actually far from the first mid-end phone the company has bafflingly set up for failure right off the bat over the last few years, making me wonder if Samsung even wants to see the Galaxy A family succeed stateside.
Unlocked, 128GB Storage, 8GB RAM, Exynos 1580 Processor, 6.7-Inch Super AMOLED Display with 2340 x 1080 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, IP67 Water and Dust Resistance, Android 15, 50 + 12 + 5MP Triple Rear-Facing Camera System, 12MP Single Front-Facing Camera, 5,000mAh Battery, 45W Charging Capabilities, Two Color Options Buy at Samsung Unlocked, 128GB Storage, 8GB RAM, Exynos 1580 Processor, 6.7-Inch Super AMOLED Display with 2340 x 1080 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, IP67 Water and Dust Resistance, Android 15, 50 + 12 + 5MP Triple Rear-Facing Camera System, 12MP Single Front-Facing Camera, 5,000mAh Battery, 45W Charging Capabilities, Awesome Graphite Color, $50 E-Gift Card Included Buy at BestBuy Not at all. Not at its core, at least. That 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen is pretty much all you can hope for in the mid-range segment nowadays, the 45W charging speeds are somehow higher than what the high-end Galaxy S25 supports (because why not?), and the system performance is deemed as "acceptable" in our comprehensive Samsung Galaxy A56 5G review.
In short, you're looking at the kind of device no Android power user would be caught dead owning, while the vast majority of "normal", unpretentious smartphone buyers on a budget would probably get without thinking twice... at the right price. And that's where the aforementioned $499.99 tag comes in to totally ruin the A56's US value proposition.
Not bad and not great, the Galaxy A56 5G should really be cheaper by now. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena" What are some other phones you can buy at that price... or less? Well, how about the OnePlus 13R with more storage, more memory, a faster processor, better cameras, bigger battery, and faster charging? Or Google's Pixel 9a with better cameras, wireless charging, and most likely, vastly superior long-term software support? Or even the Motorola Edge (2025) with an arguably prettier and somehow more robust design, as well as better cameras, more storage space, a bigger battery, faster wired charging, and wireless charging capabilities. Now here's the thing. If Samsung had released the Galaxy A56 5G in the US back in March, the phone would have had a little time to steal some of the spotlight away from its key rivals, two of which went on sale after that date.
Perhaps more importantly, an earlier release would have probably created the opportunity (or rather multiple opportunities) for retailers like Amazon and Best Buy to lower that $499.99 price point by now. Instead, the best we're getting is a $50 gift card as a launch deal sweetener in both of those places, as well as a pitiful $150 trade-in offer on Samsung's official US website. And that, my friends, is how you make an unremarkable phone not just instantly forgettable, but outright disposable instead of exploiting its full budget-friendly potential.
The Galaxy A51 was probably the last big hit of its kind. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena In some weird way, that made me optimistic that the company would come back stronger this year with the Galaxy A56 , but evidently, that's not the case. At least not in the US. Instead, Samsung appears to have put its mid-range portfolio on autopilot stateside, setting a navigation path that can only end in total ruin.
Perhaps worse yet, the once mighty Galaxy A series doesn't seem headed for a particularly spectacular or shocking death either, but rather a slow and drawn-out demise that's likely to see many Samsung fans shrug their shoulders in indifference when it's eventually sealed and officially announced.
It's almost as if the world's top smartphone vendor is sabotaging lower-cost and lower-margin devices to favor higher-end models that generate bigger profits, which may sound like a sensible business decision, but is likely to come back to haunt Samsung in the long run in terms of its market presence.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Samsung Galaxy S26 may not launch
Samsung Galaxy S26 may not launch

GSM Arena

time33 minutes ago

  • GSM Arena

Samsung Galaxy S26 may not launch

Samsung has already been rumored to replace the Galaxy S26 Plus with the thin S26 Edge, following in the footsteps of what Apple is allegedly going to do a few months earlier when it launches the iPhone 17 family in September (there will be no iPhone 17 Plus, instead we're getting the thin iPhone 17 Air). Today a new rumor goes even further, telling us we can actually expect a complete revamp of Samsung's flagship S-series in 2026. This will then comprise the Galaxy S26 Pro, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra - no 'vanilla' model either. Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra The information is said to come from evidence found in "an internal One UI 8 build". It's anyone's guess what all of this means, but odds are that the vanilla model will be renamed as Pro, the Plus variant replaced with the Edge as rumored before, and the Ultra stays the Ultra. If all of this pans out, then Samsung could be wanting to reposition its flagship lineup next year to reflect a more premium-focused approach, hence why there's not going to be a 'simple' S26 model. "Pro" implies better specs, but it remains to be seen whether we'll actually get that. The elephant in the room is that Samsung may want to bring a price hike to the base model alongside the renaming, after all a "Pro" phone should be more expensive than a non-Pro, right? We'll have to wait and see if more rumors start 'confirming' this, so hang tight. Source

Motorola's cheapest 2025 US phone is even cheaper than usual (with no strings)
Motorola's cheapest 2025 US phone is even cheaper than usual (with no strings)

Phone Arena

time2 hours ago

  • Phone Arena

Motorola's cheapest 2025 US phone is even cheaper than usual (with no strings)

Nowhere near as expansive as pretty much everywhere else around the world, Motorola's US Moto G family is still rich and eclectic enough to include three 2025-released members priced between $199.99 and $399.99. $25 off (13%) 5G, Unlocked, 128GB Storage, 4GB RAM, 6.7-Inch IPS LCD Screen with 1604 x 720 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, MediaTek Dimensity 6300 Processor, Android 15, 50 + 2MP Dual Rear-Facing Camera System, 16MP Front-Facing Camera, 5,000mAh Battery, 30W Charging Capabilities, Vegan Leather Finish, Forest Gray Color Buy at Motorola $25 off (13%) 5G, Unlocked, 128GB Storage, 4GB RAM, 6.7-Inch IPS LCD Screen with 1604 x 720 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, MediaTek Dimensity 6300 Processor, Android 15, 50 + 2MP Dual Rear-Facing Camera System, 16MP Front-Facing Camera, 5,000mAh Battery, 30W Charging Capabilities, Vegan Leather Finish, Forest Gray Color Buy at BestBuy That's the one you normally have to pay just two Benjamins for, so as you can imagine, the discount offered by Motorola itself and Best Buy is not exactly mind-blowing... in value. But 25 bucks is 25 bucks, and it slashes a decent 12 percent off the handset's aforementioned list price... for the first time ever. At $174.99, you're obviously looking at an even stronger value proposition than usual, and although our Moto G (2025) review a little while back was not exactly glowing with praise, it's hard to argue with the appeal of that sleek vegan leather finish, incredibly smooth 120Hz refresh rate-supporting IPS LCD screen, and hefty 5,000mAh battery equipped with blazing fast 30W charging technology... in the sub-$200 segment. The vegan leather finish is undoubtedly one of the biggest Moto G 2025 selling points. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena Yes, it'd have been nicer if the 6.7-inch display used AMOLED tech instead of LCD or at least offered a higher resolution than 1604 x 720 pixels, but all in all, this is clearly one of the best budget 5G phones around, and its 50MP primary rear-facing camera and reasonably powerful MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor only make that more obvious and difficult to deny. The big question you need to ask yourself before pulling the trigger here (at either Best Buy or Motorola's official US website) is whether or not Samsung's $200 Galaxy A16 5G (which can occasionally be found at $175 or less) will make you happier than the Moto G (2025). The design is clearly inferior on the humblest 2025 member of the Galaxy A family available stateside, and the same goes for things like charging speeds. But the Galaxy A16 rocks a surprisingly high-quality Super AMOLED panel with 90Hz refresh rate technology and a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, and the long-term software support is always better on Samsung phones compared to their Motorola rivals. Tough decision, eh?

The Samsung Galaxy F36 is now available in India
The Samsung Galaxy F36 is now available in India

GSM Arena

time4 hours ago

  • GSM Arena

The Samsung Galaxy F36 is now available in India

The Samsung Galaxy F36, which was unveiled a couple of weeks ago, is now available in India. Like its F-series siblings, this model was designed and made in India and can be yours for ₹17,500. Samsung Galaxy F36 There are three models to consider, 6/128GB, 8/128GB and 8/256GB, and three colors: Coral Red, Luxe Violet and Onyx Black. The base 6/128GB model is ₹17,500, the 8/128GB one goes for ₹19,000. The 8/256GB variant is not available yet. Samsung India just shows a 'Get stock alert button', meanwhile partner Flipkart doesn't even list it as an option. Three vegan leather color options for the back, GG Victus+ for the front Do have a look at the stores as there are offers like 5% cashback, no cost EMI and more. Flipkart is advertising effective prices as low as ₹16,000. The first deliveries are scheduled to arrive by August 1. Samsung Galaxy F36 highlights A quick overview of the phone shows that it is similar to the Galaxy A26, except with vegan leather on the back instead of glass. The front is Gorilla Glass Victus+. The F36 is powered by the Exynos 1380 and has expandable storage. Also, Samsung is promising 6 years of OS updates and security patches (it comes with Android 15/One UI 7 out of the box). Samsung Galaxy F36 highlights The main camera has a larger 50MP sensor (at 1/1.96' it's not large, just larger than the 1/2.76' sensor of the A26). It's joined by an 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro modules on the back, plus a 13MP camera in a notch on the front. The battery situation should be familiar to owners of mid-range Samsungs – 5,000mAh capacity, 25W wired-only charging. Galaxy F36 camera with 4K video support and Night Mode, plus AI editing features Earlier this year, the F-series saw the introduction of the Galaxy F56 (Exynos 1480, 45W charging, but no microSD slot) as well as the more affordable Galaxy F16 and Galaxy F06. Source

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store