The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Will Be More Expensive Than The iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
With just weeks to go before Samsung outs it most important phone release of the year in the form of the Galaxy S6 at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the rumor mills are churning out stories by the hour. This latest one, however, comes from a very trustworthy source. Folks from Ars Technica have in a new report said that Samsung would launch two versions of the Galaxy S6 later this year. One would be a normal version with a flat screen while the other, more expensive option would be a device with a display that curves on both edges. The source, who happens to be an employee at an European mobile carrier, also revealed that both the Galaxy S6 versions would be exorbitantly priced at the time of their launch.
How expensive? According to Business Insider, the base 32 GB version of the normal, non-curved Galaxy S6 is expected to cost $849, while the mid range 64 GB version will hover around the $963 mark. The top of the line 128 GB version will set one back by $1076. As for the Galaxy S6 with the flashy curved display, the mid range variant is expected to cost a whopping $1076 while the top of the line variant is likley to sell for $1,189. That makes it over $50 more expensive than an iPhone 6 Plus. All said, note that these prices are for unlocked devices with no carrier subsidies and are applicable only in Europe. The U.S. pricing would be way more complex to determine – but is still expected to be on the higher side. The existing Galaxy S5, for example, was priced at $650 unlocked at the time of its launch a year ago – which gives you an idea as to how much more expensive the Galaxy S6 is turning out to be.
Another interesting thing revealed by the source is that Samsung would likely face severe supply issues with the curved version of the Galaxy S6. In fact, he revealed that even Samsung was struggling to supply enough prototypes to its carrier partners hinting towards a supply crunch when the Galaxy S6 finally arrives on sale. But then Samsung has a few months to sort out this chink in its armor.
The decision to exorbitantly price the Galaxy S6 might cost dearly for Samsung in markets where they do not have carrier subsidies. In fact, in fast growing smartphone markets like India and China, Samsung is fast losing ground to local players who have over time managed to offer similar features at a much lower price point. The entry of players like Xiaomi and One Plus – both of which have excellent, high-spec devices at mid-range prices is also doing Samsung no good. Samsung’s top management, however, seems to be oblivious to the threat posed by smaller players.
Would you buy the Galaxy S6 for at the aforementioned price points? Or would you rather go with Apple after spending that kind of money?
[Image Via T-Mobile]
