Galaxy S6 enters SA with great expectations

The latest flagship smartphone from Samsung, the South Korean company that is giving Apple a run for its money in the high-end smartphone arena, has arrived in SA, and industry expectations are high.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and its curved counterpart, the S6 Edge, are now on sale to the public, albeit the minority - given their hefty price tag. Analysts expect the new phones will outdo not only their predecessors, but also their biggest rival, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in SA.

"The Samsung S6 will have the same impact on sales for Samsung as the iPhone 6 did for Apple," says Arthur Goldstuck, World Wide Worx MD. "This is because of the substantial leap in technology and design."

Goldstuck says the S6 is completely different to its predecessor, and it is the first time since the S3 that Samsung has overhauled the design in such a way.

"The success of this launch will reinforce Samsung's positioning as a technology leader and result in an overall boost in product sales across their range," says Goldstuck.

Brian Neilson, director of BMI-TechKnowledge, predicts the S6 will outsell the iPhone 6 in SA, because of Samsung's larger presence. He adds that "at the high end, some previous generation Samsung users may switch to the new iPhone; I expect the majority to remain with Samsung or another Android device".

SA's operators have also seemingly hyped up this year's flagship Galaxy a little more than previous models.

Vodacom held a launch event this morning at the Samsung Vodacom World store in Midrand, opening earlier than usual as queues were expected. Pre-orders had already exceeded expectations, Vodacom told ITWeb.

Cell C and Telkom, meanwhile, have issued press releases "bigging up" the new phone and promoting their networks.

Social media backed up the hype, with divided remarks about the new device. Some would-be S6 owners expressed disappointment at the price, while others were just too happy the long-awaited device was available in SA.

But Goldstuck says, while the price may come as a surprise at first, when users see what they are getting for the price "it should not be that surprising". He also added the prices should come down over time, as was the case with the iPhone 6.

This time last year, the Galaxy S6's predecessor was met with mixed reactions, with many saying the 2014 flagship had "same-old syndrome" - something for which both Samsung and Apple's high-end phones have been criticised.

Swift Consulting CEO Liron Segev said at the time the S3, S4 and S5 looked pretty much the same. "It's an evolution, but not a revolution."

Samsung Galaxy S6 prices in SA:

Samsung S6 vs S5 key specifications: