Samsung shows off new Galaxy in Big Apple

The tech world is abuzz with excitement as Samsung gets ready to unveil the latest in the Galaxy series. The Unpack event, as it is called, will take place tonight at Radio City Music Hall, New York. It is widely believed this will be the global launch of the Samsung S IV, the follow-up to its widely popular SIII, which was launched around the world last year. The company has been teasing the market with shadowy images of what the new phone will look like. 

Much of the focus from the global press which has been invited to the launch, including the T&T Guardian’s own Laura Dowrich-Phillips, will be the features of the new phone. While there is the belief that the new phone will not break new ground in innovation, speculation is that it will be an upgrade to the SIII with a larger five-inch screen, a 13 mega-pixel rear camera and an improved eight-core processor. There are also reports about a new eye-scroll feature and an unbreakable, flexible screen. While the new phone is cause for excitement, the real significance of the launch is that it is being held in New York City. 

Last year, with Apple filing patent infringements against Samsung in US courts, the SIII was launched in the US after many countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. The location of today’s launch shows how far Samsung has risen in the smart phone landscape. In 2012, Samsung surpassed Apple as the world’s largest maker of smartphones, controlling 30 per cent of the market versus Apple’s 19 per cent. But in the high-end market, sales of Samsung’s Galaxy S and Note still lag far behind Apple’s iPhone, the best-selling smartphone globally. With this latest launch, Samsung is going all out on the marketing, releasing teaser videos online and placing billboards in major cities across the world. The Wall Street Journal, citing research firm Kantar Media, said this week that Samsung outspent Apple in marketing in the US last year, sinking $401 million in its promotional efforts here versus Apple’s marketing budget of $333 million. 

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