Analyst predicts weak demand for Samsung Galaxy S8, suggests focusing on Apple OLED 'iPhon...

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in iPhone
Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has chimed in on the imminent Galaxy S8 release, and is predicting a significant drop in sales when compared to the Galaxy S7 to date because of a lack of selling points, and an attractive possible "iPhone 8" release.




A KGI securities note seen by AppleInsider predicts the Galaxy S8 to have 5.8- and 6.2-inch OLED screens, with the smaller size featuring 2960x1440 WQHD+ resolution. The Qualcomm 8998 SoC is expected for the US and Japan markets, with the remainder of the world getting the phone equipped with the Exynos 9985.

Korean and Chinese units will boast 6GB of RAM, versus 4GB elsewhere. All models are expected to have a full-screen display with no physical home button, and 3D-curved cover glass.

The rear cameras are expected to remain at 12MP, and not have a dual-lens setup. The front-facing camera is suspected to be a 8MP unit, an improvement over the 5MP in the Galaxy S7.

Ming-Chi expects shipments between 40 and 45 million units in fiscal year 2017, notably less than the 52 million Galaxy S7 shipped in a comparable timeframe, given the later launch of the Galaxy S8 versus the S7 and the S7 being used as a the sole flagship for the line after the Galaxy Note 7 debacle.

"We are conservative on demand for Galaxy S8, and believe its contribution to the supply chain will be limited," writes Ming-Chi. "Instead we recommend focusing on the sales outlook and supply chain momentum of Apple's (US) OLED iPhone model."

Samsung has announced a March 29 press event, to be held at the Lincoln Center in New York City. The invitation includes a silhouette matching recent leaks.

Saturday's predictions for the Samsung Galaxy S8 release echo rumors about the upcoming "iPhone 8," which is expected to use a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED panel -- likely made by Samsung -- with a 5.1-inch practical area, the rest being dedicated to virtual buttons. Recent reports suggest that Apple may be abandoning the idea of a curved screen, owing to yield problems and poor drop-test results.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 60
    Samsung has been advertising the S7-Edge on UK TV recently.
    The advert is all about how well they test their devices. Yes folks, how well they test their devices including 'bendgate'.
    I find this nothing more than an attempt to say 'we have changed'.
    No featires apart from the Temp Range and Waterproofing were shown.

    A casae of too little too late methinks.

    watto_cobrachia
  • Reply 2 of 60
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    doozydozencaliwatto_cobrachia1983tmayjony0
  • Reply 3 of 60
    bitmodbitmod Posts: 267member
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    The same or more technology as Apple for half the price - will always see competitors doing well. Software advantages are slowly becoming irrelevant.
    At this point it's all useless hardware gimmicks, for everyone.

    What consumers want is: solid build, waterproof, longer battery, better camera, longer battery, and a longer battery.
    What we see is: thinner, battery gimmicks, other gimmicks, more battery gimmicks.

    If they released the iPhone Phatt - 2mm thicker and 5x the battery life. Guess what would sell the most of any phone ever!
    avon b7cali1983suryakumar
  • Reply 4 of 60
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    If analysts are wrong about Apple then it stands to reason they are wrong about Samsung too. I mean, with articles like “Why Samsung’s exploding phones make me want even more to purchase the Galaxy 8” (the logic being new Samsung phones will be super safe because Samsung tested the crap out of then), well, what can I say. C|net and Brian Tong will be hard selling it bigtime.
    edited March 2017 doozydozencaliwatto_cobrachiabrakkenpscooter63frantisek
  • Reply 5 of 60
    IDK Ming-Chi, I've heard demand will be explosive...
    caliwatto_cobrachia1983
  • Reply 6 of 60
    Didn't Kuo and nearly other analyst (and blogger) on this planet name iPhones 7/Plus as "Boring" had nothing compelling to entice customers to upgrade and should be skipped for the "Anniversary" iPhone 8? Oops! The iPhone 7/Plus sold above EVERYBODY'S expectations and helped Apple have an fantastic financial quarter!!

    But all of that is soooooooo 2016 and nobody should be held accountable for what was repeatedly said, written about the iPhones 7/Plus. Wrong? Schmong!

    So here we are in 2017 and we are being told the S8 has a lack of selling points, people might wait for an attractive iPhone. Really? Samsung fans are going to skip the S8 to buy an iPhone because.... it is rumored to be the best iPhone ever created.

    Kuo does realize the next iPhones won't have a headphone jack just like the iPhones 7/Plus, right? Oh wait! That was 2016. This is 2017! :-)))

    doozydozencaliwatto_cobrachia1983
  • Reply 7 of 60
    Boy, aren't they eager to get that number 8 out the door before iPhone does.... again. I guess it looks like a copycat if S8 comes after iPhone 8. Or rename it Galaxy 360 or Galaxy One.
    edited March 2017 caliwatto_cobrapscooter63StrangeDays
  • Reply 8 of 60
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,621member
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    Having used both front and back scanners I would always prefer the back. It's a question of preference but for me it feels far more natural and on my current phone I never ever touch the lens protection by accident. Both are aligned at top centre with the scanner right below the camera. The scanner is slightly recessed. My index finger slips nicely into the recess and is perfect for one handed operation.
    doozydozen
  • Reply 9 of 60
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    bitmod said:
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    The same or more technology as Apple for half the price - will always see competitors doing well. Software advantages are slowly becoming irrelevant.
    At this point it's all useless hardware gimmicks, for everyone.

    What consumers want is: solid build, waterproof, longer battery, better camera, longer battery, and a longer battery.
    What we see is: thinner, battery gimmicks, other gimmicks, more battery gimmicks.

    If they released the iPhone Phatt - 2mm thicker and 5x the battery life. Guess what would sell the most of any phone ever!
    Yes iPhone Phatt would sell the most ever because iPhone 7 only broke sales records. 

    Hold the phone Tim Cook!! A poster on AI has a brilliant idea of an iPhone that would sell the most ever(like iPhone 7)!!!!
    watto_cobraericthehalfbeechiaiqatedoMikeymikeandrewj5790lolliverRayz2016pscooter63bestkeptsecret
  • Reply 10 of 60
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 2,663member
    bitmod said:
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    The same or more technology as Apple for half the price - will always see competitors doing well. Software advantages are slowly becoming irrelevant.
    At this point it's all useless hardware gimmicks, for everyone.

    What consumers want is: solid build, waterproof, longer battery, better camera, longer battery, and a longer battery.
    What we see is: thinner, battery gimmicks, other gimmicks, more battery gimmicks.

    If they released the iPhone Phatt - 2mm thicker and 5x the battery life. Guess what would sell the most of any phone ever!
    LoL

    har you posted this in 2008, youd have an excuse. 

    But it here in the real world today, the iPhone is killing everyone else with not only software advantages, but superior CPU and camera innovation. The best fingerprint implementation as well. 

    Apple is gaining in a time where it was supposed to have peaked a couple years ago. And this to Samsung and others' expense. 

    Funny hoe the same old, disproven fake news about better tech for cheaper keeps cropping up only the get shot down again. I'll give you that competitors are forced to try to find differentiators in higher res screens or more ram, but that's about it. And the ram is negated by the sloppy OS. The screen size is one plus though. Everything else is all Apple. 
    doozydozenwatto_cobrachialollivercaliStrangeDays
  • Reply 11 of 60
    What's interesting about the 6GB RAM being only for China is Huawei's CEO being negative about that amount RAM. He promoted OS optimization and referenced iOS requiring less RAM than Android. Seeing Samsung, others use RAM as a selling point could backfire this year if customers complain the extra RAM does not increase the performance of Android.
    watto_cobradoozydozenchia
  • Reply 12 of 60
    avon b7 said:
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    Having used both front and back scanners I would always prefer the back. It's a question of preference but for me it feels far more natural and on my current phone I never ever touch the lens protection by accident. Both are aligned at top centre with the scanner right below the camera. The scanner is slightly recessed. My index finger slips nicely into the recess and is perfect for one handed operation.

    How many mobile payment terminals have you actually used? And which way do you orient your phone? Many terminals I use my iPhone at would be more difficult with a rear scanner.

    How do you unlock your phone when it's sitting on your desk (I do this countless times a day at work)? Or if it's in a car dock? Or any kind of dock? Or charging on a wireless pad (that Android users claim
    is so amazing)?
    watto_cobradoozydozenchiawonkothesaneMikeymikeandrewj5790lolliverpscooter63tmaycali
  • Reply 13 of 60
    The manufacturing/design/QC/recall fiasco of the Note 7 is a significant headwind to Samsung into the future. Another maelstrom is now in play for Samsung throughout their corporate dealings, in that Chinese government and citizens have decided to put Samsung in a well deserved time out. In 2015 for example, Samsung smartphones saw a 50% decrease, well before China chimed in on their dislike of THAAD deployment in South Korea or the Note 7 debacle.
    If other ongoing wounds, pay to play scandal w/ SK government, are added to their woes, it seems possible that Samsung may be being dealt a series of mortal wounds to its corporate health.
    maybe if that comes to fruition, they will reconsider the corrupted corporate philosophy which has not served them, customers or the citizens of South Korea well.
    not likely!
    edited March 2017 doozydozenwatto_cobracali
  • Reply 14 of 60
    bitmod said:
    S8 won't have much new. Iris scanner? Saw it in the Note 7. Bixby? Who'd use a Samsung proprietary voice assistant when they have Google already built in to Android? Curved edge screen? Already proven useless by the S7 Edge. Fingerprint sensor on the back? Great location next to the camera lens (smudges) and not particularly good for mobile payments.

    Samsung, like all Android vendors, is limited in terms of what they can announce. We already know what's in Android Nougat, so no surprises there. That leaves them with useless hardware gimmicks to try and separate themselves from all the other Abdroid vendors running the same commodity OS.

    I don't see the S8 doing well.
    The same or more technology as Apple for half the price - will always see competitors doing well. Software advantages are slowly becoming irrelevant.
    At this point it's all useless hardware gimmicks, for everyone.

    What consumers want is: solid build, waterproof, longer battery, better camera, longer battery, and a longer battery.
    What we see is: thinner, battery gimmicks, other gimmicks, more battery gimmicks.

    If they released the iPhone Phatt - 2mm thicker and 5x the battery life. Guess what would sell the most of any phone ever!
    "Gimmicks"
    But at least Samsung has that Iris scanner.
    ...Hilarious.
    doozydozenwatto_cobracaliStrangeDays
  • Reply 15 of 60
    JaySmithJaySmith Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    Nonsense! The S8 is an explosive phone, and people are already burning with anticipation. It will be a flaming success, as expected from a company on fire like Samsung.
    watto_cobrawaverboycali
  • Reply 16 of 60
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member
    I believe Samsung will do better then expected, but the iPhone 8 will easily exceed all expectations. 
  • Reply 17 of 60
    brakkenbrakken Posts: 687member
    lkrupp said:
    If analysts are wrong about Apple then it stands to reason they are wrong about Samsung too. I mean, with articles like “Why Samsung’s exploding phones make me want even more to purchase the Galaxy 8” (the logic being new Samsung phones will be super safe because Samsung tested the crap out of then), well, what can I say. C|net and Brian (the Twink) Tong will be hard selling it bigtime.
    Oh, you made me laugh! Nice work!
    watto_cobracali
  • Reply 18 of 60
    brakkenbrakken Posts: 687member
    What part of this article is actual news? :l
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 60
    I think this analyst is definitely missing something. I would think there might be pent-up demand. On Youtube there are many, many videos about the upcoming Galaxy S8. There definitely seems to be a lot of interest in that smartphone. There's always lots of talk about all the wonderful features it's going to have. Of course, most of those videos are made by tech-heads who are always gushing about some smartphone but supposedly this Galaxy S8 is the smartphone to end all smartphones.

    I'm not saying this analyst is wrong or right because I can't tell the future like these analysts claim to be able to do. It's hard to say when the S8 hasn't even been announced for sale although the feature set is said to be fixed at this time. As far as I can tell, this analyst is merely speculating as usual. I'd hardly think there would be any less potential buyers than there usually is for a new Galaxy smartphone. I wish they'd stop talking about this nonsense of there not being enough reason for consumers to upgrade. Only those buyers will decide whether the upgrade is worth it to them or not.

    Sure, I hope there will be more switchers from the Galaxy smartphones to the iPhone but that's simply a hope and that doesn't guarantee it's going to happen. I still think Galaxy S smartphones have certain appealing features to users that the iPhone doesn't have. Things like Quad-HD displays and memory expansion slots. There's still plenty of room for individual choices. Only time will tell for sure.  Currently, it's too early to be certain about anything.
    edited March 2017
  • Reply 20 of 60
    What's interesting about the 6GB RAM being only for China is Huawei's CEO being negative about that amount RAM. He promoted OS optimization and referenced iOS requiring less RAM than Android. Seeing Samsung, others use RAM as a selling point could backfire this year if customers complain the extra RAM does not increase the performance of Android.
    That may not be the case. You use S4 and S7 you can feel the instant improvement in the OS performance and hardware improvements over time. If you have used latest Galaxy Flagships with latest software update then the thing feels as smooth as my 7 Plus. Customers won't complain because hardware has become powerful enough to take on anything we throw at them and Nougat has been well optimized.
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