Samsung said to plan build quality improvement to counter iPhone, HTC One
Samsung in public has been defending the quality of the plastic construction of its devices, but the company is said to be "worried" internally about its Galaxy line's build quality when compared against Apple's iPhone and HTC's One.
A new rumor has the South Korean electronics giant pondering a switch to higher quality materials for its flagship devices, largely in response to the renowned build quality of devices like Apple's iPhone 5 and HTC's One Android handset. Such a shift in materials could happen as early as this fall with the release of the Galaxy Note III, a source familiar with the company's internal workings tells SamMobile.
The source couldn't provide information on the specific build materials Samsung is considering using, but the follow-up to the company's fast-selling Galaxy Note II is said to mark a considerable departure from the design of other devices in the Galaxy line.
The source also claims that Samsung had a prototype of its recently revealed Galaxy S4 that featured a metal body. That metal design, the source says, was very popular within the company. Samsung, though, was said to be unable to mass produce metal units quickly enough before the device's scheduled launch, so the manufacturer went with a plastic design.
Ahead of the launch of its newest flagship, design specs on the S4 leaked, revealing its plastic construction. Samsung executives attempted to parry any potential disappointment with the design, saying that its plastic chassis allowed for manufacturability while retaining a premium feel. Pressed on the company's reliance on plastic while its competitors were moving on to metals and other materials, Samsung's American design chief downplayed the importance of materials, saying the company was more focused on developing a software experience that would turn its devices into "life companions."
Samsung's launch event for the handset focused largely on its internal technology, as well as the software suite packed with the S4. The decision to stick with a plastic body, though, led to a somewhat underwhelming response from the tech media, who saw the S4's construction as "no match" for the aluminum unibody build of the iPhone 5 and devices like the HTC One.
A new rumor has the South Korean electronics giant pondering a switch to higher quality materials for its flagship devices, largely in response to the renowned build quality of devices like Apple's iPhone 5 and HTC's One Android handset. Such a shift in materials could happen as early as this fall with the release of the Galaxy Note III, a source familiar with the company's internal workings tells SamMobile.
The source couldn't provide information on the specific build materials Samsung is considering using, but the follow-up to the company's fast-selling Galaxy Note II is said to mark a considerable departure from the design of other devices in the Galaxy line.
The source also claims that Samsung had a prototype of its recently revealed Galaxy S4 that featured a metal body. That metal design, the source says, was very popular within the company. Samsung, though, was said to be unable to mass produce metal units quickly enough before the device's scheduled launch, so the manufacturer went with a plastic design.
Ahead of the launch of its newest flagship, design specs on the S4 leaked, revealing its plastic construction. Samsung executives attempted to parry any potential disappointment with the design, saying that its plastic chassis allowed for manufacturability while retaining a premium feel. Pressed on the company's reliance on plastic while its competitors were moving on to metals and other materials, Samsung's American design chief downplayed the importance of materials, saying the company was more focused on developing a software experience that would turn its devices into "life companions."
Samsung's launch event for the handset focused largely on its internal technology, as well as the software suite packed with the S4. The decision to stick with a plastic body, though, led to a somewhat underwhelming response from the tech media, who saw the S4's construction as "no match" for the aluminum unibody build of the iPhone 5 and devices like the HTC One.
Comments
Even though Apple cannot patent quality, I don't think this ends well for Samsung. They will just "quality" themselves out of their market -- cost-conscious Android users.
In many ways plastic is more practical though.
Touch whiz looks like a legally blind man's interpretation of iOS + Android 2.x
Why wouldn't it end well? They're the number 1 Android manufacturer by a large margin. A better build quality could extend that lead.
I better stop there. You probably get the point.
They should worry. It's one thing to reverse engineer, (Read: Steal.), an existing product, i.e., the iPhone, it's an altogether different exercise to come up with leading edge engineering and design.
Good luck with that Samsung (and all the Chinese companies trying to do the same thing).
Just ask Microsoft, Google, HP and Dell. Massive failures, to date!
Apple's business model is based on one of Stevo's edicts...."in tech you need to be 5 to 10 years ahead of the competition, preferably 10!"
Apple has invested massive resources into seemingly "obscure elements of the whole," battery design, antenna design, glass, iOS, cloud, displays, chips, etc., etc.,
The above mentioned companies aren't even close....just poor copies at best!
"The iPhone is a Rolex in a sea of Timex's"
Quote:
Originally Posted by broadbean
Better quality all round can't be a bad thing.
In many ways plastic is more practical though.
I take your point...in the context of this discussion. But, plastic is the bane of this planet!
Quote:
Originally Posted by christopher126
They should worry. It's one thing to reverse engineer, (Read: Steal.), an existing product, i.e., the iPhone, it's an altogether different exercise to come up with leading edge engineering and design.
Good luck with that Samsung (and all the Chinese companies trying to do the same thing).
Just ask Microsoft, Google, HP and Dell. Massive failures, to date!
Apple's business model is based on one of Stevo's edicts...."in tech you need to be 5 to 10 years ahead of the competition, preferably 10!"
Apple has invested resources into seemingly obscure elements, battery design, antenna design, glass, iOS, cloud, etc., etc.,
The above mentioned companies aren't even close....just poor copies at best!
"The iPhone is a Rolex in a sea of Timex's"
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }Have you ever looked at Samsung's laptop line? Their monitors? Their SSDs? all beautiful devices. They obviously made a slight compromise to make a somewhat sleazier case to compensate for the cost of all the tech parts they are cramming into their phones, but making the thing out of aluminum is not difficult.
The rest of your post is drivel. Apple's antenna design sucked intermittently, their cloud services are still subpar, their glass is exactly the same as everyone else's Google and Microsoft are not failures, unless you consider utter domination in their core markets and making money hand over fist a failure.
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Quote:
Originally Posted by christopher126
I take your point...in the context of this discussion. But, plastic is the bane of this planet!
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Damn you, dinosaurs!
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Quote:
Originally Posted by igriv
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Damn you, dinosaurs!
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
I know, we need to "kill" more dinosaurs to make the plastic we need!
All Samsung Fans,
Please note that thanks can be sent to Apple at the following address:
https://www.apple.com/au/contact/feedback.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by igriv
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Have you ever looked at Samsung's laptop line? Their monitors? Their SSDs? all beautiful devices. They obviously made a slight compromise to make a somewhat sleazier case to compensate for the cost of all the tech parts they are cramming into their phones, but making the thing out of aluminum is not difficult.
The rest of your post is drivel. Apple's antenna design sucked intermittently, their cloud services are still subpar, their glass is exactly the same as everyone else's Google and Microsoft are not failures, unless you consider utter domination in their core markets and making money hand over fist a failure.
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Umm! "drivel" is a bit harsh.
Agreed, the antenna design was "ambitious" but it was stretching the envelope and their cloud services have not been very well realized, yet.
But, my point is Apple is at the forefront of incorporating the latest tech and sw. Whereas, it's competitors are merely "copying" Apple's innovations (and poorly)....whether it be the iPhone, iPad, all-in-one iMac, MBA, iOS, Retina displays, etc., etc.
But where Apple really excels is the "ecosystem." Everyone else, and I do mean everyone, can't hold a candle to that. It's not all about money, profit and market share.
Sometimes it's about providing great customer value!
I feel ripped off by companies like Dell, HP, Samsung, RIM, Sony, MS, Google. They provide subpar products/services and because they are free, cheap or ad-based, I'm supposed to, somehow appreciate that.
Nope!
Here's one thing Samsung hasn't copied from Apple. Apple doesn't sacrifice the product because of deadlines.
You mean that sucky externally placed antenna frame design that is still being used on the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 that have been selling for nearly 3 years now? What a horrible design¡
I don't see how it's likely to fail. They have money and a large number of customers who like their flagship devices. Making them better will likely lead to more customers and more profits. It'll surely lead to people coming here to say Samsung's quality is as good or better than Apple's, which will be a nice change from people saying that's build quality is pointless.
Nothing could make me go over to Android, but that HTC One is a pretty cool looking device.
It's really nice! If I was forced to get an Android-based device that would be it.
Mutton dressed as lamb.