When Samsung unveils its highly anticipated flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone later this month, it will likely be one of the most impressive handsets the world has ever seen. Rumors suggest it will have an amazing Super AMOLED display that measures 5.25 inches diagonally and packs 2K resolution for crystal-clear viewing. It will also supposedly feature either a cutting-edge quad-core Snapdragon chipset or Samsung’s own eight-core Exynos processor, as well as a huge battery, an impressive 16- or 20-megapixel camera and the latest version of the Android operating system. As great as that all sounds, however, you probably shouldn’t buy Samsung’s new Galaxy S5 when it launches in the weeks to come.
Samsung plans to take the wraps off of the new Galaxy S5 during a press conference in Barcelona, just before the annual Mobile World Congress trade show gets underway. Millions of smartphone fans around the world are waiting with bated breath, and it will undoubtedly be a gorgeous device.
But those who can fight the urge to purchase one the instant it launches will be rewarded, according to the results of a recent study.
Consumer electronics price comparison specialist Idealo on Wednesday published the results of its research into the price trends of recent Galaxy S flagship phones in the months following each release. By analyzing the data it gathered, the firm was able to predict that the Galaxy S5’s price will decline substantially following its launch, which is expected to take place next month.
Samsung’s Galaxy S II, Galaxy S III and Galaxy S4 all followed remarkably similar trend lines in the long run in terms of unlocked price trends following launch. In the short term, however, the prices of Samsung’s flagship phones have been dropping faster with each new generation.
Within three months of being released, the prices of the S II and S III had each dropped by more than 10%, and the S4 fell by nearly 20%. According to Idealo’s projections, the average retail price of the Galaxy S5 will dip by 24% after just three months on the market.
That’s a discount of nearly one-quarter for those who can manage to wait just three months.
“The average price of the Samsung Galaxy S2 had reduced by 13% of its initial value after three months of being on sale,” Idealo explained in a post on its blog. “Its successor, the Galaxy S3, experienced a price decline of 14%. One generation down the line, we notice an even more significant price decline. The Galaxy S4, which was released in May 2013, was 18% cheaper by August 2013.”
The post continued, “Based on this data, we can predict that after just 3 months, the new Galaxy S5 could be available for just 76% of its original release price, which makes up a price reduction of almost a quarter, just three months on from market release.”
It’s always difficult for gadget enthusiasts to hold off on purchasing a new device the moment it launches, especially one that’s as highly anticipated as the Galaxy S5. Those who can exercise some self-control and wait a bit, however, stand to be handsomely rewarded.
