The iPhone 15 is selling tremendously well, as expected. What’s different this year is that the smartphone market is in a slump due to the economy. Apple has the luxury of something most Android vendors don’t: an enormous user base that’s willing to upgrade nearly every year. But even Apple is feeling the pressure. The iPhone maker didn’t raise its prices this year, contrary to reports. In fact, it lowered iPhone 15 prices in Europe compared to last year.
Meanwhile, competitors are working hard to win over customers willing to spend money on flagship handsets, especially as some iPhone 15 models sell out around the world.
For example, Google recently struck out at Apple with anti-iPhone ads, all while raising prices of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Also, if reports are accurate, Samsung might unveil the Galaxy S24 series earlier than usual next year. The iPhone 15 has to be a factor.
Leaker Ice Universe apparently revealed the Galaxy S24 launch date on Chinese social media a few weeks ago. He claims the Galaxy S24 series will be unveiled on January 18, 2024. That’s about two weeks earlier than the Galaxy S23 launch event, which took place on February 1, 2023.
As we know, Samsung can’t keep a secret, and Ice Universe has been a steady source of accurate Samsung leaks.
Corroborating the leak, a report from Seoul Economic Daily said earlier this week that Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy S24 in early 2024. The first Unpacked press conference of the year would take place in San Francisco.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 in Korea in July, much earlier than usual. The foldable phones replaced the Galaxy Note, which Samsung used to unveil in early September. The Korean giant kept moving up that summer Unpacked event to distance itself as far as possible from Apple’s iPhone launch events every September.
The report doesn’t mention a launch date for the Galaxy S24 event. Early next year could also mean early February, which would align with the Galaxy S23 schedule.
But it notes Samsung’s earnings worries in this economy. This is an indication that Samsung might indeed want to push forward the Galaxy S24 launch so the mobile division can bring in more cash and do it earlier than usual.
The Seoul Economic Daily explains that the mobile division performed better than expected during the September quarter. Increased smartphone sales during the period might help Samsung’s bottom line overall, compensating for the less stellar performance of Samsung’s semiconductor business.
The combined sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 were about 10% higher than last year. The phones were available in stores earlier than their predecessors. Also, the Flip 5 is more expensive than the Flip 4.
Samsung is apparently looking to take advantage of its regular schedule of new smartphone releases to boost revenue. For example, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S23 FE model the same day Google launched the Pixel 8.
The Galaxy S24 would serve a similar purpose, with the added benefit that we’re looking at Samsung’s answer to the iPhone 15, a real next-gen flagship. Comparatively, the Galaxy S23 FE is a high-end device that delivers a few cost-cutting compromises.
