Samsung took the wraps off the successor of its Galaxy Note 5 — the stylus-equipped Galaxy Note 7 phablet — on Aug. 2 and opened the preorders for the handset a day later in many parts of the United States.
The preorders for the Galaxy Note 7 opened in Samsung's home country South Korea on Aug. 6, on local network operators KT Corp., SK Telecom Co. and LG Uplus Corp. Barely two days after the booking for the Galaxy Note 7 phablet was made available in South Korea, the preorders have touched 200,000 units, most probably buoyed by the excitement for the device.
This number not only bears testament to the popularity of the Samsung phablet, but also gives the Galaxy Note 7 the distinction of having twice the number of preorders placed on the Galaxy S7. The preorders are also the highest ever for a Galaxy smartphone in South Korea.
"Samsung Electronics' new smartphone Galaxy Note 7 saw more than 200,000 preorders over the past two days, double that of its S7 sibling, industry data showed on Aug. 9," revealed publication Korea Herald.
So what gives the Galaxy Note 7 an edge over previous Galaxy smartphones? The top-end features and specs of the Galaxy Note 7, in tandem with aggressive marketing tactics from Samsung, are reportedly responsible for luring more consumers.
Unlike previous Galaxy Note models, the latest version of the phablet boasts an enhanced S Pen stylus, which is not only water-resistant, but also boasts higher pressure sensitivity when compared to older iterations. Moreover, Samsung has also introduced a dual-edge curved display for the Galaxy Note 7 — a first for the series. The phablet is now dust and waterproof for the first time and houses an iris scanner, which is bound to draw many consumers. In another first, the Samsung phablet offers support for USB Type-C charging.
Samsung is not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to marketing the device. If the attractive features of the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 7 were not sufficient to entice buyers, the company is also throwing in the Gear Fit 2 activity tracker worth $177 for free for consumers in South Korea who preorder the handset.
Samsung sweetens the deal by promising buyers a 50 percent discount on the repairing charges for the Galaxy Note 7 in the event the display of the device ever breaks. That is not all, the marketing mavens at Samsung have come up with the ploy of offering buyers a gift card worth 100,000 won or $90, which is usable at the Samsung Pay Mall.
The company also has 2,800 experience zones where one can get hands-on time with the phablet across its home country. By comparison, Samsung had 2,000 experience zones for sibling Galaxy S7.
The response to the Galaxy Note 7 in its home ground will be welcomed by Samsung. It will be interesting to see if the preorders break more records in the days to come, but whether the Galaxy Note 7 can replicate this success in other parts of the world remains to be seen. The Samsung phablet will hit the global shelves on Aug. 19.
