Competition is heating up in the local high-end smartphone market, with Samsung introducing its Galaxy S4 in a bid to retain market leadership.
Actress Araya ‘Chompoo’ Hargate (centre) together with Thai Samsung Electronics executives Jeon Yong-sung (right), the managing director, and Wichai Pornpratang, vice-president for the telecommunications business, attend yesterday’s launch of the Galaxy S4 mobile. APICHART JINAKUL
The global smartphone leader allotted its biggest budget for the new smartphone model to capitalise on imminent 3G mobile broadband service.
Rivals HTC and BlackBerry unveiled their premium models a few days ago. Apple's iPhone 5S is projected to hit the Thai market next month.
Globally, Samsung expects sales of the Galaxy S4 to double those of the S III, which sold more than 50 million units in one year.
Featuring a five-inch high-definition super-Amoled screen and a 13-megapixel camera, the Galaxy S4 is 7.9 millimetres thin and weighs 130 grammes. It is priced at 21,900 baht.
Highlighted features include Air Gesture, which enables users to command and control the phone using gestures, and S translator offering nine languages.
Wichai Pornpratang, the vice-president for telecommunications business at Thai Samsung Electronics, expects high demand for smartphones this year, fuelled mainly by the service migration from 2G to 3G on the 2100-megahertz spectrum starting next week.
Samsung will add 25 service centres for a total of 45 nationwide this year.