SAMSUNG is trying to reclaim lost ground in the coveted high end of the smartphone market with a new lineup of Galaxy S models designed to appeal to consumers who are increasingly sharing videos of their antics on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and other popular apps.
Although the Galaxy S22 phones unveiled Wednesday, February 9, 2022, feature some improvements from last year’s models, the differences aren’t dramatic. Samsung is emphasizing new features on the phones that are supposed to produce more vibrant and more stable videos.
One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of a built-in pen to take digital notes and draw on the screen of the Ultra model which will cost US$1,200. That “S Pen” had to be purchased separately for $40 on last year’s model, which didn’t include a slot to hold it when not in use.
The standard Galaxy S22, priced at $800, and the Galaxy S22 Plus, priced at $1,000, don’t include the S Pen, which was popularized on its Note line of phones that were made more for getting work done than for leisure and entertainment.
All three of the Galaxy S22 models — available in stores February 25 — are supposed to have longer battery life and better cameras, particularly for pictures taken in dark lighting and for videos that Samsung estimates now account for about 80 percent of internet usage.
Samsung’s most expensive phones have been losing some of their luster recently, even as its cheaper models continue to sell extremely well.
In the premium category consisting of smartphones priced at $800 and above, though, Samsung’s global market share has shrunk from 28 percent in 2019 to 18 percent through the first nine months of 2021, according to IDC’s calculations.
Meanwhile, Apple’s share of that lucrative segment has climbed from 63 percent to 72 percent during the same period, based on IDC’s figures. (AP)