Apple I-Phone 4 vs. Samsung Galaxy S

The Galaxy-S is poised to sell well as an alternative to the i-Phone 4.

Okay, this isn’t exactly my opinion, but it’s my opinion of a translation of someone else’s opinion.

Another anonymous blogger that I follow, “The Korean” from the blog “Ask A Korean“, actually translated the original text from a Korean language tech blog called Alternative Hypothesis, run by Kim Sang Hoon, who works at the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.  Trying to read it myself would have taken me probably all day, so thanks to “The Korean” for translating.

After reading the translation I can see exactly how Samsung’s marketing strategy is kind of genius.  Everyone knows that people want the i-Phone, and the Galaxy-S is… well pretty much the phone that people bought who for some reason or another couldn’t get their hands on an i-Phone.  That said, Samsung seems poised to clean up with it.

I’m not going to post the whole article, but the most interesting part of it follows:

Compared to [i-Phone], Galaxy S is not a great product. Although it receives praises of “best functionalities among all the Android phones thus far,” it feels more like a well-rounded thing without a big flaw rather than the best. This is why it is difficult to imagine anyone who would stay up all night to buy Galaxy S, children who jump up and down with joy after receiving Galaxy S, or a friend who is on the verge of tears after receiving a Galaxy S as a gift.

But even the greatest product is meaningless if it is not there by your hands when you want to buy it. Therein lies the greatness of Samsung Electronics. It was reported that Samsung pre-ordered more than a million Galaxy S. Worldwide, 110 communications companies are planning to purchase Galaxy S, and Samsung plans to supply them all at the time they want the phones. In contrast, iPhone 4 will only be available in five countries (including the U.S.) by the end of June, 18 countires by the end of July, and even later for other countries. Until then, people cannot buy an iPhone no matter how much they want one. When the demand outstrips the supply, Samsung can conjure the magic of instantly increasing supply by expanding the production line for Product A into the production line that used to make Product B. Apple cannot do this. Instead, Apple takes reservation on the quantity of its products, gets its product based on that deadline, then increases the supply if the order increases. Although Apple is always late to respond to the market, it covers its weakness by its product’s outstanding attractiveness. Apple even goes so far as to use the reactions of the waiting customers in its marketing.

Wow, that really looks cool. I wonder how long I'd have to wait in line to buy that? (I also wonder how many months I'll need to live on nothing but cereal in order to be able to afford it.)

If it were me, I’d naturally rather have the i-Phone, but I wouldn’t like the expensive price and the waiting for hours in line just to buy one. I probably will eventually buy an i-Phone, but only after I am finished with my wedding and honeymoon plans, and only if I can walk into the store and get it immediately. And on top of that, only if my current dinosaur of a phone explodes or something.