Samsung is aiming for a massive update – including a 5G-enabled model - for the 10th anniversary of its leading Galaxy S family next year. The world's biggest smartphone maker is battling with Apple and Huawei to retain market dominance.
Unlike previous years, when the South Korean company launched two versions of its flagship Galaxy S, there will be three variants of S10, with displays ranging between 5.8-inch (size of S9) to 6.4-inch (larger than S9+), according to media reports. These are expected to hit the market by February 2019.
Samsung, which is struggling with a dip in smartphone sales, is also developing a fourth variant of S10 that will be 5G-enabled and is internally code-named "Beyond X", the Wall Street Journal reported. The 5G-model is scheduled for a spring release in the United States and will come with a larger screen of 6.7-inch and six cameras - two in the front and four in the rear.
Main competitor Apple’s newest iPhone comes with three cameras – one in the front and two on the back.
Samsung smartphones’ global shipments declined by more than 10 million in the third quarter of this year. The company shipped only 72.2 million units in the third quarter, whereas this number was 83.3 million during the same period last year, according to Statista.
In the GCC, smartphone shipments were down 4.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter, with the first quarter of this year representing the fourth consecutive quarter of decline, according to the International Data Corporation. However, Samsung maintained its lead with a 35 per cent share of the region's shipments in the first quarter of 2018, while Apple and Huawei ranked second and third with respective shares of 24 per cent and 14 per cent, IDC said.
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In its latest regional release, Samsung launched Galaxy A9 in Dubai this week. The company is targeting to increase its market share with this new launch.
“Samsung understands the demand for meaningful innovation in a fast-paced world driven by visual communication. Galaxy A9 will help us to increase our regional market,” said Tarek Sabbagh, head of IT and mobile division, Samsung Gulf Electronics (excluding Saudi Arabia).
Samsung aims to register more than double-digit growth during the second half of 2018, Mr Sabbagh told The National.