Samsung to take pre-orders for Galaxy S7 on March 4-10 in Korea

Samsung Electronics will take pre-orders for its strategic smartphones the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge in Korea from March 4 to March 10. The two new models will be launched concurrently in the global market including Korea, the U.S. and Europe on March 11.

Analysts say Samsung has advanced the schedule for launch of the S7 smartphone by one month from previous years as part of its strategy to recover sales in the first quarter of this year. Samsung saw its operating profit shifted its course to decline for the first time in five quarters in the fourth quarter of last year when it posted 6.1 trillion won (4.93 billion dollars). Some analysts also say that Samsung has regained confidence in adequate supply of the product this year, which has allowed it to advance the launch schedule. The company had a trouble in adequately supplying the Edge model in early days last year due to failure to predict demand for the product and a low yield of curved displays.

The Galaxy S7 (32GB) model will reportedly be priced at a low 800,000-won (647 dollars) level, and the Edge model at the mid 900,000-won (728 dollars) level, which are on par with or slightly lower than those of their predecessors. In fact, the S7 is being sold for 2,399 dirham (about 653 dollars), and the Edge 2,799 dirham (about 762 dollars) in the United Arab Emirates, where Samsung is already receiving pre-orders online.

LG Electronics will also take pre-orders for its strategic smartphone the G5 after mid-March ahead of the device’s global launch, scheduled in late March or late April.

김창덕기자 drake007@donga.com