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[MWC2015] Smart Watch Market, Struggle Expected in Google OS Sector

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In MWC2015, various companies, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Huawei, and Asus, exhibited smart watch. Since 2014, Samsung Elec. and LG Elec. began to sell smart watch, Asus and Huawei are shipping smart watch equipped with rigid AMOLED panel. Apple, a latecomer but also strongest rival, is planning to actively sell smart watch, with LG Display’s plastic OLED, from April.

From the outside, all 5 companies have smart watch with AMOLED, but other than Apple which uses iOS, and Samsung Elec. that uses Tizen, the insides of the other 3 companies are the same. This is because they use Google OS. Hence the software of these 3 companies’ products are similar, and without the smart watch exterior the functions are almost identical. The only differentiations are due to smart watch design. Huawei’s smart watch face design is similar to LG Elec.’s, and the back design practically cannot be distinguished from LG Elec.’s products.

<LG Elec. Smart Watch (left), Huawei Smart Watch (right)>

 

 

 

 

 

<LG Elec. Battery Charger (left), Huawei Battery Charger (right)>

In MWC2015, Google sector showed how difficult it would be for any company to conquer the market.

 

[MWC2015] Trend Analysis of Samsung Electronics Exhibition Strategy

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Samsung Electronics, Apple, and Xiaomi can be considered the big 3 brands in smart phone market. Of these 3, only Samsung Elec. opened a booth in MWC2015. Apple and Xiaomi do not participate in offline exhibitions; Apple always holds independent introduction events for new products, and Xiaomi only handles online sales. The reason that Apple holds their own exhibition is due to their use of operating system, iOS, different from other companies’ Android system, and also their unrivaled position as the inventor of smart phone. They also have the ability to create buzz in world market through independent product reveal and promotion. Compared to this, Xiaomi is considered Apple’s imitator but in order to sell low-priced smart phone, having no offline stores is actually beneficial. As smart phone market within China occupies approx. 50% of world market, there is yet no need to promote the products overseas.

However, the situation for Samsung Elec., having to compete against Apple and Xiaomi, is different. They have to compete against Apple in high-priced smart phone market, and compete against Xiaomi’s mid-to-low priced smart phone that uses the same Android OS in Chinese market.

Samsung Elec.’s concerns were evident in MWC2015. Above all, for their flag ship model Galaxy S6, they chose to use exhibition strategy that could aptly present a mystical image of a ‘creation’ rather than a ‘product’.

First, regular visitors were allowed to see, but not touch. Second, by placing each product in pillar-shaped exhibition box in 2 rows with plenty of space in between, the area was reminiscent of a high-end designer store. The visitors were able to examine the 4 sides of Galaxy S6.

This concept of differentiated exhibition space demonstrated Samsung Elec.’s talent for marketing. Their emphasis on Galaxy S6 as a ‘creation’ rather than a ‘product’ showed their concern for maintaining their place within the high-end smart phone market

Samsung, Galaxy S6, MWC2015

Most of the mid-to-low price phones released by Samsung Elec. since last year were presented. Excluding Galaxy Z series, only available in certain countries, all of E series and A series were exhibited. Products that appeared on the market in the second half of 2014, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab, were also displayed in the same space.

Most of the companies utilize the exhibition space as a singular area. However, to suit world’s leading brand, Samsung Elec. applied an outstanding use of location by utilizing it as a dual space; existing products were displayed on the surface of the exhibition area, and Galaxy S was displayed in the deep creating the sensation of falling into Samsung.

Galaxy S6 Edge, MWC2015

 

[MWC2015] 삼성전자 전시 전략 분석

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Smart phone 시장의 Big 3 메이커는 삼성전자와 Apple, 샤오미 3개사로 볼 수 있다. 이들 3개사 중 MWC2015에 부스를 연 회사는 삼성전자가 유일하다.  Apple은 항상 신 제품 발표를 독자적으로 진행하고 있으며, 샤오미는 온라인 영업만 하는 업체이기 때문에 오프라인 성격의 전시에는 참여하지 않고 있다.  Apple이 독자적인 전시만 하는 것은 안드로이드 운영 체제를 사용하는 타 회사와는 달리 iOS만 사용하기 때문에 차별화가 되어 있으며 smart phone 창시자라는 독보적인 지위를 유지할 수 있기 때문이다. 또한 혼자만의 제품 공개로 인해 자사 제품 홍보를 세계 시장에서 이슈화 할 수 있기 때문이기도 하다. 이에 비해 샤오미는 Apple의 아류로 분류되고 있으나 저가의 smart phone을 팔기 위해서는 오프라인 매장이 없는 것이 오히려 유리하다. 중국 내 smart phone 시장이 전세계 마켓의 약 50%를 차지하고 있어 굳이 해외 시장에서 아직은 제품을 홍보할 필요가 없기 때문이다.

하지만 Apple과 샤오미와 경쟁해야 하는 삼성전자는 이들 회사와는 상황이 다르다. 고가 폰 시장에서는 Apple과 경쟁해야 하며, 중국 시장에서는 같은 안드로이드 OS를 사용하는 샤오미와 중저가 폰 시장을 나눠야 한다.

MWC2015에서는 삼성전자의 이러한 고민이 역력히 나타났다. 우선 프래그쉽 모델인 갤럭시 S6는 신비주의 이미지와 함께 “상품성” 보다는 “작품성”을 느낄 수 있는 전시 전략을 채택했다.

Galaxy S6, MWC2015

 

첫째는 일반 참관자들은 볼 수는 있지만, 만져 볼 수 없게 했다. 두 번째는 제품 당 한 개의 기둥형 전시 박스를 충분한 간격으로 2열 배치하여 명품 브랜드 매장을 연상케 했다. 참관자들이 갤럭시 S6의 4면을 모두 볼 수 있게 배려했다.

이 컨셉은 역시 삼성전자는 마케팅의 귀재라고 느낄 수 있는 차별화된 전시 공간이었다. 갤럭시 S6는 “상품”이 아닌 “작품”임을 강조하여 고가 폰 시장을 유지하기 위한 고민이 와 닿았다.

삼성전자가 지난해부터 판매하고 있는 중저가 폰은 거의 다 나왔다. 특정 국가에서만 판매하고 있는 갤럭시 Z 시리즈를 제외한 E 시리즈와 A 시리즈를 모두 전시 했다. 또한 작년 하반기부터 판매하기 시작한 갤럭시 노트와 갤럭시 탭이 동일한 공간에 전시되었다.

Mobile Phones, MWC2015

대부분의 기업들은 전시 공간을 단일화하여 사용하고 있다. 하지만 삼성전자는 세계 탑 메이커답게 전시 공간을 2원화하여 전시 공간의 표면에는 기존 제품을, 그리고 갤럭시 S는 삼성에 빠져들게 깊은 공간에 배치하는 탁월한 공간 활용 기법을 적용하였다.

[MWC2015] Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy 6 and the ‘ultimate weapon’ Galaxy S6 Edge

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Samsung Electronics, currently leading the world’s smart phone market along with Apple, showcased intensively developed Galaxy 6 and the ‘ultimate weapon’ Galaxy S6 Edge.

Following Galaxy S5, S6 used rigid AMOLED panel. However, Galaxy S6 Edge, following Galaxy Note 4 Edge, used flexible AMOLED and chose a new design where both sides of the edge are curved.

At the Samsung Elec.’s unpack event, held a day before the opening of MWC2015, Samsung Elec. CEO JK Shin was confident that everything changed except for the name. Galaxy S6 is Samsung Elec.’s ‘ultimate weapon’ where they concentrated all of their efforts in order to rectify S5’s slump. Galaxy S6’s 64-bit, 14-nanometer AP, 577ppi flexible AMOLED, and wireless charging technologyare such efforts. Its design that includes metal body, 2-sided edge, and graceful curves that link display and body is also a masterpiece that was not seen in any other products.

The main reason that Samsung Elec. could apply artistic design was flexible AMOLED produced by Samsung Display. It allowed the product to express the elegantly curved lines of hanbok, Korean traditional dress, through the main body and arched 4-sided corners. Furthermore, the chemistry of the glistening metal body together with the deep blue, a first for flexible AMOLED, can cut the most appealing figure of the existing smart phones.

150303_[MWC2015]Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy 6 and the ‘ultimate weapon’ Galaxy S6 Edge<Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung>

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