14 DAY TRIAL // Once upon a time, Samsung was envisioned to have a great year ahead, tablet-wise. Back in January, sources familiar with the matter speculated that the Korean tech giant would be able to ship up to 60 million tablets this year, thus advancing one step closer to its ultimate goal of becoming the top global tablet vendor.
Half a year later, the news isn’t that great for Sammy. Despite releasing numerous tablet products that cater to the needs of every consumer niche ever imaginable, the Korean tech giant doesn’t fare so well.
Samsung has also been trying to reduce the prices of its tablets, but this doesn't seem to attract more customers on board. So, judging by the developing trend, sources familiar with the matter reported by the Asian publication DigiTimes claim that the Korean conglomerate isn't likely to achieve the 60 million goal.
Samsung managed to get decent results in the first half of the year, when it succeeded to push 20 million units, numbers that translate into a 16.6% growth on year.
So, that means that Samsung has to sell almost double in the second half of the year to achieve the January goal. This, however, is highly unlikely to happen, even if Samsung tries its best.
For starters, the company is expected to lower its products’ prices, by offering them with discounts and under competitive promotions.
In the first quarter of the year, Samsung released the premium Galaxy TabPRO and NotePRO lineup at CES 2014, but these were high-end products designed for the business crowd. They came with hefty price tags so, as was expected, the sales didn't skyrocket.
Then, in April, Sammy pushed out its budget-oriented consumer-friendly lineup – the Galaxy Tab 4, which sadly came with basic specs and quite high price tags for what it was offering.
Most recently, the Korean manufacturer introduced the AMOLED Galaxy Tab S tablets, which are heavily marketed with emphasis on their lovely display. However, Sammy is currently selling the 8.4-incher for $399 / €297, down from the original $499 / €372.
Even if Samsung has experienced growth in the first part of the year, compared to the same time last year, it’s not boosting up sales quick enough.
Most importantly, recent research has showed that consumer interest for the tablet category is fading, as the PC business is making a comeback and the large-screen smartphone ecosystem is gaining more traction with customers across the globe.
When will Samsung rule supreme tablet-wise? By the looks of it, not anytime soon.