The Boundary Between Mobile and PC Breaks Down... Increasing LTE Notebooks

Samsung Electronics Unveils 'Galaxy Book Go'
Various Carrier Plans... Official Subsidy Benefits Included

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Samsung Electronics has been expanding LTE support for its laptop products, starting with the 'Galaxy Book S' launched at the end of 2019. This is due to the increasing demand for long-distance travel such as KTX and outdoor use for camping, with more people wanting to use laptops like smart devices without tethering.

On the 27th, Samsung Electronics released a new laptop compatible with LTE cellular, the 'Galaxy Book Go.' With LTE networks, users can access online functions even in places without Wi-Fi or while on the move. The previously unveiled 'Galaxy Book Pro' and 'Galaxy Book' are also LTE-compatible products. A 5G version of the Galaxy Book Go is likely to be released by the end of the year.

The three major mobile carriers have also introduced various plans. Tablet PC and smart device-specific plans are mainly divided into two types: 'data sharing' plans and LTE-only plans. The former shares existing smartphone data, while the latter charges separately. Currently, the former is more common.

In particular, LG Uplus has set a maximum official subsidy of 300,000 KRW for the Galaxy Book Go product. When combined with an additional subsidy (up to 15% of the official subsidy) of 45,000 KRW, the total reaches 345,000 KRW, reducing the product's retail price (589,600 KRW) to below 300,000 KRW. This is relatively generous compared to the previously released Galaxy Book Pro (1,789,700 KRW) and Galaxy Book (1,293,000 KRW).

All three carriers?SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus?are also holding separate promotional events with Samsung Electronics. SK Telecom has placed the Galaxy Book Go in over 1,100 offline T World stores nationwide, where Samsung experience zones called 'S Zones' are installed, and is running gift events on its own online mall, T Direct Shop. An industry insider said, "As the boundary between mobile and PC becomes blurred, this trend is increasing in the market," adding, "Plans are also becoming more diverse."