Release price 396,000 KRW, virtually a 'free phone'
The best choice for 12 million budget phone users
World market share No.1 'consolidation' begins with A24 launch
Samsung Electronics abruptly launched the budget smartphone ‘Galaxy A24’ on the 18th. It is a perfect product for today's era, where people try to save even a single won on communication costs. With a retail price of 396,000 won, considering the official subsidies expected to be in the 100,000 to 200,000 won range, it is practically a ‘free phone.’ Recently, there have been concerns that ‘low-cost phones’ have virtually disappeared in Korea, but Samsung Electronics is expected to shake up the market by releasing a budget phone at a groundbreaking price point. Previously, the Galaxy A34 (retail price 499,400 won) was virtually the only low-cost phone available domestically, but now an even more affordable budget phone has appeared.
Camera and Display Stand Out
The A24 is equipped with a Super AMOLED display and a 50-megapixel main camera. In terms of the main camera alone, it boasts higher image quality than the slightly higher-tier A34 (48 megapixels). Additionally, it features a total of three rear ‘triple cameras’: a 5-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The front camera is 13 megapixels. It also includes OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilization) functions.
The display size is 6.5 inches (164.2 mm). Through a large screen bigger than the Galaxy S23 (6.1 inches), users can enjoy videos and games with clear image quality. It is available in three colors: Black, Light Green, and Dark Red. The battery is a large-capacity 5000mAh, which is the current industry standard, and the storage capacity is 128GB. A microSD card of up to 1TB can be added. It supports Samsung Pay and NFC-based online and offline payments.
Targeting Budget Phone Customers
The A24 supports LTE networks and is released both through the three major carriers and as an unlocked model. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT’s ‘March 2023 Wireless Communication Service Statistics,’ there are 45,995,994 LTE users in Korea. While LTE users of the three major carriers are decreasing, budget phone users have steadily increased. Currently, there are 12,431,276 budget phone users. Considering that there were 3,021,741 users as of December 2018, this represents explosive growth.
The rapid increase in budget phone LTE users is due to the emergence of ‘0-won plans’ and similar offers. Sejong Telecom’s ‘Snowman’ plan allows users to use data (basic 11GB), calls, and texts for seven months without paying fees. As of the 8th, there are 35 zero-won plans available. After the zero-won period ends, some users switch to other zero-won plans, creating a ‘switching group.’ The A24, aimed at this trend of reducing communication costs, has ignited the market with its affordable retail price.
Securing the World’s No. 1 Market Share
With the launch of the A24, Samsung Electronics is entering the phase of ‘securing’ its position as the world’s number one smartphone market share holder. In the first quarter, Samsung Electronics’ market share was 22%, narrowly ahead of Apple’s 21%. It reclaimed the top spot it lost in the fourth quarter of last year. The driving force behind Samsung’s ability to maintain the number one position in the global smartphone market has been the strength of not only its flagship phones but also its budget smartphones.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
