New Apple iPhones face challenge from Samsung phablet in Vietnam debut
New Apple iPhones face challenge from Samsung phablet in Vietnam debut
While the unofficial arrival of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Vietnam has been marred by sharp price drops and the ‘bendgate’ scandal, the official distribution of the handsets in the country in late October is expected to be just as tough.
Apple’s latest smartphones, which will officially go on sale in Vietnam late next month, are facing fierce competition from the Galaxy Note 4, with Samsung recently saying that its flagship ‘phablet’ is rolling out in 140 markets, including Vietnam, “by the end of October.”
Samsung's newest phablet is cheduld to hit stores in South Korea and China today, September 26, earlier than scheduled, following apparent pressure from the launch of the latest iPhones last week.
Even though Vietnam was not among the first ten markets where the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were officially released on September 19, local diehard Apple fans were still able to buy the handsets the same day.
Mobile phone traders had joined queues in Singapore and Hong Kong to buy phones and return to Vietnam immediately to serve customers who wanted to be the first to own the new iPhones.
The handsets were selling for US$1,550-3,300 each, depending on the model and storage capacity, with traders believing that customers would be willing to open their pockets due to the product scarcity.
But there was one thing they did not expect: There was no scarcity, as far more traders joined the so-called ‘black market’ to sell the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus than in the case of the iPhone 5S last year.
The ‘iPhone fever’ in Vietnam thus cooled down after only three days, and prices for the unofficially distributed products fell sharply.
On Thursday morning, traders only demanded VND18.9 million (US$890) for a 16GB iPhone 6, while the respective prices for the 64GB and 128GB versions are VND21.5 million ($1,012), and VND23.5 million ($1,106), according to ICTNews. Traders had previously asked VND25 million ($1,177) for a 16GB iPhone 6.
While a 16GB iPhone 6 Plus used to cost VND33 million to VND42 million ($1,553-1,977) on the ‘black market,’ the current price is only around VND25 million, the Vietnamese tech news website said.
On the global market, the new Apple products have been hit by what is being called the ‘bendgate’ problem, in which iPhone 6 Plus buyers have discovered that their phones can bend when placed in back pockets.
The bendable-phone situation might prove particularly troubling for those who wear skinny jeans, news agency Reuters said Thursday, citing reports on Facebook and Twitter.
Apple has also been forced to withdraw an update for the iOS 8 operating system, after customers who installed the update have reportedly had difficulties making phone calls, and have been unable to use fingerprints to unlock their device.
Eyes are now on the release of Samsung Galaxy Note 4, particularly because it is the first time a flagship product of Apple’s archrival has hit Chinese stores ahead of other markets, according to tech website Tech In Asia.
Samsung shipped 74.3 million smartphones in the second quarter this year, for a market share of 25.2 percent, down from 32.3 percent in the second quarter of 2013, according to data released by market researcher International Data Corporation, or IDC, on July 29.
Apple shipped 35.1 million iPhones during the second quarter of this year, accounting for a market share of 11.9 percent, a slight drop from 13 percent a year ago, according to IDC.
The Galaxy Note 4 will be available with a larger 5.7-inch screen, and have a 1440 x 2560-pixel Super AMOLED capacitative touchscreen, with the signature Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
It is not clear if the phablet has the ‘bendable’ feature of Apple’s latest models.
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