The fifth generation of Samsung’s Galaxy S series, the Galaxy S5, goes on sale starting today for a suggested retail price of Php34,990.
The new Galaxy S5 features a 16-megapixel camera with an enhanced menu and user interface. The Galaxy S5 also offers extremely fast autofocus speed up to 0.3 seconds and the advanced High Dynamic Range (HDR), reproduce natural light and color with striking intensity at any circumstances. Also, the new Selective Focus feature allows users to focus on a specific area of an object while simultaneously blurring out the background. With this capability, consumers no longer need a special lens kit to create a shallow depth of field (DOF) effect.
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For smartphone users that are on postpaid subscriptions, the Galaxy S5 is available under various postpaid plans from Globe Telecom and Smart Communications.
At Globe Telecom, postpaid subscribers can upgrade to the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphone year after year without having to complete the default 24-month contract period.
With the new Galaxy Forever Plan, new and existing Globe postpaid customers can avail of the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphone after just a year by first choosing their Galaxy Forever Plan of choice. Three plans are available for subscribers to choose from: Plan 1599 with a cash-out of P16,800; Plan 1999 with a cash-out of P14,800, and Plan 2499 with a cash-out of P12,800.
After the 12-month contract period has ended, subscribers can re-contract their existing Galaxy Forever Plan or upgrade to a higher plan, renewing the contract period for another 12 months and making them eligible to get the newer Galaxy model. Upon renewal of contract, subscribers have the option to pay the corresponding cash-out if they decide to keep their Samsung Galaxy S5 model or trade it in for lesser cash-out.
Under Plan 1599, subscribers get 1.5GB of GoSurf consumable data plan monthly, free 6-month subscription to Spotify Premium for music streaming on mobile, unlimited calls and texts to one Globe/TM number of your choice, free calls and texts to all networks, and additional monthly consumable for other services.
At Plan 1999, subscribers get P3GB of GoSurf data plan, free 6-month subscription to Spotify Premium, choice of unlimited calls and texts to Globe/TM or unlimited texts to all networks, and additional monthly consumable for other services.
For Plan 2499, subscribers get 5GB of GoSurf data plan, free 6-month subscription to Spotify Premium, unlimited calls to Globe mobile/landline, unlimited texts to all networks, and additional monthly consumable for other services.
Customers can also avail of the Samsung Galaxy S5 with Globe mySUPERPLAN, where they can get the latest Galaxy smartphone for as low as P1,699 monthly at Plan 999 with P700 monthly cashout over a 24-month contract period. With the postpaid plan bundle, customers get 5 gigabyte (GB) of GoSurf data plan monthly, free calls and texts to all networks and a 6-month subscription to Spotify Premium.
In addition to customizable postpaid plans, subscribers also get one-month free Gadget Care, as well as free access to Facebook until April 25, 2014. They also get the exclusive privilege to buy apps from the Samsung App Store and do in-app purchases, where amount will be charged to bill for postpaid customers or will be deducted from the prepaid load of prepaid customers.
Getting the Samsung Galaxy S5 from Globe also entitles customers access to free Globe apps such as G Services, G Cash, G Movies and more for the complete smartphone experience. Globe is also giving away 500 prizes which include the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 for its Galaxy Leaderboard Promo.
Smart’s Samsung Galaxy S5 Plan
Meanwhile, at Smart, the Samsung Galaxy S5 comes free under Smart Postpaid’s UnliSurf Plan 2000, which already comes with unlimited mobile LTE surfing, 150 minutes of calls and 200 of texts to all networks under a 30-month contract.
The Galaxy S5 will also be available for only P1,799 a month under Smart’s UnliSurf Plan 999, with P800 monthly handset cash-out for 24 months. This plan comes with unlimited surfing for one month plus calls and texts.
Smartphone innovation is slowing down
“While the Galaxy S5 is an evolutionary product, there is not enough in there to make people upgrade from the 4,” said Frost & Sullivan ICT Consultant Lawrence Lundy. “It doesn’t push the envelope in any real way; we are in a sort of stasis now when it comes to smartphone innovation. That is not to say that smartphone innovation is finished, but much of the innovation is going to come from the introduction of sensors into the phone, and the improvements in software, and how the phone will interact with the range of wearable devices.”
According to Lundy, the bulk of Samsung’s business, despite the high profile nature of its Galaxy line, is in the mid to low end. This is where Samsung is losing share as other cheaper manufacturers build capacity and experience, and can utilise lower labour costs. The bulk of growth in the market will come at the $200 and less price points, and these segments are simply less profitable than the high-end. For Samsung this means increasing pressure on margins.
