April 24, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics is expected to see preorders for its latest Galaxy Note 7 smartphone exceed 400,000 units on its home turf, nearly triple the figure for the Galaxy S7 and its Edge variant, which launched in March.

According to industry sources on Aug. 17, preorders for the larger-screen Note phone have already reached some 350,000 units and are likely to reach the 400,000 mark before the preorder period ends Aug. 18.

In Korea, a phone selling some 10,000 units is considered a “hit phone.”

The Blue Coral color option of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has made up more than half the smartphone’s preorders in Korea.

Considering soaring preorders globally, it seems unavoidable for some markets to see the phone’s arrival delayed. The official launch is planned for Aug. 19 for key markets such as Korea, the US and China.

Samsung is carrying out aggressive marketing activities in Korea, offering hefty gifts worth 400,000 won (US$360), including the Gear Fit 2 health tracker. The company is aiming to secure more customers possibly before Apple’s new iPhone launch, which is planned in early September.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)