Saleh Fareed

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH – Samsung is very strong in Saudi Arabia with more than 50 percent share in smartphone market as its new Galaxy Note 3, and its companion device, the Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch to be available soon here in Saudi Arabia, Samsung Electronics KSA General Manager Jae Cheon Park revealed.



Speaking exclusively to the Gazette, Cheon disclosed that the new devices will be officially launched in Jeddah and in Riyadh on Sept. 25 and Sept. 27, respectively.



“We have done very well with smart phone industry thanks to the choice of Saudi consumers, and we believe that the business environment as well as consumer awareness are the catalysts for Saudi market growth,” he said.



Park is betting big on Samsung’s newest smartphone, the Galaxy Note 3 and its companion device, the Galaxy Gear. “We expect our sales to grow here in Saudi Arabia and these devices will be very popular among Saudi consumers,” he said.



He further said that Samsung sold globally around 14.5 million devices of Galaxy Note, 1.24 million devices for Note 2. “Following that figures we expect the Galaxy Note 3 will be very successful,” he noted.



Moreover, he said  “the new phone showcases the company’s yearlong effort to improve key software and applications that will help it compete better with other brands.



Speaking about the new Samsung’s smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, he made it clear that “it’s not an independent device. It’s a ‘companion’ device that is compatible with the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone.”



Regarding the price of both devices, he noted that tag prices will be reasonable for local consumers who look for innovative devices.



He explained “innovation is what will get consumers to buy new devices, and innovative ideas is what keeps Samsung ahead of its competition.  Most of our growth was driven by innovation, whether in existing products or in introducing new ones.”



He stressed that innovation is a key driver of Samsung’s success. “The new Galaxy Note 3 with its companion Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Tablet 10.1 are proof that Samsung is truly relentlessly innovative in bringing first-to-market products and having the best mobile products in the marketplace,” Park said.



Samsung recently launched its new devices during a splashy Unpacked event at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. It held a simultaneous event in New York’s Times Square to broadcast the launch for reporters.



During the company’s event, JK Shin, co-CEO and head of Samsung’s mobile business, said “our inspiration came from our customers.”



He added “we listened to you. You said you wanted more options. You wanted to do more with your smartphone. You wanted a bigger screen and bigger input capabilities. The first Galaxy Note was just the beginning. Today we cross a new boundary by pushing higher.”