Samsung Galaxy Note 7 up in Flames, Can Google Pixel Win It Now?
The company has a long road to go before consumers warm up to the brand once again, and Google can benefit here.
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Samsung is yet to figure out the root cause which has led to the early demise of Galaxy Note 7 this year. But there is a lot more that the South Korean company needs to fix before entering the mobile fray yet again anytime soon.
The brand occupies major chunk of the premium smartphone market in India. But with the Galaxy Note 7 going up in flames, and Apple already in the market with its iPhone 7 series, it’s easy to see Google create an opening for its Pixel phones.
Make no mistake, Pixel is still an expensive bet from Google, that could find it hard to compete with Apple (or not), but Samsung has bigger questions to answer, at least before we hear anything conclusive about the Galaxy S8.
It is hard to point out any particular brand which has been in the news, and under the eyes of public, as much as Samsung has been over the past few months. Airport authorities are taking stringent action to make sure that the Galaxy Note 7 doesn’t end up hurting/killing people.
We can’t even say that the forces in place are exaggerating the entire episode, which has stretched beyond everyone’s wildest imaginations. But as they say, someone’s loss ends up being somebody else’s gain, and in this case it could be Google.
All in a Disarray
The true reason behind the explosive nature of the Galaxy Note 7 is surprisingly yet to be figured out, and that doesn’t help matters for Samsung.
Initially, it was thought out that the need to innovate, adding rigorous pressure on manufacturers to improve battery life of smartphone, had a big part to play in this mishap.
Over 1 million Galaxy Note 7 have been recalled by the company, and probably for the first time, a company has put in a lot of logistic effort to ensure the consumers remain safe.
Even a Google search for Samsung shows up words like ‘blast’, ‘explosion’ and ‘battery issues’, among others. The phone’s sale in India was repeatedly postponed, before they decided to cull the product altogether this week.
Also Read: First Look: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Is for the Social Media Buff
You might argue that in Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, they still have a capable device which can rival most flagships in the market, but with Galaxy Note 7, it was all about Samsung’s profound belief of creating the so-called phablet segment.
The Accidental Beneficiary
In this case, it would be hard to bet against Google making merry with its Pixel in the country.
Whether it manages to fight it out with an existing force like Apple is another matter, but one cannot discount the power of Google and Android, which is the overwhelming popular choice of mobile operating system among users in the country.
Google’s two-thronged approach will go a long way in making sure that it gets the best deal out of online/offline market in the country. Also there are a slew of services which will be exclusively available to Pixel/Pixel XL users, that could sweeten up the deal.
It’s too early to say whether the Pixel’s camera is worth reckoning in the same sentence as Galaxy Note 7 or the iPhone 7, but not having a direct Android competitor in the same price bracket could surely work in Pixel’s favour, or so one hopes.
Samsung’s response to the entire situation has been abysmal to say the least, and their apparent silence, merely adds to the confusion hanging over how Samsung plans to redeem its reputation in the coming months.
Samsung’s misery should be a lesson for smartphone makers, that clearly highlights the need to innovate but not without keeping its practical viability and safety for that matter in check.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)