Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) has partnered with domestic mobile carriers to launch a series of mid-range smartphones priced around 500,000 won. The move aims to defend market share while expanding consumer choice by steadily releasing new products, even as chipflation has particularly eroded the price competitiveness of mid-range phones.
SK Telecom said Wednesday it will exclusively launch Samsung's new smartphone, the "Galaxy Wide9," among the three carriers, at a retail price of 469,700 won. The Wide9 features a 5,000mAh battery, up to 25W fast charging, a 6.7-inch display, and a 50-megapixel camera. Weighing 192 grams and measuring 7.5mm thick, it improves on its predecessor.
KT also exclusively launched the "Galaxy Jump5" for 545,600 won the previous day. The Jump5 similarly features a 6.7-inch display and a 50-megapixel camera, targeting consumer demand for value for money. In particular, it comes equipped with the AI feature "Awesome Intelligence," supporting image search "Circle to Search," voice and call recording, and text conversion, much like the premium "Galaxy S" series.
Samsung Electronics is steadily increasing new products through a strategy of selling mid-range phones—whose profitability has fallen sharply due to chipflation—to carriers on an exclusive-launch basis in exchange for guaranteed sales performance. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, chip costs, including mobile DRAM, accounted for an estimated 36% of the cost of mid-range phones priced between $400 and $600 as of the second quarter.
With memory prices surging, the cost burden also rose 11 percentage points from the previous quarter. As a result, Chinese competitors that compete with mid-range phones have reduced their new product shipments this year, and some have abandoned launches altogether.
