In what is arguably an Apple-dominated world, Samsung is most certainly on the rise. Statistics-wise, Samsung operates under the “Android” umbrella. As of July 2014, the Android operating system was reported by ComTech as having 66% of the market share in Australia (thanks to gizmodo.com.au for this report) while Apple had just 27% of the market share. In Britain, according to Kantar, 20% of customers switched from Apple to Samsung while 52% owned previous versions of Samsung phones and merely upgraded. It’s clear that the Samsung Galaxy is going from strength to strength and it begs the question – how does Samsung do it and how has the company evolved?
The Samsung Galaxy i7500. Image Source: techradar.com
Apple released their first smartphone in 2007 and Samsung followed suit two years later with the invention of the Galaxy i7500. It’s been dubbed by most as a fairly standard phone and it wasn’t overly popular. It had 8GB of storage and still had a D-pad which is very rare in mobiles phones in 2014. For those who don’t know what a D-pad is, it’s simply the “hang up, make a call, go forward and go back” buttons. A far departure from the latest Galaxy, the i7500 lasted just three hours when being used frequently.
The Samsung Galaxy S, released in 2010, was made to be a competitor with the highly-popular iPhone 4. It was the thinnest smartphone available at the time which was surely well-received by consumers wanting a compact device. It led the way for Android smartphones, being the first device licensed to use DivX, a free video streaming and playing service. One feature that didn’t match that of the iPhone 4 was the lack of a front-facing camera. In the “selfie generation” this may have been a drawback but the precision of the 5 megapixel rear camera may have made up for this. According to visual.ly, 24 million were sold. The lack of the front-facing camera may not have fazed video camera lovers as the phone boasted the “world’s brightest SUPER AMOLED screen” and a HD video camera. This means the colour and picture on the phone was crisper and sharper which was definitely a look into the future for smartphones in their early years. This version of the Samsung Galaxy was quite a departure from the i7500 model’s design and capabilities with the exclusion of the D-Pad which saw the phone move into the realm of sleeker, more functional buttons such as the back and home button.
SThe buttons on the Samsung Galaxy S. Image Source: samsunggalaxys4.cz
Samsung Galaxy S
Samsung Galaxy’s rise to popularity was given a boost in 2012 following the invention of the Galaxy SII. This smartphone was one of the first to kick off the voice control craze, with the “Samsung Voice Solution” feature. Music could be played, texts could be written, phone calls could be made, meetings were scheduled and apps were opened – all with the double tap of the home button followed by a voice command. SUPER AMOLED Plus was dubbed by Samsung as “a step beyond the already remarkable SUPER AMOLED screen” which featured in the Samsung Galaxy S. Samsung Dive was an innovation that allowed users to control and find their missing phone. This feature was a huge step up for the company and another drawcard for those prone to losing their phones. The Dual-Core 1.2GHz processor saw the software operating swiftly. When used frequently and in 3G, the Galaxy SII had nine hours of battery life and when run on 2G, it could be used up to 19 hours without needing to be charged.
And just when you thought that the Samsung Galaxy SII was at the forefront of innovation, along came the Samsung Galaxy S3. Once again battery life proved to be the real winner, with users given the freedom of 22 hours of talk time. This invention led the way in the smartphone market in terms of speed, with the upgraded 1.4GHz processor. For all the selfie lovers, this phone was perfect. From the original Samsung Galaxy not even having a selfie camera, the Galaxy S3 had the “best photo” feature which chose the best photo out of 8 continuous photos. Talk about a “smart” phone! The Galaxy S3 had an upgrade on the SUPER AMOLED technology which had Samsung promising “true and perfect colour with ultrafast response time”. The Samsung Galaxy SII Voice Solution evolved into the S Voice function in the Galaxy S3 which featured the voice control responding to the user.
Samsung Galaxy S3's Voice Function. Image Source: samsung.com
The Galaxy S3 introduced what was considered a world-first typing feature – the recognition of the next letter based on the user’s typing pattern and the proximity to each touched key.
Then along came the Samsung Galaxy S4. This phone was a true innovation and showed just how far the company had come since its first version of the Galaxy. The Samsung Galaxy S4 certainly appealed to the modern world’s fitness craze. Many people today look for the latest technology innovation that aids in establishing healthy habits. The Galaxy S4’s “S Health” feature helps users to achieve their fitness goals by monitoring activity and workouts throughout the day. The phone also took care of users’ eyesight and hearing by automatically adjusting the volume and screen brightness depending on the surroundings.
The S Translator feature works to break down language barriers which is certainly a useful feature for travellers and business people. Such a feature revolutionises the way humans communicate and shows just how much of a one-stop-shop the Galaxy can be.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Image Source: www.Samsung.com
The Samsung Galaxy S5 was introduced to the Australian market earlier this year and truly summed up Samsung’s evolution to innovation. This smartphone has ground-breaking features such as water resistance, ultra power saving mode and a heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor builds on the S Health feature which shows that Samsung is intent on being in touch with today’s fitness-obsessed world.
The ultra power-saving mode is a far cry from the eight hours of battery life earlier versions of the Samsung Galaxy had. This feature shuts down all non-essential apps so users can still make calls and texts without worrying about the phone dying. Samsung’s well-known for its practical approach to battery life and it shows that the company is in-touch with consumers’ needs.
Samsung Galaxy’s future is exciting to say the least, and if the company continues to innovate exciting new features these smartphones will sure to be popular for many years to come.