Samsung has been the undisputed leader of the mobile market in Portugal for several years. After the pandemic, and with brands like Xiaomi or Apple always on the prowl, we wanted to understand what this well-known Portuguese looks like for our market.
In a conversation that begins with Samsung’s priorities and expectations for the coming years in the Portuguese market, we spoke with José Correia, Product Director of Samsung Portugal. In the year in which Samsung celebrates 40 years of presence in Portugal, some numbers, ideas and brand strategies are revealed to continue leading in the future. You can read the exclusive 4gnews interview in full below.
What is Samsung’s main priority currently in the Portuguese market?
Our main priority is to maintain leadership in the market. We expect it to grow between 5% and 7% this year, so the objective is to grow above this figure, reinforcing our position to gain market share. This will imply strengthening the premium segment, while increasing the number of elements of our product ecosystem in the homes of the Portuguese.
The interconnection of branded smartphones, wearables, TVs and home appliances brings great benefits to consumers, so there is a huge growth opportunity for Samsung through its open ecosystem.
The pandemic changed consumer behavior, which began to place more value on quality and prefer equipment with higher added value, which brings clear benefits to daily life.
What are Samsung’s expectations for the Portuguese market in the next five years?
Our expectations are very encouraging. At this time, when we are already coming out of the pandemic, we can say that we have clearly strengthened our presence in the market and that gives us reason to smile, being a clear indicator that the strategy defined for our country is the most appropriate. . .
Also looking at the new products and categories we have lined up for the near future gives us even more confidence. We are also, in a way, subject to a high degree of expectation by our current and potential Samsung consumers.
A constant commitment to innovation is expected of us, establishing new technological benchmarks and exceeding expectations through a personalized experience for each user. This gives us additional motivation to continue living up to all these expectations.
Apart from smartphones, which product category is most successful in Portugal?
In Portugal, the mobility area has three main categories: smartphones, tablets and wearable devices. The smartphone category is clearly the largest, followed in terms of revenue by the tablet category.
But if we look at it from the point of view of dynamism, the Wearables category is the one that registers the greatest growth, as a result of the excellent integration with other devices with special relevance for the smartphone.
This makes consumers increasingly comfortable expanding their universe of Samsung products, which work and relate to each other in a simple, personalized and integrated way.
How are sales of the Galaxy S22 series going in Portugal?
Sales are excellent and I can even say that they far exceeded our best expectations. The Portuguese consumer responded very positively to these new devices, with the Ultra model clearly being the favorite of the Portuguese.
Also for the integration of the acclaimed S Pen, which greatly revived the interest of our loyal consumers in the Note range. The Galaxy S22 is undoubtedly a winning bet and a great sales success.
What is the best-selling smartphone in Portugal? What is the reason for this specific device?
The Portuguese market continues to be a market with a high concentration of volumes below €200 and, in this sense, when we refer to the units sold, the entry-level models are necessarily the ones that are sold the most. In 2021, the best-selling smartphone in Portugal was the Galaxy A12.
The fact that it offers the full Galaxy experience, combined with an excellent quality/price compromise, are the main reasons for this success. This is a device that easily meets all the needs of the typical smartphone user. Which, in its normal use, ensures with this purchase quality and safety standards well above those offered by the competition in the same price range.
How do you rate the reception of foldable smartphones in Portugal? Which model of the Galaxy Z line is more successful among consumers?
As is known, in 2021 we made a strong commitment to a new range of folding smartphones. Focusing our entire strategy on the launch of this new type of product. Not only from the point of view of the concept demonstration, but also with the experimentation actions and product activations whose purpose was to generate greater confidence and knowledge about the benefits of this new folding screen format.
This decision turned out to be the most successful, since the Portuguese consumer received this new category of products very well, in particular the Galaxy Z Flip3. Naturally, we still have a lot of work to do in terms of getting these new devices out there. As well as the need to dispel any doubts about the resistance and usability of these new formats.
The studies we have clearly show that Galaxy Z series users are their best recommenders. In this sense, we are confident in the path we have taken and hope, in a future generation, to implement some of the lessons learned from previous versions.
What does the foldable smartphone segment represent for Samsung? What is the future vision for this seemingly growing niche?
For Samsung this segment represents the future. Its “form factor” is undoubtedly the differentiating element that, together with the adoption of 5G, will dictate the growth of the market and Samsung is clearly focused on leading this new wave of innovation in the industry.
We work daily to continue developing this category, confident that we will continue to bring even more and better news to our consumers. We are certainly committed to challenging the barriers to progress.
Will Samsung continue to use Exynos processors in its flagship products in Europe? What prevents the use of comparable Qualcomm models, as is done in the United States?
The processor use strategy is defined according to the equipment in question. Nothing prevents us from using Qualcomm processors, as can be seen in the processors used in our range of Foldables and even in the Galaxy S21 FE.
Our focus is to continue to offer the best user experience, regardless of the processor used. All undergo rigorous test and usage scenarios to deliver optimal and consistent performance throughout the lifecycle of the device in question.
At a time when brands like Xiaomi are growing more and more in our country, what can differentiate Samsung to continue being the favorite of the Portuguese?
This year Samsung celebrates 40 years in Portugal. A long history that makes us proud and prepares us for the future. We are a trusted brand and much loved by the Portuguese. When they buy our brand, the Portuguese know that they will find the best technology in screens, cameras and processors, which together with the One UI interface offer a unique user experience.
Forty years is synonymous with reliability and guarantee in the quality of the product, in what is delivered against our expectations. Whether for the industry, for the history we have and for each of our users in Portugal. This is the result of long-standing alliances and agility in the processes. In Portugal we have also implemented one of the largest and most robust structures in the segment, which allows us to provide a clearly superior level of response.
At the product level, we also have privacy and security concerns, as we are the only brand in Portugal certified by the National Cybersecurity Office. Which in a device where we carry more and more of our confidential information is undoubtedly a differentiating element.
It should be noted that all Samsung devices have software and security updates. This guarantees greater longevity and further assurance that the users of our products are more than prepared for the present and the future.
Finally, it is important to mention that our entire ecosystem of mobility and equipment for the home, supported by the SmartThings platform, allows us to live a safe and connected experience that facilitates the day-to-day life of our users.
Recently, several Samsung smartphones started offering four years of Android updates, which not even Google itself offers. Does Samsung want to strengthen consumer confidence with this?
Without a doubt yes! In addition to software updates, we will also provide security updates, which can last for more than four years. This is important because consumers are making increasingly informed and conscious decisions, and ensuring that equipment is up-to-date and safe throughout its useful life is critical.
We are a brand close to our community and we value it very much. Therefore, even after the purchase, Samsung ensures that the product is fit for future uses and we are close to the community to detect points of improvement and be active in guaranteeing that same security and software support service.