What’s wrong with this picture?
In the centre of Sydney CBD, people camp overnight to secure the latest iPhone.
WHEN Apple releases a new product, people ignore requests to pre-order and camp on the footpath outside Apple stores for days.
They want to be among the first to secure the latest iPhone from the Apple Store and experience the spectacle of being greeted with applause and cheers from the multiple staff lining every floor of the multi-level flagship.
When the doors open, the excited customers rush inside and are greeted by a sea of blue shirts, all wanting to get the latest Apple handset into their hands.
With the highly-anticipated Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus going on sale to the general public on Friday, Samsung had one security guard outside its mobile flagship store in Sydney’s CBD.
It made sense to prepare for a hype similar to Apple, given it is one of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world.
But with Samsung things are a little different.
There are no long lines of people who have camped out for days.
What could have been a hard day at the office for the security guard turned out to be a peaceful morning, with just four people waiting outside the store to pick up the latest device.
This doesn’t look like the launch day for one the biggest phone companies in the world.Source:Supplied
Just like with Apple, the customers were met with cheers from Samsung’s staff, but it just didn’t have the same feel as the launch of an iPhone.
Samsung Australia vice president of IT and mobile Richard Fink said he wasn’t surprised by the turn out, given the company’s approach to releasing a new device.
Instead of encouraging huge crowds, the company tries to get its customers to preorder the device and have it delivered.
Doing so comes with a plethora of benefits such as allowing customers to secure their handset a week before it went on sale, the inclusion of a free Gear VR headset and a $A66 voucher for Oculus content.
A model Mr Fink said is hugely successful.
“We have seen unprecedented demand since the devices were made available for pre-order earlier this month. In fact, Australian pre-sale numbers for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ have set a new benchmark for Samsung in this country,” he told news.com.au.
“Thousands of Australians have already received their devices through our pre-sale early delivery offer and the feedback so far has been incredible — we believe this highlights the demand that Australians have for a premium and beautifully crafted smartphone experience.”
The phone, which news.com.au found to be highly impressive, has also been getting praise on Twitter since the release.
Oh hello!!
#S8+ pic.twitter.com/ooWfyHSWBo
— Loan (@LoanTraan) April 27, 2017
Feel the need? The need for speed? Get #Samsung #Galaxy #S8 and see a powerful performance!! #GS8East @Sprint4NYC pic.twitter.com/3Kz6hBQzCe
— laura bella (@laurabella2468) April 24, 2017
Yep. Hands on… for just a moment. That screen and camera though!! #Samsung #S8 #SamsungS8 pic.twitter.com/gd9a6QgIjp
— gadgetandgamer (@gadgetandgamer) April 17, 2017
Really being pushed towards Android! #S8
— D II F (@_215kingcarter_) April 17, 2017
While I was in O2 store earlier drooling over the #S8 3 people were in there upgrading/buying out of their iPhone 7 contracts to get one.
— Danny Allen (@DannyAllenUK) April 27, 2017
So why the lack of crowds if the phone has been met with praise?
It has less to do with the success of Samsung’s product and more to do with Apple’s cult following, according to cultural historian Erica Robles-Anderson.
During the launch of the iPhone 6S, Ms Robles-Anderson suggested everything about Apple’s store and release day was proof of its cult following.
“It’s a cult. Right? It’s so obviously a cult,” she told Atlas Obscura.
Ms Robles-Anderson said it all starts with Apple’s flagship, which has parralels with large churches.
“The oversized doors are fantastic,” she said. “There’s no reason for them.”
“It creates a space that emphasises your smallness when you walk in. You look at something far away, and that makes your body feel like you’re entering somewhere sacred or holy.”
She added that Apple has also managed to make its customers feel like they are part of the exclusive family.
“You’re always seeing others and being seen by others. And the ways that any employee can serve you feels personal, but it’s going on all around you, in a cacophony of like-mindedness.”
Will you be purchasing the S8? Continue the conversation with Matthew Dunn on Twitter or Facebook.
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