Samsung embraces the metal: A timid step, but necessary – Reuters

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MADRID, Aug 13 (Carlos Hergueta / Portaltic) -.

If one buys a Ferrari not only want to run; wants the attention-grabbing body and interior materials make you feel like a king. Come, I say, because I do not think I can ever buy one. What did I have clear is that if you buy a ‘smartphone’ of 700 euros or 750 euros, want not just go like lightning, but also convey the feeling of being a product ‘premium’.

Although sales yes that worked, the high-end Samsung Galaxy were not achieving that goal, despite its leading specifications that placed them among the elite of smartphones. And all for the design and the materials used. Samsung has been committed to working exclusively with plastic and that has made its latest flagship, the Galaxy S5, give feeling of poorer quality, not just the iPhone, but the HTC One M8, the Sony Xperia Z2 or Huawei Ascend P7.

That is, virtually all the competition had already opted for better materials and finishes Samsung. And although they do not represent real competition to the South Korean company in their figures , we must tread eye. Besides classical giants as Sony, hitherto unknown Chinese companies are pushing hard with powerful terminal, yes, they are capped plastic. Samsung must seek to differentiate themselves from their ground.

Apple, meanwhile, has always opted for the metal as one of the differential values ​​for many is the best ‘smartphone’ in terms of design and performance. And no one is aware that the team to beat Samsung in the high range. This year, we have seen studies that indicate consumers have changed their iPhone handsets such as the Galaxy by S5. The reason? The size of the .

Considering that this year we will grow your screen with the Apple iPhone 6 (supposedly, to 4.7 and 5.5 inches, since there would be two models), Samsung lose this advantage . If South Korea does not improve in design and finish, you run the risk of being in an area in between the powerful Chinese terminals, but economic, and excellence that characterizes and is credited to Apple. That could jeopardize the high-end Samsung.

Fortunately, South Korea took up the matter and dispensed with his chief designer this year , to take a new direction the look and feel that transmit their terminals. The first step in this new direction is this Galaxy Alpha, thanks to a metal edge enhancement to some extent what we have seen in recent years in phones like the Note 3 to the Galaxy S5, plastic edge that even worsened the line Galaxy S4 design.

Surely the next step in this commitment is the metal Note 4, which seems to have a design almost identical to the Galaxy Alpha and is will present on September 3 at IFA Berlin. Admittedly it’s not a dramatic change, as Samsung has kept the design pretty much seen last year, but with changing the metal edge plastic one. In any case, it’s a good start to a necessary change, hopefully reaching its zenith with the Galaxy S6 next year.