Samsung’s ‘Galaxy Z6’ box office heats up… Paris unpacking begins – Electronic Times VRESP

Samsung Electronics started holding the ‘Galaxy Unpack’ event earlier than usual. Amid concerns about a slowdown in business unit performance due to negative market growth in the second quarter of this year, the company appears to be putting all its efforts into making the Galaxy Z6 series, scheduled to be released in the second half of the year, a hit.

According to the industry on the 1st, Samsung Electronics will operate the ‘Samsung Olympic Experience Center’ at 125 Champs-Elysées in Paris, France from the 3rd of this month to October 31st. The company plans to decorate the experience center with a space to experience breaking and skateboarding games, previous Olympic edition mobile phones, and ‘Galaxy AI’ functions.

In addition, during the Olympics, additional experience centers will be operated at the Olympic Park, Athletes’ Village, and Media Center. ‘Samsung Galaxy Charging Stations’ will be placed in major stadiums.

Samsung Electronics recently launched a global advertisement for the Paris Olympics. ‘Team Samsung Galaxy’ members Aurélien Giraud (France, skateboarding), Johannes Flores (Germany, disabled track and field), and Sarah B (France, breaking) conveyed the Paris Olympic and Paralympic campaign message, ‘An open mind always wins. Introducing the message ‘Open always wins.’ The Paris Olympic team Samsung Galaxy consisted of 55 members, the largest ever.

The industry sees this Paris Galaxy marketing in France as part of unpack marketing. This is because it is likely that the ‘Galaxy Z Fold/Flip 6’ unpacking will be held in Paris, France. Foreign media such as Sam Mobile said, “Samsung Electronics is an official sponsor of the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” and announced that Samsung Electronics plans to hold Unpack in Paris, France on July 10.

It is unusual for Samsung Electronics to conduct such marketing even before distributing Galaxy Unpack invitations. Samsung Electronics has been conducting marketing after distributing unpack invitations. Considering that unpack invitations are usually distributed about a month before the event, this is a fairly early marketing effort. The industry believes that Samsung Electronics will distribute the official invitation to Unpack early next month.

Samsung Electronics’ marketing move is interpreted as a move to minimize the slowdown in performance in the second quarter of this year. Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Experience (MX) department, which is in charge of smartphones, achieved respectable results in the first quarter of this year with sales of 33.53 trillion won and operating profit of 3.51 trillion won. However, there are concerns about a slowdown in performance starting in the second quarter due to the off-season. In particular, as the effect of the launch of the Galaxy S24 new product overlaps with the unfavorable factor of the off-season, operating profit may fall from the low 3 trillion won to the low 2 trillion won range. Samsung Electronics said in a conference call announcing its first quarter earnings this year, “As we enter the off-season in the second quarter of this year, smartphone shipments will decrease and the average selling price (ASP) of smartphones will be lowered.”

Samsung Electronics plans to start marketing in the second quarter of this year and continue to expand performance until the second half of the year. To this end, the release date of the Galaxy Z6 series appears to have been brought forward by about two weeks compared to previous years. The previous unpacking date for the Galaxy Z5 series was July 26th last year. Samsung Electronics is expected to unveil the Galaxy Watch 7 series, Galaxy Buds 3, and Galaxy Ring along with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 at this unpack.

Reporter Nam Gung-kyung [email protected]