Samsung aims to increase its market share in the local South African market.
Samsung is aiming to increase its market share in the local South African market by unveiling the latest budget-friendly smartphone, the Galaxy A17.
The budget-friendly market in the country is already saturated by brands that users may not be familiar with, and which may not offer local support if something happens to the device.
The Galaxy A17, the latest addition to its Galaxy A Series range, will appeal to customers who want a branded smartphone without forking out a large amount of cash and want support.
Competition
In the South African market, the Samsung Galaxy A17 faces strong competition from other budget-friendly and mid-range devices from brands such as Hisense, Xiaomi, ZTE, and Huawei, among others, which are making significant gains in the low-end and mid-range segments.
While its key selling points are its reliable brand name and long-term software support, competitors often offer better value in terms of specs and features for a similar price.
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Enticing users
Samsung is enticing users with Samsung SOS+, a free-to-use, 24/7 private emergency response service available exclusively to new Galaxy A Series devices.
For the A17, 12 months of free access is available to those who purchase the company’s latest phone.
Samsung said the Galaxy A17 is designed for individuals who are often on the move, running businesses, chasing goals, and managing life on the go.
“The Galaxy A17 strikes the perfect balance of innovation, security, reliability, and value,” said Justin Hume, Vice President: Mobile Experience at Samsung South Africa.
Features
The Galaxy A17 comes equipped with a 6.7” Super AMOLED display, 50MP OIS triple camera, 128GB of internal storage, 4+4GB RAM and a large 5 000mAh battery.
It is certainly budget-friendly, but with Samsung already competing in the flagship and midrange markets alongside Apple, Honour, Huawei, and Vivo, the South Korean company wants a bigger slice of the budget-friendly market as some consumers seek cheaper devices.
Price
While Samsung launched the device at a price of R3,999 and in black and blue colourways, critics may argue that many of its specs feel a couple of years behind the curve.
The price also aligns with Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi’s efforts to accelerate access to more affordable smart devices and smartphones.
Malatsi first mentioned lowering the price of smart devices in October last year when he initiated bold plans to expand broadband connectivity across South Africa.
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