Post date: Mar 15, 2013 3:38:10 PM
Reuters Business Video Report - If the smartphone industry is a kingdom, then this is its new ruler.
The Samsung S4, unveiled live to a large audience in New York, and 400,000 fans online.
More evolution than revolution, its key features include a near 5" full HD screen, an 8-core processor, a 12 megapixel camera, and a boatload of new motion-based software enhancements.
Looking back at the Galaxy line, it's come a very long way indeed in just 4 years, elevating Samsung's fortunes and share price alongside with it.All is not well in the realm though.
Tired of watching Samsung's rise from minor player to king, the house of Apple, rival to the crown, has begun to fight back.
Ahead of the S4 coronation, the cashed up contender has let the hounds loose.
Its marketing executive, Phil Schiller, doing the rounds, slamming both Android and Samsung in a rare media offensive.
Separately, Android, the power behind Samsung's throne, has seen its creatorAndy Rubin usurped by a competing head from Google's Chrome division.
If that's not enough drama already, the end of the long summer season of red hot growth is on the horizon, with IDC forecasting just single digit growth for thesmartphone sector by 2017.
Plus hordes of cheap smartphones are massing just beyond the great wall, waiting to invade.
Samsung has built itself a formidable selling machine, backed by distribution and marketing muscle that few can challenge.
But much of its success has been built by drawing more deeply into its coffers than its competitors, a dangerous habit as the market matures.
REUTERS REPORTER, JON GORDON,
"To hold on to this iron phone throne, Samsung will have to tighten the string of its coin pouch, all while fending off these fierce contenders on the battlefield. There is a reason after all that there are few grey-haired kings when playing this game of phones."