50K is the new normal
If you haven’t heard, Samsung has officially announced their Galaxy Note 8 flagship last week. Aside from its dual-camera, non-explody bits and flagship performance, one of the biggest takeaways that people get from the new device is its high price. At Php 49,990, it’s the most expensive Android flagship thus far this year, far more than what the series was asking for last year.
And yet, I feel that the Note 8 is just the beginning. While Huawei has been subtly trolling Samsung with their expected Mate 10 release on October 18, if the rumors are true, their next flagship may also reach the 50K (USD 1K) mark when it’s announced.
Sadly, Huawei and Samsung’s efforts are just the start of the 1K flagship trend. Once people start buying the new flagships, it’s safe to say that other companies will follow suit, normalizing the trend. Apple’s next iPhone will certainly breach the 1K mark when it launches later this year, which will further reinforce the sentiment that customers are willing to fork over more than Php 50K for the next shiniest, biggest thing.
As top tier manufacturers look to exotic technologies like curved panels and bezel-less displays to make their rectangular Android phone stand out from the competition, prices for flagships will continue to increase. A few years ago we thought that paying close to 40K for a flagship was the very definition of insanity yet today that’s considered the starting price of most of the recent flagships offered by manufacturers.
Is the new pricing norm a good thing? We’re not sure yet. While we haven’t finished our full review of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 yet, we’ve come to appreciate its unparalleled performance when it comes to photos and video, as well as its gorgeous display. Are those things worth 50K? We guess it depends on what your bank account looks like.
Love it or hate it, the Galaxy Note 8 and possibly Huawei’s Mate 10 are just the beginning of the new trend in flagship phones. As manufacturers are pressured to make better, bolder and faster smartphones, you can expect the price tag of said phones to rise to the stratosphere. Like it or not, 50K flagship phones are here to stay.
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