Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Device breaks Australian sales records despite record high price, Samsung says
TECH-hungry Aussies will have to wait as long as two weeks to get their hands on a Samsung Galaxy Note 9, with the smartphone giant’s most expensive device selling out during its first weekend on shelves.
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EXCLUSIVE
DESPITE costing more than any other Samsung smartphone to date, the Galaxy Note 9 broke sales records in Australia during its first weekend on shelves.
The world’s biggest smartphone maker revealed its Galaxy Note 9 handset “surpassed all previous Samsung records in Australia for a Note device” following its arrival last Friday, though the company stopped short of revealing how many people had splashed cash on the new 6.4-inch phone.
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All but plain black versions of the Note 9 sold out across Telstra and Vodafone stores before launch, as well as in Samsung’s own online shop, despite the phone the minimum outright price of almost $1500.
Potential Note buyers will have to wait an additional two weeks or more to secure an “ocean blue” version of the 6.4-inch smartphone from some carriers, or for a “metallic copper” edition from Samsung itself.
Samsung Electronics Australia mobile vice-president Garry McGregor said the blue version of the smartphone had proven most popular with buyers, who also opted for the 512GB model that came with a $300 preorder discount.
“Updates from around the country indicate a fantastic response at retail outlets as we see more Australians adopt the Note smartphone as their device of choice,” Mr McGregor said.
“We believe the amazing response to this product in Australia is due to the demand for premium technology that can meet the demands of our busy lives.”
While Samsung did not reveal specific Australian sales figures, the new phone appears on track to beat the Note 7’s record of more than 50,000 handsets sold in its first two weeks.
But for those who aren’t ready to commit as much as $1799 to a new mobile phone, an eBay Australia spokeswoman said the marketplace expected to see a rise in second-hand Samsung smartphones over the next three months.
Private sales of used Samsung Note phones on eBay Australia rose eight per cent following the Note 8 launch last year.
“This suggests people are buying phones first then selling their old ones to help pay it off,” she said.
Samsung could face more competition for smartphone sales just next month, however, with new reports suggesting Apple could launch its latest range of iPhones on September 12.
Samsung’s biggest rival is heavily tipped to reveal an updated and larger version of the iPhone X that pundits have already dubbed the iPhone X Plus.
Originally published as Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Device breaks Australian sales records despite record high price, Samsung says
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