Korea 41% of phones are phablets?

[Radiating]

I just wanted to make a comment about this topic:

One of the latest news articles mentioned phablets particularly the Samsung Galaxy Note series have nearly half the south korean market, where as the world and the US have a very small adoption for these larger phones. In fact the entry level kindle ereader is only 5% larger than the note 3.

So my question is this. How do these phones even physically work? How can you carry them? And why? Do people in south korea not own computers and use their smartphones as a substitute? I understand that women can put their phones in their purses but what do men do? How does this work? What is the thinking here?

 

[MRU]

I find the note 3 no different in my pocket than my HTC 1 or S4. It's one of those things you can't really get a handle on until you try it yourself.

I have always been skeptical of phablets, took a chance on the Note 3 simply because I was eligible for an upgrade with my carrier and the 5s wasn't rocking my boat, and for me it has turned out to be the best phone I've had in years and any preconceptions I had about size or issues it may cause in day to day use have proven to be utterly unfounded.

It's a great device but one that must be tried for oneself.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Maybe other markets that don't have a company convincing the vast majority of its people that there's only one (or two, apparently) "perfect" screen size(s) or constantly touting the importance of comfortable-one-handed-use are open to more ideas...

Or maybe South Koreans are crazy. I don't know.

 

[Oohara]

My Note 2 fits comfortably in the breast pockets of my jacket and in most of my trouser pockets too. The size is not the problem some would like to think it is.

And why use a large screen phone? Because it's leagues nicer and more useful for reading, browsing, watching videos etc. than a small screen.

My Note 2 has replaced a tablet for most uses while having the portability of a phone. To me, and apparently many Koreans, that makes it a far more useful and desirable device than a smaller smartphone. Pretty simple, really.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

What about pricing? I'm sure they are getting way better deals on and off contract since it's Samsung's home. Might have something to do with it.

 

[swy05]

What about pricing? I'm sure they are getting way better deals on and off contract since it's Samsung's home. Might have something to do with it.

Nope. I live in Korea and the pricing of electronics is ridiculous here. Laptops, cellphones, and even cars are more expensive here than back in the states. Not just electronics but clothes too.

Samsung, LG, Hyundai, etc are more expensive here than America. Pretty damn ironic.

Just an example when you buy a cellphone here. The price of a Note3 is roughly 700-800 US dollars. That's on a 2 year contract. You sign a 2 year contract and you might get a hundred or 2 hundred bucks off.

So you end up paying the remaining 500-600 dollars in monthly installments for 24 months. Plus you're paying your monthly usage fee.

Biggest ripoff market.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Nope. I live in Korea and the pricing of electronics is ridiculous here. Laptops, cellphones, and even cars are more expensive here than back in the states. Not just electronics but clothes too.

Samsung, LG, Hyundai, etc are more expensive here than America. Pretty damn ironic.

Just an example when you buy a cellphone here. The price of a Note3 is roughly 700-800 US dollars. That's on a 2 year contract. You sign a 2 year contract and you might get a hundred or 2 hundred bucks off.

So you end up paying the remaining 500-600 dollars in monthly installments for 24 months. Plus you're paying your monthly usage fee.

Biggest ripoff market.

What's the buzz regarding the Samsung Round over in Korea?

 

[swy05]

What's the buzz regarding the Samsung Round over in Korea?

Honestly, not much. I haven't seen it in public yet and there's not much in the news about it.

Actually, thanks for reminding me. Maybe when I have time this week, I'll pop over to a cellphone store and see what it's like.

 

[F123D]

If you handle and spend some time with a Galaxy Note, you'll realize they're not as big as people make them out to be. A lot of people who say, OMG, IT'S TOO BIG haven't even held one before. (insert joke here)

 

[gotluck]

Nope. I live in Korea and the pricing of electronics is ridiculous here. Laptops, cellphones, and even cars are more expensive here than back in the states. Not just electronics but clothes too.

Samsung, LG, Hyundai, etc are more expensive here than America. Pretty damn ironic.

Just an example when you buy a cellphone here. The price of a Note3 is roughly 700-800 US dollars. That's on a 2 year contract. You sign a 2 year contract and you might get a hundred or 2 hundred bucks off.

So you end up paying the remaining 500-600 dollars in monthly installments for 24 months. Plus you're paying your monthly usage fee.

Biggest ripoff market.

That's all interesting to hear. At least you have blisteringly fast LTE eh?

 

[Stuntman06]

I think most people will just get used to the size. I used to think that a 4.8" screen was too large as my old phone was 3.7". I didn't have much difficulty adjusting to the larger size.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Honestly, not much. I haven't seen it in public yet and there's not much in the news about it.

Actually, thanks for reminding me. Maybe when I have time this week, I'll pop over to a cellphone store and see what it's like.

Post impressions!

 

[LSUtigers03]

what do men do? How does this work? What is the thinking here?

I always put my Note 2 in my pocket. The secret is to wear jeans made for men aka not skinny jeans and you won't have an issue.

 

[Technarchy]

I remember in Asia a time where it was all about how small a phone was...and obnoxious lanyard ornamentation.

Times have changed.

 

[Shuri]

I remember in Asia a time where it was all about how small a phone was...and obnoxious lanyard ornamentation.

Times have changed.

It's nothing but a trend; small phones will return in some time, when bigger is not an option anymore (We already are at a point where bigger gets pretty close to 7", which would be a tablet). Then the companies have to tell people again why they need to buy the new iteration of a phone and it will be: "whoa look how small we made it"

 

[MRU]

It's nothing but a trend; small phones will return in some time, when bigger is not an option anymore (We already are at a point where bigger gets pretty close to 7", which would be a tablet). Then the companies have to tell people again why they need to buy the new iteration of a phone and it will be: "whoa look how small we made it"

We're almost there with companies now offering companion hardware so we don't have to deal with the inconvenience of bigger hardware such as galaxy gear or the Sony bluetooth mini phone controller to go with the xperia z ultra.

 

[saldawop]

I have the Note 2, and can honestly say, carrying it around has never been a problem.I only wear shirts,so it goes in my shirt pocket.If I do ever wear a t-shirt, its usually with shorts (Cargo pant style).Never have I put a phone in my trousers pockets,it just doesn't feel right to me.

I have been flirting with the idea of getting the 5S. On a number of occasions I have even made my way to the Apple Store only to turn around and come back home.And if I have made it there,the only time they had the 5S I wanted in stock, I backed out.I just don't think I could live with the tiny screen again.

Am due an upgrade in 9 months, and for the first time in MANY years,this phone will see me through until upgrade time.And then it will either be the Note 3 or hold out for a couple of months to check out the 4.

Edit:Although don;t hold it against me if I do end up with a 5S

 

[nestafaria]

The article considers 5" to be a phablet. So DNA, galaxy s4.....are all considered phablets there? 64% of the time.......

 

[spinedoc77]

I always put my Note 2 in my pocket. The secret is to wear jeans made for men aka not skinny jeans and you won't have an issue.

Yeah until you sit down and it digs into your hip.

 

[Drunken Master]

Or maybe South Koreans are crazy. I don't know.

They're incredibly nationalistic and many are die-hard Samsung supporters because it's a Korean company.

 

[onthecouchagain]

They're incredibly nationalistic and many are die-hard Samsung supporters because it's a Korean company.

What about LG, then?

 

[Drunken Master]

What about LG, then?

They don't spend anywhere near as much on marketing as Samsung does.

 

[daveathall]

The survey must prove that 41% of South Korean phone owners do not have a problem carrying a phablet around with them. I must admit that when I first moved from a iP4S to a SGS3 it seemed massive, within a day I was used to the size and would not go back to smaller.

 

[Tinmania]

It's nothing but a trend; small phones will return in some time, when bigger is not an option anymore (We already are at a point where bigger gets pretty close to 7", which would be a tablet). Then the companies have to tell people again why they need to buy the new iteration of a phone and it will be: "whoa look how small we made it"

Yea the internet is a "trend." That is what phablets are about more than phone calls. The compact phones were all about phone calls, and a little numeric pad texting with the smallest device possible. We will never return to that era anymore than we will return to rotary dialed phones.



Michael

 

[ucfgrad93]

They may be popular over there, but I won't ever own one.