Samsung Galaxy Note 7 preorders double those of S7 in Korea

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics’ new smartphone Galaxy Note 7 saw more than 200,000 preorders over the past two days, double that of its S7 sibling, industry data showed on Aug. 9.

The preorder figure is the highest-ever for a Galaxy phone.

The latest Note, unveiled on Aug. 2, boasts diverse new features such as an iris scanner for unlocking the handset, a curved screen, waterproof and upgraded pen functions. 

Samsung’s aggressive marketing is also playing a role in attracting new customers.

The Gear Fit 2, worth 198,000 won (US$177), is offered as a gift for a new Note purchase. The company pays 50 percent of the repair costs when the screen is broken. A 100,000-won gift card is also given for use at Samsung Pay Mall.

Samsung operates some 2,800 Note experience zones across the nation, which compares to some 2,000 for the Galaxy S7.

The company aims to attract premium customers before the upcoming launch of Apple’s next iPhone possibly in September.

The Galaxy Note 7 will be launched on Aug. 19 globally. The price starts from 988,900 won here.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)