CTIA Wireless 2009

Samsung Upgrades the Instinct at Sprint

| Apr 2, 2009 | Mobile Devices | Show Update

| Analyst: Avi Greengart

Current Perspective: Moderate/Negative Vendor Importance: High Market Impact: Low

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Event Summary

March 31, 2009 – Samsung and Sprint announced the upcoming availability of the Instinct S30, the successor to the Instinct touchscreen phone. The new phone has a smaller form factor and boasts improved features such as a rich Web browsing experienced via the new Opera Mini 4.2 browser, popular pre-loaded games and built-in instant messaging. The new Instinct S30 will be available in two colors – Cobalt Metal and Touch of Copper – and commercially debut for $129 on April 19, 2009.

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Slightly negative on Samsung and Sprint’s upcoming release of the new Instinct S30, because the phone is essentially the same as its predecessor except for a more compact and rounder finish, a slightly faster and responsive user interface, and a much better browsing experience thanks to Samsung licensing Opera’s Mini 4.2 browser. There is nothing wrong with extending a highly successful product platform with minor upgrades; however, the S30’s feature list should have been expanded further considering that the phone’s “flagship” status at Sprint will come to an end in less than two months when the much-awaited Palm Pre debuts.

• Vendor Importance: High to Samsung, because the vendor’s Instinct touchscreen phone has long been enjoying the spotlight at Sprint, and the new S30 upgrade ensures that it continues to be the sole vendor supplying a high-end touchscreen featurephone to the carrier. Moderate to Sprint, because the carrier badly needs more touchscreen devices in its lineup, and the S30, which comes in multiple SKUs, should suffice until the Palm Pre arrives in stores.

• Market Impact: Low on consumer handsets, because the Samsung Instinct S30 brings nothing radically new to the table. Its predecessor has been a quite successful flagship device for Sprint; however, the new S30 upgrade stands little chance of making the same impact considering that it will be overshadowed by the hype around the upcoming Palm Pre. Outside Sprint, the S30 is just one of many touchscreen featurephones and does not have any standout features to differentiate it.

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Current Perspective

Competitive Positives and Concerns

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