We’re just a few days away from when AT&T is set to kick off their pre-order extravaganza for Samsung’s Galaxy S 4. As with any impending, high-profile device, I imagine that AT&T is going to see plenty of pre-orders. The next device in the Galaxy S lineage may not be that different from the Galaxy S III, but it’s hard to argue that Samsung didn’t improve the phone in many key areas that needed to be improved upon to catch the attention of the average consumer. Unfortunately, one key difference that I keep going back to that saw a bit of a change is the rumored price tag.
Smartphone prices can be all over the place. There are situations that arise that seem to defy logic, especially for those who watch to see where certain phones land on the pricing scale, compared to previous handsets and devices currently available. In the case of the Galaxy S 4, it’s standing a bit on its own at this point, unless you count the BlackBerry Z10, which has already launched here in the United States.
Samsung sees that their main competition for the limelight this year is going to be HTC’s One, which has been delayed slightly, and Apple’s upcoming iPhone. It only helps Samsung that they are out of the gate before both other companies, but I can’t help but wonder about the pricing for AT&T’s variant of the device.
Now, before we go any further, we have to point out that AT&T’s $249.99 price tag, which has been confirmed by the company with the April 16 start date for pre-orders, doesn’t have a specific version attached to it. Specifically, out of the three variations of the Galaxy S 4 heading to AT&T, we don’t know which one is going to offer that $249.99 price tag.
AT&T has three options: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Unfortunately, I’ve seen plenty of people speculate that the 16GB version of the Galaxy S 4 is indeed the device that will get that $249.99 price tag.
If that is the case, then is it reasonable to suggest that the 32GB Galaxy S 4 will boast a $349.99 price tag? And, beyond that, the 64GB variation will have a $449.99 price tag attached to it?
That would mean that HTC has a leg up on the competition, if reports of the One’s pre-order price tag are any indication of the truth. Earlier reports today suggested that AT&T is gearing up to sell the One for $249.99 as well, but that device starts at 32GB. So, for the money, it would seem that HTC offers up more, at least when it comes to out of the box, readily available storage.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that a phone with more memory has been offered for a cheaper price, and not even on AT&T’s network, so seeing the Galaxy S 4 launch with a higher price tag for a similar amount of memory wouldn’t be too surprising.
The question of whether or not you believe the Galaxy S 4 with 16GB of storage is worth $249.99 is ultimately up to you. There’s no doubt that the Galaxy S 4 will see plenty of sales around the world, but when we’re looking at competing devices here in the States, one has to wonder if going with Samsung’s newest flagship Galaxy S 4 device is worth the extra cash.
Some would flat-out tell you that it is, and I know plenty of folks who would point to the features packed into Samsung’s TouchWiz UI and say that’s where the extra value is, and that’s why you’re paying a little bit more. Indeed, the features that Samsung has shoved into their proprietary software is noteworthy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s Samsung’s logic, too.
You get what you pay for, right? It will certainly be interesting to see how the other carriers stack up, especially regional carriers.
I think an interesting move would be to see the 16GB Galaxy S 4 launch for $149.99 on a new, two-year contract, while the 32GB sits nicely at that $249.99 price point. The 64GB version would probably see some significant sales for $349.99, too. Do I think that’s likely? Unfortunately, no. I’ll still try to keep hopeful, though.
What do you think about Samsung’s and AT&T’s pricing for the Galaxy S 4? If it is indeed for the 16GB version, will you be pulling the trigger and making it your new phone? Or would you prefer to get the 32GB-packing HTC One for the same price? Would you jump at the chance to get a 16GB Galaxy S 4 if it did launch at $149.99? Let me know.
