Apple vs Samsung – battle for the biometric smartphone market begins in earnest – Round 2014

Apple vs. Samsung.  Who will dominate the smartphone market for 2014? Will anyone else get a look in?

The imminent arrival of the new iPhone 6S circulate the industry as speculation is rife that Apple will move forward their release date of their new smartphone to coincide with Samsung’s new Galaxy 5S which is set for an April release date. Speculation is that Apple could release the new iPhone any time between April and September, but as likely they will stick to their traditional releasing time of Q3. One thing is for sure, the battle for the biometric smartphone market will begin in earnest over the next six-months and the end of year sales period will be crucial to both manufacturers.

The fact that Walmart is reducing the price of their stock of iPhone 5S to $119 for a two-year contract with Verizon or AT&T with the impending release of the new iPhone 6S is fuelling the speculation. Likewise with Samsung’s Galaxy S4 being reduced to $49 for a two-year contract plus a free $50 gift card with any purchase with a Samsung phone. There must be an enormous amount of both manufacturers’ stock waiting to be shipped.

While releasing its flagship smartphone, Apple is reportedly planning to release the new iPad Air2 and iWatch around the same time in 2014, according to iDigitalTimes. The rumour fits the time the Cupertino tech giant previously released its iPhone 4, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s in the past.

Recent rumours have also pointed to the iPhone 6 having sapphire crystal screen and if these rumours are accurate, the iPhone 6’s screen will be more durable and scratch-resistant than the iPhone 5s’s but it might come with a higher price tag as well.

Undoubtedly, 2014 has already been a big year for Apple devices, especially for the iPad and iPhone, as we have seen Walmart and Best Buy offer rare discounts on Apple products. As we go further into 2014, we expect more to see from Apple, especially once we reach the holiday season.

Meanwhile Samsung, which recently launched its Galaxy 5S with a fingerprint scanner at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is planning to release the flagship smartphone on April 11th in 150 countries, hopefully stealing the lead on Apple before their iPhone 6S hits the market.

Powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, the Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1-inch super AMOLED display, making it slightly larger than its predecessor, the Galaxy S4. The device also boasts an upgraded 16-megapixel camera, new fitness tracking features, a heart rate scanner and is dust and water resistant.

The highlight of the Galaxy S5 is a new fingerprint sensor, which is integrated with the device’s home button. The finger scanner will provide consumers with a safe, biometric screen-locking feature and also make their mobile payment experience more secure.

Speaking at the unveiling of the device, Director of Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas said the new Galaxy S5 offers consumers a refined experience with the added advantage of innovation on essential features for everyday use.

“With the Galaxy S5, Samsung is going back to basics to focus on delivering the capabilities that matter most to consumers. A great number of innovations have been injected into the device towards delivering new value to enhance their lives and also provide them with the ultimate communication experience,” he said, and added that the device will set the benchmark for how a smartphone can be integrated into daily life.

The new Galaxy S5 features a perforated pattern on the back cover creating a stylish and modern look. It comes in an array of colours, including Charcoal Black, Shimmery White, Electric Blue and Copper Gold.

So do you go for the new Samsung or wait for the new Apple? 2014 is certainly going to be an interesting year for the biometric smartphone market – as many industry experts predict that by close of play over one billion new smartphones are likely to be shipped globally. That’s a lot of biometric users!

DISCLAIMER: BiometricUpdate.com blogs are submitted  content. The views expressed in this blog are that of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BiometricUpdate.com.

Article Topics

Apple  |  Facebanx  |  fingerprint  |  Samsung  |  smartphone