Samsung Galaxy Mega 2, the second edition of the Korean company’s ultra-big model, will be launched in India over the next 10-15 days for a price of Rs 20,000-22,000, according to industry sources.
The original Galaxy Mega, launched in mid 2013, was priced at Rs 31,500, but Samsung is keen to position the Mega 2 in the mid-range market, while the Note 4 (price Rs 55,000) will take care of the high end market.
A 3G-only version, if launched, could be priced in the range of Rs 24,000-25,000. But for now, the LTE-enabled version will set you back by around Rs 28,000.
Interestingly, the 1.5-year-old Galaxy Mega 1 (5.8 inch) is still selling for Rs 21,000 in the Indian market.
One of the reasons why the phone doesn’t cost the earth is because of Samsung has hardly boosted the specifications of the Mega 2 compared to the Mega 1, except for the addition of the LTE version.
For example, the Galaxy Mega 2 too comes with 1.5 GB of RAM, while the display resolution stays the same at 720p. Internal memory too remains the same at 16 GB, while the camera resolution has also been kept the same as before, 8 megapixel. The processor will be the mid-range Exynos 4415. The display size is 6 inches.
In other words, despite 1.5 years having passed after the first Mega was launched, Samsung is launching the second version with largely the same specifications.
If you’re wondering why, the answer lies in cost. Samsung wants to have a large-screen model in the Rs 20,000-25,000 range.
Currently, Samsung has its Grand 2, priced Rs 18,500, in the mid range. But the phone is only 5.25 inches big. A lot of youngsters are now starting to prefer the 5.5-6.0 inch formfactor as well.
HTC, LG and others are targeting the 5.5-6.0 inch category aggressively. For example, HTC has started selling its 5.5-inch Desire 816G in India this week, while another 5.5-inch model, the Desire 820, will start selling in the first week of November.
Similarly, LG launched its G3 Stylus last week, which is selling for around Rs 20,000.
All these phones have the same display size – 5.5 inches, and are targeted at customers who want to set themselves apart from the ‘average’ size of 5 inches.
The Mega 2, with its 6-inch display, will be targeted squarely at this market. In addition, the Mega 2 is likely to come with support for both the TD and FDD versions of the LTE, making it possible to use it with nearly all the LTE networks in India.
With the Diwali festive season about to get over in ten days, Samsung is learnt to be trying to get the launch done in the next ten days.
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