Get Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, HTC M9 – free in UAE?
Weeks before the new Samsung Galaxy S6, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and the HTC M9 are made available here in the UAE, consumers in the country can pre-order the new devices starting today (Tuesday).
Pre-orders can now be placed at leading retail stores and operators across the UAE, with the new devices also available at their respective manufacturers’ stand at Abu Dhabi Electronics Shopper (Ades) which starts tomorrow (Wednesday).
Global smartphone manufacturers usually announce UAE availability within the first few weeks of the global launch and, as in the past, expect both the local telecom operators – Etisalat and Du – to offer the devices as part of their post-paid plans – for free.
Etisalat has already started registering consumer interest for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge by asking users to register their contact details so the company can get back to them once they start taking pre-orders, which should be soon given that retailers have begun taking pre-orders. On the other hand, du was yet to initiate a pre-order move at the time of writing this article.
“As a key highlight, the event will open pre-order for some of the latest and much awaited smartphone models, including Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, HTC One M9, Hisense King Kong. The event will also witness the exclusive launch of Nikon D7200 and D5500,” organisers of Ades 2015 said in a media statement.
“As the sell-out partner, Jacky’s Retail will manage the Samsung brand stand at Ades and will display the latest products in all categories including smartphones, audio, video, tablets, printers, monitors, digital cameras, home appliances and accessories,” said Ashish Panjabi, COO, Jacky’s Retail.
As Emirates 24|7 reported earlier this month, unofficial UAE pre-orders for the new devices were launched just one day after Samsung launched its ‘next’ spearhead smartphones.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge price, availability in UAE
However, while the unofficial pre-orders of the Samsung devices started at Dh3,499 and went all the way up to Dh4,499, the official Samsung Galaxy S6 will be available for pre-order in four models at Dh900 less than that.
The Galaxy S6 32GB will retail at Dh2,599 and the Galaxy S6 64GB will retail at Dh2,899.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S6 Duos 32GB will retail at Dh2,699 and the Galaxy S6 Duos 64GB at Dh2,999.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge will be available in three models. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge 32GB will retail at Dh3,099, the Galaxy S6 Edge 64GB at Dh3,399 and the Galaxy S6 Edge 128GB at Dh3,799.
As this website reported earlier this month, Samsung said during the launch that it will start retailing the new devices in the US and Europe on April 10, with Samsung Netherlands starting pre-orders at €700 (Dh2,876) for the Galaxy S6 smartphone and €850 (Dh3,493) for the Galaxy S6 Edge.
The firm announced last year that its Galaxy S5 was a first-day sell-out even as analysts blame the lacklustre product for Samsung’s declining revenues.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S5 Day 1 in Dubai: Sell-out... almost
After weeks of speculation, the Korean electronics major announced its new devices on March 1 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. New features include a metal-and-glass body, a Quad HD display, an improved 16MP camera and an efficient Exynos 7 Octa processor.
The recently unveiled Galaxy series smartphones blend premium materials and a bright camera. Crafted from metal and glass, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge features the world’s first curved display on both sides, and both Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are equipped with tough Corning Gorilla Glass 4.
Samsung’s new flagship phones are also outfitted with a visual texture that reflects natural light, and comes in white pearl, black sapphire, gold platinum, blue topaz and green emerald colours. Both the phones sport a new, lighter interface that enhances usability and functionality.
Among the global brands that will open pre-order for its latest smartphone models is Hisense, which will launch pre-orders for its smartphone model called ‘King Kong.’
“As the capital of the UAE with a rich oil economy, Abu Dhabi is one of the top markets for our products due to its highly affluent Emirati population. Targeting this group of high net-worth local population, Hisense seeks to cater to their needs as the No. 1 CE brand in the region,” said Terry Wang, Managing Director, Hisense Middle East and Africa.
On the other hand, electronics retailer Axiom too announced that it is taking pre-booking orders for the Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Edge and the HTC One M9, the latest versions of two of the most popular Android smartphone series. The smartphones can be pre-ordered at Axiom stores starting from Dh500.
The HTC One M9 is expected to go on sale at the end of March, while the Samsung S6/S6 Edge is expected to be released on April 10.
The initial stock allocation for the UAE will be very limited in the first few weeks, so it is important that customers book the devices as early as possible, Axiom said in a statement.
Axiom said that customers who pre-book these smartphones with it will also have an opportunity to avail of a range of benefits, including a Dh600 discount when the device is purchased with select du plans (excluding the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge), protection with damage insurance and an opportunity to upgrade from their old device with great trade-in deals.
“We anticipate massive demand for both of these handsets as both series have been hugely popular here in the Middle East,” said Faisal Al Bannai, CEO, Axiom. “These are two of the most iconic devices ever created, and we only hope we can get enough models in to meet all the demand, with fans of both phones sure to love the latest designs.”