November 22, 2024

• 

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics on Aug. 25 started receiving preorders for the Galaxy Note 8 in limited countries, before its official launch on Sept. 15.

The 64-gigabyte model is being sold for US$929 in the U.S. Including taxes, the price is expected to hover above US$1,000. The device was selling for a higher price range in Canada and Australia. Preorders in Korea are expected to begin Sept. 7.

At the unveiling event held in New York on Aug. 23, Samsung’s mobile chief Koh Dong-jin said the company will try to set the price of the new Note phone below 1 million won (US$887), saying he does not wish to make the device too expensive for users. But the latest price revealed at major markets is above the amount.

Industry tracker IHS Markit earlier said in its report the actual production cost of the Note 8 is estimated at US$350, much higher than the US$290 estimated for its predecessor Note 7. The researcher said the new phone’s retail price could be about US$1,000, more expensive than the US$880 Note 7.

By Alex Lee and newswires (alexlee@heraldcorp.com)