Samsung Outs New Smartphone Naming Scheme
If the recent slew of newly named Galaxy devices have left you confused, you’re not the only one. Samsung is looking to get a handle on its lineup by deploying a standardized naming scheme, one that seeks to duplicate the recognizability of the Galaxy S name. When one hears Galaxy S, they know it is referring to Samsung’s top-of-the-line flagship handset. Now the names Galaxy R, Galaxy W, Galaxy Y, and Galaxy M will be tied to varying tiers of handsets to create recognizable separations between devices. We have already seen the announcement of the Galaxy R, and it keeps in line with Samsung’s definition of this designator as a premium device. Galaxy W will refer to “high-tier” phones, Galaxy M will designate “mid-tier,” and Galaxy Y will denote entry-level or “youth-minded” devices.
Rather than assigning a new name or number designation to each subsequent phone, the naming scheme used with the Galaxy S series will be duplicated. Where there was a Galaxy S II there will be a Galaxy R II, and so forth. Additional modifier will be used to identify specific features. “Plus” will be assigned to phones with small spec embellishments barring no other significant design changes, “Pro” will be used exclusively for handsets with QWERTY keyboards, and “LTE” will specify the presence of next-gen 4G radios.
Still, we doubt Samsung will be able to completely escape the naming issue. Multiple variants and carrier-specific versions for the US market will no doubt leave room for the application of more unique names given the region. Still, for global marketing purposes the new scheme should provide a bit of clarity.
[via UnwiredView]