Galaxy S22 Pre-Orders Closed... Sets New 'S Series Record'

More Than Double Previous Record
'Ultra' Equipped with S Pen Drives Popularity
Live Commerce Marketing Targets MZ Generation
Achieving 30 Million Units Draws Intense Attention

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] "Even if I want to buy it, it's always sold out, so I can't get one."

Samsung Electronics' new Galaxy S22 series has sparked a pre-order frenzy. Some customers who failed to secure the 1st and 2nd batch of pre-orders on the first day now face waiting until April for delivery. The pre-order volume for the three major telecom carriers also reached an all-time high across the entire flagship S series, signaling a positive outlook for this year.

SKT·LGU+ "Record High Pre-orders"

On the 22nd, SK Telecom and LG Uplus announced that the pre-order volume for the S22 series during the pre-order period from the 14th to the 21st of this month recorded the highest ever across the entire S series. KT also saw about twice the pre-order volume compared to the previous S21 series.

The S22 Ultra, equipped with top-tier specifications and an S Pen, led the popularity. On average, 61.9% of all pre-order customers across the three carriers chose the Ultra model. This was followed by the smallest-sized S22 standard and Plus (+) models in demand. The current devices used by S22 series pre-order subscribers were Galaxy Note10, Galaxy20, and Galaxy Note9 in that order. This aligns with market expectations that the waiting demand for the Galaxy Note series would be absorbed.

Marketing strategies that actively utilized metaverse platforms and live broadcasts also received positive responses from customers, including the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). SK Telecom partnered with 11st to conduct live broadcast sales and opened a pop-up store on the metaverse platform ‘Ifland,’ welcoming over 6,000 customers. LG Uplus’s live broadcast on its online mall ‘U+Shop’ attracted 950,000 viewers on the first day of pre-orders alone.

Crossing the 30 Million Unit Barrier Again After 3 Years

On the 10th, the 'Galaxy S22' was exhibited at the Samsung Electronics Delight Shop in Seocho-gu, Seoul. On this day, Samsung Electronics held an Unpacked event and unveiled the new product, the 'Galaxy S22 series.' It is sold in three models: the standard Galaxy S22, the large-screen mid-range Galaxy S22+, and the phablet high-end Galaxy S22 Ultra equipped with an S Pen. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

One of the key points to watch for the S22 series is whether it can surpass the ‘30 million unit barrier,’ a benchmark for success. Samsung Electronics recorded nearly 50 million units sold in the first year with the Galaxy S7 series in 2016 but has since seen lower performance. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S10 also achieved sales around 40 million units, but sales steadily declined amid intensified competition. In the past two years, the S20 and S21 series consecutively recorded sales below 30 million units, attributed to the adverse effects of COVID-19, lack of differentiation efforts for high-end flagship products, and the launch of Apple’s first 5G model, the iPhone 12.

In the securities industry, it is expected that S22 sales will comfortably exceed 30 million units. Samsung Securities analyst Hwang Min-sung said, "Considering the initial momentum, it seems possible for Samsung Electronics to achieve its internal target of 30 million units," adding, "Even if the volume slightly falls short compared to the S20 and S21, sales are expected to improve."

However, some express early concerns that pre-order success does not guarantee overall sales. The previous S10 series launched three models in March and released a 5G version in April, performing well initially but experiencing a sharp decline in sales in May and June, showing a lack of sustained momentum. This year, supply risks are compounded by ongoing semiconductor shortages, continuing from last year. Meanwhile, general customer activations by telecom carriers will begin on the last day of pre-activation, the 25th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.