UAE: Smartphone prices to drop by Dh400 as Samsung Galaxy S24 set to hit the market

Other phone makers might also respond with rate adjustments for their flagship models or mid-range devices, says retailer

Prices of some of the previous models of the Samsung Galaxy series will see a double-digit drop in the UAE once the newly launched AI-packed S24 model hits the shelves in the coming week.

Launched globally on January 17, pre-orders for three variants of the S24 model have begun for UAE shoppers.

Chadha sees the S23 series is expected to retail at a 35-38 per cent discount over its launch time prices once the S24 hits the UAE market next week.

Regarding the impact on other brands’ handsets, he said competitors might respond with price adjustments for their flagship models or mid-range devices to remain competitive.

Khalkho expects a Dh300-400 price drop for the previous Galaxy S series model. “The new S series launch will only impact the price for its predecessor model, S23,” he said.

Electronics retailer ECity expects a price drop of up to 10 per cent in previous models.

Upon the launch of the Galaxy S24, Rajat Asthana of Eros also saw approximately 10 per cent fall anticipated for previous models in the Galaxy S series.

“The launch of new models in the Galaxy S series is expected to have a limited impact on the prices of other Samsung series phones. The S series has a dedicated customer base, and the introduction of new models is unlikely to significantly affect pricing dynamics in other series,” he added.

Depending on the storage capacity of the models, prices for the base models range between Dh3,199 and Dh3,499; Plus has been priced between Dh3,899 and Dh4,399, while Ultra will cost between Dh5,099 and Dh6,599.

Vikas Chadha added that the S24 Series is priced slightly higher than the S23 Series, launched around the same time last year. “This is due to the inclusion of generative artificial intelligence features called Galaxy AI.”

Nilesh Khalkho said S24 is competitively priced for the differential and unique specifications that they are offering. “It is the first AI-enabled smartphone to be launched.”