The doors to this year's
Mobile World Congress
have just barely been opened, but you might say the show is already
won. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it's Samsung doing the winning. For
those who were far too busy enjoying their Saturday evenings to notice, I
should point out that Samsung has just taken the wraps off of the
world's largest smartphone. The global version of
Galaxy Note 8.0's
fantastically (hilariously?) large display is indeed embedded onto a
device that will not only surf the soothing waters of the world wide
web, but also make phone calls for those brazen enough to toss it upside
their noggin'.
The question, obviously, is "
Why? But as I let the announcement wash over me, the answer became all too clear: "
Because it can."
You see, Samsung is no longer beholden to some of the same resource
restrictions that -- say, HTC -- are. Outside of Apple, it's
essentially the only major manufacturer in the smartphone universe
that's pulling in
meaningful profits.
The marketing budget alone of this company outclasses the R&D
budget of some of its (very formidable) opponents. Tangible reports
suggest an astonishing $12
billion per year -- "
more than Apple, Microsoft, HP, Dell and Coca Cola combined."
The Galaxy Note 8.0 wasn't built because Samsung expects the world to
soon eschew 4.7-inch displays for even larger ones; it was built because
it's
absurd. Because it's
audacious. Because it's
unique.
And in doing so, it has created one of only a smattering of devices
that even the casual observer of technology will remark on as they waltz
into work on Monday morning.
