Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter • Hacker News Board

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#21

Post by thefurdrake » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:20 PM UTC

mynameisvlad wrote: post #8

thefurdrake wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are their washing machines and fridges under their Electronics corp? Just the high-tech consumer stuff? I'm not sure where I'd look to get a definitive answer.

From the Samsung Electronics wiki article: > The digital-media business area covers computer devices such as laptop computers and laser printers; digital displays such as televisions and computer monitors; consumer entertainment devices such as DVD players, MP3 players, and digital camcorders; home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, air purifiers, washing machines, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners an…

Huh. Thanks.

I really don't understand how they have declined so quickly, if that's the case, especially when lots of appliances fail earlier than they should (experience with washers).

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#22

Post by rescripting » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:23 PM UTC

solardev wrote: post #12

happytoexplain wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The appeal of a big screen that fits in your pocket is obvious. The downsides certainly might outweigh that, but the reasoning is not a mystery like you're implying.

What good would a bigger screen in my pocket be? My current phone is already uncomfortably large. It's not like my thumbs or palms are getting any bigger. I wish they made smaller Pixel phones, not bigger.

Your thumbs may not be getting any bigger, but your eyes are probably getting worse.

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#23

Post by foobiekr » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:24 PM UTC

Eisenstein wrote: post #14

thefurdrake wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was wondering if this counted its business in SK as well. The profits mentioned are in won, so I lean toward yes, but when I was in SK, fuckin' everything was Samsung. They even got Samsung autonomous autoturrets now[1]. How is Samsung not printing money? South Korea has the 12th highest GDP on the planet. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SGR-A1

Over the past 5 or so years everyone I know who previously held Samsung in high regard for non-phone products has had an experience which has put them completely off the brand for the foreseeable future. They market themselves as high-end, but their reliability, service, and usability are worse than the budget brands. It doesn't matter how awesome your TV screen looks if it stops working after 4 months because some p…

Their appliances (refrigerators etc) are worse.

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#24

Post by forinti » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:24 PM UTC

jsnell wrote: post #15

dmitrybrant wrote: post #7

> Samsung is hoping the launch of its foldables will help level out these losses Very serious question: Who is asking for foldable phones? Who is saying, "You know what's missing from my phone? More moving parts! A huge hinge for crumbs to get stuck in! I just can't enjoy this app unless it's in a square form factor and a crease in the center!"

Presbyopia starts kicking in at around 40-45 years of age, and makes reading on a phone screen increasingly difficult. It's hard to make the text large enough even with the largest of today's normal phone screens, especially considering the aspect ratio. The foldables fix that issue. Not only is the screen larger, but the aspect ratio is much closer to what you want for reading. I fully expect my next phone to be a f…

I don't get it. You need glasses anyway for everything else.

I've started using glasses and I'm not interested at all in getting a foldable.

What I would like is something like an Ubuntu phone. And better batteries.

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#25

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:24 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#26

Post by 4gotunameagain » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:24 PM UTC

Hydraulix989 wrote: post #6

I remember walking on the sidewalk in one of the busiest city sections of downtown Gangnam when I was stopped by a guard. On the street, other guards were stopping traffic. Mind you, this street is as busy as any in Manhattan. Then a secret gate opened as a $400k+ Mercedes Maybach slowly backed out. The entire block of pedestrians and traffic was inconvenienced for 10 minutes for this ordeal. I was told by my Korean…

Could you maybe find where that was in google street view? Out of curiosity for the secret doors !

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#27

Post by mattmaroon » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:25 PM UTC

I think this is somewhat a function of phones maturing, the way PCs did. I just don't need to replace it every two years anymore. The utility of doing so is declining and the price is rising.

I used to get a new computer every two years, now it's probably 6-10. Right now everyone I know on an iPhone 10 or earlier is a boomer, but I don't think that'll be true of the 15 in five years.

It also doesn't help Samsung that Apple's market share is growing. And Google's Pixel line is going mainstream.

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#28

Post by DoingIsLearning » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:26 PM UTC

dmitrybrant wrote: post #7

> Samsung is hoping the launch of its foldables will help level out these losses Very serious question: Who is asking for foldable phones? Who is saying, "You know what's missing from my phone? More moving parts! A huge hinge for crumbs to get stuck in! I just can't enjoy this app unless it's in a square form factor and a crease in the center!"

I struggled to find a smartphone that doesn't have > 6 inches of screen and barely fits in my pocket.

I would prefer a 4 inch screen but since they are a fringe market by now, I would settle with a huge foldable screen instead.

Arguably I am not buying something from Samsung because of all the cruft that comes with their software but I can see the appeal in such a device.

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#29

Post by bootstrapper35 » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:26 PM UTC

dmitrybrant wrote: post #7

> Samsung is hoping the launch of its foldables will help level out these losses Very serious question: Who is asking for foldable phones? Who is saying, "You know what's missing from my phone? More moving parts! A huge hinge for crumbs to get stuck in! I just can't enjoy this app unless it's in a square form factor and a crease in the center!"

I have observed that "keeping up with Jonases" may play a role here. My cousin that could easily afford it has bought it for some reason, then he's brother has bought it just because he had it - and the thing is, he could not easily afford it - and not even in the sense of why would you pay so much for a phone but could not easily afford an expense like that in general and he's bought it anyway just because he's brother had it.

I personally would not want to carry an even bigger phone in the pocket. I have an old S7 for 5 years now and I'm not looking forward to an upgrade because even the new non-foldable Samsungs are much bulkier (and probably nowhere near as durable - the phone is tougher than a brick - fell like 10 times on the hardest surfaces with no protection and only got a few scratches on the screen that are not visible when using the phone). By the way, anyone got recommendations for a new replacement?

Re: Samsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter

#30

Post by dylan604 » Sat, Jul 29, 2023, 5:27 PM UTC

solardev wrote: post #20

Philpax wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if you had a small phone that could become big on demand, for enhanced content consumption or productivity tasks?

Personally, I'd just open my laptop or plug it into the desktop monitor. Like even a giant iPad with a keyboard isn't productive for me. I just use my phone to check messages, read the news, etc. If I want to do something useful, I just sit down at the ultrawide and use a real OS with like four times the memory. I played with those folding phones at the store last week and thought to myself "nah, just more shit to br…

Tell me you're a fellow boomer without using the word.

These kids today...might not even have a full computer at home. It is possible that they only use one at school/work. So the majority of the compute time is on a device. This is something I have to remind myself of a lot more often. The mobile first concept is real for a reason. So, just having an ultrawide and a system with an OS is pretty much on the lines of a class distinction.