Samsung's smartphone division hasn't been performing very well in China. The company has been reduced to a single-digit market share in one of the most lucrative smartphone markets. Samsung is hoping for a surge in market share with the Galaxy Note 8. It's now relying on local partnerships to help push the new flagship device.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 8 in China last week. It held an event at the 798 Art Zone in Beijing. More than 900 officials from business partners and the media were present.
The chief of Samsung's mobile division DJ Koh said that Samsung will “make a continued effort to earn trust and love from Chinese consumers based on our technological prowess.” Koh referred to China as “the most important market” and confirmed that the Galaxy Note 8 will be released in the country on September 29.
Samsung announced a deal with China's largest online payments platform Alipay last year. The deal made Alipay available through Samsung Pay. Customers in China could then link their Alipay accounts and make mobile payments using Samsung Pay's NFC and MST technologies.
Samsung has now inked a similar deal with WeChat Pay. It has now made Samsung Pay compatible with two of the largest mobile payment platforms in the country. This should, in theory, give a boost to Samsung Pay in China.
The company has also teamed up with a bike-sharing startup in China called Mobike. Galaxy Note 8 owners will be able to ride Mobike bikes by scanning QR codes and following simple procedures.
It remains to be seen if these moves by Samsung will help it regain lost glory in the Chinese smartphone market.
