When one of your flagship phones launches and then starts exploding, you have some cleaning up to do. Samsung is doing some spring cleaning themselves. Their latest TV ad shows the extensive Samsung testing process. It’s a blatantly obvious attempt to build confidence ahead of the Galaxy S8 launch. Still, it’s strangely enjoyable.
Choice of song
You’ve got to give the people what they want. This would appear to be Samsung’s new mantra, even though I really wanted a Note7. This 1975 song by the O’Jays plays throughout the ad. It’s a funky tune, but an unusual choice. Shouldn’t they always be giving the people what they want?
Will Samsung testing build confidence?
The minute-long ad depicts Samsung’s quality assurance testing process. Engineers subject the Galaxy S7 Edge to extreme situations. When finished, they show the phone still works. To get the ball rolling, two engineers are performing drop tests. Pretty standard stuff as the Galaxy S7 Edge drops from head-height. All that crossed my mind at this point is someone got rich by inventing a drop-test machine. Seriously, all you need is the right idea at the right time.
The South Korean manufacturer then claims their phones are extensively tested. Clearly, this ad is out to silence critics. Moments later, the Galaxy S7 Edge is going through an IP68 water testing. Not happy with simply calling out the test, Samsung emphasises that they retest too. They then move onto the big test considering the faith of the Note7 – temperature.
What temperature are Samsung phones tested at?
When stories of Note7s exploding emerged, some people began extreme testing themselves. An exploding Note7 suddenly became some sort of weird Wonka Golden Ticket. Samsung must be hoping this video goes some way towards stopping this kind of trend. First, we see a poor S7 Edge shivering at minus twenty degrees celsius.
Next, the engineers flip extremes, pumping the temperature up to sixty degrees celsius.
The mandatory dig at Apple
Then, with a sneaky low blow, Samsung bring up bend gate. Remember bend gate? That was Apple’s crisis where people sat on their phones and the frame. I would have hoped Samsung were above bringing that backup. They’ve effectively just said, “ah but sure look, no one is perfect”.
It’s genuinely tough to see a smartphone go through a bend test. Seriously, just look at it.
Quality is the priority
Quality is the priority
Samsung does some more tests and finishes up by showing the S7 Edge battery in all its glory. It’s really impressive that the whole way through, Samsung are testing their phone at 12.45PM too. Obviously a very efficient process. Of course, all phone companies generally have a time they like to show on their phones. Apple have 9.41AM as their keynotes normally started at 9.00AM. Product unveils usually have 40 minutes in. Isn’t that interesting. Sorry, I digress.
Samsung signs the ad off to the sound of the O’Jays and one final claim:
Innovation is our legacy. Quality is our priority.
As I said, Samsung got off pretty lightly with the whole Note7 debacle. This ad might be slight overkill, but it’s a decent effort to rebuilt consumer trust. It’ll be interesting to see how the Galaxy S8 sells when it launches. Remember, the S7 and S7 Edge were incredibly successful and the Note7 was a gorgeous phone. Perhaps a little on the explody side.
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