Exclusive | Samsung's ecosystem of sustainability, affordability will enable rural consumers to go for flagship Galaxy S23: Raju Pullan, Senior VP, Consumer Electronics Business

Samsung recently launched its latest flagship smartphone Galaxy S23 series, which features three smartphones - Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra. The company has focussed on sustainability and on pricing smartphones competitively for buyers from all sections. According to the South Korean tech giant, more components made using recycled materials have been used this time than any other Samsung Galaxy smartphone. While the company has emphasized on its commitment towards sustainability, it has also tried to strike a balance on pricing it right by creating an ecosystem for consumers from all strata through its affordability programs.

To understand more about it, Zee Business spoke exclusively to Raju Pullan - Senior Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business at Samsung India. Here are excerpts:

Q: Samsung is focusing on sustainability but what impact the pricing of the devices?

A: "Samsung's core approach has always been about how can we 'Make for India' and 'Made in India' and I think that's the legacy that we take forward with the Galaxy S23 series. The entire series for the first time is going to be Made in India. Now, coming to the sustainability part, the consumer will always be at our core. If you look at this time, while we have ensured that we create a very sweet price point for the consumer. We've also added it up with a huge benefit for the consumer for the first time when he does a pre-booking, he will get a Galaxy Watch4 Classic LTE device which is an expensive 46mm model along with the buds. He can get all this at the price of just Rs 4,999, which means that it becomes more value for money for the consumer. Just imagine the overall package between the Galaxy Watch4 Classic LTE device and the buds is more than Rs 20,000 and the customer pays just 4,999. Therefore for us, consumers and how do we build the ecosystem on a sustainable basis is something that we will continue to focus on."

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Q: What are the challenges when it comes to reusing waste products?

A: "Most of our consumer service centres in the country today are accepting reused electronic products from our consumers or any consumer. This goes to say about our commitment in India to ensure that we make our planet and our country greener and ready for the next generation. Samsung Galaxy S23 is a classic symbol of ensuring our commitment to making it a greener planet by using recycled aluminium, even the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 that we are using on the front and back in collaboration with them are made out of recycled material. This goes on to say that our commitment to a recycled and sustainable and greener planet is much stronger for the future. The next generation will definitely appreciate how Samsung is not only building the technology ecosystem but also very concerned about the planet and the future of the next generations."

Q: Do you think Gen Z will pay a higher price for sustainability?

A: Gen Z has to be equipped to acquire products which are affordable and that is what we do through our affordability programs. I was travelling in upcountry Rajasthan a couple of months back and I saw a consumer in a retail store buying a Flip4 phone. He bought it on Samsung Finance+. So, we have enabled consumers even in the rural markets to go for the S23 series and this time with the ecosystem at perfect pricing, which hits the sweet spot with the best ever pre-book offer for the consumer, if it's backed with affordability, I am very sure that the Gen Z consumers or any other consumers at large will look forward to acquiring this outstanding product at a smaller EMI across a number of years."

Q: Will Samsung take this sustainability trend to other products?

A: "I may not be having a particular view on the future products to come, but it has been a part of the S22 series as well. As mentioned earlier, we used recycled materials in 12 components while making Galaxy S23 as compared to six components in the Galaxy S22 series. This means, it has been a part of Samsung's legacy of a greener planet and building sustainable products. So it's been a part of our strategy and will continue for the long term."

Q: Will we see more products following sustainability trends and when are we going to see new foldable devices from Samsung?

A: "There are new product launches across the portfolio this year. We had the A14 launch in January, (S23 series in February), and I'm sure that will come back with a lot more exciting products throughout the year. I will leave it to the consumers to decide when they would want to go for the next one (foldable device)."