Mass-market appeal of touch-screen device signals evolution in mobile industry
Seoul, Korea, November 5, 2009 - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced that sales of the Samsung Star, its hugely popular touch-screen mobile phone, have surpassed 10 million units, just six months after its release. The Star (model number S5230), launched in May, reached this sales milestone faster than any other mobile phone in Samsung’s history.
By becoming the sixth Samsung mobile phone to sell 10 million units earlier this month, the Star eclipsed the record of the E250, a classic slider, which took 10 months from its release in November 2006 to reach the 10 million unit landmark.
The Star hit the 5-million unit mark in just four months, selling 700,000 units in May and 900,000 units in June, before jumping to 1.6 million and 1.7 million units in July and August respectively. Monthly sales surpassed 2 million units in September and October, as the touch-screen device continued to generate buzz in the global market.
Across Europe, where it was first launched, the Star has sold 5 million units in total.The model has also sold strongly in Latin America (1.6 million), the Commonwealth of Independent States (900,000) and China (800,000). Most notably, the Star has topped the bestseller lists in the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands.
“We’ve entered an era where full touch-screen mobiles are mainstream devices, and we are very pleased with the broad popularity of the Samsung Star,” said Young-hee Lee, Vice President of Marketing, Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is aiming to take the lead in the global touch-screen mobile market with our diverse product line up and customized, unique marketing approach.”
Created for the next-generation of mobile users with its stylish design and powerful multimedia features, the Star has been promoted through global marketing programs tailored to each region and country. Samsung has held experiential Mobile Live events in across Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East and Africa, the CIS and in Southeast Asia.
Samsung’s 10-million Seller Club
The Star has reached the 10-million unit sales mark faster than any mobile in Samsung’s history, eclipsing the E250. The first Samsung mobile phone to reach 10 million in sales was the clamshell T-100, reaching the milestone 18 months after its release in April 2002. Other Samsung models that have reached 10 million units in sales include the E700, D500 and the J700.
| Model | Launch Date | Reached 10 million units |
| SGH-T100 | April 2002 | Sept. 2003 (18 months) |
| SGH-E700 | Aug. 2003 | Sept. 2004 (14 months) |
| SGH-D500 | Dec. 2004 | April 2006 (15 months) |
SGH-E250 | Nov. 2006 | Sept. 2007 (10 months) |
| J700 | Feb. 2008 | Jan. 2009 (11 months) |
| S5230 (The Star) | May 2009 | Nov. 2009 (6 months) |
| Network | EDGE/GPRS Quad Band (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz) |
| Display | 3.0” 262K WQVGA LCD (240x400) |
| Camera | 3.2 Megapixel CMOS (Smile Shot) |
| Video | H.263 / H.264 / MPEG4 / WMV(v9) / Video recording supporting QVGA@15fps |
| Audio | FM Radio with RDS, DNSe |
| MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, eAAC+, WMA(v9), AMR, MIDI, SP-MIDI, i-melody, WAV | |
| Value-added Features | Music Recognition / SNS / Photo Contact / Smart unlock / Wide Idle screen / Handwriting |
| TouchWiz UI with Mobile Widget | |
| Google Search / Google email / Full Internet browsing / Online Widget | |
| Various full embedded games | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth v2.1 / USB 2.0 FS |
| Memory | Internal Memory 50 MB + External Memory slot: microSD (up to 8GB) |
| Size | 104 x 53 x 11.9 mm |
| Size | 1000 mAh |
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