Samsung’s Galaxy lineup of smartphones has been a seminal figure in progressing Android hardware development, and has seen its worldwide popularity soar. Although the house of Galaxy has always been a powerful force to contend with, it suffers from fragmentation of the carrier variety. And you know what they say: “A house divided against itself cannot stand… [to have uniform pricing].”
We took a look at the Galaxy S III sales figures from August to November of 2012, and found some interesting results:
When the Galaxy S II was announced for the U.S., there were 3 very different phones for each of the carriers participating, with Verizon opting out. T-Mobile’s model had a 4.5 inch display like the Sprint variant, but used a Qualcomm SoC whereas AT&T’s Galaxy S II was a near clone of the international model with the exception of its switch to capacitive buttons.
This time around with the Galaxy S III each phone is identical in appearance and hardware (save for varying radios for each respective carrier), but prices are just as varied. Based on our observations, it is clear that carrier affiliation significantly affects the resale value of the GS3. AT&T and Verizon account for 58% of sales and are closely priced at around $400. The two minority carriers however represent opposing ends of the price spectrum where the T-Mobile Galaxy S IIIs are valued at $429 and Sprint a mere $330.
Its also interesting to note that this is Samsung’s first time launching a flagship Android phone without a black colorway. It seems that Marble White is quite a popular replacement for the typical grey/black slabs that we are used to as it is consistently outselling its Pebble Blue cousin and at a high price.
Whether your Galaxy S III is white or blue, T-Mobile or Sprint, or you don’t even own one yet, you are in good hands. The Galaxy S III has maintained its resale value very well, and should you want to switch to a competing Android device (Ahem HTC One X, Nexus 4) you shouldn’t be losing any money. If you are a prospective buyer with flexibility on carrier, or using an upgrade, use these prices as a benchmark to guide your choice. Already on Sprint but don’t like your phone? You’re in luck because you get the exact same phone as everyone else but for much less. Ready to use your upgrade on T-Mobile? If you end up not liking the Galaxy S III, you can still sell it for a handsome sum.
