From DailyTech: The world's long-standing top smartphone seller (by volume), Samsung Electronics Comp., Ltd. (KRX:005930) (KRX:005935), has searched for some time for an answer to its arch-rival Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) fall iPhone launch. Samsung typically launches its Galaxy S family smartphone in Feb.-April, which leaves a big hole in the fall calendar.
Samsung tried to fill the fall hole with new Galaxy Note launches, which looked promising at first. But in recent years the Galaxy Note has failed to keep pace sales-wise with the Apple iPhone, whose refresh typically overshadows the Note launch.
Samsung's latest counter was the aluminum-framed Galaxy Alpha, which launched in August of this year (Aug. 2014). By the end of September, the Galaxy Alpha was shipping to U.S. shores -- but only as an AT&T, Inc. (T) exclusive (perhaps one of many missteps by Samsung).
The phone was priced at $199 USD on contract -- a pretty steep price that matched the premium rate commanded by the iPhone. The price was made harder to swallow when looking at the mediocre spec (720p display, Exynos 5 chip, no microSD, etc.), which seemed out of place with the premium body design.
Exact sales figures have not been released by Samsung or AT&T (in the U.S.), but sales of the Galaxy Alpha have reportedly been pretty disappointing. Thus, this week Samsung announced it was axing the ill-fated device.
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