Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos officially announced in India

In a surprising but welcome move, India will be one of the first countries in which the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos will be released, with the device being officially announced at a Samsung press event in Delhi. It’s good to know that internationally-renowned manufacturers are finally beginning to consider India to be a lucrative market for their devices.

That being said, it’s very disappointing to see the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos priced at a whopping Rs 21,500 (~$420) for what is essentially a mid-range device. Here’s a quick look at the specifications:

• 5″ WVGA display (800×480 resolution)
• 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor
• 8GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
• 1GB RAM
• 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
• 2,100 mAh battery
• dual-SIM  support
• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

The specifications are standard fare for any mid-range Android device found in India, a market which is flooded with 5″ smartphones from numerous local manufacturers. Which brings me back to my earlier statement about the price. I know that there are import duties and taxes involved, but I’m not quite sure how Samsung, or any other international manufacturer for that matter, can justify to consumers a price that is almost double that of a similarly-speced device from a local manufacturer.

The high price points works for high-end devices because there are no feasible alternatives available. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is still close to Rs 40,000 (~$800), but is still one of the best selling devices in the country. But when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos, numerous options are available. Consider this – the recently announced Micromax A116 Canvas HD features a 5″ display with 1280×720 resolution, a quad-core processor, and Android 4.1, but is priced at only Rs 15,000 (~$300).
I should mention that the Galaxy Grand comes with a free flip-cover, a 2GB/month data plan from Vodafone will be free for the first 2 months, and will apparently be pre-loaded with movies and music worth Rs 8,000. These are of course introductory offers, so if you are considering picking up the Galaxy Grand, now would be the time to do so. You can buy the device from the official Samsung India eStore here.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos a bad device? Not at all! But until manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, and LG can begin pricing competitively in the Indian market, low-end and mid-range devices from these companies will be harder and harder to recommend.
What are your thoughts? Is the higher price worth it, just because it’s Samsung? Would you buy the Samsung Galaxy Grand? Let us know in the comments section below.

SOURCES SAMMYHUB

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