It’s pretty clear that Samsung is in panic mode. For years, It seemed like the Korean giant had no kinks in its armor, but that all changed last year when the Galaxy S5 failed to meet expectations, and Apple sold a slew of iPhones after finally increasing the display size to respectable levels. This year’s Galaxy S6 is doing okay, but it’s not shattering any records.
Samsung traditionally announces the Galaxy Note series in September, but it moved the launch up this year to get ahead of the iPhone 6S launch. If that wasn’t enough, the company launched the Ultimate Test Drive for current iPhone users intrigued about trying out an Android phone. The program gives you a chance to try out the Galaxy Note 5 or the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus for $1, and you can return it hassle free after 30 days if not satisfied.
Now Samsung has upped the ante — in what appears to be sheer desperation — by offering those who complete their “test drive” the chance to pick up as much as $200 if they officially ditch that iPhone.
Samsung will provide a $100 Google Play gift card if you decide to purchase either the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus or the Galaxy Note 5. This gift card should take care of the cost of re-purchasing apps that cannot be transferred from the App Store. Secondly, Samsung will also give you a $100 check if you trade-in your old iPhone to the carrier or retailer where you purchased the phone. It’s more than likely your old iPhone is worth more than $100, so that one is your call.
Unfortunately, Samsung stopped accepting applicants for the test drive due to an overwhelming response. If you were lucky enough to get in on it before it closed, just visit Samsung’s promotional page and log in with the email address you used to sign up. Then answer a few questions, provide the appropriate information, and your Google Play gift code and check will be on the way.
This announcement comes one day after Apple confirmed the iPhone 6S will be unveiled on September 9. It’s unlikely that the iPhone 6S will be as groundbreaking as the iPhone 6, since the S iteration is usually a modest upgrade and the surge in sales was more about the display size than anything else. Still, those who have yet to upgrade from their iPhone 5, 5S ,or 4S may be in the market for a new phone. Now that Samsung has lost “the next big thing” edge it once had, it’s now forced to resort to gimmicks such as this to woo customers.
