Skip to main content

Even with all of those product recalls, Samsung is still the top dog at home

Despite having more than a million of its Galaxy Note 7 handsets recalled due to fears over exploding batteries, Samsung is still the most beloved brand in its home of South Korea. In a survey conducted by market research firm, Brand Stock, it found that of all international Korean brands, Samsung still held the top spot on its index.

It seemed like Samsung as a brand would suffer quite heavily following its recent battery debacle. Combined with a number of smartphones exploding or setting on fire, it’s being sued over injuries from the devices and will have to spend upwards of $1 billion on replacement handsets. And they might not even be any safer.

Recommended Videos

This was made even worse last week when we learned some Samsung washing machines were exploding too.

Related: Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall

So you might think that Samsung as a brand wouldn’t hold as much sway as it did before the recent problems. While that may be the case on the international stage, in South Korea it seems to have had little effect. Samsung beat out top rival firms like E-Mart, KakaoTalk and Naver, to take the top spot as the strongest brand in the country.

In total, Samsung had 912.2 points on the brand scale, with the firms that came in second through fourth having just over 900 apiece and the other top ten brands occupying the 890s (thanks KoreaHerald).

Lest you think that this scale is immovable though, that’s far from true. Previous top-10 company and longtime Korean retail outlet, Lotte Department Store, has fallen from 8th to 16th on the list in the aftermath of a criminal investigation into the owner’s family. The related revelations were so devastating to the company’s brand image that it has caused several affiliate companies — including a car rental service — to also fall down the brand index scale.

So while Samsung’s position at the top may be secure for now, perhaps thanks to its quick action on recalling handsets, it is by no means fated to be permanent.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
Samsung may not be killing off the Galaxy Note after all
samsung galaxy note 22 rumour rumor

When Samsung skipped launching a 2021 Galaxy Note smartphone earlier this year, most of us thought it was the end of the road for the company’s popular stylus-toting phablet. New reports, however, indicate that Samsung could do a complete about-face and revive the Galaxy Note lineup as soon as February 2021.

If we are to believe South Korean tipster Tron, Samsung could launch a Galaxy Note 22 alongside the Galaxy S22 series in the first quarter of 2022. What’s more interesting is that the device Samsung intends to brand as the Galaxy Note 22 will replace the top-end Galaxy S 22Ultra.

Read more
I’m excited for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it could let us down in one area
Google's tipped to deny its most expensive phone a top spec
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, showing the back of the phone.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold looks set to gain a number of significant upgrades over its predecessor including a larger display, smaller hinge, bigger battery, and improved dust resistance.

The Google Pixel 10 series is tipped to arrive in the coming months - possibly as soon as August - and we're expecting to see a quartet of new devices, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Read more
OnePlus 13 owners get a major new AI tool for free
Plus Mind is just the beginning of OnePlus' AI ecosystem
A person holding the OnePlus 13.

Owners of the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R smartphones are receiving a software update which includes a significant new AI feature.

OnePlus has started to roll out its Plus Mind AI tool to 13 and 13R handsets around the world, giving users the ability to receive intelligently suggesting actions while also storing the information for you to search through at a later date.

Read more