Samsung S20 & S20+ unavailable through main dealers, but why?

[MaiDong]

Right, trying to buy a phone for my son, we're already with True so I thought I'd get a phone with them.

On their website they advertise both the S20 & S20+, but when we try to order through an agent(through Line) they tell us that both are now out of stock.

I've looked on AIS & DTAC and they're all gone, but why? They've only been out about 1 year, and are still very good phones.

All that is left to buy at the S20/20+ range is the S20 FE, which is a slightly lower spec, and smaller size, but is B2,000 more than the S20/20+.

Alternatively, there's the ridiculously-priced S2o Ultra, or the S21 which is equally ridiculously-priced.

 

My question is, why would the S20/20+ just disappear from the shelves of the main retailers like this?

 

I suppose I'll have to fork out the extra B2,000 to get the slightly lower spec S20 FE, as I'm unable to pay B20,900 for the S20 Ultra.

 

Why do I feel like I'm being robbed with a smile?

[ThailandRyan]

Versus, the West and UK, the Main servicers in Asia only carry the newest of the cellular lines, as the Thai's only want the newest gadgets, well at least those that want to be seen with a fashion item.  If you want to buy a model that is a year old or so, you need to find a reseller, and most of those have been refurbished and are not exactly brand new.  This information came to me via the Samsung customer care center, when my S10+ went in for repairs and I asked if they could just replace it a few weeks ago.  I was told I could upgrade to the new S21, but deferred.  My phone was repaired within 2 hours, I had dropped and shattered the back camera lens cover and cracked the rear glass cover.  Total repair was 2k Baht.

Edited February 5, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[CharlieH]

S20 ULTRA ?

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.2H31X

 

S20 FE

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.2HVOF

 

Seems the other versions have indeed "vanished"

[MaiDong]

Yep, ok, I'll just have to settle for the lower spec at a higher price than the higher spec phone - NUTS.

[scammed]

galaxy m31 got 6000 mAh battery

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/samsung-galaxy-m31-ram6128gb-2-i299666745-s2507284821.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:1498579383!58089999096!!!pla-294682000766!c!294682000766!2507284821!138063225&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0-6ABhDMARIsAFVdQv_krhEL3xKxnAgcNeItkpUQBrgLSydVZsNiS36PdAiiJZyMr3yg50UaAsYrEALw_wcB

it doesnt explicitly state 6000 mah so i would make an inquiry

to get that straightened out

[MaiDong]

5 hours ago, scammed said:

galaxy m31 got 6000 mAh battery

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/samsung-galaxy-m31-ram6128gb-2-i299666745-s2507284821.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:1498579383!58089999096!!!pla-294682000766!c!294682000766!2507284821!138063225&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0-6ABhDMARIsAFVdQv_krhEL3xKxnAgcNeItkpUQBrgLSydVZsNiS36PdAiiJZyMr3yg50UaAsYrEALw_wcB

it doesnt explicitly state 6000 mah so i would make an inquiry

to get that straightened out

 

Cheers, but we're already with True, so stuck with them and went with the S20 FE 5G(for B15,900 with a B699 50GB monthly package), which the boy loves, so all's well that ends well, still a bit annoyed though...

[DiDiChok]

There's a global chip shortage.  Here's a link to a prepaid news site about it but you can see enough to get the gist of it:  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-05/chip-shortage-spirals-beyond-cars-to-phones-and-game-consoles

Increased demand for consumer electronics during lockdowns has led to the global microchip shortage, first reported in December 2020.

[spiekerjozef]

The screens were too big.

It's not considered a portable device anymore.

[SheungWan]

58 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

The screens were too big.

It's not considered a portable device anymore.

A dumb phone user might consider the S20 or S20+ big, but other than that, no.

[ignis]

Covid 19 ........ = circuit boards are not being made ? or should that be shipped ? no idea get the same answer..  most websites say   Temporarily Unavailable

 

Looked for a normal price Graphics card, every day appears less and less, all that are in stock are 30 - 80k cards or far more expensive or the other was very cheap 1 - 2 GB 64 bit cards.. 

 

Maybe the same with smartphones ?

[eisfeld]

The unavailability of the S20 started right when the S21 was about to launch. Before that, during 12.12 for example there were big marketing pushes to sell S20 including the FE. Now even if the S20 FE doesn't show up in all the places that it used to and is many times out of stock.

 

I think Samsung is just trying to remove the S20 to push the S21 as much as possible. Profit margins are higher there as the prices are at the top and they need to report good launch numbers.

 

I'm also soon up for a phone upgrade and was looking into these but the S20 FE seems like a few too many corners cut (Gorilla Glass 3, really? That's one generation older than what my S7 has!) and users reported quite a few issues with the touchscreen as well as heavy battery drain with the most recent updates. The S21 is too high priced as it's brand new plus has no SD card slot so in some ways a downgrade from the S20...

[perconrad]

I bought a S20 the other day at the TG shop i Central in Ubon, they did not have it in the shop, but ordered it and it came in 2 days price THB 18,900. My S7 cracked the screen. S20 is a little longer than S7, but a little smaller.

I looked at the S20 FE, but that was too large for me and the spec's is better for the S20.

Lazada has the S20 in several shops for a little cheaper price, but small shops with not many reviews, so I chose a shop where I can come to if there is something with the phone.

[eisfeld]

2 hours ago, perconrad said:

Lazada has the S20 in several shops for a little cheaper price, but small shops with not many reviews, so I chose a shop where I can come to if there is something with the phone.

It's difficult or impossible to see because they don't label it but quite a few of the smaller and some of the bigger sellers on these platforms sell refurbished phones. If you are lucky they might mention "Grade B" somewhere.

[jackdd]

On 2/5/2021 at 6:04 PM, MaiDong said:

Cheers, but we're already with True, so stuck with them and went with the S20 FE 5G(for B15,900 with a B699 50GB monthly package), which the boy loves, so all's well that ends well, still a bit annoyed though...

You could just have changed to another sim card.

 

Galaxy S20 for 18,900: https://shopee.co.th/Samsung-Galaxy-S20-Ram8-128GB-ผ่อนโดยใช้บัตรเครดิต-0-นานสุด10เดือน-By-Jaymart-i.70462736.7717328575

60gb internet per month with True for one year for 1,550: https://shopee.co.th/ส่งฟรี????ซิมเทพ????ทุกค่าย-TRUE-DTAC-AIS-ซิมเน็ตรายปี-พร้อมแพ็กเกจโทรฟรี-เหมาจ่ายครั้งเดียวจบ-ถูกที่สุด-Sim-Hub-ส่งฟรี-i.317579107.3255699924

Total cost over a year: 20,450 THB

 

You pay now over a year (for the S20 FE): 15900+(12*690) = 24,180 THB

And once the year is over and you don't get a new phone again it looks even way worse.