Samsung expects a shortage of Galaxy S6 Edge units as it grapples with manufacturing issues for the device. The company, which will release the 5.1-inch smartphone alongside the Galaxy S6, is reportedly being bogged down by the complexities of manufacturing the phone’s curved display.
Speaking at a media event earlier today, J.K. Shin, Samsung’s mobile unit head, said that his company is “working hard to resolve the difficulty in supply.” Shin also added that the shortage may persist “for a while.”
“Some carriers are switching existing orders to get more of the S6 Edge, and it looks like demand for the model will exceed supply throughout this year,” HMC Investment analyst Greg Roh told Reuters. “That means average selling price will fall at a slower rate, which will have a positive impact on Samsung overall.”
The news takes some luster off of the company’s announcement that it expects record shipments for the Galaxy S6. The company did not reveal specific numbers. However, analysts expect the company to ship at least 50 million Galaxy S6 units this year.
The new S6 models are expected to lift Samsung out of a slump in mobile sales. A few days ago, the company announced that it expected a 30.5% drop in profits for the first quarter of this year. This trend may reverse once the new phones come out. Early indicators suggest that the device is generating solid pre-order numbers.According to a report from the Korea Times, the company already has 20 million pre-orders for the S6 models.
Before the Galaxy S6 gains the distinction of being the most popular Samsung device ever, it would have to eclipse the S3, which has reportedly generated 80 million units sales since 2012.
