Hardware giant Samsung, turning up the heat on competitor Apple, is offering a 30-day test-drive of its devices for $1 with the goal of getting dedicated iPhone users to make the switch.
To sign up for the promotion, you have to access Samsung’s promotional website via an iPhone. Samsung has dubbed this campaign the “ultimate test drive.”
From the website: “For just one dollar, you can try one of our latest Samsung phones for 30 days with no obligation. Your test drive kit will come with the phone of your choice, an activated sim card, and a step-by-step guide to help you start your test drive. After 30 days, if you buy a qualifying Samsung device, there’s even more love in store for you.”
Samsung and Apple are the two top smartphone manufacturers in the world, although Samsung has lost some market share. In the second quarter of 2015, Samsung held a 22% market share compared to a more than 26% share at the same time last year.
Would-be customers can test-drive Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge+ or Galaxy S6. The devices will have network service through all four major domestic carriers: Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile US and Sprint.
To sign up, test-drivers enter their name, birthday and address, along with a credit card number. If the device isn’t returned after the 30-day trial, users pay the full retail price; there’s a $100 charge if the device is damaged. Samsung also ships a cable that can be used to transfer information from one phone to the other.
Last year T-Mobile US launched a similar “test drive” program that allowed customers to try out an iPhone 5S for a seven-day trial period.
Samsung also releases new wireless charging pad
In conjunction with the recent release of the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+, Samsung also released an upgraded version of its Wireless Charging Pad.
A company website said the new charging pad “allows you to charge your Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+ device up to 1.4x faster than standard wireless charging pads, reducing total charging time from 0-100% by up to 50 minutes!”
