Samsung Pushes Down Laser Printer Price
By Doug Olenick -- TWICE, 5/13/2002
NEW YORK— Samsung will reduce the price of its ML-1210 laser printer to well below $200 upon the introduction of the company's new ML-1430 in June.
Chanel O'Connor, Samsung's product marketing manager, did not give an exact price, but hinted it would be in the $150 range. This price point is not a promotional ploy to blow out remaining stock, O'Connor said, but Samsung plans to keep the ML-1210 on the market possibly until the holiday season. The ML-1210 has been available since last summer.
With the addition of the just introduced ML-1430, suggested retail price $199, Samsung will have two entry-level laser printers, she said. Lexmark's E-210 is the only laser printer priced below $199.
The ML-1430 features 15 page per minute printing, 600dpi resolution and has a 150-sheet paper tray.
Samsung's display division will ship new CRT and LCD monitors starting this month, with the CRT monitors sporting a new feature called Magic Bright. Magic Bright gives the user three types of brightness modes with each geared for a specific application, the Internet, PC text and TV mode. The modes can be flipped through using a button on the monitor's front panel. The 17-inch SyncMaster 763mb and 765mb are shipping this month with suggested retail prices $219 and $229.
The 765mb will be sold through retail, but is intended for use in business environments where its Highlight Zone technology will be more useful. Highlight Zone allows the user to brighten a specific area or window on the screen so it stands out from the other data. Monica Whipple, Samsung's product marketing manager for monitors, said this is particularly useful in medical and financial markets.
In the flat-panel market Samsung next month will start shipping the 15-inch SyncMaster 152T. It is a TFT display that will carry a $449 suggested retail price.
Samsung has kept prices on its LCD models steady, despite a general increase in LCD glass pricing that has taken place since last fall. However, she does not expect the company to be able to continue to absorb the increases and may have to boost pricing by $30 to $50 by the end of 2002.
