Why Samsung should be joining leakers instead of shutting them down

We've discussed in detail why Samsung's Unpacked events don't have the kind of mystery and excitement they used to. Almost everything leaks out before the event itself, so watching the event is more of a formality than an exciting celebration of design and technology. Then again, Samsung only has itself to blame for spoiling its product launch events.

Many Samsung fans would prefer not to have the element of surprise taken away before the event. There's no avoiding it now, though. Case in point: The upcoming Unpacked event. Samsung has dropped many hints that make it clear the event is about the new foldable smartphones.

While its hype creation activities have been limited to hints, gorgeous full-resolution renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 have already leaked online. They follow a long line of leaks concerning the new devices. Everything that there is to know about these devices has most likely been revealed by now. So Samsung will essentially be rehashing it all during the Unpacked event.

As diehard Samsung fans who never missed an in-person Unpacked event, even the grandeur of these events would do little to make up for it but with the in-person events being scaled back after COVID, there's not much left to be excited for. These events were often used to showcase many other interesting Samsung products. The last in-person Unpacked we attended was back in February 2020 for the Galaxy Z Flip and the corridor to the main hall was lined with Samsung's high-tech The Sero TVs. It was a sight to behold and to share with Samsung fans across the globe.

Regardless, it's evident that there's not much else Samsung can do to keep a lid on these leaks. There are increased instances now where Samsung would shut down leakers after they post something online. However, doing this after the fact doesn't achieve much, since whatever they leak is already on the internet and nothing ever gets scrubbed from the internet.

Moreover, these leakers can easily resurface through different accounts under aliases to continue doing what they're doing. Unless Samsung is able to cut them off at the source, merely getting their accounts taken down is not a viable strategy. That's not to say Samsung can't keep a lid on things when it absolutely wants to. The original Galaxy Fold is a prime example. It remained very well hidden and Samsung wowed us all with the unveil. However, the very next year, that secrecy was nowhere to be found for the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

So perhaps it's time to switch things up? Let's consider a proposal that some might feel is a bit radical. Instead of trying to shut leakers down, perhaps Samsung should think about joining them? It would be a great way for Samsung to extract the best possible mileage out of the content it releases ahead of the event, and that too at its own terms.

There's no way to have any checks or balances on official content that leaks and is posted on Twitter and other networks. Often these leaks can lead people to form opinions about upcoming Samsung devices even before the company has a chance to explain its vision. The unfounded opinions and conjecture have the potential to damage the reputation of a device before it even hits the market.

Instead of waiting for any number of Twitter-based leakers to find and post stuff about its new devices, Samsung should be controlling the narrative here. The company can gradually release more information about its devices through official channels to built up excitement and create hype for the new products.

OnePlus excelled at drip-feeding information. It would hype up the new devices with bits and pieces of information that would instantly get picked up by the tech media. YouTubers would rush at the opportunity to be the first to explain the latest nugget of information to their audience. This resulted in sustained hype leading up to the launch.

Car companies often use similar strategies. They wrap their upcoming models in camouflage and take them out on the roads where they are inevitably photographed by spotters, thus fueling the hype about the new models. Here's a brilliant example of the Rolls-Royce Spectre, with the camouflage highlighting some of the salient features of the brand's first all-electric vehicle. A similar approach is possible for smartphones, as we've envisioned in the concept you see at the very top.

The idea is not for Samsung to start giving official materials to dubious Twitter leakers. The company should be utilizing its own presence on these platforms to make controlled disclosures that ensure its devices are always presented in the best way possible. With information coming directly from Samsung, fans wouldn't be so quick to give into conjecture and will be able to better understand the company's vision behind its products.

As Samsung fans, would you prefer that Samsung keep everything a secret till launch day or gradually hype up the devices in the weeks before? Drop a comment and let us know what you think.