Samsung to start preloading apps onto Galaxy devices based on the profession and interests of the buyer

Photo: ibtimes.com

Customers buying Samsung devices at Samsung retail stores will soon receive a personalized experience based on their job, hobbies and other traits, 9to5Google has learned.

This includes contextually preloading third-party apps at point of purchase. For example, banking, finance and spreadsheet apps will be targeted at people working in corporations or self-employed businessmen. Similarly, students in higher education will get office suites and note-taking apps preinstalled. Casual games are also in the pool of possible apps, particularly aimed at satisfying younger buyers.

The exact process by which Samsung sales representatives will select contextually relevant bundles for a particular customer is not clear. One source said the plan is ‘relatively simple’, so any form of hidden psychological testing is out of question. Most likely, the salesperson will simply ask the customer about their interests and choose a bundle based on that.

Samsung is currently in the process of finalizing deals with the third-party developers whose apps will be included in the bundles. Interestingly, most developers are not being paid directly to participate in the scheme. The majority of the preloaded apps will just act like limited trials, giving users three months of unlimited use. Developers will make their money from users if they decide to buy the apps at the end of the trial period.

Samsung is hoping this ‘personalized promotion’ will attract more people to its retail locations, where it can demonstrate its full range of smart devices.  The novel — if a bit strange — idea will rollout to Samsung’s retail stores in the summer.