[이코노믹리뷰=박정훈 기자] Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S22 series, which set a new record of pre-order sales of 1.02 million units for a week, and continues the good atmosphere at the beginning of its release, faced a crisis as it was embroiled in a controversy over ‘mandatory GOS function’.
Samsung Electronics expressed its will to break through the controversy head-on with the official position, “We will solve the problem through updates that actively collect opinions from customers.”
Controversy over mandatory GOS setting
GOS (Game Optimizing Solution) is a system to prevent heat generation and rapid battery consumption in smartphones when running high-end games. When GOS recognizes that a high-end game is running on a smartphone, it runs the game by lowering it to a level for optimizing the smartphone operation, not the highest specification of the game being played. In general, GOS is run in a way that intentionally lowers the number of frames per second of the game and the performance of the graphics unit (GPU).
Normal smartphone users do not feel the difference between before and after GOS execution. However, since heavy users of smartphone games clearly feel the difference between before and after GOS execution, they choose to enjoy the game with the highest specifications without running GOS.
Immediately after the release of the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung Electronics implemented a software update that blocks the ability to turn off GOS settings. Of course, Samsung Electronics had its own reasons for taking these measures. This was to prevent excessive overheating so that users can safely use the smartphone.
However, the problem was that the user’s choice of whether to set up the GOS was completely excluded, and the difference in game operation felt before and after the application of GOS was a stark difference.
Many IT communities complained that “Galaxy S22 is a ‘Gampophone (smartphone that has given up the game)'”. Many people expressed their dissatisfaction by sharing videos that did not run properly, such as high-end games stuttering on the Galaxy S22 series where GOS was forced to run. At the ‘Galaxy Unpacked 2022′ event announcing the launch of the brand, there were also sarcastic complaints that Samsung Electronics’ wireless business manager Roh Tae-moon appealed ‘comfortable gaming environment’ as an advantage of the Galaxy S22 series.
In response, IT YouTuber Issub, who has 2.1 million subscribers, strongly criticized the Galaxy S22 series’ GOS settings, saying, “It’s a crazy issue without a shield.”
Samsung Electronics “SW update will be implemented as soon as possible”
In response to the heated public opinion, Samsung Electronics said in a notice posted on the 4th, “We will implement a software update related to the GOS function. You will be able to choose whether or not to Regarding the update schedule, Samsung Electronics added, “We are planning to proceed with the software update as soon as possible, and there will be separate guidance on the specific method.”
Such an immediate response shows the high expectations Samsung Electronics has for the Galaxy S22 series. The Galaxy S20 released in 2020 and the Galaxy S21 released in 2021 recorded annual sales of 28 million units and 24 million units, respectively, in the year of release. This is a disappointing record that falls short of the annual sales of 30 million units, the standard that separates the success and failure of flagship smartphone products. The Galaxy S22 was cruising toward the goal of ‘annual sales of 30 million units’ by overcoming the sluggish sales of the previous flagship model thanks to its popularity in the early stages.
An official from the company said, “The Galaxy S22 series has recorded sales exceeding expectations all over the world at the beginning of its launch. We will live up to our expectations.”