To halt smartphone slide, Samsung rewrites playbook

Reversing the slide: Samsung opted for a better camera with fewer pixels for its flagship Galaxy S7, a move that contributed to early success, and also pared back its product line-up, enabling it to streamline production.

SEOUL: From the way it chooses smartphone components to the models it brings to market, Samsung Electronics has undergone a painful process of breaking from its past to reverse a slide in its handset business. 

For example, the world's largest smartphone maker agonised over camera specs for its flagship Galaxy S7 until the last moment – ultimately defying industry convention by opting for fewer pixels in exchange for improved autofocus features and low-light performance, a move that contributed to early success.