Samsung admits panic over Pebble Blue Galaxy S3

Samsung admits panic over Pebble Blue Galaxy S3
Samsung messed up, but it acted fast

Samsung has admitted that it messed up with the Pebble Blue Galaxy S3, but also revealed it was quick to resolve the issue.

When the Samsung Galaxy S3 went on sale back in May some customers were left disappointed when the Pebble Blue handset appeared to be in short supply.

The reason for the shortage was because "the mass production process for the Pebble Blue battery cover did not perfectly reproduce the S III's fundamental design concept creating an aesthetic that was inconsistent with the planned product."

"The tough decision to not ship the new handsets threw the entire chain into panic" the firm explained in a post on the Samsung Tomorrow blog.

Insufficient luster

Samsung said it took the difficult decision two weeks before the S3 went on sale to tell customers that 'Pebble Blue's battery cover hairlines did not appear, homogeneous with insufficient luster' – which apparently left the team "devastated".

Instead of delaying the Pebble Blue Galaxy S3 for nine months though while a new production method was developed – white iPhone 4 we're looking at you – Samsung got on it right away.

Three days later a new Pebble Blue battery cover had been produced which met the firm's high standards and 10 days after the initial recall enough new units had been produced to meet the manufacturing goal.

Anything can happen in the next 10 days

Ok so Samsung is giving itself a big ol' pat on the back, but it's great when a company works so hard and so quickly to rectify an issue.

Sure some customers were impacted and had to wait a few extra days for their Pebble Blue Samsung Galaxy S3 to arrive, but a few days is far better than 9 months for a colour option to turn up.

Apple will argue that it never promised the white iPhone 4 from the off, but manufacturing issues with the lighter hue were well documented and it certainly wasn't as quick off the block as Samsung.

From Samsung

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.