With competition biting at Samsung’s slice of the affordable-mobile-market (i.e. Motorola, Huawei, Xiaomi), the Korean company had to prove that it can also build high-end, quality devices. Enter the S6 series, which were meant to do just that. Though the overall impact of the smartphones was positive, some fans were disappointed by the device’s battery life, the lack of expandable storage, or even the price. We could say that with the S6 series Samsung proved they can be part of the big league, but the S7 series is here to prove the company can battle for the top spots.
Samsung announced at MWC in Barcelona the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge – two superb additions that impressed reviewers from all over the world. The new devices look similar to the S6 series, but everything about them is an upgrade to their predecessors. The design is better, the battery is better, the camera is better, and of course, the performance is better. The devices are also water resistant, and have external memory. It’s like the Korean company took the customer feedback from the previous series, and implemented the changes point by point.
“We believe in a world that is brighter, sharper, more convenient, and more fun. We strive to deliver on that vision with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge by marrying elegant design with functionality and providing a seamless mobile experience,” said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “We empower consumers with technology to help them get more out of life and will continue to push the frontier of what’s possible.”
Design: great to look at, wonderful to hold
The previous series had two major flaws when it comes to design: they were a bit uncomfortable to hold, and the camera was a bit too raised from the surface, which felt like an unwanted bump. The S7 series is similar visually to the S6 devices, but there are a few differences that make the new smartphones easier to use.
The first major difference is the back of the new devices, which now has a slight curve. This means the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are easier to hold and pick up. The camera raise is lower, which means the bump that comes out of the surface is also lower. These small details don’t really change the phones visually, but rather make them feel sleeker. The bigger design change is with the S7 Edge, now with a 5.5 inch screen. Though most smartphones with similar screens can be difficult to maneuver, the S7 Edge is not. This is actually what’s impressive about it – it’s a larger display, but can still be easily managed with one hand (and 1 pocket for that matter). Both phones are constructed with 3D glass and metal. Samsung’s new devices will be available in black or gold (S7), and black, gold, or silver (S7 Edge).
Camera: lower resolution, but better photos
The cameras of the new devices both have 12 megapixels, as opposed to the 16 megapixels cameras from the S6 series. Combined with the Dual Pixel image sensor (first of its kind), this actually means you can capture better photos, especially in low-light environments. Larger pixels equal more light, so that even in darker environments, the delivered images are brighter and sharper. The camera’s autofocus is also significantly faster and more accurate.
One other important new feature of the camera is a new mode – Motion Panorama, which brings movement to traditional panoramic photos, giving the user a completely immersive visual experience.
Performance: faster, stronger, better
The S7 series comes with noticeable performance improvements and a bunch of new features. Both S7 and S7 Edge have support for microSD cards for up to 200GB of additional storage (variable depending on country). The hybrid SIM card tray also works for a dual SIM card if needed. The S7 line comes equipped with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and Samsung’s TouchWiz interface.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor, the S7 line is also much faster, with gaming performance that’s significantly better compared to other flagships. The Game Launcher improves the overall gaming experience, by allowing users to manage battery consumption and minimize notifications. Users can also record, screenshot, and share their gaming experience.
The powerful processor and bigger battery capacity ensure longer working/playing time – batteries increased up to 3,000mAh in the S7 and 3,600mAh for the S7 Edge. This should fix previous complaints about battery life, but most likely raise new ones, since the S7 batteries are non-removable. Overheating issues should be fixed as well this time around, through the new internal cooling system.
Another important addition to the S7 line is the IP68 water and dust resistance. This means that both phones can last up to 30 minutes submerged in 1.5 meters/5 feet of water.
Edge UX, the advanced edge experience available on Galaxy S7 edge, provides convenience and increased efficiency by creating easy shortcuts to users’ most loved functions such as email, selfie mode, panorama mode or third party applications.
The Always-On display is, as the name suggests, a constant information displayed on your screen, while in standby mode – it can contain a clock, the date, battery left, or other important notifications. While this feature is interesting (and possibly useful), it consumes battery. Even at the claimed less than 1% consumption per hour, the overall consumption might discourage its usage.
“Beyond the phone, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge users can also get the best mobile payment service with Samsung Pay; it’s secure, easy-to-use and accepted almost anywhere,” said Samsung officials. “Protected by Samsung KNOX, fingerprint scanning and advanced tokenization, Samsung Pay works with NFC (Near Field Communication), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) and Barcode technology, making mobile payments available to more merchants and consumers than ever before.”
The starting prices for the new Samsung devices should be roughly the same as for the S6 series. Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will be available starting mid-March 2016.
Specs: Comparative infographics
