The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge showcased a brand-new design and a number of new features, however there are a number of improvements that could be made which are awaited for the new Samsung Galaxy S7. Much needed improvements include
- Battery life (the Galaxy S6 has a 17 hour battery life with moderate usage)
- Further innovation in terms of design and features –as seen in the Galaxy S6 Edge
- Advanced Gear Virtual Reality headset, possibly with additional sensors and games.
- Better rear design; the rear design of the Samsung Galaxy S6 makes it prone to fingerprints, so improvements are welcome; (rumoured rear design is pictured below).
- Waterproof and dustproof design.
- Camera improvements.
- More powerful processor.
Samsung Galaxy S7: Design:
The design of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the subsequent Galaxy S7 Edge is rumoured to be identical to one another, with Samsung mainly focusing on improving picture quality and performance, and introducing new features. Since Samsung has just recently revamped the design of the Galaxy S6, substantial changes in the design of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are not expected.
Samsung Galaxy S7: Rumoured Specs and Features:
- Rumours suggest a 5.7 or 5.1 inch display.
- 1440 x 2560 (QHD)
- A curved screen is rumoured to feature in the Galaxy S7, however it will be a flexible display, rather than the standard curve design.
- 3D Touch technology, which Samsung is rumoured to replicate from the iPhone 6s.
- Turtle Glass strong display is rumoured, to replace the Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 featured in the Galaxy S range so far.
- Rumoured rear design:
- Smaller and brighter camera – Samsung has unveiled an innovative BRITECELL camera technology.
- Use of Sony’s IMX300 sensor in the Samsung Galaxy S7, which is currently featured in the Sony Xperia Z5 range.
- ‘Live Photos’ feature called Vivid Photos, a concept replicated from the iPhone 6s, with the added element of easily transporting pictures and video clips to social media.
- Non-removable battery.
- Rumoured to come with the option of two variants: Exynos chipset and Qualcomm Snapdragon 820.
- Android Marshmallow; the combination of Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and Android Marshmallow promises more efficient speed and battery life for the Samsung Galaxy S7.
- Fingerprint scanner.
- MicroSD support, rumoured for use with SD cards up to 128GB.
- Iris Scanning Technology, a succession of fingerprint scanners which many smartphones currently feature.
- The price of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is rumoured to be expensive, and potentially even one of the most expensive phones available this year –with the rumoured price mark being £600/$650.
- Additional Release: There are rumours that Samsung will also be releasing a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge + ‘phablet’, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
The rumoured features and design of the Samsung Galaxy S7 suggest that it will be a worthy competitor in the 2016 smartphone market; however, aspects such as the unimproved battery life, the consistency in design and the lack of innovative features are drawbacks to the highly awaited release of the smartphone.