The first major smartphone release of 2015 will probably be the Samsung Galaxy S6, even if Apple decides to unavailable the hotly rumored iPhone 6s at some point during the spring of this year. The Galaxy S6 is Samsung’s flagship device in the mobile marketplace, and the Korean manufacturer will be looking for a good performance this time out from the S series, given that its financial results for 2015 were considerably less encouraging than it had anticipated.
Notions of a curved version of the Galaxy S6 have been doing the rounds for some time, and a Reddit thread toward the end of last year suggested that Samsung is currently working on some revolutionary material for the forthcoming Galaxy S6. Going under the name of Project Zero, the individual involved stated that Samsung was considering some “wild designs” for the latest iteration of the Galaxy S series, and that two different Galaxy S6 Edge variants were already under development.
CES unveiling red herring
As momentum developed for this forthcoming smartphone, there were rumors that Samsung would unveil the Galaxy S6 at the Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas, or at least preview the handset in some capacity. This hasn’t come to fruition, and indeed Samsung has not included a single smartphone in its presentations during the event. But the emphasis that has been placed by Samsung on curved televisions and monitors in Nevada suggest that this popular and fashionable technology will be an important part of its portfolio going forward.
The company has yet to confirm officially that it is working on a curved variant of the Galaxy S6, but this seems a certainty, especially as the Galaxy Note Edge released last year represented the first curved smartphone device produced by Samsung. According to analyst expectations, the mooted Galaxy S6 Edge would feature exactly the same specifications as a standard version of the Galaxy S6, except for the design of the display.
Early memories about the Galaxy S6 suggest that this will be an extremely powerful device, and one that will come packed with possibly the most impressive set of specs that any mobile device has ever been armed with. Rumors have also suggested recently that both versions of this handsets will come with Seinnheiser earbuds, in a direct answer to the partnership between Apple and Beats.
Limited edition Galaxy S6 Edge
Previously it was assumed that the Galaxy S6 Edge would be very much a mainstream device, and some sources and analysts had even suggested that all versions of the Galaxy S6 could be based around the curved screen technology. However, an interesting rumor has emerged in the last 24 hours which suggests that the Galaxy S6 Edge could be a limited edition device.
Reports have indicated that this curved mobile device will only be produced in relatively small quantities. A figure suggested at this stage has been 10 million units. But it has also been implied that should the Galaxy S6 Edge perform well during the early months after the Galaxy S6 is released, that Samsung may revise this expectation and produce further units.
Aside from this information, the Indian import data website Zauba has also suggested that Samsung is currently testing the Galaxy S6 device in India. According to reports, the Korean electronics giant has imported a prototype of the Galaxy S6 smartphone in order to carry out research and development. The model in question carries the SM-G925F model number and has been listed at a price of just over $700.
This model was allegedly imported on January 3, and this led to the rumors that it will be present at CES 2015. Obviously this did not ultimately occur, but it does indicate that Samsung is well underway with the testing process for this device, and that would suggest that the company is on target for a March unveiling for the Galaxy S6 and any curved variant at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Powerful spec rumors
There has been no word from Samsung on what sort of specifications can be expected for this forthcoming smartphone, but rumors have particularly focused on the quality of display in the device aside from its curved design. A QHD screen is expected, and some bolder predictions have even suggested that a 4K display could be possible.
Samsung has not confirmed whether the Samsung Galaxy S6 will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset or Samsung’s own Exynos set-up, but it is possible that the corporation will repeat its policy of releasing Galaxy S6 models with differing chipsets depending on the geographical location within which they are released.
What seems increasingly certain is that some form of curved smartphone will form part of this next generation Samsung handset, but the extent to which this is a mainstream device could be decided by consumer reaction to it.
