The Samsung Galaxy S7 will unquestionably be one of the most important smartphone releases of 2016. And those looking to upgrade from their existing mobile can be encouraged by the fact that it is expected to be unveiled by the end of February. But what can we expect from the Galaxy S7 when it is released? Here is a rundown of all the predicted specs, features and details for this flagship handset.
Samsung Galaxy S7 – Release date
Firstly, it is anticipated that the Samsung Galaxy S7 will be announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which takes place this year from February 22-25. It is not impossible that Samsung could schedule its own event to proceed this tradeshow, but the likelihood is that Samsung will follow its policy from previous years. If indeed Samsung does announce this handset in Spain, it is likely that we will see the Galaxy S7 released at some point in March.
Design
The Galaxy S6 was a significant departure from the Galaxy S6, and thus it is largely anticipated by analysts that the Galaxy S7 will be an evolution not a revolution. Case renders of the Galaxy S7 that have been leaked in the last week also suggest that the overall visage of the smartphone is similar to last year’s offering. But the front-facing camera could be placed in the top right hand corner of the phone as opposed to its existing location. A slimmer Home button is also anticipated.
Reports have also suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S7 will be released in flatscreen and curved screen variants, with two separate devices sizes.
Display
It is increasingly expected that Samsung will not improve the resolution of the Galaxy S7 over the device released last year. Samsung uses a 5.1-inch 2,560×1,440 Super AMOLED screen in the S6 and S6 Edge, and this is highly likely to be retained. However, some reports have suggested that the display may be minutely larger than in previous iteration of the range, even if the screen resolution will not be improved. Estimates ranging from 5.2-inches to 5.5-inches have been registered by analysts.
What is notable is that Samsung is reportedly intending to introduce similar pressure-sensitive technology to the 3D Touch that was debuted in the iPhone range recently. Reports indicate that the Korean corporation may take advantage of Synaptics’ new ClearForce technology in order to achieve this.
Processor
Early reports on the Galaxy S7 suggest that Samsung will revert to its previous policy of using different chipsets for separate models intended for differing regions of the world. This means that Samsung will utilize its proprietary Exynos Technology in Samsung Galaxy S7 units intended for the East Asian market place, while Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 820 chip is to be used in devices intended for the Western marketplace.
Additionally, reports from Korea indicate that Galaxy S7 units intended for the Asian subcontinent will feature a slightly different form of the Exynos chipset to those sold in Samsung’s native East Asia. The S7 heading to India will have the same Exynos 7422 chipset as the Galaxy Note 5, while China and Korea will benefit from an Exynos 8890 chip in the Galaxy S7. It is also suggested that this latter chipset could also be destined for the European marketplace.
Operating system
It is very early to predict what operating system will be included in the Galaxy S7, but obviously it will be an Android variant. The most likely prediction is that the Galaxy S7 will feature Android Marshmallow.
Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S7 is unlikely to see a return to replaceable batteries, but an improvement in the battery life of the smartphone is anticipated. Reports from VentureBeat suggest that the Galaxy S7 will have a 3,000mAh battery while the Galaxy S7 Edge will feature a 3,600mAh battery. This will be a significant improvement over the existing specifications of the Galaxy S range, considering that the last generation of the smartphone featured a 2,550mAh battery in the S6 and 2,600mAh in the S6 Edge.
It is also likely that the Samsung Galaxy S7 will support wireless charging, giving Android fans another boost to the efficiency of this device. However, there is some debate over the USB technology which will be included in the Galaxy S7. It had been expected that Samsung would utilize USB Type-C in this handset, but instead more recent reports have suggested that Micro USB will be included.
Camera
There have been a lots of rumors about the camera to be included in the Samsung Galaxy S7, not least because photographic capabilities are increasingly important in smartphones. Thus, it was suggested at one time that Samsung would improve the already impressive sensor included in the Galaxy S7 to a 20-megapixel rating. But this notion has died down recently, and other more credible suggestions have surfaced.
Interestingly, the most recent reports have suggested that the Galaxy S7 will feature a 12.2-megapixel camera that is inferior in this rating to previous releases. However, potential Galaxy consumers do not need to be alarmed by this, because Samsung seemingly intends to include its BRITECELL technology in the Galaxy S7, which will greatly aid its ability to take photographs in low-light conditions.
If the Samsung Galaxy S7 is able to take excellent photographs in darker conditions then it will certainly have an advantage over much of the smartphone niche. Additionally, it is also suggested that Samsung has found a way of shrinking the sensor included in the Galaxy S7, ensuring that the rather ugly protrusion from previous devices will be eliminated.
Price
Samsung has not given any indication about the pricing of the Galaxy S7, but it is possible that the Korean corporation will look to freeze the price of the unit from last year’s Galaxy S6. The smartphone market place will be hugely competitive in 2016, and the reason for Samsung pushing forward the release date of the Galaxy S7 is to compete with Apple in the post-Christmas marketplace. An affordable price point would certainly help Samsung in this aim.
