The Mobile World Congress is just days away, and two handsets are expected to particularly dominate this year’s trade show. The traditional gathering of everything that is great in mobile is taking place in Barcelona as usual, and will get underway on February 22. Last year in Barcelona was all about the Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9, but while Samsung will be parading its Galaxy S7 sequel, the LG G5 is expected to take center stage as Korean products dominate.
Of course, numerous other device manufacturers will also be peddling their latest wares at the event, but there is little doubt that the Galaxy S7 and LG G5 will be the headline grabbers of the Barcelona conference.
Samsung unveils flagship Galaxy S7
The Galaxy S7 remains the flagship device that Samsung produces, even if the corporation has been at least equally praised for the Galaxy Note range in recent years. The phabet-sized device from Samsung has been particularly packed with high specifications over the last few years, but Samsung is expected to close the gap in this department with the Galaxy S7.
Early rumors on this next generation smartphone indicate that Samsung will make the Galaxy S7 available for preorder one day ahead of Barcelona on February 21, with the device ultimately hitting the stores on March 11. This is slightly earlier than previous Galaxy S releases, and it is thought that Samsung is attempting to tap into the post-Christmas marketplace that is typically dominated by Apple.
Alongside the standard Galaxy S7 units will be the Galaxy S7 Edge, featuring the curved display that have become such a trademark of the corporation in recent years. Reports from many months ago indicated that Samsung will place a greater emphasis on the curved screen variant of its leading mobile range this year, and this could see a roughly 50-50 split between the two models occurring in both sales and manufacturing terms.
It is expected that both the Galaxy S7 and and Galaxy S7 Edge will feature quad HD displays, with Samsung expected to hold back its first experiments with 4K resolution for the Galaxy Note 6 later this year. Of course, the two devices will have significantly different displays, with the flat screen Galaxy S7 expected to be based around a 5.1-inch screen, while the Galaxy S7 Edge will be armed with a curved 5.5-inch AMOLED display.
The flatscreen Galaxy S7 will feature a 3,000 mAh battery, while the larger Galaxy S7 Edge will be fitted with a 3,500 mAh unit in order to support its larger screen. All of the other specifications included in the devices are expected to be similar if not identical. Exynos 8890 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processors are anticipated, while both are also expected to feature 4GB of RAM memory and 32 / 64GB of storage.
However, micro SD will be reinstated in order to enable Galaxy S7 users to upgrade the device, and some particularly innovative technology has been linked with the camera included in the smartphone. Rumors from close to the Samsung supply chain have indicated that the corporation intends to include BRITECELL technology in the device, which will deliver significantly improved shooting in low-light conditions. Thus, the 12-megapixel rating of this unit, slightly lower than that of the Galaxy S6, should not be seen as an indication that the smartphone will be inferior in photographic capabilities.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow will be present, and it is even predicted that Samsung may integrate some similar features to the iPhone 6s, which would include alternative versions of functions such as Live Photos and 3D Touch. It has even been predicted that Samsung will initiate a similar upgrade system to the iPhone Upgrade Program, and that this will be unveiled in Barcelona.
LG G5 mooted
If the Galaxy S7 is the most notorious device being unveiled at the Mobile World Congress, it is also true that the LG G5 will generate a significant amount of interest at this year’s event. Firstly, it has been reported that LG will unveil an entirely new design for its flagship smartphone this year. The all-metallic visage of the LG G5 will place the handset on a par with other leading smartphones.
One of the most innovative features about the LG G5, if reports are to be believed, is that it will feature a port at the bottom of the device which will enable users to easily replace the battery. In recent years, non-removable batteries have become more common in mainstream smartphones, but it seems that LG is intending to buck this trend with the LG G5.
LG has also confirmed that the next generation smartphone will feature a display that is always on, and that it will also receive a brand new Quick Cover accessory. In terms of other specs, it is expected that the LG G5 will follow the example of the Galaxy S7 and have a quad HD display, although the 5.6-inch screen size is larger than either of the two devices to be released by Samsung.
A fingerprint sensor and dual-camera is also anticipated for the rear of the device, while LG will also embrace USB Type-C by including a port on the bottom of the LG G5. LG will also attempt to match the Galaxy S7 in numerous specification categories, meaning that the smartphone will feature a top grade Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a micro SD slot.
Other manufacturers at Barcelona
Aside from the two dominant Android competitors, other companies are also expected to reveal new smartphones at the Barcelona event. Huawei, HTC, Lenovo, Sony, Microsoft, Nokia and BlackBerry are expected to have new handsets on display, and some of the other lesser-known companies producing mobile technology such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Alcatel will also be resident.
But the most anticipated devices will be the Galaxy S7 and LG G5, and it looks like both will be a significant upgrade on last year’s releases.
