A rapidly deleted tweet seems to have given us an insight into the future release schedule of both the LG G5 and the Galaxy S7. Special media events are scheduled for the weekend before the Mobile World Congress 2016 commences, although both companies have declined to make reference to either handset in their initial press releases for the event. Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy S7 Edge product name in leaked developer documentation, although this has now been removed from its website completely.
LG tweet reveals all
Not to be outdone, LG recently responded to this with a more explicit revelation. Tweeting from its LGUSAMobile handle, LG on Wednesday confirmed that the LG G5 will be released on February 21, just in time for the Barcelona trade show. The Mobile World Congress gets underway this year on February 22, and it seems that LG intends to release its latest flagship smartphone at a special event set for 2pm European time. This would mean that it emerges several hours ahead of Samsung’s Galaxy S7, or at least the presser event in which it is expected to be unveiled.
Unfortunately, this tweet didn’t last very long, and was rapidly deleted. However, here it is recreated in all its glory.
Aside from the release date of the LG G5, other leaks have also hinted at the specifications of the device. In particular, a new dual-camera setup has been mooted for the LG G5, which will fit in with the intentions of Apple to produce a similar device. A dual-LED flash will be at the heart of this new snapper, which would seem to deliver outstanding photographic capability for this smartphone.
LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7
As the two Korean rivals vie for supremacy in 2016, it looks as if LG has the opportunity of seriously challenging Samsung this time round. Samsung has been forced to endure a period in which it its profits have regularly fallen, and the consumer electronics giant is facing impositions on its business model for the first time in several years.
More affordable Android handsets are threatening Samsung in its native East Asia, and the company must demonstrate in the coming months that it is in a position to respond effectively. While the LG G line has never achieved the mass market penetration of the Samsung Galaxy range, it has been extremely well regarded critically, and LG now has good reason to believe that it can seriously close the gap on Samsung with the LG G5.
This newly emboldened LG is absolutely signified by the fact that it has taken the trouble to get its products out before the Galaxy S7, even if both will essentially arrive in the stores at a similar time. The tweeting strategy it has employed can be viewed as cheeky, but it symbolises a company ready to do battle with Samsung as an equal.
Design comparison
So how will the Galaxy S7 compare to the LG G5 in 2016? The design of the two devices looks to be fairly similar, at least based on rumors. Both are opting for a primarily metallic design, with the Galaxy S range having been praised for moving away from the plasticky feel of earlier devices. Personal preference will come into play here, but it must be said that Samsung has the market penetration and brand recognition that will give it a serious advantage.
It is notable that the Galaxy S7 is the marginally more compact of the two devices, and this will naturally appeal to consumers wanting convenience. Of course, the LG G5 is larger owing to the bigger display in the device, But this doesn’t change the fact that it is the slightly more bulky handset of the two.
4K screen?
In terms of the actual displays, Samsung has been the market-leader, certainly in terms of mainstream devices, in this department. But LG has already been lauded for the quality of screen that it utilized in the G range, and there have even been murmurings that it might consider a 4K display with its next-generation LG G5. This would be the sort of innovation and bold spec that would separate the device from Samsung, with the Korean manufacturer expected to stick to the Quad HD which serves the Galaxy S series well last time out.
Processing edge for Samsung
With both devices running off Android Marshmallow, there is little to separate the two in this department, but differences are obvious in other areas. It is likely that the Galaxy S7 will have extra memory in comparison to the LG G5, as reports have generally indicated that LG will arm its flagship mobile with a 3GB quotient. Samsung will have a 4GB memory capacity, and thus may experience some benefits in terms of processing speed.
With both handsets likely to opt for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, at least according to media reports, the level of memory in the two devices is certainly significant. But based on rumors, it certainly seems that the LG G5 has the edge in other areas of the two handsets’ portfolio of features.
More storage and battery life for LG
Samsung will not produce a 128GB version of the Galaxy S7, whereas the premium version of the LG G5 will indeed feature this storage capacity. The LG G5 will also have a significantly larger battery, and consequently possibly battery life, than the Galaxy S7 as well. The non-removable Li-Po 3,000mAh battery In the Galaxy S7, pales in comparison to the 4,000 mAh unit in the LG G5, which also offers the flexibility of being removable.
Camera comparison
There is more room for debate with regard to the cameras included in the two smartphones. Samsung has opted to include the revolutionary BRITECELL technology in the Galaxy S7, ensuring that the device could be the best mobile yet at shooting in darker conditions. This might seem to suggest that it will have the edge over the LG G5, but the superior megapixel rating in the LG handset, 16 as opposed to 12, will certainly gain attention as well. With optical image stabilization, laser autofocus and dual-LED flash also included in the LG G5 unit, this is certainly a capable photographic device.
Android fans will certainly be eagerly anticipating the unveiling of these two devices, which now seems certain to be earmarked for Fairbury 21.
