The Samsung Galaxy S6 made quite a stir in the market with its eye-catching hardware specifications and sleek design. It almost feels like the smartphone just rolled out a while back.
Now, the presumably named Samsung Galaxy S7 is already about to see the light of day soon, and according to rumors, grounded guesswork and whatnot, it's going to be a completely different beast altogether.
Hardware Specifications
Processor
To start things off, it's believed that the Galaxy S7 is going to have Samsung's in-house octa-core processor Exynos 8890, which is the successor of the Exynos 7420 that powers the Galaxy S6, along with a 14-core variant of Mali T880.
Meanwhile, a variant of the upcoming smartphone is expected to sport Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 that the South Korean tech company allegedly acquired exclusive rights to until April 2016.
Between the two, Samsung's processor performs considerably better, according to freshly leaked Geekbench reports. Snapdragon 820 reached 2,456 on the single-core test and a remarkable 5,423 on multi-core test. On the other hand, Exynos 8890 got a 2,294 on single-core performance and a whopping 6,908 on multi-core, blowing Qualcomm's processor out of the water.
Display
There has been a buzz that the Galaxy S7 will have a 5.1-inch variant like the S6 and a 5.5-inch model like the S6 Plus, although some reports suggest that it'll have a 5.7-inch screen with a 1,440 x 2,560 QHD.
More to the point, there's a pretty good chance a premium edition that supports 4K is going to roll out, but it's only going to do so in the company's home country of South Korea.
One last thing: based on one of Samsung's trademark filings, the smartphone maker could be ditching the Gorilla Glass with the new Turtle Glass, but it might just be an alternative to the perennially used tempered glass.
Storage
When Samsung scrapped the microSD expansion slot along with the removable battery on the current Galaxy flagships, thousands of customers criticized the company. Fortunately, it seems that the smartphone maker listened to the people, as a report suggests that the company could be bringing back microSD support of up to 128 GB to the S7.
However, that could mean that the S7 will come in 32 GB and 64 GB models only. At any rate, the expandable option is what the people want.
Camera
According to a Weibo tipster, the Galaxy S7 will have a 12 MP camera, which is lower than the 16 MP snapper crammed in the S6. It's reportedly packing fewer megapixels to incorporate a slightly larger sensor that can capture more light using dual-photodiode technology.
Also, a couple of weeks ago, Samsung unveiled the BRITECELL camera, a technology designed to take better low-light photos, but more compact compared with the shooter fitted in the S6.
On the other hand, some AnTuTu benchmark scores attributed to the Galaxy S7 say that the smartphone will sport the same 16 MP rear camera and 5 MP front shooter as the S6.
Considering the conflicting rumors, it's hard to say what the Galaxy S7 will really have when it goes official.
Audio
Rumors suggest that the smartphone will have ESS Technology's SABRE 9018 DAC, just like the chip found on the LG V10. It has dynamic range that goes up to 127 dB plus THD+N of 120 dB, supporting audio formats such as FLAC, ALAC, AIFF and WAV.
Battery
Regarding battery power, no word has surfaced yet. Unlike the return of microSD support, the removable battery design won't be making a comeback in the S7 – if the rumors hold true, that is.
Other Features
First off, the Galaxy S7 is said to be equipped with a USB Type-C interface. If it will, then it's safe to assume that it's going to support fast charging, not to mention that users will be able to plug the cable either way.
Second, the smartphone could have a keyboard cover, which is perfect for those who want a more tactile feedback when pressing keys.
Third, it could have a heat pipe to prevent any overheating issue, which could be because of the heating problems the Snapdragon 810 introduced.
Last but not least, it could have a retina scanner, which has been becoming increasingly common by today's flagship standards.
Software
Operating System
As expected, the Galaxy S7 will be running Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. On top of that, purported internal Samsung reports were posted on Weibo, serving as further evidence of the expected OS.
Knowing Samsung, the upcoming handset could also feature an improved TouchWiz UI.
3D Touch
Back in 2014, Samsung filed a patent, suggesting that the company is developing a 3D Touch technology of its own. Based on the description, a hard press will generate a capital letter and a softer one will register a lowercase letter.
What's more, the smartphone maker is going to partner up with Synaptics to integrate the U.S. company's ClearForce technology with the Galaxy S7 screen, according to another Weibo leak.
In a nutshell, the two are pretty much like the Force Touch technology on the Huawei Mate S 128 GB model or Apple's 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Currently, there's not enough evidence to see which direction Samsung will go, whether it's going to feature its own technology or Synaptics' technology.
Design
Just like the S6 Edge, the Galaxy S7 Edge is expected to have curves, but this time around, the successor will have the curved design applied to top, bottom, left and right. Generally speaking, it will sport a similar design as the S6. However, instead of aluminum, the S7 will be made using magnesium alloy with glass for an overall sturdier built.
Release Date
A lot of rumors about the release date of the Galaxy S7 have been making rounds on the Internet, including a January, February, March and April 2016 rollout. Aside from a launch at the Mobile World Congress, the most believable one out of the bunch is a March 2016 release date, but even so, it's better to take it with a grain of salt until official word comes out.
Price
Earlier this month, Chinese analyst Pan Jiutang claims that the S7 will be 10 percent cheaper than the S6 at launch. Other speculations suggest that the smartphone will have a price tag that ranges from $460 to $650.
A Closer Look
While virtually every detail surrounding the Galaxy S7 remains as speculations, Martin Hajek of Computerbild.de created a concept video that shows what the smartphone would look like if the rumors were all true.
Check out the video shown.
