Samsung is rocking the events leading up to the 2016 Mobile World Congress with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, clearly going all out to claim the top spot in the Android smartphone market.
When the Galaxy S6 lineup rolled out, it was well received by the public, but it was also met with disappointment over certain features that were removed, including the microSD card slot and removable battery. Samsung makes things right with the Galaxy S7, listening to what the people want.
Hardware Specifications
The Galaxy S7 sports a flat 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display with a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, clocking in at 577 ppi. It has a curved glass back to make it fit better in anyone's hand.
The S7 edge is equipped with a slightly larger 5.5-inch display with the same specifications except for the 534 ppi pixel density plus the signature dual edge screen, providing curved left and right sides. What makes it even more striking in this department is how thin the bezels are.
The two are powered by Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 820 with two Kryo cores at 2.15 GHz and two more at 1.6 GHz that come with "thermal spreader" technology, a water-cooling system that'll prevent them from overheating. It's worth noting that a variant with Samsung's home-built octa-core Exynos 8890 is expected to hit the shelves too.
To ensure multitasking capabilities, both phones house 4 GB worth of RAM. Also, as anticipated, they run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box.
The Galaxy S7 is loaded with a 3,000 mAh battery, whereas the S7 edge has a 3,600 mAh pack, both promising owners that they won't be constantly looking for outlets. More to the point, they feature power-saving tools for gaming, allowing gamers to record their sessions just like how PC and console users can.
They both have 32 GB of internal storage along with the fan-favorite microSD card support of up to 200 GB via the hybrid dual SIM slot.
For mobile photographers, they have a 12 MP f/1.7 rear-facing camera that's tailored for low-light photography as evidenced by the lens with LED flash and improved AF system that'll considerably reduce grain and blur. At the front, they have a 5 MP f/1.7 snapper. Their camera humps measure at a mere 0.46 mm, taking care of yet another problem that users had with the S6 range.
Notable Features
As everyone can see, one of the most eye-catching features is the return of the expandable storage. Of course, the phones have more in store for users.
For starters, they are set apart from their predecessors with their IP68 waterproof design. That means they can be completely submerged in water. On top of that, they are dust resistant too.
They also have a customizable always-on display setting, allowing them to show the date, time or any other info. According to Samsung, it'll only eat up 1 percent of battery charge every hour.
While they didn't get the fan-requested removable batteries, the phones did get significantly bigger battery packs as mentioned earlier. To put things into perspective, the Galaxy S6 has a 2,550 mAh battery and the S6 edge a 2,600 mAh, while the S7 and S7 edge have a 3,000 mAh and 3,600 mAh packs respectively.
Just like the previous generation, Samsung also threw in a fingerprint sensor and wireless fast-charging support.
Pricing And Availability
The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will hit the shelves on March 11, where preorders will begin this Feb. 23. U.S. subscribers who preorder or purchase the smartphones between Feb. 23 and March 18 will also get a free Samsung Gear VR along with six games while supplies last.
AT&T
AT&T offers the S7 at $23.17 a month for 30 months and the S7 edge at $26.50.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile offers the S7 at $27.91 for 24 months and the S7 edge at $32.50.
Customers who preorder will also get a free one-year subscription to Netflix.
Sprint
Sprint offers the S7 at $27.09 for 24 months and the S7 edge at $31.25.
For a limited time only, customers who buy an S7 or S7 edge are eligible to purchase another one for half the price. Sprint also started a Galaxy Forever plan, allowing subscribers to trade up their Samsung smartphones for a more recent model after 12 payments on a lease.
What's more, the carrier is going to continue its Cut Your Bill in Half promo until March 31 and cover early termination fees up to $650 for any customer who switches from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
Verizon
Verizon has yet to announce its pricing details, but it has started to offer two accessory bundles already. The first one is the Memory Bundle, and it comes with any case up to $39.99, any screen protector up to $34.99 and a 32 GB microSD card for $79.99 in total. The second one is the Charging Bundle, and it comes with a Samsung Wireless Fast Charging Stand, a car charger with fast-charging support and a Samsung Fast Charging Portable Power Pack with 10,220 mAh for $100 all in all.
Verizon will cover switching fees up to $650 for any customer who switches from AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. The carrier will also provide 24 GB of extra data every month for customers who upgrade or activate devices on a Verizon Plan XL or bigger option.
U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular offers the S7 at $28 a month for 24 months and the S7 edge at $32.50, both with $0 down. The carrier will also allow customers to get the S7 at $199 and the S7 edge at $299 with a two-year agreement.
Best Buy
Best Buy offers a free 64 GB microSD card to any customer who preorders the S7 and S7 edge.
Special Editions
The Galaxy S7 could have a "Batman v Superman" special edition, just like the S6 "Iron Man" edition. It's believed to go official sometime in March or April.
The smartphone is also expected to come in a 2016 Winter Olympics edition and another one in collaboration with a popular South Korean singer.
