Samsung showed it can enhance an already great design and add enough features that would not only tempt those looking for a new flagship Android 6.0 Marshmallow smartphone, but even current Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge owners into sticking with the company and upgrading to its latest devices.
LG and Samsung had press event scheduled on Feb. 21 to officially unveil their 2016 flagship smartphones, just in time to open Mobile World Congress. LG confirmed months of reports claiming it was planning on introducing a "Magic Slot" that would allow the metal-equipped smartphone to include both a removable battery and microSD expansion slot.
All four major U.S. carriers have announced the LG G5 will be offered on their networks and the smartphone is expected to go on sale in April, about a month from when Samsung releases the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge worldwide on March 11.
Like LG, Samsung also put focus on microSD expansion and reintroduced the Galaxy S5's water resistant case; a feature mainly used by Sony, but is also rumored to be coming to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in fall.
While Samsung didn't bring back a user replaceable battery, the company was able to pack the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge with significantly larger batteries than that of their predecessors, the pair also benefit from Android 6.0 Marshmallow's battery-saving features.
Samsung announced it would release the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge worldwide on March 11. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint have already begun taking preorders for the smartphones. Tech Times also reported that T-Mobile has already started shipping the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge to customers who preordered the handsets early.
AT&T and Sprint customers will be glad to know that those carriers have followed T-Mobile in releasing the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge well in advance of Samsung's planned March 11 global release date.
"[My] S7 Edge on AT&T says will ship before March 1st but no shipping update yet," a user commented. While a Sprint customer posted, "I'm with Sprint and my preorder just changed to Shipped status today. No tracking number yet."
Several other readers have left similar comments in addition to the above image of the Samsung Galaxy S7's retail box. Now we'll have to wait and see if Verizon joins the party or adheres to Samsung's official release date.
