Samsung wants to give customers access to "a Galaxy of possibility," so it's officially offering unlocked Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones in the United States.
Getting an unlocked smartphone may be more expensive than getting it subsidized, but it also comes with a number of benefits. First off, you're not tied to any carrier or bound by some lengthy contract option. Secondly, you can use the handset on any other network, be it GSM or CDMA, in the United States or globally. Thirdly, buying an unlocked handset means no carrier bloatware, and that goes a long way when it comes to available storage space.
Samsung is now selling the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge completely unlocked in the United States, which means that all of the aforementioned woes are gone. The unlocked handsets work on all major U.S. carriers, including CDMA operators such as Verizon and Sprint.
The unlocked Samsung Galaxy S7 will set you back $669.99, while the fancier Galaxy S7 edge goes up to $769.99. When it comes to purchase options, the smartphones are available unlocked either directly from Samsung, or through retailers such as Amazon, eBay, Best Buy, Target and Sam's Club. The Galaxy S7 is available in a black avatar, while the S7 edge comes in silver.
"The unlocked Galaxy S7 and S7 edge offer more U.S. customers a way to join the Galaxy family, giving them access to a portfolio of seamless mobile experiences including connectivity to wearables, making payments right from your phone and even virtual reality worlds," says Tim Baxter, the President of Samsung Electronics America.
As expected, the unlocked variants of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge pack the exact same design, specs and features as the original smartphones released earlier this year. This means a cutting-edge design, water and dust resistance, wireless charging, Samsung Knox, high-end cameras and all of the other goodies the flagships have to offer.
Aside from the fact that the unlocked models have no carrier bloatware, Samsung is also letting customers choose whether they want to have the Samsung calculator, browser, email or other such OEM apps installed on the device. Should the customer decide to forego these apps, the available storage space will be more substantial.
While this is not the first time that Samsung sells unlocked smartphones in the United States, it does mark an important step forward. Last year, for instance, the company offered an unlocked Galaxy S6, but it was only for GSM networks.
This move doesn't mean that Samsung will stop selling smartphones through carriers anytime soon, but it does add more options for purchasing the latest flagships.
The unlocked Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are available starting on Thursday, June 30.
