The Samsung Galaxy S7 is the most anticipated smartphone of early 2016. The Galaxy S7's specs, price, and release date will be the subject of heavy speculation over the next weeks, especially if the rumors of an early launch turn out to be accurate.
If you're excited about Samsung's next flagship release, we're here to bring you all the credible info on the Galaxy S7 in one neat package.
Keep it tuned, as this post will be updated often in the weeks leading up to the Galaxy S7 release.
Version history
- Update – December 29. Added info on improved software optimization and the alleged existence of two different screen sizes.
- Update – December 14. Added info from the recent WSJ report on the Galaxy S7.
- Update – December 11. Added a new video allegedly showing a CAD-based rendering of the Galaxy S7 Plus.
- Initial release – December 9. Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Before we start
Every bit of Galaxy S7 info is hot commodity, and it's easy to see why. While Samsung's days of massive growth may be over, the Galaxy S series remains the best selling and most representative Android smartphone. Millions of people see Android through Samsung's lens, making the Galaxy S7 a hugely influential device.
The massive interest in the Galaxy S7 means that every last detail of the Galaxy S7 release date or specs will be sought out, extracted, analyzed, interpreted, hashed, and rehashed by dozens of publications, some more credible than others. Almost inevitably, some false information will make its way to the public.
While we do our best to avoid the questionable stuff, please keep in mind that, lacking confirmation from Samsung, we're dealing with rumors and speculation.
Background
Samsung's rise to the top of the mobile industry has followed closely the ascent of the Galaxy S series. From the original Galaxy S, to the road opening S2, to the breakout S3 and the record-setting S4, the series turned Samsung into a behemoth. But, with clout and profits, came arrogance, and the weak performance of Galaxy S5 was proof that the market punishes companies that think they're too big to fail.
Samsung tried hard to make up the lost ground with the Galaxy S6, a phone that finally brought "premium" materials to the series, coupled with top features and a toned-down software experience. But it was the Galaxy S6 Edge that really caught our eye. The dual curves of the phone gave Samsung a way to set itself apart from the dozens of nimble, aggressive competitors.
Popular as the Edge turned out to be, the market has moved on, and Samsung had to hurry the Galaxy Note 5 out to shore up another mediocre sales year. It's telling that Samsung din not trumpet any sales milestone for its flagships this year.
And that brings us to the Galaxy S7. The stakes are even bigger for Samsung this time around, because the Galaxy S7 probably won't have the benefit of a brand new design. More worrying for Samsung, a formidable opponent rose to prominence this year. Huawei is dominating China and making itself known in the West, making Samsung's situation even more complicated.
Of course, Samsung isn't just giving up without a fight. The conglomerate recently changed the head of its Mobile division. Outgoing JK Shin was replaced by Dong-jin Ko, who didn't mince words in his first statement: "next year will be tough."
Galaxy S7 release date
Let's play the "guess the release date" game. Looking at the past generations of the Galaxy S series, the S4, S5, and S6 were announced between late February and mid-March. The Galaxy S4 had its standalone launch event in New York, while the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S6 were revealed on the sidelines of MWC Barcelona.
Judging on history alone, one could bet that Samsung will introduce the Galaxy S7 right before MWC, which in 2016 will be held on February 22 to 25. In that case, Sunday, February 21 looks like a good guess for the Galaxy S7 launch.
However, Samsung's situation is a little different in 2016. The company may choose to release the Galaxy S7 earlier than usual, just like it did with the Galaxy Note 5, which arrived three weeks ahead its regular schedule. At the time, reports suggested Samsung released the Note 5 early because it wanted to avoid the fierce fall competition and to make up for the less than stellar sales of the Galaxy S6. Will that happen again with the S7?
One source that claims the Galaxy S7 will arrive early is Korea's ETNEws, an outlet that has a relatively good track record when it comes to news from its home country. According to ETNews, the Galaxy S7 will be released in January (January 19 is mentioned as a specific date), with in-store availability to follow in February.
Adding credence to the theory, Samsung had reportedly started mass manufacturing of the Exynos processor expected to power the S7, as well as developing the firmware for the device.
Then again, Twitter "leaker" @ricciolo1 claims that "nothing has changed" and that MWC Barcelona remain the time and place where Samsung will reveal the Galaxy S7.
So, what is gonna be? According to sources cited by WSJ, the Galaxy S7 will become available in the US in mid-March. The report says the device is "expected" to launch on the sidelines of MWC 2016. This is a very credible report, though the wording leaves some room for interpretation when it comes to the date of the launch event.
Watch:
Galaxy S7 price and availability
According to rumors out of China, the Galaxy S7 may be 10% cheaper than the Galaxy S6 at launch. The caveat is we've heard similar rumors in the past, and at the end of the day Samsung's flagships remained as expensive as always.
Unless Samsung decides to sacrifice profits for market share, we expect the Galaxy S7 to be priced in the typical $600-$700 (unlocked) price range.
As for availability, there's a small possibility that Samsung will withhold the Galaxy S7 from some markets, like it did with the Note 5 in Europe. But that's just speculation and unlikely to happen.
We expect the Galaxy S7 to become available in stores with 3-4 weeks from its official announcement.
See also: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ review Samsung Galaxy S7 specs
With the Galaxy S6, Samsung made some divisive decisions: most controversially, the microSD and removable battery were sacrificed on the altar of design. Will Samsung do an about face with the S7? Should we expect other controversial choices?
Display
Prediction: ~5.2-inch SAMOLED Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels), Gorilla Glass 4 OR 5.5-inch SAMOLED Quad HD
Originally it was believed Samsung would stick with the 5.1-inch screen size of its predecessor, though current rumors allege the Galaxy S7 will get a minor upgrade to 5.2-inches. Of stranger note, the rumor mill points to the possibility of an even larger screen on the Galaxy S7 Edge. If the reports are correct, the Edge will have the same QHD resolution as the standard model, but will offer a larger 5.5-inch screen.
We don't think Samsung will come up with a 4K display, like Sony – sort of – did with the Xperia Z5. It's simply too soon, and the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, at least for now.
Processor & RAM
Prediction: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (USA, China); Samsung Exynos 8890 (Europe, Asia); 4GB RAM.
This section is also fairly predictable. Several reports suggest that Samsung will once again use a mix of Qualcomm and Exynos chips. According to Electronic Times, Samsung plans to use the Snapdragon 820 in the US and China, and the in-house Exynos 8890 in other markets. Either choice should provide great performance, despite alarmist rumors about overheating issues.
Given that the Note 5 has 4GB of RAM, Samsung will probably use the same amount on the Galaxy S6, though it's possible it will stick with 3GB, which is still very good.
Storage
Prediction: 32/64GB, microSD for Galaxy S7 only.
The Galaxy S6 came with a pricey 128GB version, but Samsung dropped the option for the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. It's possible that the 128GB model was a sales failure, and Samsung considered that not enough people want that much storage. If that's the case, it's likely that the Galaxy S7 will be offered in 32GB and 64GB models only.
There's a rumor from a Chinese leaker (with a few good reports under their belt) that Samsung has "listened to the customers' voice" and decided to bring back the microSD card slot to the Galaxy S7. There's no technical reason why Samsung couldn't do that, and indeed that seems like a good way to win (back) some customers. But would Samsung change its mind so easily?
According to the WSJ, Samsung will bring back the microSD slot, but only on the regular Galaxy S7. Presumably, the curved design of the Galaxy S7 Edge doesn't allow for a slot.
Cameras
Prediction: 20MP Sony IMX300
The WSJ reports that the Galaxy S7 camera will bring big improvements in low-light photography. The camera will be flush with the body of the device, according to the same source.
Two distinct rumors about the main camera on the Galaxy S7 surfaced in early November. The first one claims that Samsung is going to source the sensor from Sony, the undisputed leader of the sensor industry. Samsung is reportedly interested in the Sony IMX300, the 25MP sensor used in the Xperia Z5. According to the second rumor, Samsung is going to use an in-house ISOCELL sensor of just 12MP, but with larger pixels, for improved low-light sensitivity.
Samsung has combined Sony and in-house sensors before, but the technical differences here are just too big to allow for a similar experience across all devices.
So, which rumor is correct? We tend towards the one pegging the Sony IMX300 sensor, but we'll definitely need more supporting evidence in this area. One Korean source said the camera experience is where we should look for real improvements in the Galaxy S7, so signs are promising.
Battery
Prediction: ???
The Galaxy S6 has a decent, but not great 2,550-mAh battery, and in real life, screen on time is typically unimpressive. Is Samsung going to be doing something about it? We sure hope so, but for now, we have no real clue about the Korean giant's plans in this direction.
Fast charging and wireless charging will definitely be making a comeback. According to sources talking to WSJ, the Galaxy S7 will be able to get to a full day's charge in just 30 minutes, or faster in some conditions.
See also: Wireless charging technology: what you need to know Connectivity
Prediction: LTE Cat. 12
All versions of the Galaxy S7 are expected to support LTE Cat 12 download speeds, which means that, in ideal conditions, download speeds can reach 600Mbps. In real life, you probably won't be able to get anywhere near these theoretical high speeds.
Galaxy S7 features
Samsung took software in a much improved direction starting with the Galaxy S6, but recent rumors suggest that this is only the beginning. Reportedly Samsung is working with Google engineers to optimize TouchWiz to levels that will "rival iOS". While that's a pretty lofty claim, the idea of an even faster, smoother TouchWiz is certainly an appealing one. As for what else we can expect?
Samsung Pay and the fingerprint sensor will make a return, probably in improved forms. In terms of new stuff, one Chinese source claims that Samsung will integrate Synaptics' ClearForce technology, a force-sensing solution. If that's accurate, Samsung may be taking another page from Apple's book – 3D Touch. Synaptics announced that ClearForce will be arriving in smartphones in early 2016, but for now, we are taking this report with a big grain of salt. Incidentally or not, Samsung has a patent on a force sensing implementation.
On December 14, WSJ reported that the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will indeed feature a pressure sensing display. The publication did not specify whether this technology is supplied by Synaptics or other vendor. Another feature that could be made available on some versions of the phone is retina scanning. This feature analyzes the pattern of the blood vessels in the retina, which is unique to every person. The report suggests this retina scanning feature could be similar with the feature found on some ZTE devices called Eyeprint ID. This uses the front camera to scan the retina. To be clear, this feature is not set in stone, and Samsung may choose not to include it.
Another ace in Samsung's sleeve may be the use of a "super-high performance, 32-Bit Stereo DAC targeted at audiophile-grade mobile applications" from ESS Technology. This chip should provide extended sound range with minimal distortion.
Finally, Samsung will adopt a USB Type C connector for the S7, part of the industry's general trend towards the new standard.
Galaxy S7 design
After years of criticism, Samsung finally abandoned plastic in favor of metal and glass for the Galaxy S6, to generally enthusiastic response. There's no doubt that the S6 is the nicest Galaxy S yet, but how will Samsung top that?
We don't expect any major changes in terms of appearance. Samsung will probably tweak what is already a refined and minimalist design, without departing too much from the Galaxy S6 template. Our hunch is supported by a recent report from the Korea Times, citing a source with knowledge of the matter that had this to say about the Galaxy S7:
"As the S6 and S6 Edge represented progress, the S7 will have improvements both in picture quality, performance and some other new features. But because smartphones have already been commoditized, you don't need to spend more on a surface overhaul…The key point is can consumers enjoy content with enhanced viewing quality and boosted processing speed."
Assuming there will be any visual changes to speak of, Samsung will probably just redraw accents like the camera and the home button, and perhaps offer some new finishes.
One questionable leak from GSMArena shows a design that is largely similar to the S6, with the biggest apparent change being an oddly-shaped power button/fingerprint sensor.
On December 10, @Onleaks released a video showing renders based on alleged CAD schematics of the Galaxy S7 Plus, a 6-inch version of the S7. The French leaker claims that his report was fully independent from the one from GSMArena.com. If that's the case, there's an increased chance that the design seen in these leaks is legit, though we'll need further confirmation.
On December 14, WSJ reported that the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge won't bring "major departures" and the changes will be "less striking" compared to last year.
Galaxy S7 Edge
2015 has been the year of the Edge. After an experimental phase with the Note Edge, Samsung went all in with the Galaxy S6 Edge, and people loved it. The company underestimated demand for the curved smartphone, which reportedly made up half of the total Galaxy S6 sales, compared to the 20% that Samsung had predicted internally. Samsung eventually ramped up production and took the concept further with the 5.7-inch Galaxy S6 Edge+.
There's no doubt that Samsung will release an Edge variant of the Galaxy S7. The question is, will there even be a flat-screened version at all? According to a Vietnamese site, Samsung will drop the regular, flat version altogether and launch the Galaxy S7 in two sizes, 5.2-inch and 5.8-inch, both with dual curved displays. That would be a very bold move, that could give Samsung the unique selling point it needs in order to stand out in the crowd, at the risk of losing customers who dislike Edge screens.
More recently however, rumors suggest the Galaxy S7 will have a non-edge display and a 5.2-inch display, while the Edge will offer a larger 5.5-inch screen. At this stage, it's hard to say which rumor will prove correct, though our own sources seem to point to the later. It's also worth noting that the WSJ backs the idea of there being both a regular and Edge Galaxy S7, though no word on screen sizes.
Bits and pieces
- Rumored code numbers:
- Verizon (SM-G930V, SM-G935V)
- Sprint (SM-G930P, SM-G935P)
- US Cellular (SM-G930R4, SM-G935R4)
- AT&T (SM-G930A, SM-G935A)
- T-Mobile (SM-G930T, SM-G935T)
- International unlocked (SM-G930F, SM-G935F)
- China (SM-G9300, SM-G9350)
- Canada (SM-G930W8, SM-G935W8)
- Korea (SM-G930 S/K/L, SM-G935 S/K/L)
- Code name: Project Lucky
- Rumored accessories: Glitter Cover, S View Cover, Clear Cover, Keyboard Cover
Wrap up
There you have it – our best guesses of the release date, specs, and features of the Galaxy S7. Nothing is official just yet, and as always, conflicting reports and rumors will surface between now and Samsung's big launch event next year.
One thing is clear. The Galaxy S7 will be a turning point for Samsung and for the mobile industry.
Sound off
What do you hope to see on the Galaxy S7? And what do you think about our predictions?
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