After countless leaks and endless speculation, Samsung has finally announced the details for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge smartphones. Described as "the most advanced smartphones on the market," Samsung has completely redefined its smartphones, equipping them with first-of-its-kind technology.
Looking to avoid the same problems that plagued the Galaxy S5, Samsung has put design first with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. Both new phones are made entirely of metal and glass, a nice change from the cheap plastic feel that has dominated Samsung's products for years. It's not just ordinary glass either; sparing no expense, the glass body is made from Corning Gorilla Glass 4, "the toughest glass to date." As for color choices (because we all know that's what's important), the S6 and S6 edge will be available in "White Pearl," "Black Sapphire," and "Gold Platinum." The S6 also comes in "Blue Topaz," while the S6 edge offers a "Green Emerald" color.
The new phones are also more than just a facelift. In typical Samsung fashion, the Galaxy S6 phones are packed with the latest technology that will mean absolutely nothing to the average consumer: an octacore Samsung Exynos processor; 5.1-inch QHD Super AMOLED displays; 3GB of RAM; 32/64/128GB of internal storage; 16-megapixel cameras (5mp front) with optical image stabilization; fingerprint scanning in the home button that no longer requires a swipe; USB charging that 1.5 times faster than the Galaxy S5; a speaker that's 1.5 times louder than the one in the S5's; fully embedded WPC and PMA certified wireless charging technology; and integrated support for Samsung Pay.
Samsung Pay, also detailed today, is clearly Samsung's response to Apple Pay. Using Near Field Communication (NFC) and Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology Samsung Pay allows consumers to make secure mobile payments at nearly all merchant locations. The feature will initially be available in the United States and Korea this summer before expanding to other regions.
Although the sleek, new design and latest technology are a plus, they did come with some trade-offs. Removable batteries, microSD card slots, and waterproof are noticeably absent from the S6 and S6 edge. As one of the few that brave's not owning a case for my phone, I'd gladly take the "toughest glass to date" over waterproofing. I'm more apt to drop my phone on the floor than I am in a toilet (although I did once drop my phone in a cup of water). Samsung also trimmed back a few software features; there are apparently 40 percent fewer features in the Galaxy S6 than the S5. That being said, the software is still based on Android 5.0 Lollipop.
The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge will release on April 10.
[Samsung]
