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Galaxy S6: release date, design and display
The wait is nearly over. The Galaxy S6 is (almost) certain to be launched on 1 March at a special 'Unpacked' event by Samsung in Barcelona at MWC 2015.
It will also be most likely joined by the Galaxy S Edge: a curved screen variant of the phone which won't be sold in as great a volume. Think Samsung Galaxy Note Edge to the Galaxy Note 4.
So without further-a-do let's run down everything we know about the handset so far.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next flagship smartphone from Samsung
- When is it out? Early 2015, possibly the end of March or early April
- What will it cost? A lot, at least as much as the pricey Galaxy S5
Samsung Galaxy S6 release date
Latest update: It'll be unveiled on March 1 at MWC with a release likely in April 2015.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 will follow last year's phone and be on show at MWC 2015. It's even sent out an invite to an Unpacked event, teasing a curved frame and asking "what's next."
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5 both launched in April, of 2013 and 2014 respectively, so it's probable you'll be able to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 from April 2015.
A recent alleged internal memo could point to the Samsung Galaxy S6 being launched around March 22. The memo states that Samsung employees cannot take time off between March 22 and March 30, which could indicate something big is going down around those dates, quite possible the launch of Samsung's next flagship device.
The same memo also informs employees that they can't take time off between April 19 and 27, which could be the release of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge or a new Note tablet.
Samsung Galaxy S6 design
Latest update: Expect a full metal uni-body this time around.
Ever since the lacklustre reviews of the Galaxy S5 design we've been seeing rumours of a full blown redesign of the handset.
Those rumours have since suggested we'll be looking at a full metal uni-body for the handset and the first few images of the handset make it look like it'll be true.
First up was a teaser of the side of the handset that shows off a metal edge and not much more. It was then followed by a leak of what looks to be the Samsung galaxy S6 Edge but it also shows a metal back panel suggesting it'll be in a full metal jacket this time.
Samsung Galaxy S6 screen
Latest update: There will be a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge with a curved display.
Samsung's going to stick with the Super AMOLED displays we've seen from the company for quite a while.
This time though we can expect the Galaxy S6 display to get a resolution knock up though much like the Galaxy Note 4 with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution.
Numerous sources including SamMobile , cnmo.com and TechTastic have all filed reports suggesting the Galaxy S6 will come with a QHD 1440 x 2560 display making it look very likely.
As for the size of the display, it may be increased a little much like it has been for the last few iterations meaning it'll likely edge up to 5.2 or 5.3 inches.
It looks like there will also be a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge with a curved edge on the display like the Galaxy Note Edge. A new advert from Samsung suggests it'll be happening with the first image of the handset – it isn't currently clear if this is the normal S6 or the Edge variant though.
Samsung Galaxy S6 rivals
Samsung has a lot of big name competition scattered all around. The HTC One M9 is heavily rumoured to be launching at MWC and is expected to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, a waterproof body and 2GB of RAM.
Sony isn't going to be launching a new phone for a couple of months so it's the Xperia Z3 as its main competition that boasts a Snapdragon 801, a glass, waterproof body and a 1080p display.
Then there is of course the iPhone 6 that we've got a full review of you can read just here.
Samsung Galaxy S6 camera & battery
Latest update: It's looking to be a 20MP snapper.
SamMobile has apparently got hold of a prototype Galaxy S6 packing a 20MP snapper with optical image stabilisation, though it's still questioning whether said camera will make it to the final device.
It's also dug up some software changes, including a new Pro mode, which has three shooting modes, one of which is manual, while the gallery app will apparently be more intuitive to navigate.
Samsung has also been heavily hinting at the Galaxy S6's photographing prowess on Twitter, with a recent tweet containing an image that says "Find clarity in darkness".
This suggests that the Galaxy S6's camera will be especially adept at taking photographs in low light conditions, something that many smartphone cameras struggle with.
As for the battery power, it's heavily rumoured to be smaller than the cell in the Galaxy S5.
A leaked report suggested the Galaxy S6 will feature a 2600mAh pack but it's expected to offer a similar, if not better, battery life down to processor and display testing that means it is more optimised than before and will use less power.
Samsung Galaxy S6 power
Latest update: Qualcomm has been dropped in favour of Samsung's own Exynos chipset.
Android Lollipop is here now and it brings with it 64-bit support that we expect to see within the Galaxy S6.
Historically Samsung has opted for the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor series but reports from both SamMobile and cnmo.com have suggested it'll use a 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7420 processor.
One report has also suggested Samsung is producing a mass of 4GB RAM modules and it'd make sense if those are included to make use of that 64-bit processor.
A new report from South Korea points towards a new type of flash memory featuring in the handset called UFS (Universal Flash Storage) to enhance data speeds and power consumption.
SamMobile also reckons the Galaxy S6 will come in 32, 64 and 128GB variants, presumably with a microSD card slot.
Samsung Galaxy S6 operating system
Latest update: Expect a lot less bloatware this time around.
While Samsung is cooking up its own Tizen operating system, the Galaxy S6 will almost certainly stick with Android, and probably Android Lollipop since that's the latest version.
It will also run Samsung's TouchWiz UI on top, albeit streamlined once more to make sure it doesn't annoy consumers who are becoming aware of the simplicity of raw Android, so given the Samsung Galaxy S5 was made sleeker, this could well happen again in the S6.
We've heard that Samsung is going to completely strip down TouchWiz, and will drop all the pre-installed Samsung apps. This is great news for those of us who aren't fans of Samsung's bloatware clogging up our devices.
This means the likes of S Voice, My Galaxy, ChatOn, Samsung Hub and Scrapbook may no longer be pre-loaded on the new flagship.
There will be some pre-installed apps, though these will apparently come from Microsoft instead, with OneNote, OneDrive, Skype and Office Mobile (alongside a free Office 365 subscription) all pre-loaded.
Samsung Galaxy S6 camera
Expect Samsung to make a big deal about the camera on the Galaxy S6 after it posted "The Future of Cameras is in a Samsung Galaxy Smartphone" blog on its website.
It's basically one great big pat on the back. In short Samsung loves the cameras it puts in smartphones, so you can expect that trend to continue.
Samsung has also been heavily hinting at the Galaxy S6's photographing prowess on Twitter, with a recent tweet containing an image that says "Find clarity in darkness".
This suggests that the Galaxy S6's camera will be especially adept at taking photographs in low light conditions, something that many smartphone cameras struggle with.
An early Galaxy S6 rumor pointed to a 20MP camera, up from 16MP in the Galaxy S5. Samsung's always about more and bigger so this seems believable.
SamMobile has apparently got hold of a prototype Galaxy S6 packing a 20MP snapper with optical image stabilisation, though it's still questioning whether said camera will make it to the final device.
It's also dug up some software changes, including a new Pro mode, which has three shooting modes, one of which is manual, while the gallery app will apparently be more intuitive to navigate.
Samsung Galaxy S6 other features
Latest update: Android Pit agrees it'll likely have fast charging.
There are a few things that we can be pretty confident that the Galaxy S6 will include. Samsung has been putting its fingerprint scanner on a number of phones and tablets so we're sure the S6 will get it too.
But it might get an improved version of it, as SamMobile reports that Samsung is equipping the Galaxy S6 with one that features touch-based recognition, more in line with Apple's Touch ID than the S5's swipe-style reader.
Likewise it will probably retain the heart rate monitor from the Galaxy S5, since that's also been included on the Galaxy Alpha and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
We fully expect a microSD card slot too, since the Galaxy S range has always included one and we'd be very surprised if it wasn't water and dust resistant, since the Galaxy S5 is and removing a useful feature like that seems unlikely.
We may also see the Samsung Galaxy S6 inherit some of the new features which have been added to the Galaxy Note 4, such as fast charging, a UV sensor and multi-directional microphones.
Samsung Galaxy S6 cost
We've also got information on the new pricing for the Galaxy S6, and it's higher than the Galaxy S5, which at launch sold for £579 (around $972 / AU$1048) SIM free.
- · Samsung Galaxy S6 32 GB: €749 (around £560, $855, AU$1100)
- · Samsung Galaxy S6 64 GB: €849 (around £635, $970, AU$1240)
- · Samsung Galaxy S6 128 GB: €949 (around £710, $1085, AU$1390)
Galaxy S6: what we want to see
Given we don't know a whole lot about the new Galaxy S6 at this point, here are the key things we think Samsung must chuck in there to make it a roaring success, rather than an unimpressive flop:
A better body
It would be fair to say that the dimpled back panel on the S5 wasn't universally well received. Everyone has been crying out for a new design in the Galaxy S series for a while now, but Samsung seemingly hasn't been listening.
An S6 with a metal unibody and a premium feel would be a potential crowd pleaser. If a redesign is on the cards, why not take it further and go for a new form factor? A new premium profile could refresh the range and make it feel special again.
Given that the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 have more premium builds it's likely that the Galaxy S6 will too, but we hope it goes all-metal rather than just packing in a metal frame.
A 2K display
No one is impressed by 1080p any more, not when 4K TVs are in the shops. We wouldn't have been surprised to see a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution on the S5, but it seems QHD displays were not ready for prime time back at the beginning of 2014.
It's all change now though, with the Galaxy Note 4 and LG G3 both packing 2K screens, so anything less than a QHD display in the S6 will be a bit of a disappointment. Just make sure it doesn't hurt the battery while you're at it, Samsung.
A 64-bit processor
Perhaps the lack of a 64-bit processor in the S5 was an acknowledgement that there aren't many advantages yet, or maybe it was a statement about not copying Apple.
The good news is that Android Lollipop supports 64-bit processors, so it's likely that the Galaxy S6 will take advantage.
While you're there, for heaven's sake add more RAM – 2GB is not enough to satisfy the modern day demands of multi-tasking, especially if you're going for a 64-bit chip.
A flexible design
Remember that advert where the guy folds his phone out to tablet size? That would be a real slice of fried gold and we've heard Samsung has a folding prototype already. Failing that, a squidgy, bendy phone that can take all sorts of damage and return to its original shape unblemished would be nice.
Squeezy controls could bring a fresh tactile element to smartphone ownership. At the very least we expect flexibility to deliver greater durability and new potential shapes, but it has got to be better than the Samsung Galaxy Round. Samsung's on the right track with the Galaxy Note Edge, so we're looking forward to the next step in curved and bendy screens.
A bigger battery
We can hold the sum total of humanity's achievements in one hand, accessing all of our scientific knowledge, and our greatest works of art, but only for a few hours at a time. Why are mobile phone batteries still so crap?
We need bigger batteries, more efficient power management, and faster wireless charging. The 2,800mAh battery in the S5 might be a slight step up from its predecessor, but it has an extra 0.1 of an inch of screen to power. You're treading water, Samsung. Free us from the daily charge.
A decent pair of stereo speakers
Sadly there's just one speaker on the S5. We don't want to have to wear headphones or hook up speakers all the time. It's a mobile device. The HTC One clearly demonstrated the benefits of dual front-facing speakers. Sony heard it, because the Z2 and Xperia Z3 have them too.
Screens are big enough to watch movies with friends now. How about bringing that sound quality up to scratch? A good set of stereo speakers in the S6 would be welcomed by everyone.
A DAB chip
Wi-Fi isn't always available and mobile data can be costly, so streaming tunes from the cloud or internet radio can be tricky and prohibitively expensive. FM radio seems to be rapidly disappearing from mobile devices and the quality is pretty patchy anyway.
Isn't it about time digital radio made it into smartphones? Access to high quality stations without the fiddling or the network connection would open up a world of music, sport, and talk. DAB chips are coming to smartphones and we'd love to see one in the Galaxy S6.
Always listening
The Moto X was a mixed bag, but it's undeniably cool to be able to talk to your phone and have it blink to life. Google continues to improve Now and add more functionality. If the Galaxy S6 was always listening, we'd get more value out of it. Google Now has been updated to listen for commands from any screen, but on the S6 we want it to listen even when the screen is off.
Voice recognition is improving fast. Given that our smartphones are starting to connect to wearables, home electronics and cars, the ability to issue voice commands brings us a step closer to the futuristic utopia we've all been dreaming about.
A new UX
In our eyes Touchwiz is no longer adding much value to stock Android, but that doesn't mean it couldn't. A radical rethink of the stagnant UX could wash away childish fonts and pointless features to deliver something fresh and stylish.
Samsung must have bags of data on how we interact with our smartphones and a cursory glance at popular launchers reveals a world of possibilities. Be bold Samsung, offer us something new and exciting! As long as it isn't a candy-fuelled, garish, neon nightmare, we'll give it a try.
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