The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 EDGE are now official and this is our first look at the two devices. But were they worth the wait?
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE are now official, following their launch at MWC 2015. As promised both handsets represent a pretty large departure from what came before with all-new designs, build materials and features. Every aspect of the handsets has been rebooted, remodelled and reimagined, proving the company’s “Project Zero” was much more than the usual marketing-speak associated with Samsung. This time Samsung meant every word of it –– and it really shows too.
Samsung has a lot to prove in 2015. Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are selling at an unprecedented rate, 70+ million thus far, and then there’s the arrival of the HTC One M9 and LG G4, the latter is launching a bit later though, inside Q2. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 EDGE are Samsung’s “come back” products, the handsets that it hopes will re-establish it as the premier Android phone maker in the world. In order to achieve this the company set about redesigning its next flagships from the ground up inside its Project Zero initiative.
“With a clearly differentiated form factor for this year's flagship, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung will hope to see a similar leap to the iPhone shipment's 46% year-on-year quarterly jump when Apple offered larger screen models. But, whether Samsung can realise this sales improvement depends on its ability to manufacture the Edge model at scale and avoid teething problems with the Exynos chipset it is using in a global flagship for the first time,” said IDC. “Few OEMs have the capabilities to differentiate in hardware. Samsung is able to leverage its display division capabilities to create the twin curved screen, which makes the S6 Edge unlike any other smartphone. Importantly, this differentiator is visible to consumers from the front on a store shelf.”
Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE Release Date and Price
Samsung confirmed both handsets would be available for April 10, but was –– as per usual –– very quiet on pricing details. The company did confirm the Galaxy S6 EDGE would cost more than the Galaxy S6 model (just as the Note EDGE costs more than the Galaxy Note 4) but it did not clarify by how much. Rumours prior to launch suggested a $1000 price tag for the top of the line model, though this has not been officially confirmed as yet.
Thankfully, we’ve not had word from Sam Mobile about how Samsung will price both models in the US. According to the leaked details, “the Galaxy S6 will be priced at €699 for the 32GB variant, €799 for the 64GB version, and €899 for the top-end 128GB model. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S6 Edge will cost €150 more than the standard Galaxy S6 for the 32, 64 and 128GB models – €849, €949, and €1049. Those are steep price tags for sure, but given the revolution these two devices bring to Samsung’s smartphone lineup and the hardware that’s on offer (especially on the S6 Edge), we can’t say we are too surprised that buying them won’t be an affordable affair.”
Read on to find out how the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE look, feel and perform in practice.
Samsung Galaxy 6 Specs
- Screen: 1440 x 2560 Quad-HD Super AMOLED display 577ppi
- Dimensions: 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm
- Weight: 138g
- Processor: 64-bit 14nm Samsung Exynos 7 Octa processor. Four cores run at 1.5GHz and four run at 2.1GHz.
- RAM: 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM
- Storage: 32GB, 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.0 flash memory
- Wireless: LTE category 6 modem (300mbps download), 802.11ac MIMO 620mbps, and Bluetooth 4.1, NFC.
- Front camera: 5MP, f/1.9 lens with real-time HDR and wide-angle selfie
- Rear camera: 16MP, f/1.9 lens
- Battery: Built-in 2550mAh lasting WiFi 12 hours, LTE 11h, video 13h, music 49h. Wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy 6 EDGE Specs
- Screen: 1440 x 2660 Quad-HD Super AMOLED display 577ppi
- Dimensions: 142 x 70.1 x 70mm
- Weight: 132g
- Processor: 64-bit 14nm Samsung Exynos 7 Octa processor. Four cores run at 1.5GHz and four run at 2.1GHz.
- RAM: 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM
- Storage: 32GB, 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.0 flash memory
- Wireless: LTE category 6 modem (300mbps download), 802.11ac MIMO 620mbps, and Bluetooth 4.1, NFC.
- Front camera: 5MP, f/1.9 lens with real-time HDR and wide-angle selfie
- Rear camera: 16MP, f/1.9 lens
- Battery: Built-in 2600mAh lasting WiFi 12 hours, LTE 11h, video 13h, music 49h. Wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy S6 AND Galaxy S6 EDGE Review: Design
Before we get to the good stuff note that there are going to be a few things Galaxy S5 owners may not like about these new phones. First, there is no longer a microsSD card slot. The new Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE are also no longer waterproof. Finally, Samsung has ditched the removable battery in favor of a built-in one.
These are two big omissions from Samsung’s usual modus operandi and it might be something of a bittersweet pill to swallow for many of its more loyal, tradition user base. Expandable storage, despite what the Apple and Googles of the world say, is very useful in a variety of settings. It’s also great for users that simply cannot afford to buy the biggest storage version of a new handset. Samsung has long championed the technology in its S-line devices, so its departure this time around will be sorely missed. Even more so when you consider the top of the line S6 and S6 EDGE will retail for around the $800 to $1000 mark.
With all that bad stuff out of the way, I’m ready to say Samsung looks to have two potential very big hits on its hands here. Gone is the plastic flimsiness found in the S5 line. The Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE both feature sturdy metal frames with Gorilla Glass 4 on both the front and back. This gives both phones a feeling of stability I’ve not seen in a mobile handset since the iPhone 6 launched last year.
While both the Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE are beautiful in their own right, after holding both in my hand its clear the fan favorite is going to be the S6 EDGE. Its dual sided curved display is breathtaking to behold. The way the glass wraps on either side just gives it a stunning look simply not encountered elsewhere, and one that makes you feel like the display itself melds seamlessly into the metal frame.
Apple usually gets all the praise for its focus on design and the painstaking attention it pays to every aspect of its hardware. But these new devices from Samsung really are stunningly beautiful, more so than both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Nothing else has looked this exciting since, well, probably the iPhone 4 or HTC’s first One handset. The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 EDGE really are that good. Samsung should be very proud of its design team this time around.
Of course I’m still not sold on the usefulness of the “EDGE” part of the display besides aesthetics. The only useful feature Samsung showed off was that it’s now easy to see who is calling you when your phone is face-down: you can pre-program up to five colors representing five different people in your contacts. The screen’s EDGEs will glow their color when they call.
As for color options, both the Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE come in shimmering black, white, and gold. I say shimmering, because the S6 series features a finish where their colors reflect the light that hits the devices. Both the Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE also come in a fourth color option, with the Galaxy S6 coming in bright blue and the Galaxy S6 EDGE coming in a deep green.
Samsung Galaxy S6 AND Galaxy S6 EDGE Review: Exynos 7 CPU
Samsung also took time to detail its new Exynos chipset and memory standard at MWC 2015 –– what it sees as the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 EDGE's BIG USPs: 'The world’s first 14nm mobile processor with 64-bit platform, new LPDDR4 memory system and UFS 2.0 flash memory provides higher performance and enhanced memory speed with lower power consumption. Moreover, the world’s first mobile 1440P/VP9 hardware based decoder enables users to enjoy high resolution streaming video while also using less power. In addition, the 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED screen offers users the highest pixel density of 577ppi. Enhanced outdoor visibility with a brighter display (600cd/mm) lets consumers experience content without compromise – anywhere, at any time.
“For the first time in a global flagship model, Samsung is switching to its own Exynos app processor. This offers the promise of delivering better overall margins for Samsung and, in time, differentiated performance from rivals, as Apple has achieved with their A series app processor designs. But it's a high risk, high reward strategy,” said IDC in a note to KYM.
Samsung Galaxy S6 AND Galaxy S6 EDGE Review Wireless Charging
One reason Samsung decided to ditch the removable battery in the Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE is because the new battery features wireless charging. But rather than needing a specific wireless charging pad Samsung has opted to support both the WPC and PMA standards (including Qi). This means your Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE can be charged from most of the wireless pads found in cafes and places like McDonalds.
Another thing Samsung did to improve the charging capabilities is engineering a 10-minute quick charge that juices up your Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE to 4 hours of battery life in just 10 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy S6 AND Galaxy S6 EDGE Review: Camera
Imaging has always been one of Samsung’s strong suits, and the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 EDGE both look to further cement this reputation with a raft of new imaging technologies. Both devices feature new, F1.9 lenses and high resolution sensors on both front (5MP) and rear (16MP) cameras for optimal performance in both well-lit and low-light conditions.
The camera now loads faster too –– in just 0.7 seconds to be precise –– and you can access it by simply double tapping the Home key (yep, S-Voice has been supplanted for something far more useful, praise the LORD!) Auto Real-time High Dynamic Range (HDR), Smart Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and IR Detect White Balance all come as standard too on both models and should produce some VERY impressive results.
I’ll let you delve through the camera specs above, but one feature worth calling out is the new f/1.9 aperture lens used on BOTH the front and rear cameras. The f/1.9 aperture lets in an incredible amount of light, which means you’re going to get much improved pictures in low light situations. The demo images Samsung provided were amazing (especially when compared to the iPhone 6 camera) and when I snapped some pics on the demo unit in the dark showroom I was floored by the result.
Reports are now suggesting that the Galaxy S6’s imaging sensor is a Sony Exmor IMX240 sensor, the very same unit used in the company’s Galaxy Note 4. It’s always difficult to make a judgement on a handset’s imaging prowess from a hands-on, but what is clear from our short amount of time with the Galaxy S6 is this –– the imaging abilities and improved UX are both significant improvements over what came before. You can just tell. And this gives us very high hopes for the results we’ll be getting in full-scale review of the device.
Samsung Galaxy S6 AND Galaxy S6 EDGE Review: Samsung Pay and Improved Fingerprint Sensor
This was almost a given. Of course Samsung is going to come out with a solution to take on Apple Pay...and it’s no surprise they’ve named it “Samsung Pay”. Though I was not able to try it out myself, Samsung Pay does seem to have some advantages over Apple Pay. Namely it does not rely on NFC alone. Samsung Pay also works with MST, which allows you to use contactless payments even at cashier terminals that lack NFC--such as ones that only take swipe cards.
But what’s better than that is Samsung Pay necessitated that Samsung fixed its crappy fingerprint sensors found on the S5. Now instead of swiping your thumb (which never worked) the new fingerprint scanner works like the Touch ID on the iPhone: you just place your thumb on it to unlock your phone and confirm payments. The user experience is a HUGE improvement in this area.
Samsung Pay, like Apple Pay, is designed to tap into the now rapidly growing mobile payments market and, like Apple’s version, Samsung Pay runs via a fingerprint scanner embedded in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 EDGE’s Home button. The service will go live in the US during the second half of the year and it works with both Near Field Communication (NFC) and Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology to make it device, merchant and card issuer agnostic.
“Samsung Pay will reinvent how people pay for goods and services and transform how they use their smartphones,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “The secure and simple payment process, coupled with our robust partnernetwork, makes Samsung Pay a truly game-changing service that will bring value to consumers and our partners in the ecosystem.”
“Mobile commerce just got a lot more interesting,” said Jim McCarthy, Executive Vice President, Visa Inc. “Combining Visa’s expertise in payment technology with Samsung’s leadership in creating innovative mobile experiences, gives more choice to financial institutions who want to enable their customers to pay by phone.”
“We are committed to making interactions easier in the financial lives of our customers”, said Brian Moynihan, CEO, Chairman and Director of Bank of America. “Samsung Pay is another significant move in that direction for our 17 million mobile customers."
Samsung Pay will support MasterCard and Visa cards at various banks by the summer of 2015.
Discussing the potential of Samsung Pay, IHS Technology made the following points:
“Samsung Pay is a swift follower strategy built on Loop Pay and new S6 hardware. Samsung is far from giving up on services: Samsung Pay is the new effort to build a Samsung ecosystem. Apple Pay will prove a market and educate partners in 2015, but it leaves room for someone to become the dominant payments provider for the rest of the Android-powered market.
“Samsung Pay leverages the new fingerprint sensor in the S6 which no longer needs to be swiped, the move to tokenised credit cards, and the Loop Pay business. Unlike rivals, Samsung aspires to provide wide compatibility through enabling barcode, MST and NFC support.
“If Samsung continues to limit Samsung Pay to only its smartphone hardware, it will fail to dominate all of the opportunity left untouched by Apple. Plus, Samsung will launch in summer of 2015 and initially only in USA and Korea, leaving room for operators, payment providers, and other ecosystem players a window to establish a mobile payments lead in the complete Android smartphone market.”
Samsung Galaxy S6 AND Galaxy S6 EDGE Review: Verdict
Though I didn’t get as much time with the device as I would have liked, I’ve got to say from my brief hands on Samsung has greatly improved on its signature Galaxy line. The Galaxy S6 and S6 EDGE are the phones the S5 should have been. Both are impressive for their design, build, cameras, and new finger print sensor. But my choice would be opting for the Galaxy S6 EDGE over the S6 just because the curved display looks so beautiful.
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