Samsung Galaxy S7: Everything we know so far

Note 1: This article was first published on 4th February 2016.

Note 2: Updated the number of possible Galaxy S7 models on 14th February 2016.

Note 3: Updated the number of possible Galaxy S7 models, screen sizes and resolutions, pressure-sensitive display, pricing and availability on 21st February

Samsung Galaxy S7 rumor roundup

Samsung typically announces its Galaxy S flagship smartphone in the first quarter of the year. As we enter Q1 2016 and get closer to the annual Mobile World Congress, the pace of rumors and leaks on the Galaxy S7 has increased. Join us as we break each rumor down and determine if it is plausible. If you're running short of time, here's a summary of what we know so far on the Galaxy S7:

1.) How many variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7 can we expect?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you would be very familiar with Samsung's strategy when it comes to mobile devices, and that is flooding the market with different variations of a device to provide choices for consumers. Can you guess how many official variants of the Galaxy S6 there are in the market? Well, there are five:

• Samsung Galaxy S6 
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
• Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
• Samsung Galaxy S6 Iron Man Edition

Will Samsung be using the same strategy for the Galaxy S7? ETNews reported in October 2015 that Samsung is adopting a new smartphone strategy by dividing its flagship models into "premium" and "sub-premium" so as to establish a more premium brand image. So what does this mean?

Two variants (most likely)

AsiaToday is one of the earliest publications to report on this; it claimed in a report that Samsung was considering to release two models of the Galaxy S7. One month later, HDBlog.it also published a similar report. Reuters, one of the more reputable publications around, also reported two variants of the Galaxy S7. Leaked renders from a third party case maker revealed two Galaxy S7 models.

More recently, we noted that IDA has listed the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge models, which signifies that the series will launch with just two models. Whether there will be more joining the troupe, only time will tell.

 

Three variants (likely)

Sources told GizmoChina that there are three variants of the Galaxy S7 - the standard model, the Plus model and the edge model. Based on information provided by its sources at a third party case maker, GSMArena also reported that there are three models of the Galaxy S7 with different screen sizes. 

Samsung is said to be launching the Batman v Superman edition of the Galaxy S7 edge in March to coincide with the launch of the movie. Taking into account its partnership with Marvel last year, we are not surprised that Samsung will be working with DC Comics this year.

Four variants (small probability)

Spigen, one of the most well-known accessory makers, has its cases for the Galaxy S7 leaked on Amazon's website. It reportedly have cases for four different models of the Galaxy S7 - Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Plus, Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S7 edge+.

2.) Any new design for the Samsung Galaxy S7? 

Samsung broke new ground in its design with the Galaxy S6. Will Samsung do it again with its next generation of flagship smartphones? Apparently not. 

Quoting information from Samsung sources, the Korea Times reported in December 2015 that the company will be focusing its efforts on image quality, performance and other new features. The source reportedly said that not much is required for the surface overhaul as "smartphones have already been commoditized". Leaked renders and cases for the phones appear to support this report.

The Galaxy S7 is found to have a somewhat similar footprint as the Galaxy S6 although the design of the home button is said to be more rectangular. Third party case renders obtained by GizmoChina also show that we can expect little changes to the design language.

Finally, the latest photo leaks from the ever-reliable @evleaks seem to confirm that there will be no major cosmetic differences between the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S6 models.

3.) What are the screen sizes and resolutions for the Samsung Galaxy S7? 

Now that we've concluded that there would be at least two variants of the Galaxy S7, it is almost certain that there would be at least two screen sizes. So what are the rumored screen sizes? We've seen numbers ranging from 5.1-inches to 6.0-inches. 

Korean publication AsiaToday reported in September 2015 that the Galaxy S7 will have two screen sizes - 5.2 and 5.8-inches. In addition, an Ultra-HD (4K) display is said to be under consideration. HDBlog.it claimed in November 2015 that the Galaxy S7 edge will have a 5.7-inch display which is similar to the Galaxy S6 edge+. 

However, leaked renders from third party case maker ITSKINS reveal that the Galaxy S7 edge or Plus will have a bigger display at 6.0-inches! Updated information a few days later revealed that there will be three screen sizes - 5.1, 5.5-inch and 6.0-inches. 

Reuters published a report towards the end of 2015 stating that the Galaxy S7 will have a 5.2-inch display (up 0.1-inch from the Galaxy S6) and a 5.5-inch curved model. A leaked hardware stats screenshot earlier this month suggests that the Galaxy S7 edge+ has a 5.7-inch Quad-HD display.

Don't get your hopes too high on the Galaxy S7 coming with 4K displays as Korean publication iNews24 reported that LG and Samsung will not be adopting 4K displays for this year as the benefits are deemed incremental. Benchmark tool AnTuTu reveals that the Galaxy S7 will have a 5.1-inch Quad-HD display.

A leaked Spanish brochure has confirmed that the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will come with Quad-HD displays. The only difference between the two phones is the screen size; the Galaxy S7 will have a 5.1-inch display while the Galaxy S7 edge sports a 5.5-inch display.

4.) 3D Touch-like display coming to the Samsung Galaxy S7? 

With Apple introducing 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and Huawei claiming to have the first phone with a Force Touch display, it is likely that Samsung will step into this space soon and there is plenty of evidence on that.

One month after the debut of the new iPhones, Synaptics announced three of its discrete touch controller solutions which offer 3D Touch-like features. The more interesting titbit of the press release is the fact that the company has already started working with leading global OEMs to ship smartphones equipped with its technologies in early 2016. 

To add more fuel to the fire, it was revealed that Samsung had filed a patent for a pressure-sensitive display in 2014. The Wall Street Journal also jumped in with a report claiming that the Galaxy S7 will offer a pressure-sensitive display similar to that of Apple's. Towards the end of the 2015, research firm IHS predicted that 25% of all new smartphones coming out in 2016 will have 3D Touch-like displays with shipments of pressure-sensitive display modules increasing to 461 million units.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are stated in a leaked Spanish brochure to have a pressure-sensitive display. While there is no mention of the features of the display, it is highly likely that Samsung's implementation is similar to Apple's 3D Touch.

5.) Samsung's Exynos or Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor?

In its ongoing efforts to build everything in-house, Samsung ditched Qualcomm last year and equipped its Galaxy S6 / Note 5 models with its own Exynos processors. While it seemed like both companies have gone separate ways, Qualcomm has recruited Samsung to help manufacture its latest Snapdragon 820 chipsets using Samsung's foundry.

Will this rekindled relationship result in the Galaxy S7 being powered by a mix of Exynos and Snapdragon processors? If you recall, Samsung used a mix of the Snapdragon 600 and Exynos 5 Octa chipsets for the Galaxy S4 in 2013. We won't be surprised if Samsung does it again with the Galaxy S7. 

Samsung shared information its latest processor, the Exynos 8 Octa 8890 in November 2015. In a nutshell, the Exynos 8 Octa uses the 14nm FinFET process technology and features eight cores (four Cortex-A53s for less demanding tasks + four cores for heavy processing). A leaked screenshot of the AnTuTu benchmark reveals the Exynos 8 Octa to be a mighty beast, scoring a whopping 103,692 on the benchmark and blowing away most of the competition. 

With such powerful processing power, it makes sense for Samsung to equip the Galaxy S7 with the Exynos 8 Octa. One source reportedly told VentureBeat that the Galaxy S7 will indeed run on the Exynos 8 Octa 8890 processor although another report states otherwise; a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 will be inside the Galaxy S7.

GizmoChina also learnt from its sources that some variants of the Galaxy S7 will run on the Snapdragon chipset while others will be equipped with Exynos 8 Octa 8890. A leaked AnTuTu benchmark mentions the Snapdragon 820 processor as part of the specs for the Galaxy S7.

6.) A new camera module?

Samsung did a fantastic job last year with its Galaxy flagship phones; four of its Galaxy devices made to the top 10 list of camera phones in 2015 by DxOMark with the Galaxy S6 edge+ having a tie with the Sony Xperia Z5 for the throne.

In our own camera phone shootout for 2015, the Galaxy Note comes in at a close second behind the Apple iPhone 6s Plus. It is rated the best Android smartphone camera, has the best camera UI for basic and advanced users and does exceptionally well in good lighting and HDR. 

It's only natural that Samsung wants to keep its lead and improve the camera on the Galaxy S7. Chinese media claimed that Samsung reportedly was aggressively negotiating with Sony to purchase its image sensors after seeing how impressive the IMX300 sensor is.

Similar to the issue of processors, Samsung is fond of using a mixture of image sensors; the Galaxy S6 was discovered to have a mix of Sony and Samsung sensors. It remains to be seen whether Samsung will use its own image sensors or source them from Sony for the Galaxy S7. 

As for the imaging specs, VentureBeat reported that the Galaxy S7 will come with a 12-megapixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture. It is also said to be flushed with the body of the phone. A leaked AnTuTu benchmark reveals that the Galaxy S7 will have a 12-megapixel BRITECELL sensor.

7.) Is the microSD memory card slot coming back?

The missing memory card slot on the Galaxy S6 has been the subject of contentious debate since its launch. Many consumers felt that Samsung made a big mistake by omitting the memory card slot on the Galaxy S6, which was used as a key selling point for most Android flagship smartphones against the Apple iPhones.

What made the issue even more frustrating is the fact that Samsung's Galaxy A5/7 series come with memory card slots. Why is the flagship smartphone lacking in this important feature while its midrange devices are sporting it? Samsung appeared to have learnt its lesson the hard way.

Based on a Spanish brochure and leaked photos of the phones, it is almost certain that Samsung is bringing back the memory card slot!

8.) Other rumored features of the Samsung Galaxy S7

Samsung is rumored to be working on several other new feautres for the Galaxy S7 which include a Live Photos-like feature, a super strong glass display panel, a retina scanner and a more polished software.

Live Photos-like feature

HTC rolled out the Zoe feature in 2013 followed by Apple last year. Now it seems that Samsung also wants to be part of the party with its own concept. Android Geek reported a week ago that the software engineering team at Samsung is working on a Live Photos-like feature for the Galaxy S7. The official name has not been finalized yet, but names such as Timeless Photos and Vivid Photo have been discussed. 

Turtle Display

Most mobile devices today rely on Corning to provide them with Gorilla Glass panels for protection against scratches and breakages from accidental drops. Samsung Display is said to be working on a similar display titled "Turtle Display". This could help Samsung lower the manufacturing costs of its mobile devices including the Galaxy S7.

Retina scanner

With fingerprint sensors becoming the standard on mobile devices, manufacturers are looking at more innovative ways to secure them. Samsung is reportedly planning to launch iris-based authentication systems on its smartphones this year. This isn't the first time Samsung is looking into this aspect; Lee Young Hee, the executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business told Bloomberg in the lead up to the launch of the Galaxy S5 that the company is studying the possibility of implementing that. The Wall Street Journal claims that Samsung is ready to do so for some variants of the Galaxy S7. The retina scanner is being touted as a new way of helping users secure their phones.

Software refinements 

Software has been highlighted by former and current employees of Samsung as the main reason for the company's struggles in the smartphone market. The management is said to have focused too much on hardware and treated software nothing more than just a marketing tool.

While it had streamlined TouchWiz interface to be more responsive on the Galaxy S6, more could be done to differentiate it from the competition. Samsung Viet said that Google is lending a helping hand to Samsung to optimize TouchWiz. Will we see an even more toned-down interface on the Galaxy S7?

10.) The most important question - when?

Samsung is likely to hold its first Galaxy Unpacked 2016 event on 21^st February, which is one day before Mobile World Congress 2016. Reuters also reported a similar time frame although it did not reveal a specific date. Five million units are said to be planned for the initial batch.

As for retail availability, information provided by two reliable sources suggests sometime in early March. @evleaks believes the Galaxy S7 will launch in the U.S on 11th March while @xguntherc from GottaBeMobile heard that it will be a week earlier.

Spain will start selling the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge from 11^th March, therefore its plausible that we are looking at this date for the global availability of the phones.

 

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