Samsung has unveiled its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The S7 offers a 5.1-inch screen and the S6 Edge a larger 5.5 inches, both Super Amoled with 1440x2560 pixel resolution (QHD), the same as the S6 family, according Telecompaper. The form is also similar to the previous generation, but with more rounded edges on the back to fit easier in the hand. In addition, the devices feature an 'always on' screen for checking notifications or the clock while using minimal battery, and the S7 Edge comes with the new Tasks edge screen for one-tap access to applications, functions and news. A new addition is the phones are dust- and waterproof with the IP68 certification. These are also the first to run Samsung's Exynos 8 processor with 64-bit architecture, made up of a high-performance 2.3 GHz quad-core processor and energy-efficient 1.6 GHz quad-core processor. Samsung claims the application processor is 50 percent faster and the graphics processor 77 percent faster the previous Exynos 7.
Both phones also come with 4 GB memory and a standard 32 GB internal storage, and Samsung has brought back the microSD card slot, which can support anther 200 GB external storage. Samsung also increased the size of battery, to 3,000 mAh for the S7 and 3,600 mAh for the S7 Edge, and both feature the Quick Charge 2.0 technology.
For the camera, Samsung has downgraded to 12 megapixel rather than 16 on the S6 family, but promises better photos with the first so-called Dual Pixel sensor. Each of the 12 million megapixels is made of 2 sub-pixels that can focus individually on the subject. This shortens the focus time in normal light conditions to 0.15 seconds from 0.30 on the S6, and to 0.2 seconds in darker conditions (0.85 on the S6). Both the S7 and S7 Edge also come with 5 megapixel front cameras.
The Galaxy S7 will be available in a choice of gold or black, and the S7 Edge will also be available in silver. The phones support the Samsung Pay service and NFC, Samsung's Knox security features and the Samsung+ customer service app. Pre-orders for the smartphones start 23 February, and the phone will go on sale in shops around the world from 11 March.
The US's largest carriers - Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular - all announced plans to carry the new S7 and S7 Edge. US customers who buy one of the phones before 18 March will receive a free Gear VR headset powered by Oculus, plus a six-game bundle.
