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Samsung announces Galaxy S6 and S6 edge w/ new glass & metal designs, available April 10

samsung-s6

Samsung today has officially unveiled the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge at its event in Barcelona during Mobile World Congress. The devices feature a new design as well as all sorts of updated specifications under the hood. Gone is the classic all-plastic look and feel and in is a mixture of glass and metal.

Check out our hands-on and comparison video below:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8E4LrEKgkY]

The devices are both powered by a 64-bit octa-core Exynos processor built off a new 14nm process. As rumors suggested, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip is nowhere to be found. The efficient Samsung processor is coupled withLTE Cat.6 (300/50Mbps) and a 2550mAh battery (increases to 2600 on the S6 edge) yielding battery life that should surpass other high end phones out there. Samsung compared the iPhone below (is that our logo in the middle?!).

Screen Shot 2015-03-01 at 17.57.52

 

The S6 line will be available in either 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB variants. Samsung has sadly ditched the microSD card slot as well, in favor of a sleeker design.

Both the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge feature an all-new 16MP camera with optical image stabilization and new IR white balance. Samsung touts that you’ll be able to launch the camera in less than a second with only two press of the home button.

Both phones also feature a 5.1-inch 2560×1440 display, which comes out to 577 pixels-per-inch. There’s also a new finger print scanner within the home button that requires just a slight tap for activation. Finally, the devices are both powered by Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with a toned down but still very visible version of TouchWiz on top.

As far as the design goes, both devices were designed “from the ground up” and feature metal frames and all-glass backs. Both the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge will be available starting April 10th around the world in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, and Gold Platinum. In the United States, both the devices will be available from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon.

At first glance I have to say I don’t like these design decisions. While the phone does look nice and not like a certain other company’s, the glass on front and back (and sides with the Edge) will make it more vulnerable to breaking even with Gorilla Glass 4.  One nice thing about Samsung Galaxy has been the SD card expansion/backup option. Now that is gone too.

We’re reserve judgement until we get some hands on time which we should post later on today.

Beautifully Crafted from Metal and Glass,

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge Define What’s Next in Mobility

Equipped with first-of-its-kind technology, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are the most advanced smartphones on the market

Barcelona, Spain, March 1, 2015 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced its entirely redefined smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. Creating a new standard for design, craftsmanship and performance, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge seamlessly blend premium materials with the most advanced Samsung technology to offer consumers an unmatched mobile experience.

“With the all new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, Samsung is offering what’s next in mobility, along with a new standard to drive the global mobile agenda,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “By listening to our customers, and learning from both our success and missteps, we continuously push forward new technologies and ideas. With a reimagined design, robust partner network and novel services, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge offer users the ultimate experience in smartphone options.”

Beauty Meets Purpose

Carefully crafted from metal and glass, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge blend purposeful design with powerful features. The Galaxy S6 edge, particularly, shows unique and outstanding beauty while also providing a solid grip and an immersive viewing experience with the world’s first curved display on both sides. Its glass body, made from the toughest glass to date, Corning® Gorilla Glass® 4, is available in an array of colorful jewel tones, including White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz and Green Emerald, which elicit a unique visual texture as it reflects natural light. This timeless design required first-of-its-kind glass crafting technology and unmatched quality control, setting the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge apart from every other mobile device on the market. The premium device aesthetics deliver true value and are complemented by a totally new and lighter interface that greatly enhances usability and functionality. A refined and fully optimized user experience simplifies applications and offers features and settings in a more intuitive way.   

Vivid Images with a Fast, Bright Camera

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are equipped with an incredibly vivid, bright and fast front and rear camera. The F1.9 lenses and high resolution sensors on both front (5MP) and rear (16MP) cameras provide the most superior image quality in a smartphone, even in the dark. In addition, Auto Real-time High Dynamic Range (HDR), Smart Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and IR Detect White Balance provide advanced light sensitivities and crisp camera solutions. Furthermore, a new “Quick Launch” feature gives users fast, direct access to the camera from any screen in just 0.7 seconds* by simply double clicking the home key button. These advanced camera functions enable users to capture their most precious and personal moments in uncompromising quality, however and wherever they want 

Super Charging and Cord Free

With fully embedded WPC and PMA certified wireless charging technology, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are setting a new industry standard for universal wireless charging. The devices work with any wireless pad available in the market that supports WPC and PMA standards. They also sport incredibly fast wired charging, 1.5 times faster than the Galaxy S5, providing about 4 hours of usage after only 10 minutes of charging.*

Cutting-edge Core Technology

The thin (6.8mm/7.0mm edge) and lightweight (138g/132g edge) Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge integrate the most advanced, cutting-edge Samsung core technology available today. The world’s first 14nm mobile processor with 64-bit platform, new LPDDR4 memory system and UFS 2.0 flash memory provide higher performance and enhanced memory speed with lower power consumption. Moreover, the world’s first 1440P/VP9 hardware based codec 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.

Easy and Protected Mobile Payment 

Samsung Pay, a new, easy-to-use mobile payment service that will be compatible with more locations than any competing offering in a single application, will launch on Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge in the United States during the second half of this year. Protected by Samsung KNOX, fingerprint scanning, and advanced tokenization, Samsung Pay works with both Near Field Communication (NFC) and Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology to make it device, merchant and card issuer agnostic.

Enhanced Security 

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are built on the upgraded Samsung KNOX, end-to-end secure mobile platform, offering defense-grade features for real-time protection from potential malicious attacks. Both of these new devices are also ready for immediate enterprise adoption, with market leading MDMs and KNOX enhancements enabled at launch to simplify and improve mobile device management. Additionally, the Find My Mobile feature secures lost devices and protects personal information through a number of services, including the all new remotely controlled “Reactivation lock.” With an enhanced touch-type fingerprint scanner, it also provides quick authentication and saves encrypted data in secure device storage.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge will be available globally starting from April 10, 2015 with 32/64/128GB storage options**available in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz (Galaxy S6 only) and Green Emerald (Galaxy S6 edge only).

 

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