Despite having built the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge with impressive water and dust resistant qualities, it seems Samsung and/or AT&T has seen fit to launch an ‘Active’ version. Evidence supporting the device has crept up in a number of locations online over the past few days.
Perhaps the most convincing of all the evidence is a Samsung app listing on the Google Play Store. Samsung Level, an app built specifically to control and monitor the company’s Level-branded audio equipment, recently got update to version 4.6.1. While it didn’t contain many new features, it did get an updated compatibility list which — among many released devices — features the S7 Active.
The full device support lists contains the following devices (emphasis added):
Galaxy S3,
Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Zoom,
Galaxy S5, Galaxy S5 Active, Galaxy S5 Mini,
Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Active, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge plus,
Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Active, Galaxy S7 Edge,
Galaxy Note 2,
Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 3 Neo,
Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge,
Galaxy Note 5,
Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5, Galaxy A7, Galaxy A8
Galaxy J, Galaxy J1, Galaxy J2, Galaxy J5, Galaxy J7
Galaxy Grand 2,
Galaxy Mega(6.3), Galaxy Mega(5.8),
Galaxy Mega2,
Galaxy Young2, Galaxy Pocket2,
Galaxy Alpha,
Galaxy W
As a bonus, both SamMobile and Evan Blass have indicated that the S7 Active is being tested at AT&T under serial number SM-G931A, and has been given the code-name ‘Poseidon’.
If past releases are anything to go by, the S7 Active will presumably be a less elegant smartphone than the S7 and S7 Edge, with a more durable chassis and perhaps better protection against water and dust.
With AT&T seemingly keen to retain the exclusivity on the Active series, it’s clear the carrier sees a market for the more durable S7, despite the regular S7 and S7 Edge having much better water-proofing than previous years. Still, this is the same carrier which saw a market for the Fire phone and the HTC First Facebook phone. Both of those flopped, and we’ve heard nothing to suggest that previous Active-series Galaxy S phones have sold like hotcakes.
We don’t know exactly when the phone will be released, but it’s clear that the S7 Active is on its way and should land on store shelves fairly soon.
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