Can the Samsung Galaxy S6 win back the fans?
Samsung is losing ground, and that has allowed iOS to overtake Android in the US. But with the flagship Samsung Galaxy S6 now on the horizon, will it have what it takes to win back the fans.
AR + VR
Little is known about the Galaxy S6 so far. There have been photo leaks that show more use of the curved display similar to that seen on the Galaxy Note Edge, and suggestions that Samsung will dump the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor for a chip from its own Exynos line. Officially however, there's little more than teasers relating to the Galaxy S6.
Samsung carries some 60 percent of the Android market, so anything that impacts on Samsung sales impacts Android as a whole, and so a successful launch of the upcoming Galaxy S6 is vital.
What Android fans want and what Samsung ends up offering them may or may not line up. When it comes to customers, the three biggest complaints I hear being leveled against premium Samsung devices are price concerns, a dislike of the amount of plastic used in the build of the devices, and anxieties over the quantity of bloatware installed on its smartphones.
Samsung, on the other hand, seems to be going down the road most hardware manufacturers are going down. That is, faster processors, better displays, and a thinner and lighter form factor. The processor powering the device is believed to be Samsung's Exynos 7420, a 64-bit octa-core part built using 14-nanometer architecture running at 2.1GHz.
Along with the rumor that the Galaxy S6 will sport a curved display, it could also feature Samsung's new ePoP (embedded package-on-package) that combines the DRAM and NAND flash, along with the controller, into a single chip that can be stacked directly on top of the system processor. ePoP will not only improve performance and battery life, but it will also save a significant amount of space inside the handset.
The display is expected to be of a higher resolution than what is currently being offered on the Galaxy S5, which is a 1,920 x 1,080 full HD display. With the Galaxy S6 it is likely that Samsung will opt for a QHD 2,560 x 1,440 display in order to compete with the likes of the Nexus 6 and LG G3.
Featured
Word from the supply chain is that the Galaxy S6 will feature a 16MP camera with optical image stabilization, a 5MP front-facing camera, and 32GB, 64GB or 128GB storage options, with Samsung abandoning the 16GB model.
The handset will also run Android Lollipop, although it is unclear whether that will be version 5.0 or the newly unveiled version 5.1. Fans will undoubtedly be hoping for 5.1 because otherwise there will be a waiting game for updates to trickle down.
Question is, is this enough to win back Android fans and prevent Samsung from losing more ground to the iPhone? Only time will tell.
See also: