Samsung S7 rumors, speculation, and suggestions

[senseamp]

Rumor says Google might help Samsung in optimizing TouchWiz
XD
Oh, Samsung..
P.S. Does it sound like we might see a return of Galaxy Nexus next year?

Is Samsung going to help Google with multi-tasking?

 

[dawheat]

So rumors seem to be more consistent:

- Waterproofing http://www.phonearena.com/news/Wate...g-Galaxy-S7-and-S7-edge-listed-online_id78140
- Bigger batteries
- 12MP rear camera with f/1.7 lens and OIS - should be smartphone leading in low light
- similar design with minor tweaks (Note 5-type rear curve with additional curve on top and bottom)
- some sort of ambient display

 

[Muadib]

So rumors seem to be more consistent:

- Waterproofing http://www.phonearena.com/news/Wate...g-Galaxy-S7-and-S7-edge-listed-online_id78140
- Bigger batteries
- 12MP rear camera with f/1.7 lens and OIS - should be smartphone leading in low light
- similar design with minor tweaks (Note 5-type rear curve with additional curve on top and bottom)
- some sort of ambient display

So is the SD slot returning not consistent?

 

[Oyeve]

Ug, looks too much like an iphone. Not getting. I gave up on sammy since the s6 and note 5 removal of msd. Even if they put it back, they left a sour taste in my mouth and I won't be supporting them anymore.

 

[WelshBloke]

Sounds good.

Waterproof, big battery, microsd, powerful SOC, massive price tag. What's not to like?

Camera sounds interesting, I'd like to see some samples of that before I make any guesses but on past history it should be pretty good.

Still not convinced by their new design focus on pretty over durability but that's what you all asked for...

 

[Miklebud]

I'm really hoping this phone delivers on those specs. My Galaxy S4 is starting to finally show it's age. Crossing my fingers for an SD Card slot, USB-C and a big battery. I need a new phone badly!

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm really hoping this phone delivers on those specs. My Galaxy S4 is starting to finally show it's age. Crossing my fingers for an SD Card slot, USB-C and a big battery. I need a new phone badly!

I can't get myself excited about USB-C on a phone.

Pretty much all I use the wired connection for is charging and that's not going to be any different.

 

[sweenish]

It'll charge just as fast or faster than QC 2.0 IF it's a USB 3.1 port, and it will be doing so on an industry standard spec, and not Qualcomm's proprietary one, allowing your phones and chargers to be universal across your devices regardless of the SoC in them.

I completely understand not getting excited, but it needs to happen.

 

[WelshBloke]

It'll charge just as fast or faster than QC 2.0 IF it's a USB 3.1 port, and it will be doing so on an industry standard spec, and not Qualcomm's proprietary one, allowing your phones and chargers to be universal across your devices regardless of the SoC in them.

I completely understand not getting excited, but it needs to happen.

But none of my present chargers will work with it.

I'm happy if they keep compatability with all my other car, wall and powerbank chargers TBH.

I can get a bit more excited about usb 3.1 on the desktop or laptop.

 

[GTRagnarok]

But none of my present chargers will work with it.

I'm happy if they keep compatability with all my other car, wall and powerbank chargers TBH.

I can get a bit more excited about usb 3.1 on the desktop or laptop.

Wouldn't you just need to buy USB-A to USB-C cables? Or are you saying quickcharging wouldn't work with the old chargers?

Anyway, it's really nice to see what Samsung is doing with the Galaxy S7. I don't intend to buy it, but it bodes well for the Note line that I'm more interested in. If the 5.5" S7 edge has a 3600maH battery, the 5.7" or bigger Note 6 could have 4000maH.

 

[StinkyPinky]

My wish list for S7

- Better battery life (big deal to me, sick of phones that drain in half a day)
- Don't degrade the camera, i hear they are changing the lens, i hope it's at least as good if not better
- micro sd slot or dual sim (so you can either put in a second sim or a microsd card)

I'd buy it if that's the case. TouchWiz doesn't bother me

 

[StinkyPinky]

It'll charge just as fast or faster than QC 2.0 IF it's a USB 3.1 port, and it will be doing so on an industry standard spec, and not Qualcomm's proprietary one, allowing your phones and chargers to be universal across your devices regardless of the SoC in them.

I completely understand not getting excited, but it needs to happen.

I'm concerned though that if it's 3.1 and it charges faster, then Samsung will forsake improving the battery life and instead just say "it charges faster, you don't need better battery life".

Honestly, smart phone makers need to stop making phones slimmer and instead make them usable.

 

[WelshBloke]

Wouldn't you just need to buy USB-A to USB-C cables? Or are you saying quickcharging wouldn't work with the old chargers?

Yeah, I should have phrased it differently. All my chargers will work with USB-C cables but there'll be no advantage over what I'm using now. That's why I find it hard to care one way or the other over it.

Anyway, it's really nice to see what Samsung is doing with the Galaxy S7. I don't intend to buy it, but it bodes well for the Note line that I'm more interested in. If the 5.5" S7 edge has a 3600maH battery, the 5.7" or bigger Note 6 could have 4000maH.

It's certainly looking better than the S6, I'm a bit concerned about the durability of the curved glass corners on the back but we'll need some better photos to guess any more about them.

 

[SinOfLiberty]

Iphone 7 will be better.

 

[WelshBloke]

Iphone 7 will be better.

 

[Artdeco]

If the rumors of a bigger battery & mSD support are accurate, I think they have a winner.

They copied the worst features of the iPhone last year.

I'd love it if they went back to making the Note the hot rod, last year was the first time I didn't buy the new Note, taking away removable storage and battery just flat pissed me off.

 

[sweenish]

Judging by their other topic PC gaming, it's because they're a bit of a troll.

 

[jhansman]

I love my GS5; great camera, upgradeable storage, replaceable/upgradable battery (with an excellent life), perfect screen size. The S7 is going to have to be a stone killer phone to get me to upgrade. Even if they put back the SD card, your battery is only going to last so long. Perhaps by then you'll be on to another device, but I picked Android as my mobile platform partly because it's manufacturers took a path Apple didn't have the sense to. Too bad so many of them have now gone the locked down route. I guess having a plastic back on a smartphone now is seen as "cheap," but I couldn't care less. Do we not put our phones in cases these days? I sure as hell do. And really, all the fuss over thinness? How thin does a phone have to be, and again, once it's in a case, well....

 

[dawheat]

So is the SD slot returning not consistent?

Ah forgot about that - that does seem to be consistent as well. I'm curious how they're going to handle the storage options. For most people 32GB internal + mSD is all they need, especially with a name brand 128GB card is $40 and a 200GB card is $100. Doesn't seem to be any point to offer a 64GB version of internal storage - *maybe* a 128GB internal storage version but only if it's $100 or less. Even that seems like it would be a slow seller.

So my expectation is that there will only be a 32GB + mSD option.

S7 Edge with a 3600mAh battery is quite interesting since Marshmallow is helping battery life by itself, the SOC should be more power efficient vs the S6 and the display will have the normal annual improvement in efficiency.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Gala...FCC-confirms-a-large-3600-mAh-battery_id78151

The only thing that could screw it up is TW but the S6 versions that have gotten Marshmallow look like the memory issue is resolved.

 

[Commodus]

Ah forgot about that - that does seem to be consistent as well. I'm curious how they're going to handle the storage options. For most people 32GB internal + mSD is all they need, especially with a name brand 128GB card is $40 and a 200GB card is $100. Doesn't seem to be any point to offer a 64GB version of internal storage - *maybe* a 128GB internal storage version but only if it's $100 or less. Even that seems like it would be a slow seller.

I could see there being a higher-capacity option beyond 32GB. I still understand the allure of microSD, but it's losing its lustre as time goes on. Built-in flash memory is getting that much faster, and Google's recent attempts at harmonizing microSD with internal storage just aren't that elegant.

If I were running things, I'd offer a 32GB base model and jump to 128GB for another $100 more. It'd cover the majority of 'normal' users at one end, and most power users at the other end.

 

[WelshBloke]

I could see there being a higher-capacity option beyond 32GB. I still understand the allure of microSD, but it's losing its lustre as time goes on. Built-in flash memory is getting that much faster, and Google's recent attempts at harmonizing microSD with internal storage just aren't that elegant.

How fast does the memory in a phone need to be? Lots of apps are cached, modern sdcards are more than fast enough to cope with high bitrate media, apart from edge cases where you physically transfer huge amounts of data over a physical connection (and who does that often on a phone?) I'm not seeing that you'll notice a massive different between a modern sdcard and in built memory.

Googles new way of integrating SDcards seems great. Its the main thing I want an OS upgrade for (that and the new permissions). You can use them as the old media storage thing or choose to make one big pool of storage.

Hello 232GB phone on the cheap!

 

[sweenish]

It's not even internal flash speed, as mSD's have always been slower. It's the nature of external storage, and there's no getting around that. That's never been the reason people have wanted mSD in their phones.

It's always been about capacity. And we're FINALLY seeing 128 GB show up in the high end with some regularity. Granted, we're still lagging well behind, but that's just in relation to where I think things should be. We should be seeing 256 GB appearing regularly by now.

 

[Artdeco]

I could see there being a higher-capacity option beyond 32GB. I still understand the allure of microSD, but it's losing its lustre as time goes on. Built-in flash memory is getting that much faster, and Google's recent attempts at harmonizing microSD with internal storage just aren't that elegant.

If I were running things, I'd offer a 32GB base model and jump to 128GB for another $100 more. It'd cover the majority of 'normal' users at one end, and most power users at the other end.

That would be some insightful marketing right there.

 

[Commodus]

How fast does the memory in a phone need to be? Lots of apps are cached, modern sdcards are more than fast enough to cope with high bitrate media, apart from edge cases where you physically transfer huge amounts of data over a physical connection (and who does that often on a phone?) I'm not seeing that you'll notice a massive different between a modern sdcard and in built memory.

Googles new way of integrating SDcards seems great. Its the main thing I want an OS upgrade for (that and the new permissions). You can use them as the old media storage thing or choose to make one big pool of storage.

Hello 232GB phone on the cheap!

Apps are getting bigger, and there's only so much you can do to cache things when you're juggling multiple apps at the same time. Faster flash can improve the overall performance in those moments when RAM isn't enough. Besides, doesn't faster internal storage enable things that aren't really practical otherwise? On a phone, for example, it could mean the difference between basic 4K video editing and an advanced editor with real-time effects updates (since it could quickly modify the video on the spot).

I like that Google is trying to integrate SD card storage, but at the same time... SD cards are still slower than the best internal storage, and the tests I've seen suggest that it hurts your overall speed. That and there's a concern that SD cards aren't really built to handle as many rewrites as you'd see with primary storage. I don't know how likely it is that you'll render an SD card unusable during a phone's lifetime, but it's something to think about if you know you're going to transfer a lot of apps and files.

 

[WelshBloke]

It's not even internal flash speed, as mSD's have always been slower. It's the nature of external storage, and there's no getting around that. That's never been the reason people have wanted mSD in their phones.

What do you mean? You can get the external storage to now be invisible to the end user.

Apps are getting bigger, and there's only so much you can do to cache things when you're juggling multiple apps at the same time. Faster flash can improve the overall performance in those moments when RAM isn't enough. Besides, doesn't faster internal storage enable things that aren't really practical otherwise? On a phone, for example, it could mean the difference between basic 4K video editing and an advanced editor with real-time effects updates (since it could quickly modify the video on the spot).

I'd imagine that editing 4k video on a phone is going to be a horrible experience regardless of memory speed.

I like that Google is trying to integrate SD card storage, but at the same time... SD cards are still slower than the best internal storage, and the tests I've seen suggest that it hurts your overall speed.

It's going to be slower but is it going to be noticeably slower? The guy in that review said that he couldn't notice a difference.

That and there's a concern that SD cards aren't really built to handle as many rewrites as you'd see with primary storage. I don't know how likely it is that you'll render an SD card unusable during a phone's lifetime, but it's something to think about if you know you're going to transfer a lot of apps and files.

I've not killed one yet because of over use and I've been using them for years. There's also the advantage that they are easy to replace unlike the built in storage.