Ancestor Comparison
Samsung Electronics' new flagship phone, the Galaxy S6, has been rated inferior to the Galaxy S5.
According to Consumer Reports' latest smartphone rankings published on May 14, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge each scored 77 points out of 100. As a result, the two models ranked 3rd, together with the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S4. The top-ranked smartphone was still the Galaxy S5, which was released in May 2014.
The Galaxy S5 got a better review in battery life and camera images, which brought the model up to 79 points, two points higher than the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. The Galaxy S5 and S6 series mostly scored the same in remaining categories like user convenience, text message delivery, displays, and portability. The only category that the Galaxy S6 series was better reviewed in was its ability to make phone calls.
The model in the runner-up position was LG Electronics' G3, receiving 78 points. The G3 scored higher marks than the Galaxy S6 series in camera image. LG's latest G4 phone was not included in the rating.
Consumer Reports said, “But surprisingly, these phones (the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge) don't score as highly as their top-ranked predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S5.” This is due to the fact that after the failure of the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy S6 series was made by changing previous materials and design, as well as user experience. When the two new smartphones were unveiled in March, they were favorably reviewed by IT news sites.
Consumer Reports continued, “But with the new S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung has pulled an about-face on the Galaxy S line's anti-iPhone persona. The new devices are significantly more Apple-like than previous models. Both new Samsung smartphones are made of glass-and-aluminum. (The S6 Edge’s screen also bends at both edges.) A decidedly more elegant look, but other Apple-like modifications actually hurt these devices in our Ratings—ironically, putting them on-par with Apple's iPhone 6.”
To make the Galaxy S6 series thinner with have better designs, Samsung sacrificed removable batteries and memory-expansion slots. As a result, they lost the Galaxy S series' merits, and even those changes were considered to be Samsung's attempt to imitate Apple's iPhones. Furthermore, the S6 series are not water-resistant like the Galaxy S 5.