Accelerated Launches
There are rumors that Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will release their strategic smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and the G5, next February, which is a month earlier than they did before.
As various mid-range phones will be launched from the beginning of next year as well as premium phones from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, competition in the smartphone market will heat up. Since Samsung and LG are expected to focus on innovating camera functions in their next models, all eyes are focusing on how the two companies will differentiate their products.
According to industry sources on Dec. 13, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S7 flagship will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, next February. Although there was a rumor that the company will release the model in January, Samsung is likely to launch the model right after the debut in the MWC, as in other years. Previously, the company used to unveil a new product before the MWC and roll out the product a month later. However, it is said that Samsung will introduce and launch its new product at the same time, just like the Galaxy Note 5, bringing it to the market early. In this case, the company will put its strategic smartphone on the market a month earlier than last year.
As expectations for the Galaxy S7 have been high with rumors of the early release, industry watchers have forecasted that the Galaxy S7 will be available in two sizes, a 5.1 inch (12.95 cm) Galaxy S7 and a 6 inch (15.24 cm) Galaxy S7 Plus. With the demands for large-screen smartphones increasing, the company is launching products to meet such demand. GSMArena has obtained some leaked renders of the Galaxy S7 that were given to a third-party accessories manufacturer. These renders show the home button of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Plus will be more rectangular than oval-shaped. Also, the Galaxy S7 will be 1.4 mm thicker than the previous model, though its screen size will be the same.
In particular, the Galaxy S7 is highly likely to feature Samsung’s Duo Pixel sensor that supports a faster camera focus. Samsung Electronics recently filed a trademark for Duo Pixel with the US Patent and Trademark Office. In addition, the model will feature its latest Britecell camera sensor. Britecell is an image sensor that can offer sharper and brighter images, even in low light conditions, by blocking out some of the light hitting the sensor.
Due to stronger competition in the smartphone market, LG Electronics is also expected to move up the release date of its strategic G5 smartphone in order to rapidly target the market. Even though the company unveiled the G4 at the end of April last year, it is likely to introduce a new product at the MWC two months earlier this year and roll out the product right away.
With high interest in the next model, LG Electronics will focus on the camera functions of the G5, just like the previous model. The G5 will feature a 21 megapixel rear camera with a 1/2-inch sensor, and an improved version of the previous G4 featuring a 16-megapixel camera with 1/2.6-inch sensor.
Moreover, the forthcoming smartphone is expected to flaunt a 5.6 inch (14.22 cm) display with QHD resolution, and will be powered by Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 820 chipset. The optional leather back of the G4 will allegedly be swapped out for a metal unibody. In addition, there is the possibility that the LG G5 will feature a fingerprint sensor and an iris scanner as an additional security option.