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10 Galaxy S6 Release Mysteries & What to Expect

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With just a few weeks to go before the start of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge release, there are still a ton of mysteries frustrating prospective buyers. Key details like the US Galaxy S6 release date, Galaxy S6 storage, Galaxy S6 price remain missing in action. Here, we take a look at what we know, and what we expect from these remaining Galaxy S6 release mysteries.

On Sunday, Samsung spent a lot of time talking about its new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. It detailed many of their upcoming specs, it touted their all-new metal design language, it outlined the initial Galaxy S6 release date, and it went into detail about where buyers in the United States will be able to buy these devices when they arrive.

Galaxy S6 Display

In the days since launch, the company has continued to tout the benefits of its new flagship smartphones though the company has failed to confirm some of the most important Galaxy S6 features and release details. Many Galaxy S6 release mysteries remain for buyers in the United States and for consumers all over the world.

While many of these details remain under lock and key, we’ve slowly started to get a read on some of the glaring absences, things like the Galaxy S6 release date, Galaxy S6 price, and more. It’s still not clear when Samsung and its partners will confirm all of these important pieces of information so we want to offer some early answers for the remaining Galaxy S6 release mysteries.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date

Samsung announced that both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will arrive for 20 countries starting on April 10th. Problem is, we still don’t know who is included in that initial release date. As we’ve moved away from the Galaxy S6 launch, we’ve started to get a better idea about what to expect but the official details remain shrouded in mystery.

Samsung Netherlands says that it expects to start shipping both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge by April 10th. This hints at a Dutch Galaxy S6 release on April 10th though the exact date remains unconfirmed.

Galaxy-S6

We’ve also seen a number of devices for key markets start to get approval behind the scenes. Many Chinese, Korean and Japanese variants have gained Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and FCC approval behind the scenes, a sign that these three major Asian markets could find themselves among the first Galaxy S6 release dates on April 10th.

It’s hard to predict exactly where we might see the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge wind up on April 10th though the safest bet would be on Samsung’s biggest battlegrounds. Europe, Asia and North America are key to the success of these devices and we’d expect Samsung to focus on those three in particular with its initial batch of release dates.

US Galaxy S6 Release Date

The US Galaxy S6 release date is currently unknown. While major US carriers have confirmed both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge for arrival, none of them have outlined specific release dates. The only carrier that’s released anything close to specific is U.S. Cellular. The nation’s fifth largest carrier has told us that it plans to release the devices in April, date unknown.

What we do know though is that a number of Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge models have passed necessary certifications in the days after these initial announcements. What this means is that AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Galaxy S6 models are all inching closer to their release and their official release date announcements. FCC approval is needed before they can hit shelves and we typically see devices hit the FCC a few days before their final information is released.

At this point, it’s looking like we should see the US Galaxy S6 release for most carriers land in April. And given that the two devices have already received clearance from top bodies like Bluetooth SIG and FCC, there’s a very good chance that they are on the fast track to release. At this point, an April 10th release for most, or all of these models seems likely.

Galaxy S6 Price

Thanks to Samsung Netherlands, we think we know how much the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will cost in Europe. The regional company confirms the Galaxy S6 price for €699 off-contract. While it doesn’t talk about the higher end 64GB and 128GB models, Galaxy S6 price details put those devices at €799 for the 64GB version, and €899 for the 128GB model in Europe. We expect these price points to hold in Europe though they may not line up exactly with other regions including North America and Asia.

You'll pay a premium for the Galaxy S6 Edge and it won't be on as many carriers.

You’ll pay a premium for the Galaxy S6 Edge and it won’t be on as many carriers.

In the US, the Galaxy S6 price is still unknown. Samsung and its carrier partners have failed to confirm any price points leaving prospective buyers scratching their heads.

T-Mobile does note that the Approximate Retail Value of the Samsung Galaxy S6 is $699. This ARV could serve as the off-contract price of the Samsung Galaxy S6 in the United States though our expectation is that the off-contract price for most US carriers will fall somewhere between $600 and $700 with $700 being the ceiling.

Galaxy S6 Edge Price

As for the Galaxy S6 Edge price, it’s unsurprisingly going to be more expensive than the regular Galaxy S6 model. Samsung Netherlands confirms the base Galaxy S6 Edge model at €850. It also confirms pricing for the the larger storage sizes at €949 for a 64GB model and €1049 for a 128GB model. Those prices are extremely steep, even for an off-contract phone.

The US Galaxy S6 Edge price is missing in action. The only clue that we currently have is the US price structure for the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Note Edge. If Samsung does something similar with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, we could see the Galaxy S6 Edge command a price that’s $100 more than the regular model.

What this means is that if Samsung and its US partners do keep the regular model at $199.99, we could potentially see a Galaxy S6 Edge that’s $299.99 on-contract, same as the Galaxy Note 4.

If the regular model has an ARV of $699, then you have to think that the curved Galaxy S6 Edge will be even higher, perhaps as steep as $799 ARV. We still don’t have any concrete details but those planning to buy the curved model in the U.S., and elsewhere, should expect to have to shell out for Samsung’s curved Galaxy S6 variant.

Galaxy S6 Pre-Orders

Samsung Netherlands is currently taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge ahead of their release dates though pre-orders in other parts of the world remain scarce. This doesn’t come as too much of a surprise given that we still have more than a month to go before Samsung’s announced April 10th release date.

Galaxy-S6-10

If the past is any indication, we could see US carriers put the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge up for pre-order closer to their actual release dates. Last year, US carriers started taking pre-orders in the middle of March after a February announcement. The Samsung Galaxy S5 arrived in the United States on April 11th after experiencing some of these same release mysteries.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are two of the biggest smartphone launches of the year and we almost always see carriers and retailers take early orders for those that decide early. If we do see pre-orders, we’d expect them to arrive later on this month.

Galaxy S6 Storage

On stage, Samsung announced three storage models. A 32GB model, a 64GB model, and a 128GB model. The sizes are more important than ever because the Galaxy S6 comes without expandable storage. It lacks a microSD card slot.

This has sent many buyers and Samsung enthusiasts into an uproar, even more so because Samsung and its carrier partners have failed to confirm specific models ahead of release. In fact, Samsung’s only helped to muddy the waters.

Samsung UK’s website proudly shows off both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. And while the Samsung Galaxy S6 is listed with 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options, the Galaxy S6 Edge is listed with 64GB and 128GB storage options. This doesn’t confirm the lack of a 32GB Galaxy S6 Edge storage option in the United Kingdom but it does leave the door open ahead of its release.

Galaxy-S6-1

Now if this is true, and it could be, it could mean that the base Galaxy S6 Edge model will be far more expensive than the base Galaxy S6 model in the United Kingdom. It could also just be a mistake. Samsung Netherlands is listing all three storage sizes for both the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 so we could see most places (if not all) offer all three sizes.

It’s not clear how this might affect the US Galaxy S6 release where all five major carriers are confirmed to have the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge on tap for later this year. A recent T-Mobile Galaxy S6 Edge teaser alludes to all three storage sizes though it’s not clear if the company is just parroting Samsung or if it’s planning to offer all three upon release. T-Mobile declined comment.

At the very least, consumers should get multiple options for both models. It’s just not clear if we’ll see carriers opt for all six variants or if the selection will be limited like years past.

Galaxy S6 Colors

Samsung’s announced a number of different colors including White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Blue Topaz and Green Emerald. Green Emerald is reserved for the Galaxy S6 Edge while Blue Topaz will be exclusive to the Galaxy S6. Samsung and its carrier partners haven’t confirmed what will be available at launch and we’re already starting to see Samsung sites cause confusion.

Earlier today, we noted that Samsung Canada’s website shows only two colors for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Those colors? Black Sapphire and White Pearl. While it might be surprising to some Galaxy S6 buyers, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to us.

You see, Samsung’s well known for limiting its color options at launch. Possibly for supply reasons, we’re not sure. Last year we saw the company tout the pink Galaxy Note 4 on stage during its launch. And while the option is available, it’s not available to everyone. Consumers who live in the United States must import it if they want something other than white or black.

Galaxy-S6-6

It’s also well known for offering exclusives to carriers and retailers. For instance, the blue Galaxy S5 is an exclusive to Best Buy. And U.S. Cellular only carries the black version of the Galaxy Note 4. It’s strange but business is business and it often comes with trade-offs.

We do have one glimmer of hope though. Samsung Netherlands’ site is listing more than just black and white for pre-order though again, it’s worth noting that availability could vary based on region and carrier. At the very least, black and white should be available across the board. It would be surprising to see all four colors emerge on every carrier at the start, however.

Retailer Details

Best Buy, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart will all stock the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. We just haven’t seen any of them offer concrete details yet.

Best Buy is offering a sign up page and some placeholders in store but it hasn’t announce any pre-order details or pricing. Amazon is also offering a sign up page that comes attached to a nice Galaxy S6 accessory detail. The other, as far as we can tell, remain silent. This might not seem like a big mystery but it is.

Retailers often take pre-orders for devices, Best Buy in particular. More importantly, they also tend to offer deals both on-contract and off-contract. Walmart is well known for shaving a few dollars off the on-contract price and we saw Best Buy offer some off-contract deals on the Galaxy Note 4.

We would expect to see something similar this time around. We should find out soon. Retailers typically start talking once carriers start talking.

Galaxy S5 Price Drop

US carriers are still selling the Galaxy S5 for $199.99 on-contract and more than that off-contract. Please, whatever you do, do not buy it at that price. While we haven’t seen the Galaxy S5 price drop yet at carriers, we expect to see that happen once the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge go up for order. It’ll be difficult for them to sell the Galaxy S5 at $199.99, the same price that it has been at all year.

Galaxy S6 Accessories

Finally, while we have some idea about some key Galaxy S6 accessories, we’re still in the dark about some of the official Galaxy S6 accessories that Samsung announced alongside the two devices.

Charge up the Galaxy S6 with this battery pack.

Charge up the Galaxy S6 with this battery pack.

For instance, price and release date details about the Galaxy S6 battery pack and Clear View Cover remain out of reach for the time being. We could see Samsung get some of these out in time for the release but given the company’s history with official accessories, we wouldn’t count on the entire lineup being available. More often than not, we see a bit of a delay with official Galaxy S accessories from Samsung.

Even if the company lags, we should see a healthy dose of Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge accessories become available on day one including an intriguing battery case from popular manufacturer Mophie.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. NICOLE M. KRAMER

    03/05/2015 at 4:01 am

    I need to know is when can I buy, and how much it’ll cost me? Will I receive a price reduction if I am trading up on contract from the S5 to a S6(since I purchased the S5 very soon after its release date)? I would like to think that would be one of the awesome advantages …my reasoning behind such thinking, being that I would stick with S6 instead of switching to the iPhone world as I have pretty much already decided upon doing unless I am swayed to stick with the Galaxy S6.

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