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Samsung Galaxy S6: Everything We Know So Far

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Predictably, Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors have begun to churn as we push closer and closer to the company’s usual Galaxy S launch window. While the Galaxy S6 specs and release date remain unconfirmed, we’ve heard and seen a ton of chatter and today’s roundup offers a glimpse at everything we know, right now, about Samsung’s 2015 Galaxy S.

In February of last year, Samsung took the stage at Mobile World Congress 2013 and announced a brand new Galaxy S dubbed Samsung Galaxy S5. For the past year, the device has reigned as the company’s flagship smartphone and a valiant competitor for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, LG G3, Moto X, and the countless other Android smartphones on the market.

As we shift away from last year’s pipeline of products, we’re starting to see Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors pick up the pace. With the start of CES 2015 in Las Vegas, we’ve seen a number of credible Galaxy S6 rumors emerge, rumors that point at an assortment of details including accessories, carriers, and Galaxy S6 specs.

Samsung-Galaxy-S6

Early Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors suggested that the Galaxy S6 will be built from the ground up in an attempt to reverse the fortunes of Samsung’s fledgling mobile business. Now, several weeks into the rumor cycle, we have a better idea about what might be coming on board the Samsung Galaxy S6, the successor for last year’s Galaxy S5.

Today, we want to take a look at what we’ve heard so far about the Samsung Galaxy S6. This roundup encompasses all of the details we’ve heard about the Galaxy S6 specs, Galaxy S6 launch date, Galaxy S6 release date, and more. It’s important to note that while many of these Galaxy S6 rumors are credible, there’s always a chance that Samsung’s plans could change between now and the release of the Next Big Thing.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Launch Date

Samsung is reportedly showing off the Samsung Galaxy S6, perhaps two variants of the device, at CES 2015 in Las Vegas. The company is supposedly showcasing the device to select partners. It’s not expected to show it, or its supposed Galaxy S6 Edge, off to the media. And while it’s clear that Samsung’s making progress towards a launch date, we haven’t heard anything new about a Galaxy S6 launch date.

A report from South Korea late in 2014 suggested that Galaxy S6 production would begin in February ahead of an early arrival. The publication did not outline a specific Galaxy S6 launch date and Samsung’s plans remain shrouded in mystery as we head deeper into 2015 towards Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. MWC served as the launching pad for last year’s Samsung Galaxy S6.

Galaxy Tab

What’s interesting is that we’ve seen known Galaxy S6 models emerge on flight manifests between Korea and India. The model numbers indicate that Samsung is bringing in prototypes for testing ahead of an eventual release. So while we still don’t have a launch date, it’s clear that Samsung’s making progress towards a launch date.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date

Samsung’s usual Galaxy S release window typically falls between April and July. The Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5 both arrived in April while the Galaxy S3 pushed out in May, June, and July. This helps to paint a picture of a possible release window for the Galaxy S6. Unsurprisingly, the few Galaxy S6 release date rumors that we do have all point to an arrival in the first half of the year.

Italian publication HDBlog believes that Samsung’s Galaxy S6 release date will land sometime in the second quarter which extends from April to June. The report from Daum in Korea hinted at a possible Galaxy S6 release date in March, a month earlier than last year’s Galaxy S5 release.

As we’ve noted, while an early Galaxy S6 release date would be ideal for many consumers in the hunt for a device, these reports do not serve as confirmation. March and or Q2 might be the company’s target dates for the Galaxy S6 release but the specific dates themselves are heavily dependent on testing, certifications and production, all of which can be unpredictable.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Specs

Every year, Samsung beefs up the specifications on its Galaxy S series. From new processors and sensors to enhanced cameras to improved displays, Galaxy S variants always trump their predecessors. Galaxy S6 specs will likely offer improvements over the features found on last year’s Samsung Galaxy S5. While rumored Galaxy S6 specs did not live up to the expectations of some prospective buyers, just remember, nothing is official until Samsung makes it official.

Here’s what we’re hearing.

Design

Samsung is well known for keeping a tight ring of security around its flagship designs. So, it hasn’t been too surprising to see a series of Galaxy S6 design leaks fall flat on their face. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t credible information out there. There is, though, it’s extremely vague.

An early rumor from SamMobile suggested that Samsung will be looking to recapture the success of the company’s 2012 Galaxy S3 flagship and build the Galaxy S6 from the ground up. It’s still not clear exactly what that might entail but rumors and speculation suggest that the company might be incorporating premium materials into the build.

Metal Galaxy S6 concept.

Metal Galaxy S6 concept.

For a number of years, Samsung’s released all-plastic Galaxy S flagships. Though with the emergence of metal on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Samsung Galaxy Alpha, we could see Samsung implement new design language on the Galaxy S6. And that’s precisely what rumors are suggesting will happen when the device is released. HDBlog.it claims that the Samsung Galaxy S6 design will feature an aluminum chassis.

While we expect Galaxy S6 design rumors to swirl in the weeks ahead, it could be that the actual Galaxy S6 design is kept under wraps until the actual announcement date later this year. Samsung’s managed to clamp down on leaked schematics and part leaks and with so much riding on the Galaxy S6, we imagine that the company has extremely tight security in place to prevent prying eyes.

Display

Samsung Galaxy S6 display rumors hint at the inclusion of a Quad HD resolution display. If true, it would put the device on par with the displays found on the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, LG G3, and others. Benchmarks have pointed to the feature twice already and credible rumors suggest that the next Galaxy S will make the jump up in resolution.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 display size is currently rumored to be 5.5-inches, or .2-inches smaller than the Galaxy Note 4’s 5.7-inch display. It’s an odd development given that Samsung’s stuck around the 5-inch mark for its past three Galaxy S smartphones but it’s not too shocking. This was recently backed up by a flight manifest that lists an alleged Galaxy S6 variant with a 5.5-inch display. None of this confirms the size but it leaves the door open on a possible jump to 5.5-inches, same as the LG G3.

The LG G3 and iPhone 6 Plus both include 5.5-inch displays, but LG packs in a higher resolution.

The LG G3 and iPhone 6 Plus both include 5.5-inch displays, but LG packs in a higher resolution.

Rumors about a second Galaxy S6 variant continue to swirl and a recent list of Galaxy S6 model numbers outs a SM-G925 variant. The regular Galaxy S6 is expected to utilize a SM-G920 model number.

It’s not clear what the SM-G925 variant is though Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors have hinted at a Galaxy S6 Edge variant, similar to the Galaxy Note Edge variant that arrived alongside the Galaxy Note 4. Rumors suggest that the Galaxy S6 Edge could sport two bent edges instead of the one bent side found on the Galaxy Note Edge.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S6 camera rumors have suggested that Samsung is trying to decide between a 16MP camera and a 20MP camera. The two alleged Galaxy S6 benchmarks that we’ve seen include both sensors so it appears that the company is still toying with both.

A leak suggests that Optical Image Stabilization, a feature found on the Galaxy Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus, will be on board this year’s Galaxy S model. The front facing camera will supposedly be a 5MP camera which would be a huge boon for those who constantly use video chat.

Processor

We’re hearing that the Galaxy S6 will come with either a 64-bit Exynos 7 Octa in-house chip or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. Both would offer enhanced performance.

https://youtu.be/4yOUCXnbDLM

At CES 2015 in Las Vegas, Qualcomm showed off its Snapdragon 810. The processor will be arriving inside of the new LG G Flex 2, a curved smartphone that was announced at the show. The company obviously did not confirm the chip for the Samsung Galaxy S6 but its presence at the show is a sign that the processor will make it to more devices later this year.

Storage

Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors suggest that we could see three storage models including a 32GB model, 64GB model, and 128GB model. This would match what Apple’s done with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

U.S. carriers have a tendency to avoid larger models if there is a microSD card slot on board so there’s no guarantee that all three models will make it to the United States.

Software

We haven’t heard anything specific but the fact that Samsung’s pushed Android 5.0 Lollipop to the Galaxy S5 makes an appearance on the Galaxy S6 very likely. Android 5.0 Lollipop is Google’s brand new operating system and it delivers a number of system-wide changes for Galaxy users including redesigned core applications that fall in line with Google’s new Material Design.

Nexus6-lollipop

An interesting rumor out of SamMobile suggests that the company will be looking to deliver customizable themes to the Galaxy S6 and other flagships. Themes debuted on last year’s Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 but Samsung, so far, has failed to bring them to its popular flagships. That could change with the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Galaxy S6 Accessories

A number of alleged Galaxy S6 accessories have leaked out as we press on toward the Galaxy S6 release date. SamMobile’s outed several potential Galaxy S6 accessories including an S View Cover Case, wireless charger and a Flip Wallet case. Here’s the full list:

  • EF-CG920B – Zero-F S View Cover Case ‏
  • EP-PG920I – Zero-Flat S Charger Pad Power ‏
  • EF-WG920B – Zero-F Flip Wallet Case ‏
  • ET-FG920C‏ – Zero-F Screen Protector
  • EF-YG920B – Zero-F Protective Cover [PULeather] Case ‏
  • EF-QG920B – Zero-F Protective Cover [Clear] Case
  • EF-YG925BMEBUS – Zero Protective Cover [PULeather] Case ‏
  • EF-WG925BSEBUS – Zero Flip Wallet Case PVR
  • EF-QG925BGEGWW‏‎ – Zero Protective Cover [Clear] Case

The publication also suggests that the Galaxy S6 will come with earbuds from well-known headphone maker Sennheiser. It’s not clear how this bundle might work yet.

Galaxy S6 Carriers

Upleaks recently offered an extensive list of possible Samsung Galaxy S6 model numbers. These model numbers line up with early model number leaks and they hint at a number of different Galaxy S6 carriers including several here in the United States.

  • SM-G920A – AT&T
  • SM-G920P – Sprint
  • SM-G920R – U.S. Cellular
  • SM-G920T – T-Mobile
  • SM-G920V – Verizon
  • SM-G925A – AT&T
  • SM-G925P – Sprint
  • SM-G925R – U.S. Cellular
  • SM-G925T – T-Mobile
  • SM-G925V – Verizon

The list also includes model numbers for other regions including South Korea, China, and Japan. Listed are KDDI and NTT DoCoMo in Japan and KT and LG in South Korea. Model numbers also include variants that are supposedly heading to Brazil and Canada. The original model number leak two months ago suggested that the Galaxy S6 would be heading to Bell, at the very least.

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