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The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,387
24,132
Wales, United Kingdom
Previous galaxy phones have had camera bumps. Nothing new.



Also, the camera bump is centered. I don't imagine it'll rock as much as a protrusion in the upper left corner.

Yeah I know which is why I never got the criticism. This one looks more protruded than previous models but that could be a trick of the eye.

No it will rock just as much and being central would make no difference. It can rock either way. If people put a case on their phone, it shouldn't matter.
 

Lava Lamp Freak

macrumors 68000
Jun 1, 2006
1,570
620
Yeah I know which is why I never got the criticism. This one looks more protruded than previous models but that could be a trick of the eye.

No it will rock just as much and being central would make no difference. It can rock either way. If people put a case on their phone, it shouldn't matter.

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) said the protruding camera doesn't affect typing while it is laying on a table. I'm assuming he meant it doesn't rock.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
PRICING revealed. It ain't cheap baby !!!

€850 for 32gb S6 Edge. :confused: €700 for S6 32gb :(

According to Sam Mobile, Samsung officials confirmed the prices of the two handsets for Europe. Reportedly, the cheapest Galaxy S6 (32 GB version) will cost €699. The 64 GB model should be sold for €799, while the 128 GB variant will be priced at €899. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S6 edge will be more expensive: €849 (32 GB), €949 (64 GB), and €1,049 (128 GB). We should expect prices to be similar in the US, thus starting at $699 for the Galaxy S6 32 GB, and going up to $1,049 for the Galaxy S6 edge 128 GB. Naturally, these are prices for the unlocked Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. US carriers will most probably offer the two handsets starting at $199 on contract (though we assume that the S6 edge will actually be available starting at $299).

So even standard S6 model is priced higher than iPhone 6.....
 

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,394
5,257
It took until HTC's 9th generation flagship until Samsung outshined them in design, but better late than never. Perhaps because Samsung set the bar so low that even a metal trim or glass rear is an upgrade for them coming from plastic material. Although in fairness, they do offer premium materials in their very expensive smart TV's that cost more than many cars. I think HTC had better designs, arguably displays, and sound quality improved over the years. Their Sense looks better too. But Samsung have been better at everything else esp two key areas for the longer-term.

I think S5 took alot of flak last year mainly for its band-aid designed rear and overall build quality. It was really the only water-resistant flagship that offered both removable battery and microsd, two basic features that can help out in the longer run if the original batt depletes or you run out of memory space for all those HD vids and games. Outside Samsung, only the Sony Xperia ZR offered them and that was a midranger from 2013. Samsung is in a "damn if you do, damn if you don't" scenario. Offer features that can make you use your phone for 10 years if you like, and they get criticism for build quality. Omit them for better design, and still criticism.

If the S6/S6e doesn't check people's boxes and the Edge novelty wears off after a few days, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is still the best around. A "safe" pick. The series has matured and offers those two key features I mentioned earlier if you want to use it for a decade like some laptops. Note 4 likely wins best smartphone from GSMA by Tues but we will see....

Exynos vs Snapdragon.... Check a video of two Note 3's being compared on YouTube.

For battery efficiency - Exynos
For faster updates - Snapdragon

Exynos overheated more in the comparison vid but other than Gameloft games, Exynos is much better for gaming and surprisingly more battery efficient. Curious how efficient this 14nm build vs the 810 still on 20nm. It doesn't really matter anyway. Samsung releases so many variants, a S6/S6e Snapdragon 810 variant are bound to pop up.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, personally I've found HTC's designs ugly and although I'm not a big fan of the galaxy phones at least they didn't have the huge bezels HTC likes. I'd say they are equally ugly in different ways, but the S6 soundly trounces the M9 in aesthetics IMO.
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
6,517
5,353
€850 for 32gb S6 Edge. :confused: €700 for S6 32gb :(



So even standard S6 model is priced higher than iPhone 6.....

But you get 32gb of storage instead of 16. And more ram, better specs in screen tech/camera, and wireless charging out of box, etc. Plenty more other things too.

But ya these will be expensive. Samsung is really putting in the latest tech though so it's understandable to some degree. We all knew the edge would be pricy. And didn't Samsung say there would be shortages too?
 

nviz22

Cancelled
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
note 4 got the new lollipop and looks as bad as Samsung showed us in the event.

Looks and performance are two different things. Lollipop works well on Samsung devices. It's not like the Nexus line.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,387
24,132
Wales, United Kingdom
Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) said the protruding camera doesn't affect typing while it is laying on a table. I'm assuming he meant it doesn't rock.

I am sure he is right as he's used it for testing. I am not aware of many phones that are difficult to type on when lying flat though. Most smartphones are flat enough. The iPhone moves a little but my guess is it's comparable to the S6 in this regard. You are going to get movement if there is a lump on the back but it's sure to not interfere with its use.
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
But you get 32gb of storage instead of 16. And more ram, better specs in screen tech/camera, and wireless charging out of box, etc. Plenty more other things too.

But ya these will be expensive. Samsung is really putting in the latest tech though so it's understandable to some degree. We all knew the edge would be pricy. And didn't Samsung say there would be shortages too?

I'll still get one but damn !!!!! Add a screen protector and a case and your at €900 for 32gb edge.

(When you consider I only paid €450 for a brand new M8 a week after its launch) ...

Will be interested to see carrier subsidised pricing on them.
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
6,517
5,353
Marques Brownie's video of the s6 edge, BTW, is really good. He goes into more detail about the additionally edge features.

The device looks and sounds more and more desirable. Honestly, this whole edge thing is far more exciting than anything anyone else has or is putting out. Apple included (easily).

It'll be interesting to see what developers do with the edge too. Marques brownie said he wished we could add anything to the edge swipe. I bet developers will take advantage of that. Plenty of potential. Adds a whole new dynamic to your smartphone screen.

The best thing he says about the whole edge thing is just simply looking at it and using swipe in gestures (like swiping for your aide panels and trays in google apps). The gestures now make more sense and feels more fluid.

This edge thing could be a real winner.
 
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Technarchy

macrumors 604
May 21, 2012
6,753
4,927
But it does smack of 'throw it all at the wall and see what sticks'. I no longer respect Apple, but at least they seem to think things through. Samsung seem to have come up with a curved screen idea and are now trying to find some sort of use for it.

The curved screen as an idea doesn't seem fully fleshed out, but the S6 absolutely makes the iPhone 6 look ass backwards in comparison. To an embarrassing extent.

Samsung is learning fast and I can see the S6 being a real threat to the iPhone like no other Samsung device prior. The blistering screen, improved ergos, stunning design, and lifestyle features are all things that will attract attention.

Now lets see what Apple has in the tank with Apple Watch and iPhone 6S. They better come with their A Game.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,006
642
699€ start price for the S6 32GB, 799€ for the 64GB model.

I'd recommend waiting 6 months to buy the device if you're interested, just like I did with the S5 and got a great price (327€ second hand).

Just waiting a few months and buying second hand will save you a lot of money. I don't see a need for rush to buy either phone.

Of course, we're gadget lovers, so I know no one will wait that long :D:D:D
 

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
Samsung has done it yet again. Completely overshadowed HTC and come out with some gorgeous hardware. For once, it's not the Samsung device that just looks like last year's hardware, they finally revamped the entire thing.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
A shame Samsung finally followed the Apple propoganda of sealed batteries and no expandable storage. So many millions suckered into that mantra of DESIGN & BUILT QUALITY over PRACTICALITY. It seems like everybody wants it BOTH WAY but we are divided into different philosphies.

Swappable rear cover or battery and micro-sd slot isn't the end-all, be-all features. But for many planning to keep their phones much longer than 2-3 years and already invested on micro-sd cards, those options are a sigh of relief in case of emergencies or when the time comes if the memory is nearly full and the battery no longer holds a charge like it did. Put a new battery in there, and you are good to go for another two years! Samsung finally closed that sense of security window shut. Design zombies don't mind it though... Easy to please as long as it looks cool, right? S5 Edge in black would look really cool to me though...

Just hope the Note 5 does not follow suit or Samsung will lose more of their hardcore fanbase. Hold onto to those Note 3's and Note 4's as long as you can. Personally, I love the faux leather-stitched plastic backs of the recent Notes. I just hope they won't change that. Note 4 could be the last to ever feature a removable cover/battery among a flagship if Samsung's recent focus solely on DESIGN and pleasing the SHALLOW MASSES becomes as myopic as Apple, Sony, and HTC.

Design is a novelty that wears off after awhile. A fashionista requirement. Look at the HTC One M9. Back in 2013, M7 got universal praises. All-metal design blah blah blah. Fresh. Beautiful. M8 got about the same praises but lost some luster since it wasn't as fresh as the prev One. Three years straight using similar designs from M7/M8 and applied to their Desire and Butterfly series and hasn't the recent One M9 design look just a tad too redundant? Good design is a novelty that wears off. Nobody buys video game consoles strictly on its design. Same with smartphones. I really hope LG and some of them can go back to the very basics of smartphones and computing. Not this style over substance stuff. But the shallow masses/critics have spoken and now Samsung (unfortunately) have listened...
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
6,517
5,353
The curved screen as an idea doesn't seem fully fleshed out, but the S6 absolutely makes the iPhone 6 look ass backwards in comparison. To an embarrassing extent.

Samsung is learning fast and I can see the S6 being a real threat to the iPhone like no other Samsung device prior. The blistering screen, improved ergos, stunning design, and lifestyle features are all things that will attract attention.

Now lets see what Apple has in the tank with Apple Watch and iPhone 6S. They better come with their A Game.

There may not be a lot to realize now with the edge screen because it's so new but I think it can really make a day to day difference. Have you seen marques Brownie's video about the edge? He goes into it a bit more than anyone else's coverage I've seen so far. Really shows the potential.

Also, the main thing about the edge, he says, is that its just a joy to look at and more importantly makes those gestures more natural to use when you're swiping for those side-slide out menus in google apps.

I highly recommend everyone check out his video.

Agree with the rest of your post. I think I joined android at a very exciting time.

----------


Kudos to Samsung for making an experimental edge idea work. Yeah they throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks but when things stick, we get exciting tech.
 

Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
The Verge made me laugh.

These are the "nicest" phones Samsung have come out with.

Credit where it's due, the S6 Edge looks absolutely gorgeous, particularly in green.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
16,387
24,132
Wales, United Kingdom
The curved screen as an idea doesn't seem fully fleshed out, but the S6 absolutely makes the iPhone 6 look ass backwards in comparison. To an embarrassing extent.



Samsung is learning fast and I can see the S6 being a real threat to the iPhone like no other Samsung device prior. The blistering screen, improved ergos, stunning design, and lifestyle features are all things that will attract attention.



Now lets see what Apple has in the tank with Apple Watch and iPhone 6S. They better come with their A Game.

I'm not convinced more features and a curved screen is going to threaten any more than we are used to. Samsung and Android have always had way more features, a more attractive price tag, and several devices to choose from. I think the market is pretty saturated and it all boils down to how the consumer wants these products and features to be delivered. Have they produced a masterpiece after 2 years on the back foot? Time will tell. I think the gimmick race has slowed down considerably and consumers have learned what they expect and want. The geeks among us are very different to the average consumer IMO. It's more about useful features than the quantity of in 2015. This phone looks nice though and it's nice to see Touchwiz finally thinned out.
 

epicrayban

macrumors 604
Nov 7, 2014
6,517
5,353
I'm not convinced more features and a curved screen is going to threaten any more than we are used to. Samsung and Android have always had way more features, a more attractive price tag, and several devices to choose from. I think the market is pretty saturated and it all boils down to how the consumer wants these products and features to be delivered. Have they produced a masterpiece after 2 years on the back foot? Time will tell. I think the gimmick race has slowed down considerably and consumers have learned what they expect and want. The geeks among us are very different to the average consumer IMO. It's more about useful features than the quantity of in 2015. This phone looks nice though and it's nice to see Touchwiz finally thinned out.

Good points. Apple and the iPhone will probably be fine based on branding alone.

To your point about the average consumer, I think it was a good move for Samsung to release two variants of the s6. The default s6 is in itself a great upgrade and package. Then the edge will be for people who want something a bit different and more unique without compromising what the s6 already brings to the table.

My main worries at this point are battery life (that display is gonna suck a lot of juice!) And touch wiz. I've read that over time, tw slows down and begins to lag? Not sure.

Either way, eager to read reviews and impressions.
 

adder7712

macrumors 68000
Mar 9, 2009
1,923
1
Canada
Finally a substantial departure from the original designs. However, I'm quite bummed out that they are forfeiting expandable storage and a removable battery for a better design.

I don't really miss the removable battery but they could have at least kept the micro SD card slot. It's doable on the Xperia Z series but why not the S6?
 
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