Australia is in for an epic phone battle as Samsung gets ready to roll out their slick new $999 Galaxy S6 Edge.
This is not about Samsung Vs the new HTC One M9, this battle is all about arch rivals Apple Vs Samsung and the iPhone 6 Vs the all new Samsung Galaxy S9.
Designed from the ground up the new SGS6 is not just a new phone claims Samsung executives, it’s a device that is being launched “following a total rethink of how people use a smartphone”.
From the curved screen on the outside, to an all new glass and metal body to new functionality inside the most basic of pages and applications, this device has been designed from the ground up to deliver a new experience.
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Even the new Samsung ‘Milk’ music streaming service takes consumers on a new search journey when access to content is via a cleverly designed jog wheel.
Samsung has delivered a total overall of how a smartphone should look and function in an effort to hold onto existing Android customers while luring Apple customers to the device.
When the two are compared the GS6 has some big advantages over the recently launch Apple iPhone 6. (See features below).
For carriers the big issue now is being able to demonstrate the new SGS6 in-store, with most carriers adopting a grid approach to selling devices where the bulk of their products are racked alongside each other with a simple name tag being the only differentiator.
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Arno Lenoir the Marketing Director at Samsung Australia said that Samsung Australia is currently working with carriers to deliver a better in-store experience.
“It’s the smartphone you simple have to see feel and play with to get a good understanding of how far Samsung has gone in redesigning a smartphone. This is a device that started with a clean sheet of paper, in fact it was called project Zero and what our design teams have delivered is better usability, and a design that is stunning” he said.
Prasad Gokhale Vice President of the Telecommunications Division at Samsung Australia said that from an engineering prospective Samsung has been able to deliver better functionality when it comes to battery life and processor speed because Samsung manufacture the core technology found in the new Galaxy S6.
Samsung’s latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, use the South Korean giant’s very own Exynos SoC with the latest 14 nm manufacturing process technology.
“This has allowed Samsung engineers to deliver better battery life, faster charging while also addressing heat management” Gokhale told ChannelNews.
You won’t find any Snapdragon models because Samsung decided to utilize its own Exynos division to deliver a new level of technology capability.
In comparison Apple manufactures very little instead they rely on technology Companies such as Samsung, Sharp, and LG to manufacture the components found in their iPhone 6.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 currently uses an Exynos 7420 chipset.
The device runs Android 5.0.2 and the performance of the device is impressive when ChannelNews compared it to other Samsung models and prior Apple iPhones.
According to Lenoir the battle now is to get the device into the hands of consumers “Once they see it and feel and once they have explored the changes I am confident that they will fall in love with the device. We are currently working with retailers and carriers to develop new in-store and out of store sampling of the device”. He said.
A review of the new Samsung Galaxy S6 will appear shortly but from an initially look the big difference between devices include the following.
Wireless charging
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 edge include built-in support for wireless charging. We suspect that some retailers will give away a free wireless charger with a purchase. You want wireless charging on your iPhone 6, you’ll need to use a hack or buy a third party product.
Fast charging
Apple’s iPhone 6 is pretty quick to charge but it’s nowhere near as fast as the Galaxy S6 though, which includes fast-changing technology due to Samsung developing the processor technology from the ground up.
In just 15 minutes, you can add four hours charge to a Galaxy S6’s battery.
Run more than one app at a time
Apple’s iOS platform supports multitasking, but only one app can be used at a time.
With the S6 and S6 edge, you can open two apps side by side and even copy content from one and paste it in the other.
See who’s calling without picking up your phone
If you have your Galaxy S6 edge face-down on your desk and one of your favourite contacts calls, the edges will glow with a specific colour associated with that contact.
Tracking auto-focus
Samsung’s new camera in the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge is a massive improvement on the Apple iPhone camera.
One big benefit is tracking auto-focus; simply tap on an object and the Galaxy S6’s camera will constantly adjust focus as it moves, or as you move.
The feature works for still photos or while you’re recording a video.
Fast-opening camera
If you double-tap the Galaxy S6’s home button even while the phone is asleep, the camera will open and be ready to capture a photo in a lightning-fast 0.7 seconds.
The iPhone 6’s camera is pretty easy to open as well thanks to lock screen and Control Panel shortcuts, but it’s nowhere near as fast as the Galaxy S6.
Use your phone as a TV remote
IPhone 6 users can buy third-party accessories if they want to use their handset as a TV remote, or some apps include compatibility with specific set-top boxes. The Galaxy S6, however, packs in infrared blaster that can control just about any device you want.
Monitor your heart rate
There are apps that will use the iPhone 6’s rear camera and flash to measure your heart rate, but the dozen or so apps I have tested are slow and often inaccurate. The Galaxy S6 and S6 edge pack a dedicated heart rate monitor that reads your pulse instantly and is very accurate.
