Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK release date, price and specs predictions: When is the Galaxy S6 mini coming out?

With the Samsung Galaxy S6 pegged for March's MWC, Samsung will in typical fashion follow up that smartphone with the launch of a compact version. Here we reveal our Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK release date, price and specs predictions. Also see: Samsung Galaxy S6 UK release date, price and specs rumours

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini: UK release date

We don't expect to see the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini unveiled at the same time as the Samsung Galaxy S6, which will more than likely be unveiled at an Uncovered event prior to Mobile World Congress 2015 (our guess is on 1 March). Last year Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini several months later, with it going on sale in the UK on 7 August at £389.95. (Read our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S5and Samsung Galaxy S5 minihere.)

As with that phone, the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini will likely launch in late July/early August 2015. We'll update this article when more details are available. Also see: Best new phones 2015

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini: UK price

A compact version of the Samsung Galaxy S6, the S6 mini will command a lower price tag - but it won't be what you might consider cheap. We expect pricing to fall in line with previous mini Galaxy handsets, just short of £400 SIM-free. Like those phones the price will drop rather rapidly (the S5 mini is right now around £315 at Amazon).

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini: specs predictions

The S6 mini's spec has not yet been confirmed. By looking at the differences between previous Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy mini handsets we can hazard a guess at what we're likely to see, however.

The key differences between the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy S5 mini are as follows:

• Screen: The S5 has a 5.1in full-HD (1080p) panel, while the S5 mini has a 4.5in HD (720p) screen

• Processor: Both S5 and S5 mini have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chip, but the S5 mini's is slower-clocked at 1.4- rather than 2.5GHz

• RAM: While the S5 has 2GB, the S5 mini has 1.5GB

• Storage: The S5 is available with 16- or 32GB of storage, with SD support for up to 128GB; the S5 mini is 16GB only, and supports SD cards up to 64GB in capacity

• Design and build: The S5 mini is naturally smaller than the S5 with its smaller screen, but it's also chunkier at 8.1mm versus the S5's 7.1mm

• Cameras: The S5 boasts a 16Mp camera that can record 4K video, but the S5 mini's 8Mp alternative shoots at full-HD max

• Battery: A lower-capacity 2100mAh battery in the S5 mini when compared to the S5's 2800mAh battery is understandable, given the smaller screen and less powerful hardware

You can read more about the differences between the S5 and S5 mini in our comparison review.

With this in mind, we expect to see the following differences between the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 mini:

• Screen: While the Samsung Galaxy S6 will reportedly have a 5.5in Quad-HD (1440x2560) Super AMOLED panel, we reckon we'll get a 4.7in full-HD (1920x1080) screen in the S6 mini. That means a very high pixel density of 468ppi. Both will be protected with ultra-tough Gorilla Glass 4

• Processor: The S6 will likely get the Exynos 7420, but in the UK we can expect the Snapdragon 810, a 64-bit octa-core chip. The S6 mini will get the same processor, but it will be slower-clocked

• RAM: The Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to come with 3GB of RAM; we'd be pleased with 2GB in the S6 mini

• Storage: It's unlikely anything will change here, with both phones available with 16GB of storage, and potentially 32GB for the standard S6. However, microSD support up to 128GB in the S6 mini is likely

• Design and build: There are reportedly two Samsung Galaxy S6 builds in the works, one half metal with a removable plastic rear, and the other with a unibody metal chassis. We reckon the latter could well have been the recently unveiled Galaxy A7, and that Samsung will offer a half-metal, half-plastic build with the S6 and S6 mini. As before, expect the mini to be smaller but a tad chunkier to fit in all that tech. You'll be able to buy the S6 and S6 mini in Charcoal Black, Copper Gold, Electric Blue and Shimmery White

• Cameras: Samsung is reported to be adding a 20Mp camera to its Galaxy S6, so the 16Mp version found in the S5 could make its way to the S6 mini, allowing for 4K video recording. Following the selfie craze both will get 5Mp cameras at the front

• Battery: Expect to find a lower-capacity battery than is found in the S6, but slightly larger than the 2100mAh found in the S5 mini. This is to be expected given the more powerful screen and hardware, and extra room available

• Everything else seen in the Samsung Galaxy S6 will also appear in the S6 mini: expect to see a fingerprint scanner, a UV scanner, a heart-rate monitor, an IR blaster, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, enhanced themes and customisation and a Themes store, plus TouchWiz