The flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 has been on sale for a while now and the firm has seen disappointing sales so it's time to look forward to the Galaxy S6, which is codenamed Project Zero. Here's everything we can tell you about the Galaxy S6 UK release date and specs based on rumours and speculation.Also see: Best smartphones 2014 and Best Android phones 2014.
Every major flagship smartphone for 2014 has now launched and is available to buy, including the iPhone 6,Google Nexus 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Many of you will be interested in when Samsung will launch a follow-up smartphone to the Galaxy S5 and you've come to the right place.
Read: HTC One M9 release date, price, specs rumours.
Samsung Galaxy S6: Release date
Although there is nothing official from Samsung yet (don't expect anything for a while), there is plenty to say about the release date of the Galaxy S6. For starters it's extremely likely to arrive at MWC 2015. Read: iPhone 6 release date, price, specs and new features.
Samsung, like other hardware manufacturers has got into a rhythm of launching a new flagship smartphone once per year. Just as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4and iPhone 6 were expected to launch in September and did so, we (along with many others) expect the Galaxy S6 to launch close to MWC.
The Korean tech giant has launched previous Galaxy S phones near to the Barcelona show; in fact, the Galaxy S5 was announced in the Spanish city at MWC 2014. MWC 2015 is scheduled for 2 March so we fully expect the Galaxy S6 to be unveiled close to this date at an Unpacked event.
There is the odd murmur that Samsung will bring it forward due to disappointing Galaxy S5 sales, and that it might appear at CES 2015. But while Samsung was alleged to be showing the S6 behind closed doors, there was no mention of the next Galaxy flagship in its CES press conference.
Samsung Galaxy S6: Specs
Plenty of whispers are circulating the rumour mill on what specs and features the Samsung Galaxy S6 will offer. Some sound farfetched; others are more likely. Now a detailed leak by SamMobile reveals what Samsung is planning for the Galaxy S6 so read on. The specs revealed by the site are backed up by a screenshot from the AnTuTu benchmark app. Read: LG G4 release date, price and specs rumours.
Screen
It seems perfectly plausible that the Galaxy S6 will use a SuperAMOLED screen, Samsung's favoured display technology. As for size, the trend is for new models to have bigger displays so with the Galaxy S5 at 5.1in, the Galaxy S6 could be as large as 5.5in, matching the LG G3 or somewhere in between.
Speaking of the LG G3, there are two main contenders for the Galaxy S6 screen resolution: Quad HD (1440 x 2560) matching LG's flagship smartphone or 4K (2160 x 3840). The former seems more likely to us, now that Samsung has introduced it in the Galaxy Note 4, but full-HD is certainly not out of the question. SamMobile touts it will be Quad HD but doesn't know what size.
There are rumours of a flexible or curved display which Samsung has been developing and we've seen on the Galaxy Round, and yet more rumours that there will be a version of the S6 with a curved edge, just like the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge. Whether the firm utilises this on the flagship Galaxy S6 is unclear. It's possible but from our point of view, unlikely.
Design and build
The Samsung Galaxy S5 got slammed in reviews (including ours) for its plastic build quality and this is something which should be improved when it comes to the Galaxy S6. Rumours suggest the firm could be using graphene as a material. More likely, however, is that Samsung will continue the metal design used by its Galaxy Alphain the Galaxy S6.
There have been many leaked images that back up this theory; those below were discovered byNoWhereElse.
More recently, a mystery device that appears in the below video clip about using Samsung's My KNOX could well be the Samsung Galaxy S6 - complete with slim bezels and a half-metal frame. (Thanks to PhoneArena for this leak.)
3G.co.uk has released the concept image at the top of this page, plus the following Samsung Galaxy S6 teaser video:
A new concept image comes from vouchercodespro.co.uk, shown below:
Software
Samsung is making Tizen products but it's almost certain that the Galaxy S6 will stick with Android. Google has announced Android 5.0 Lollipop so Samsung has plenty of time to get this version pre-installed and we expect a new version of Samsung's TouchWiz interface.
Processor, memory and storage
Under the bonnet we think the Galaxy S6 will be powered by one of Qualcomm's 64-bit processors (Android Lollipop will support 64-bit) which have already been announced and scheduled to arrive inside devices in the first half of 2015 – how convenient. Android L vs Android 4.4 KitKat comparison review: What's the difference?
The Snapdragon 808 and Snapdragon 810 are the two options here and Samsung could launch each in different markets. The former supports up to 1600 x 2560 displays and the latter allows for full 4K.
SamMobile claims the Galaxy S6 will come with its own new Exynos 7420, a 64-bit chip with four Cortex-A53 and four Cortex-A57 cores. However, there will also be a Snapdragon 810 version which is the one we could end up getting in the UK.
On the storage front, the phone is rumoured to come in 32-, 64- and 128 GB models to choose from. Samsung is likely to equip the Galaxy S6 with 3 GB of RAM.
Cameras
There's no word on the Galaxy S6 camera yet but we expect it to either be the same 16Mp resolution with some improvements or an even higher resolution, perhaps 20Mp. SamMobile says the firm is currently deciding between the two but says it is likely the firm will stick with 16Mp with optical image stabilisation like the Note 4.
Front cameras are increasingly important and the Galaxy S6 looks set to get a 5Mp shooter to match the freshly announced Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5.
Samsung Galaxy S6 software: enhanced themes
According to Sammobile, Samsung is prioritising enhanced themes customisation with future devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S6. A Themes Center will let you change system sounds, fonts and Events (such as Christmas or Valentine's Day).
There will also be a Themes Store, which has the following icon:
Accessories
Sammobile has leaked the following list of accessories for the Samsung Galaxy S6.
- • 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 ETC
- •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 Samsung Galaxy S6 will also be sold with Sennheiser earbuds, according to Sammobile, in a bid to appease audiophiles. The earbuds reportedly look similar to those supplied with the Amazon Fire Phone and the Apple EarPods. They will also feature apt-X, which may mean they work wirelessly.
Samsung Galaxy S6 model names
Upleaks has published the following list of model numbers for the Galaxy S6:
SM-G9200 – China
SM-G9208 – China
SM-G9209 – China
SM-G920A – AT&T
SM-G920D – NTT DOCOMO
SM-G920F – A lot of countries/regions
SM-G920I – A lot of countries/regions
SM-G920K – KT
SM-G920L – LG Telecom
SM-G920M – Brazil
SM-G920P – Sprint
SM-G920R – US Cellular
SM-G920S – SK Telecom
SM-G920T – T-Mobile US
SM-G920V – Verizon
SM-G920W – Canada etc
SM-G920X – Demo Only, not for public
SM-G9250 – China
SM-G925A – AT&T
SM-G925D – NTT DOCOMO
SM-G925F – A lot of countries/regions
SM-G925I – A lot of countries/regions
SM-G925J – KDDI
SM-G925K – KT
SM-G925L – LG Telecom
SM-G925P – Sprint
SM-G925R – US Cellular
SM-G925S – SK Telecom
SM-G925T – T-Mobile US
SM-G925V – Verizon
SM-G925W – Canada etc
SM-G925X – Demo Only, not for public
Samsung Galaxy S6 to come with StoreDot super-fast-charging technology?
That'll be a no, but it would be cool if it did.
StoreDot's FlashBattery, which is able to fully charge your phone in one minute, is much thicker than same-capacity lithium batteries used in smartphones. Right now it wouldn't be able to get you through the day without several recharges, although StoreDot has given itself a 2017 goal to match the size and capacity of lithium-ion.
Sure, it's interesting to note that the FlashBattery was on show by appointment only at the same tradeshow that the Samsung Galaxy S6 was rumoured to be available for private viewings: CES 2015. StoreDot also used a Samsung Galaxy S5 on which to demonstrate its tech. And it said it was in talks with all the big players at CES 2015. But, let's use some common sense here: it probably just used the S5 because, unlike many of its rivals, its battery is removable.
So while you will likely see this super-fast charging tech in future Galaxy devices, it certainly won't be in the S6. Check out the video below to see how it works.
