Samsung last week locally launched its newest devices, the S7 and S7 Edge smartphones, Gear VR headset, and Gear S2 smartwatch. Held concurrently with the international reveal in Barcelona, Spain, Samsung’s latest wares build on the success of their predecessors by introducing new features and better innards.
Samsung Galaxy S7
The Samsung Galaxy S7 retains the previous generation’s sleek all-metal chassis with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 overlay at the back and the front. The display remains as a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED Quad-HD screen, though it now comes with the Always On feature for easy access to the time, notifications, and calendar events.
For the innards, the S7 sports a 2.6 GHz 64-bit Samsung Exynos 8890 octa-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, fast charge and wireless charge capable 3000 mAh Li-Ion battery, 32/64 GB of expandable (yes, expandable) storage under the hood, fingerprint and heart rate sensor, and dual nanoSIM functionality. The microSD card fits into one of the nanoSIM trays and can be up to 200GB in capacity. The phone also runs on the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with the TouchWiz UI.
For shooters, the S7 has a 5 MP f/1.7 selfie camera and a 12 MP f/1.7 rear camera with Dual Pixel technology that allows it to achieve focus in a snap.
Lastly, the phone has an IP68 rating making it dust-resistant and water-resistant for 30 minutes at depths up to 1.5 meters.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 will start retailing on March 19 at a sticker price of PHP 34,990.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge possess basically the same specs as its sibling—metal and glass chassis, 2.6 GHz 64-bit Samsung Exynos 8890 octa-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 32/64 GB of storage expandable up to 200GB via microSD card, 5 MP f/1.7 front and 12 MP f/1.7 Dual Pixel rear camera, fingerprint and heart rate sensor, dual nanoSIM, IP68 certification, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with the TouchWiz overlay—but with the brand’s impressive dual-edged curve screen and bigger battery.
Its screen has been upped to an ample 5.5 inch Super AMOLED variant made more functional with the improved Edge software and Always On feature. Due to the larger real estate, more room has been created for the 3600 mAh Li-ion juice pack.
Like the S7, the Galaxy S7 Edge will be available on March 19 for PHP 39,990.
Samsung Gear VR
The first consumerized virtual reality headset is already out, providing S7 Edge, S7, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, and Note 5 users a plug and play portal into the virtual world. It promises a 360-degree viewing and gaming experience, with multimedia available through the Oculus Store. Equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity sensor, this light and futuristic looking headset promises low-latency VR and smooth performance thanks to its integration with Oculus.
The Samsung Gear VR sells for PHP 4,990.
Samsung Gear S2 Classic
Samsung updated the original Gear S2 with new color options, namely platinum and rose gold. It features a circular UX and rotating bezel with a 1.2 inch Super AMOLED display protected by Gorilla Glass 3, 1.0 GHz dual-core processor, 4 GB storage, 512 MB RAM, accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, ambient light sensor, barometer, and a 250 mAh battery. For connectivity, it has Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi, and NFC; and for durability, it is IP68 certified dust- and water-resistant.
While the Gear S2 retails for PHP 13,490, the S2 Classic is priced at PHP 15,490. It is set to hit Philippine shelves by the end of March.