Both Samsung and LG will be announcing their 2016 flagships on February 21 at MWC 2016. Samsung is all set to unveil the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, while LG is expected to bring the LG G5, its successor to the critically acclaimed LG G4. Let's read a bit more about both the upcoming flagships.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxsy S7 Edge
We have already seen some leaks showing off the design of the Galaxy S7/S7 edge. Both of which are refinements which we have already seen with the launch of the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. Apart from that we also expect the presence of a microSD card slot this time around in both the devices.
We have also been hearing that there will not be a S7 Edge Plus variant, instead the S7 Edge will bear a larger display than the regular Galaxy S7. If we talk about design, Samsung doesn't need to change much as both the devices were among the best designed smartphones in 2015 with great ergonomics, even if they were a bit more fragile than previous Samsung offerings. But gone were the fauz leather and metal trims, replaced by the classic combination of real metal and glass.
If we come to specifications, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are expected to come in two variants running on Snapdragon 820 or Exynos 8890 processors with 4GB RAM, 32/64 GB onboard storage with a microSD card slot to expand storage.
Samsung is also expected to go with a 12MP camera sensor with f/1.7 aperture for better low-light performance and more details. We will see the return on Optical Image Stabilization here alongwith pro-mode in the camera. You will also get a 3000 mAh battery this time on the regular Galaxy S7, while the Edge variant will get a slightly larger 3600 mAh battery with fast charging over its USB type-C port. We have been hearing conflicting reports on the presence of a USB type-C port, but we will keep on digging further.
The Samsung Unpacked 2016 event is scheduled for 19:00 CET (11:30 PM IST) on Sunday.
LG G5
LG G4 was one of my favorite smartphones of 2015, and given that LG has found the right mix of features and excellent camera experience, the LG G5 is already on the right track.
If you have been keeping up with the rumors, the LG G5 is expected to come with a 5.3-inch quad-HD display with a ticker display akin to the LG V10 running on the Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor with 4GB RAM, 32GB onboard storage which would be expandable.
The LG G5 may also feature a "magic slot" which would allow for the battery to be removed and also expand storage even though LG is opting for a metal-unibody design here. LG may retain the same 16MP rear camera but in a dual-setup on the G5 as well, since even today the G4 has one of the best smartphone cameras out there.
Other expected specs include an 8MP front-facing camera, fingerprint sensor, dual-band WiFi support.
The LG G5 announcement will also take place on February 21 starting at 14:00 CET (6:30 PM IST).