Samsung has officially lifted the lid on its newest flagship smartphones – the much-leaked Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
Following the design cues of their predecessors, the two handsets keep a similar appearance to last generation, but with a few tweaks to the overall styling- such as reducing the overhang of the camera on lens.
The S7 Edge offers up a 5.5-inch display, while the regular S7 has a 5.1-inch panel HD panel. Both are Quad HD at 2,56o x 1,440 pixels.
Both handsets are also IP68 rated, meaning they’re water (and dust) resistant at a depth of up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes.
Perhaps even more excitingly, S7 models herald the return of the microSD card slot for Samsung’s flagship – the company had previously resisted including one due to it compromising the design, but is now using a combined SIM and microSD slot to solve this problem.
The battery has also been given a bump too, to 3,600mAH for the Edge model and 3,000 mAh for the regular version.
The rear-facing camera has a 12-megapixel sensor with 1.4-micron pixels, which Samsung says lets in 56 percent more light than the S6’s camera. It also has an f1.7 lens for yet more additional light.
Pretty much all of Samsung’s focus on the camera has been improving shots taken in low-light conditions, as this is where smartphones struggle the most. The company says it’s the first to use a dual pixel sensor (tech more often found in DSLRs) in a smartphone, allowing for a much faster autofocus and a smaller delay before the snap is captured.
On the software side of things, it runs Android Marshmallow with some of Samsung’s own custom tweaks. For the S7 and S7 Edge, there are new gaming-focused features – such as allowing for screen capture and sharing, and more control over gameplay options.
Samsung says both devices also include its Knox additional security features aimed at business users, as well as supporting Samsung Pay as it continues to roll out across the world this year. The company wouldn’t share specifics on exactly when it would roll out, but the UK, Spain, China, Singapore, Australia and Brazil are all on the roll-out list.
The S7 and S7 Edge go up for pre-order in the next few days, and will start shipping on March 11. In the US, Europe and select other countries, customers that pre-order either of the devices will get a VR headset included.
➤ Samsung
Read next: Samsung’s new S7 and S7 Edge look incredible, but I’ve been burned before
Xiaomi is bringing its mobile accessories to Europe
Speaking at the Mobile World Congress trade show yesterday, Xiaomi global VP Hugo Barra said the company will soon begin selling its mobile accessories online across Europe.
According to a report by CNET , the company is planning to l aunch a similar Miom store in the US . However, the company won’t be selling its phones in either store. Instead, it will sell accessories like headphones, earphones, power banks, and wearables such as the $13 Mi Band fitness tracker.
These stores will allow the company to get feedback on its current line of accessories, as well as upcoming products. Said Barra, “We increasingly see ourselves as a lifestyle brand.”
➤ As in US, Xiaomi’s Mi store in Europe will launch sans phones [CNET]
Ideal Gifts: Lost My Name is a personalized book to blow a kid’s mind
In the Ideal Gifts series, The Next Web team shares personal recommendations for gifts to give this holiday season.
Have you ever wondered what it’d be like if you had an entirely different name? Our names are such a big part of our identity – and they make little things like personalization so meaningful, especially for young children.
Earlier this year , I met with Lost My Name , a publishing startup that built a book generator based on your child’s name and/or address. It’s a unique concept that will blow your children’s (or kids at heart’s) minds.
Currently there are two options for books: One that adapts the storyline based on the recipient’s name (down to the way the name is spelled), and another that focuses on their hometown .
Both these things are deeply personal and contribute to a child’s memory as they grow up. The book will seem amazing to the kid reading it today, but will also provide that same wow when they revisit it again in 10 years and recall the very street they once lived on.
One book costs just $29.99 . But really, you can’t put a price on memories.
➤ Lost My Name