Watch out, world: Samsung's Galaxy is about to soar into a whole new dimension.
After years of producing flagship phones that were more chintzy than sophisticated, Samsung is finally stepping up its game and going for a premium vibe with its new Galaxy S6. The Galaxy S6, set to launch on all major U. S. carriers on April 10th, trades the tacky plastic of yesteryear for a more elegant glass-and-metal approach.
We've been hearing about the phone and its brother, the curved-screened Galaxy S6 Edge, for a while -- but what are the devices actually like to use? I've got 'em both in front of me right now.
Here are the first things I've noticed as I've started to live with the phones:
The Galaxy S6 is different -- yet familiar.
My first thought upon opening the Galaxy S6's box and seeing the device was: Huh. This looks like a Samsung phone. With all the talk of the departure in design, part of me expected to see the S6 and have an immediate "whoa" sort of reaction -- a moment of, "Wait, Samsung made this?! " That wasn't the case.
The Galaxy S6 is different from past Samsung efforts, but it nevertheless looks just like a Special phone
And also you know exactly what? That isn't a poor thing. Samsung has handled to retain its unique visual identity while raising up the construction plus design of its item. The Galaxy S6 is certainly much a Samsung phone -- only elevated. It seems like what you may get if a Universe S5 somehow mated having an iPhone 4 (imagine that sex tape! ).
A glass-centric cell phone is nice -- yet it is also worrisome.
All of us appear to go through this particular same cycle every couple of years with glass within mobile design: First, it can "Hey, glass backs look good! " Then, six weeks later: "Wait -- cup is slippery, and this scratches and cracks very easily. Why did we perform this, again? " Fast-forward two and a fifty percent years, and the period repeats.
To be certain, its smooth glass as well as aluminum (yes, actual aluminum -- not really plastic masquerading as aluminum) frame associated with Galaxy S6 more sleek and high quality than any Samsung cell phone before it. The gadget really does make a good excellent first impression. Yet we've also been down this road before. No matter how much Gorilla putting into your glass, it can still glass -- plus if it falls away a table or away of your hand, it can inherently more prone in order to shattering than other components. And the proven fact that it can more slippery to keep does not help.
Cup backs are beautiful -- but not without their own downsides
The tradeoffs associated with beauty -- what may ya do? It's the bargain owners of Volvo phones will also be familiar along with, and it's hard to not consider when you 1st pick up the GS6. But damn, performs this point look good.
The Galaxy S6 Edge is interesting -- but I'm still asking if it's practical.
The Galaxy S6 Advantage can be quite much the exact same phone as the normal Galaxy S6, only the screen slopes subtly at both sides, creating a good unusual and striking look. It's futuristic-looking and -- from both a visible and a technological perspective -- pretty freakin' awesome.
Using the Edge with regard to a short time, though, I am not entirely convinced the curves are optimal with regard to function. Text that drops along the curved cup can be harder to see than if it had been on the flat surface, plus on-screen buttons and secrets that arrive at the sloping areas could be awkward in order to press.
The particular regular Galaxy S6 (left) next to the S6 Edge (right)
For right now, I'll say this: The particular Galaxy S6 Edge's style can be extremely eye-catching -- plus it's certainly quite amazing -- but eye-catching plus impressive don't necessarily imply practical. So we will see; maybe it's something I'll get accustomed to be able to after a while. The single thing I know for positive is that I'll want more time using typically the phone in my everyday life before I could say for sure.
This is usually only the start.
Typically the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge mark a important shift in Samsung's type and strategy -- in addition to there's far more to be able to explore with these gadgets than I could perhaps cover after just a day of using them. Software, cameras, performance, stamina -- we've barely begun to scratch the surface of what Samsung's latest smartphones are all about.
I'll be living with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge for the next several days in order to get a meaningful feel of what they're like to use in the real world. Stay tuned for my in-depth review in the days ahead -- and if you're jonesing for more GS6 chit-chat in the meantime, come hang with me on Google or Twitter.