Samsung Galaxy S7: Leaked photo reveals lack of USB Type-C

With the Samsung Galaxy S7 teetering on a 21 February launch, it seems like pretty much every aspect of the new handset has leaked online. The latest is a photo from Weibo that purports to show the bottom of the Galaxy S7, including a micro-USB port.

The fact that Samsung is eschewing a new USB Type-C is causing upset in some quarters. Google’s Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P both feature a USB Type-C port, as does Microsoft’s Lumia 950 and 950 XL. While this trend led many to believe Samsung would bring the new connection standard to the Galaxy S7, this doesn’t seem to be the case. 

Elsewhere, Pio Schunker, senior vice president of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung, has been interviewed ahead of the company’s 21 February event. While he doesn’t give anything away about the Galaxy S7, he does hint at how Samsung intends to frame its products over the next year:

“You’re going to see a very big shift from us, because when we do talk about our products and features, they’re no longer going to be just the techs and specs that perhaps we’ve been guilt of previously. We’re going to talk about our products in the context of what they mean in your everyday life.”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=67TlhBKuphk

A new advert from Samsung Indonesia seems to put that emphasis in action. Posted on the company’s official YouTube channel days before the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7, the clip shows Indonesian archer Dellie Threesyadinda training with what looks to be a Samsung Galaxy S7 in tow.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=EHaxUZPyomg

The video, titled “Get Ready for #TheNextGalaxy”, shows off the upcoming handset’s wireless charging, synchronicity with the Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch, and water resistance in a rainstorm.

While there is no actual mention of the S7 in the clip, and the handset in the video does look a lot like the S6 Edge, it does bear a strong resemblance to a recent set of press renders showing the S7 and S7 Edge in three different colour options: silver, black and gold. 

The images have leaked courtesy of reliable tipster @evleaks, and the handset design certainly matches those seen in previous leaks. Whether these three will be joined by other colour options remains to be seen.  

Those pre-ordering the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S7 will get a Gear VR headset thrown in for free. That’s according to reports from Android World, which claims the pre-orders for the S7 and S7 Edge will start immediately after the announcement of the flagships on 21 February. 

There have previously been hints that Samsung is planning a VR push with its largest handset, with the trailer for the launch event prominently featuring a Gear VR.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3g3O94WALV8

Overall, it’s a smart move by the company. The imminent launch of the Oculus Rift has whipped VR hype into something of a frenzy, but many people won’t yet be ready to dish out £500 for a premium headset. Enter Gear VR and Galaxy S7 – an affordable VR stopgap tied to a very desirable phone. Saving £80 on the headset is a canny way to encourage pre-orders that stands to benefit both Samsung and the consumer.   

Samsung Galaxy S7: Everything you need to know

Official confirmation of the existence of a Galaxy S7 Edge will presumably happen on the 21 February during Samsung’s event ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. While invitations to the “Unpacked” event don’t specifically mention the Galaxy S7, the accompanying hashtag (#TheNextGalaxy) is pretty clear about what’s going to get talked about. 

As well as the invitation itself, Samsung has put out a brief trailer for the event. Intriguingly, the focus of the trailer looks to be the Samsung Gear VR. With the imminent release of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, it’s likely that Samsung will want to capitalise on the S7 as a viable alternative to those devices. If that’s the case, expect a lot of attention to be given to the phone’s display.

Samsung Galaxy S7 at a glance

• Samsung’s next Galaxy S handset

• 21 February 2016

• Around £599, but potentially around £539

Samsung Galaxy S7 release date

China Mobile, China’s major mobile carrier, has seemingly let the Samsung Galaxy S7-shaped cat out of the bag. In a roadmap for China Mobile’s next few months, presented at a recent event in China, a slide shared by the carrier is seen to include the S7 in the March column.   

Samsung is due to unveil the Galaxy S7 at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress (MWC), at the end of February. This would line things up nicely for the phone being in shops by March. MWC runs from 22-25 February, but Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S7 at a seperate press conference just before the event kicks off, on Sunday 21 February. 

Samsung Galaxy S7 price

The price of the next Galaxy S will largely depend on what Samsung pack into the slim handset, but we can make an educated guess based on previous prices.

With the Galaxy S5 launching at a price of £550 and the Galaxy S6 coming to market at £599, the Galaxy S7 could reasonably rise to around £650. However, we think that Samsung won’t jump so far forward, but instead hover around the £599 mark – or even boast a sub-£550 price tag.

Indeed, Chinese tech analyst Pan Jiutang claims that Samsung’s upcoming flagship handset could end up costing around 10% less than the Galaxy S6. If the rumour were true it would see the Galaxy S7 released in the £539 ballpark. We’ll take the murmurs with a pinch of salt, but it does like a good move for a company having to not only compete with Apple but also push its premium handset amongst a growing number of mid-level competitors.