Galaxy S7: What Features We’ll See in Samsung’s Next Smartphones

We look as some of the more plausible Galaxy S7 rumors as we wait for Samsung to disclose the features of its next-generation smartphones.

Samsung is expected to announce at least a few versions of its Galaxy S7 later this year. According to a recent leak, the company will unveil an S7 with the standard bezel, along with the Edge and Edge+ models. They will come with many of the same features, but the Edge+ is expected to have a slightly larger screen size, according to the reports.

Samsung won’t be following companies like Huawei and try to make a statement with display size. Instead, the company’s Galaxy S7 will come with a 5.1-inch screen, according to market chatter. The Galaxy S7 Edge will be slightly bigger, thanks to its curved sides. Only the Galaxy S7 Edge+ is expected to match the iPhone, delivering the same 5.5-inch screen found in the iPhone 6s Plus.

Samsung is going with two processors in its upcoming handsets. Customers will find the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, according to reports. In addition, Samsung will unveil an update to its own Exynos processor. Ultimately, which processor customers get will depend on where they live. In the United States, for instance, expect to get the Snapdragon 820. The Exynos will likely be made available in Samsung’s home country of Korea.

Following Apple’s lead, Samsung will deliver a variable touch force feature in the Galaxy S7. The feature would allow users to vary how hard they press down on the screen. Depending on the pressure, the software will respond with additional functions. Force touch is quickly becoming one of the more common features in high-end smartphones, and will more than likely come to the Galaxy S7.

Like the previous Galaxy S7 models, Samsung will offer Android in the new handset. The smartphone will likely run on Google’s latest Android version, Marshmallow, according to reports. In addition, Samsung is rumored to be overhauling its TouchWiz interface to make the software user experience a bit more appealing.

Those who care deeply about megapixels may be surprised to hear that Samsung is likely to go with a 12-megapixel lens in the Galaxy S7, rather than the 16-megapixel shooter in the previous model. However, the rumor mill says Samsung believes its new handset will deliver better picture quality by improving key features, like aperture.

Samsung made the controversial decision with the Galaxy S6 to nix the microSD slot that allowed for additional storage. Responding to consumer concern over that move, Samsung is rumored to be bringing back the slot in the Galaxy S7. It appears a microSD slot is more important than Samsung may have believed.

As noted, Samsung will announce all three new Galaxy S7 variants at the same time. That is a significant departure from what the company has done in recent years. Last year, for instance, Samsung unveiled the bezeled Galaxy S6 alongside the Galaxy S6 Edge but launched the Galaxy S6 Edge+ later in the year. Samsung now wants to get all versions out at the same time to appeal to the greatest number of customers.

There are countless other guesses on what the Galaxy S7 will come with. For one, there are rumors that it will have a USB-C port for fast charging. The smartphone may also launch with full water resistance, an iris scanner for better biometric security, and even a larger battery that could see it last for more than a dozen hours without any trouble.

The rumor mill can’t quite agree on when Samsung will announce the Galaxy S7 line. Although reports have been claiming for months that Samsung is planning to announce the smartphones at Mobile World Congress in February, a few recent reports said it was more likely to showcase the devices in January. With less than two weeks left in the month, however, chances are the device will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress and launch soon after.