Samsung (OTCMKTS:SSNLF) is not in a great place at the moment.
Arch-rival Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) caught up to the company’s smartphone lead in China last year and now threatens Samsung’s position as the top global smartphone manufacturer. Earnings declined in 2014, with its mobile division — the biggest driver of Samsung’s profit — taking a big hit.
Last year’s Galaxy S5 was a sales disappointment and with Apple now offering big smartphones in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the upcoming Galaxy S6 is Samsung’s most critical product launch of the year.
Samsung is holding an event on March 1, as part of Mobile World Congress, the world’s biggest reveal of new smartphones. There, it’s expected to take the wraps off the new Galaxy S6,
In the lead-up to the big show, Samsung has been posting Galaxy S6 tease videos, while Galaxy S6 rumors have been flying. T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) is even getting in on the act, posting photos with the slogan “Six Appeal.”
Here’s what we expect to see Samsung showing off at Mobile World Congress.
Galaxy S6 Rumors: Finally, Metal
Samsung has been ripped repeatedly for its use of plastics. Polycarbonate — even when textured to look like leather — seems cheap in comparison to all-metal smartphones like the iPhone 6 and HTC One.
After the release of the metal Galaxy Alpha, expectations were set and the Galaxy S6 rumor mill kicked into gear.
Samsung’s own teaser videos appear to show a metal back on the Galaxy S6.
Expect the Galaxy S6 to finally end the complaints about cheap plastic smartphones. Samsung needs to outdo rival Apple, so the Galaxy S6 needs to set a new bar for premium, unibody metal design.
Galaxy S6 Rumors: Edge Display
A big surprise unveiled at Samsung’s September 2014 Unpacked 2 event was the Galaxy Note Edge, a premium phablet with a curved display that wrapped down over its left edge.
One of the most persistent Galaxy S6 rumors has Samsung introducing an Edge version of its flagship smartphone, this time having the display wrap around both sides.
It also seems likely that Samsung will up the display resolution of the Galaxy S6, with a QHD (2560 x 1440) Super AMOLED screen a good bet.
Samsung is expected to try winning photographers over from the iPhone camp. SamMobile got its hands on a supposed Galaxy 6 prototype and found it packing a powerful 20 MP camera with optical image stabilization. If true, the Galaxy S6 should be an excellent shooter and give the iPhone — long a favorite of casual photographers — a run for its money.
Galaxy S6 Rumors: Microsoft Onboard?
Read pretty much any Galaxy S5 review (including ours) and you’ll see complaints about bloatwear and a confusing, messy user interface.
One of the most intriguing Galaxy S6 rumors has Samsung addressing these issues by nixing its own Touchwiz apps.
That in itself would be big news, but if Gigaom is correct, the situation is much more interesting, with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) apps like Word and Outlook pre-installed on the Samsung Galaxy S6.
Microsoft mobile apps standard issue on an Android device? It could happen.
Galaxy S6 Rumors: No Snapdragon Inside
When it comes to Android flagship smartphones, QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is the CPU that rules the roost.
You’ll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon powering the HTC One M8, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) Nexus 5 and the Galaxy S5, to name just a few.
But the latest Snapdragon CPU has reportedly suffered overheating issues. Wanting to leave nothing to chance, it seems likely that Samsung will bypass Qualcomm and use its own chip expertise instead.
Expect the Galaxy S6 to powered by a Samsung Xynos CPU.
Galaxy S6 Rumors: Arrival Date and Price
Finally, the two big questions for anyone looking to snap up the new Galaxy S6 once it’s unveiled: When can we get it, and how much will it cost?
Phone Arena dug up an internal memo sent to Samsung employees indicating a vacation blackout between March 22 and March 30. There’s a good chance those dates correspond to a Galaxy S6 launch.
As for price, given its precarious position in relation to the iPhone, it seems unlikely that Samsung would try to price its new flagship smartphone higher than the traditional $649.
When it comes to the Edge version, all bets are off, though. The Edge version of 2014’s Galaxy Note 4 tablet added $125 to the base price tag, and with Apple charging extra for the iPhone 6 Plus, it’s plausible that a Galaxy S6 Edge could set you back $750 or more.
Stay tuned for our coverage of the Samsung event, including full details when the Samsung Galaxy S6 is official.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
