MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge: where to buy it in the US?
With the Samsung Galaxy S6 and its even sharper-looking cousin, the Galaxy S6 Edge, fully announced and tested, the next question on everyone's mind is where to buy it in the US?
At MWC 2015, Samsung touted the global release date of April 10, but didn't lay out specifics on which American carriers would be launching the pair of phones on that day and which will come later.
However, all of the major post-paid networks and even a few pre-paid carriers simultaneously emailed TechRadar to let us know that they'd stock Galaxy S6 and, in some cases, the Edge version.
As more carriers and stores reveal their official availability and the cost, we'll update this page with exact release dates and prices down to the penny.
Post-paid carriers
No surprise, all four of the major US carriers picked up Samsung's newest flagship Android smartphone as well as its curved variant.
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular are proudly claiming that "the next big thing is almost here," but then immediately ask customers to stay tuned for more information, without a release date. "Six appeal" can be just a tease sometimes.
But if it's anything like the slightly staggered Samsung Galaxy S5 launch, these top-tier networks should be able to deliver the phone on its official release date or soon after. It's never been so long of a wait that you'd want to switch carriers.
Pre-paid carriers
Are long-term contracts not your thing? A few of notable American pre-paid carriers have also signed up to sell the Samsung Galaxy S6, but it may come well after the April 10 release date.
Cricket Wireless, for example, emailed us to say that it's coming, but "pricing, availability and further details will be announced at a later date."
In addition to Cricket Wireless, Boost Mobile and MetroPCS are also on board to sell the normal S6, yet their details are even more scarce.
Because there are no contracts involved and monthly fees generally start at $35, expect to pay in full for the phone. This could be why we're not seeing the more expensive Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in this space at the moment.
Physical stores
Samsung will be making a big retail push at its usual vendors including Best Buy where it has micro-stores set up within the electronics company's stores nationwide.
Other US retailers scheduled to carry the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge include Amazon, Target and, of course, Walmart.
More US stores and concrete prices will be added to this growing list, as Samsung's two smartphones are just hours old. We'll update this page as more becomes available from American carriers.
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Updated: MWC 2015: news and reviews from the biggest phone show of the year
MWC 2015 press day
MWC is quite possibly the biggest yearly event in the mobile world. At MWC 2014 for example we saw the Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and a plethora of other smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.MWC 2015 is expected to be every bit as big and there are plenty of rumblings of what might be on show. It's still only the press day, and we've already seen the launch of big-name handsets including the HTC One M9, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in Barcelona.
They are showstoppers on their own, but there are lots of other things going on in the mobile world too. Here's what we know so far.
Latest updates: It looks like the Sony Xperia Z4 and LG G4 will not be at MWC, but Microsoft could have big plans as it's announced a press conference.
- 10 reasons why the Galaxy S6 Edge is a better buy than the regular S6
- Material worlds: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5
- Samsung Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6
- Battle of the bruisers: HTC One M9 vs Samsung Galaxy S6
- Here's where you can buy the Samsung Galaxy S6
- Samsung brings better virtual reality to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge
- Samsung Pay emerges from the shadows to take on Apple Pay
- Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge bring back the premium look
- Hands on: Huawei Talkband N1
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S6
- Hands on: Alcatel Idol 3
- HTC One M9 vs HTC One M8
- Hands on with the HTC One M9
- We test out HTC's debut wearable, the HTC Grip
- HTC and Valve have joined forces in the name of virtual reality
- Huawei launches the most beautiful smartwatch yet
- Hands on with Huawei's Talkband B2
- Hands on: LG G Watch Urbane
- Hands on: LG G Watch Urbane LTE
HTC
Well, it's over, and what a show it was. Not only did HTC reveal the expected HTC One M9, complete with its dazzling design and 20MP snapper, but it also rolled out the HTC Grip, its debut wearable.
As the rumours had suggested, the Grip is all about fitness, and we've already taken it for a spin.
But that wasn't the biggest news of all - oh no. As a nice surprise, HTC announced it has partnered with Valve for a high-end virtual reality headset called the HTC Vive.
You might expect this to be a mobile affair, but the Vive is eschewing the smartphone in the name of high-powered VR, and we can't wait to wrap one around our faces.
Samsung
Samsung returned to MWC last year with a bang, launching the Galaxy S5 at the show after shunning it in 2013, opting instead for a standalone launch for its Galaxy S4.The Korean firm has launched two blockbuster mobiles at MWC 2015, and we've gone hands-on with them both. The Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge both impress in their own distinct ways and sport eye-catching, premium designs.
It also looks a lot like Samsung is working on a curved screened variant of its next flagship dubbed the Galaxy S Edge, so keep an eye out for that, as the bendy line on Samsung's invite strongly suggests it will be present.
Want more? Good, because rumblings about new tablets and a circular smartwatch have also been spotted in the run up to MWC 2015.
And let's not forget about Samsung's own mobile operating system, Tizen, which has finally seen its first handset go on sale in the form of the Z1 and we could see more in Barcelona.
Sony
It's looking increasing unlikely that we'll be seeing the Sony Xperia Z4 at MWC 2015, with multiple rumors now pointing to a launch later in the year.That's further supported by reports from Xperia Blog that Sony won't have a formal press conference at MWC.
Sony will have a booth at the show and we're bound to see something from the company.
For one thing we're due an update to the 10.1-inch Xperia Z2 Tablet, plus there's a chance we'll see another Android Wear smartwatch to join the SmartWatch 3 in Sony's ranks, and there's always the possibility of some new mid-range handsets.
LG
Another possible flagship? Well, no. Not by the looks of it. Like Sony, it appears LG will hold the launch of its LG G4 until later in the year, avoiding the flurry of announcements which will be made in Barcelona.Last year the LG G3 was launched at its own unique event in London, and with a potentially crowded line up of new devices at MWC it makes sense for the Korean firm to do its own thing afterwards.
LG has already launched three Android Wear smartwatches, and we got our hands on the LG G Watch Urbane and G Watch Urbane LTE in Barecelona. We'd say LG probably won't roll out another at the show - but we're not ruling it out completely.
Microsoft
Last year Nokia caused a storm at MWC by launching handsets running a heavily modified version of Google's Android operating system.The sad news is Nokia is unlikely to be at MWC 2015, and if it is its presence will be much, much smaller. On a positive note Microsoft will be taking over what was the Nokia booth, exuding all things Lumia and Windows Phone.
In fact it's doing one better, because as well as having a booth Microsoft has also announced a press conference for March 2.
There's not a huge amount of news regarding exactly what will be on show, but it's been a while since the flagship Nokia Lumia 930 was launched, so it's about time for a new hero for the Windows Phone brand.
Talk about a successor to the 41MP Nokia Lumia 1020 refuses to die down, so we'll be on the lookout for another powerful cameraphone too. Then again there are also reports that Microsoft won't bring out any major new hardware until later in the year.
So what will the press conference be about? Our guess is more Windows 10 for phones information, coupled perhaps with some mid-range or low-end handset announcements.
We're also hearing mutterings that Microsoft may be readying a new wearable which could be shown off in Barcelona.
Huawei
Huawei kicked things off with a handful of new devices, including the second generation of its fitness wearable, the Huawei Talkband B2. It also announced what is quite possibly the most beautiful Android Wear smartwatch yet.If you're more interested in tech that's bonkers rather than beautiful (or perhaps both), the Huawei Talkband N1 has been outed in the form of an innovative bluetooth headset that doubles up as a hippie necklace when not in use. Cool, man.
However it wasn't just about the wearables, as we got our hands on the new Huawei Y635 smartphone. It's cheap and cheerful, with a good spec to cost ratio.
Honor
The breakout brand from Chinese firm Huawei launched its impressive Honor 6 smartphone in the second half of 2014 alongside the entry level Honor 3C - and it's returning with three new devices at MWC 2015.
That's all the details we have for now, with the invite for the Honor press conference in Barcelona giving little else away. Prepare yourself for a trio of low cost, high spec handsets though.
Oppo, ZTE, OnePlus and others
You can be sure that the likes of Oppo and ZTE will be bringing their own arsenal of mobile devices to Barcelona and there will be plenty to see from the slightly more fringe players of the mobile market.TechRadar will be out in force at MWC 2015 to bring you all the latest as it happens, so make sure you bookmark this page.
MWC 2015: what we want to see
What would make MWC 2015 an amazing show for us? Plenty of new, innovative products that'll take 2015 by storm.Here's what we'd love to see in Barcelona between March 1 and March 5.
Second generation smartwatches
Technically we're probably already on at least the third generation of smartwatches, but they've only recently started to take off and we're certainly on the first generation of Android Wear devices.Those that have arrived so far are pretty good, but there's a lot of room for improvement and with the Apple Watch looming other manufacturers would do well to get truly polished products on the market before it launches.
So what specifically do we want? More smartwatches that actually look like a watch would be good, with circular displays like the Moto 360 and LG G Watch R, except less chunky and with smaller bezels than the G Watch R and without the cut-out on the Moto 360.
Longer battery life would be good too, as would higher resolution displays and more power, though it's unlikely we'll see all three in one watch any time soon. Just making them look good and removing the need to charge them every night would be a great start. Hopefully some such devices will turn up at MWC 2015.
HTC One M9
The HTC One M9 has officially launched at MWC 2015, and overall it has made a good first impression. After checking it out, TechRadar Phones and Tablets Editor Gareth Beavis described it as a "beautiful, well-crafted and powerful device".It wasn't all positive vibes though: the 20MP camera isn't the leap forward from the HTC One M8's snapper that we hoped it would be, and the display has a curious green tint compared to its predecessor. The HTC One M9 will be available to pre-order from March 9, and available to buy in-store and online from March 31.
Sony Xperia Z4
The Sony Xperia Z2 launched at MWC 2014 so we're fully expecting the Sony Xperia Z4 to launch at MWC 2015. Beyond that not a whole lot is known about it, but that hasn't stopped us coming up with a wish list.
Among the things we want to see is a QHD display, improved low-light camera performance, 4K video which actually works (big ask we know) and a refreshed design.
We'd be amazed if we got all that, but even some of it would make the Sony Xperia Z4 an exciting prospect.
A new Lumia flagship
Microsoft can call the Nokia Lumia 830 an 'affordable flagship' all it wants, but we're not fooled, it's a mid-ranger in flagship clothing. Even though the Lumia 930 only came out in July we're already feeling in need of a new flagship, perhaps because so few Windows Phone handsets are released in general.So whether it's the Lumia 1030 with a 6 trillion megapixel camera or the Lumia 940 with high-end performance we'd love to see something new.
While a new flagship is surely in the works we don't particularly expect to see it at MWC, more likely it will arrive later, but it would definitely be a highlight of the show if it did turn up.
Microsoft's wearable
There have been rumblings of a Microsoft wearable for a while now, though it's not clear whether it will be a full blown smartwatch or a wristband.Either way, we're excited to see it, especially as it's rumored to support Android and iOS as well as Windows Phone. That could be a big deal for anyone with no strong allegiance to a specific OS.
It's not clear when Microsoft's wearable will be arriving, so there's no reason to think it will be announced at MWC 2015, but that's likely to be just about its last opportunity before the Apple Watch launches, so you never know.
Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is one of the best slates outside iPad land, but come MWC it will be a year old and due a refresh, as Sony only released a compact slate with the Z3 moniker.
There's a good chance we will see a Z4 Tablet at MWC 2015 and there's also a good chance it will be more of the same, just more powerful and possibly even thinner than the already impossibly slim Z2 Tablet.
But what we really want to see is a better screen, as the 1200 x 1920 display on the Xperia Z2 Tablet just didn't cut it at a 10.1-inch size point. Get the screen sorted and Sony could have a real iPad Air killer, though by then it will be the iPad Air 2 it's competing with.
A premium Samsung flagship
There's a good chance that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S6 at MWC 2015, but we don't just want to see any old flagship, we want Samsung to really wow us and make up for the slightly muted response to the Galaxy S5.
Following on from the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and Galaxy Note 4 we're fully expecting the Galaxy S6 to at least have a metal frame, but hopefully Samsung will go further than that and make it all metal.
That's the main thing we want to see, but improvements to the screen, power, camera and battery would all be appreciated too.
Snapdragon 810
We're expecting the 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 to start making an appearance in smartphones next year and it would be great if some of them showed up at MWC 2015.It's designed to improve performance for everything from gaming to streaming 4K videos, all while delivering impressive battery life, so hopefully it will be a noticeable improvement over the Snapdragon 801 and even the Snapdragon 805.
Phones with 5+ gigabytes of RAM
Android L is 64-bit and it would be great to see some phones make the most of that. We might not even have 4GB of RAM in our handsets yet but with 64-bit there's support for a whole lot more than that, so maybe MWC will be where we see manufacturers start to break through the RAM ceiling and run wild with it.We probably won't, in fact we'd be surprised if we see 5GB of RAM in a phone before the tail end of next year at the earliest, but it's always possible.
Real innovation
With each passing year new devices get more powerful, bigger and occasionally smaller, depending on the trends of the time, but that's not enough, especially now that just about every smartphone seems to deliver solid performance anyway.For devices to stand out and more importantly for them to excite us they need to be bold and different but hopefully not gimmicky.
Finding that balance isn't always easy, we'd argue that the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge just about managed it while the HTC Desire Eye maybe didn't, but at least we're seeing companies try new things even when they don't always work. So more of that please at MWC.
- We've got a wish list for CES 2015 too.
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Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge come with Knox, Microsoft Apps
One of the minor announcements at today's Samsung Unpacked event was that the companyís new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge would be bundled with Knox, the company's own business security solutions.
The upgraded Knox offers, in Samsung's own words, defence-grade features for real-time protection from potential malicious attacks.
Gregory Wade, VP Samsung Knox, claimed that it offered the "best security on market" and would work out of the box by integrating with a much wider range of MDMs including BlackBerry, Airwatch and MobileIron amongst others.
Microsoft also on board
Samsung also quietly bundled Microsoft's Skype, Onenote and OneDrive applications with the new smartphones. All three are free and Microsoft even offered 100GB extra storage for two years.Other features that Samsung has integrated in the S6 to make it more appealing to a more affluent business audience include an enhanced fingerprint scanner, a reactivation lock and advanced tokenisation.
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MWC 2015: 10 reasons why the Galaxy S6 Edge is a better buy than the regular S6
Enter the spacephone
Samsung launching two phones at once, especially at MWC 2015, is an odd choice.This is mostly because the brand needs to make a big splash with the Galaxy S6, in a bid to convince the world it's still got a phone that people should buy.
So why bother confusing people with another phone, the Galaxy S6 Edge, with its dual-curved display but otherwise similar specs? Simple answer: because it's a much better phone. Let us tell you why you should fork out the extra cash to pick up the double-edged phone if you've decided to go Samsung this year:
1. It looks like a spacephone
Phones have really got to the point of not really needing much more power. Do we really need an octa-core processor? Do we all really do that much video editing on a smartphone?
So with that in mind, design is key, and the S6 Edge is a phone that will wow when you pull it out in the pub. It's a phone from the future that has all the specs you'd want.
2. A true edge to edge display
The amount of times I've discussed a phone's bezels is both dizzying and boring. The Galaxy S6 Edge is a great phone as it has an almost 'infinity pool' look as the edges fall away from each side.
This phone essentially has no bezels, and it looks really awesome as a result.
3. Bigger battery
Right, I know it's not much, given the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge only has a 2600mAh battery compared to the 2550mAh option on the regular S6, but that little bit extra is worth it.
I'm assuming the curved screen might take a little more power thanks to the extra processing and inputs from the edge, but given the S6 is already likely to be less impressive on battery drain than last year, I'd take any upgrade I could get.
4. Clever notifications
When you've got a new design to play with, the important thing to do is actually make it a little different.
And with the S6 Edge you get to assign a colour to your favourite contacts, so when the phone is flipped over the screen will glow to let you know who's calling, spilling a light across the table top to tell you your partner is after you, or your boss is desperately trying to get hold of that report.
5. Easy access to favourites
Your favourite people are there when you need them on most phones - but you need to hunt around to get to their contact information.
On the Galaxy S6 Edge you can simply swipe from the right anywhere in the phone to find the people that matter (and change the colour that appears when they ring too) as well as getting updates on when you've missed a call or notification from them.
6. Quick notifications
Samsung's done something clever with the new notifications menu on the phone, which should be ported across from the Note Edge.
This is clever in that it brings the notifications bar from the top of the phone to the side (although the standard Android shade will still remain) - this means you can see message previews and change music tracks on the fly without having to leave the main app.
7. It's thicker
The Galaxy S6 is a really well-designed phone in a number of ways, but it's a little on the thin side. The Galaxy S6 Edge is a tiny bit thicker thanks to having a slightly bigger battery, and as such it's a little easier to hold.
We're talking 0.2mm, so not really noticeable in most situations, but it does feel nicer in the hand. The extra depth does point to something: the S6 range could have been made a little thicker to accommodate a bigger battery.
8. The colours are better
The Galaxy S6 Edge has a range of colours, just like the S6. And both have the same pearlescent glow that changes subtly when the light hits it, giving a translucent, bejewelled effect that helps to improve the premium finish.
The colours on the S6 Edge are a little more alluring than on the S6, with the green in particular looking better on the Edge - it's the sort of gemstone appearance that can make all the difference for the phone buyer.
9. You're at the start of the future
There's a quiet glory to being an early adopter. It's that feeling that, when something spreads and becomes the norm, you feel like you were there at the start, one of those that helped start the trend.It's like having one of the massive MP3 players before the iPod, or picking up an Atari and making the home into a gaming arena. It shows you were smart and knew when the fashions were coming... and there's a lot to be gained from being early in a trend as it helps you work out how it fits into your life.
That's assuming the curved screen does become a thing... it might go the way of 3D TV. But still...
10. It's a spacephone
Screw the fact that curved screens might not take off. Screw the fact this is the second time this point is in the list. There are so many phones that are the same out there that something a little bit different needs to be properly applauded.It's like virtual reality - yes, it doesn't really make a lot of sense right now, it's expensive and there's not a lot of content for it. But it's awesome.
And there's no REAL reason for a curved phone just yet, other than it looks really cool. If your mate gets an S6 and is showing it off and you have the S6 Edge... there's no doubt who the winner will be. The spacephone.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5
New Galaxy flagships generate almost as much interest as new iPhones, so it's fair to say that there was a lot of hype around both the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 before their announcements.
With its conservative design and bloated feature set the Galaxy S5 perhaps didn't live up to the hype, but it was still a top tier flagship and even now, a year on, it's not a terrible phone with a price tag that's creeping ever lower.
Samsung couldn't afford a similarly muted response for its next flagship though, so it's packed the Galaxy S6 full of premium materials and cutting edge tech - and could have delivered the defining phone of 2015.
Power
Samsung never skimps on power with its flagships, so we're not surprised that the Galaxy S6 is a beast. What is surprising though, or would have been if it wasn't so heavily rumoured, is that it uses an in-house Exynos 7420 processor rather than a Snapdragon one.
That might not be a bad thing though, as it's 64-bit, octa-core and promises a whole lot of power. It's also paired with a meaty 3GB of RAM, so the Galaxy S6 is set to be one of the best performing phones around.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 inevitably uses older tech, but it was every bit as impressive at launch, with a 2.5GHz quad-core 32-bit Snapdragon 801 processor.
While that's a little dated and not equipped to make the most of the 64-bit support that Google's put in to Android Lollipop (which the Galaxy S6 ships with and the S5 is upgradeable to), it's still more than enough to deliver slick performance.
Design
With a metal frame and glass back the Samsung Galaxy S6 has a more premium build than perhaps any Samsung phone before it.It's the first time a Galaxy S flagship has ditched plastic in favour of something more fitting and it looks all the better for it, though in making the move it's sacrificed a removable battery and microSD card slot.
Those have always been two big selling points of Samsung phones and they're two things offered by the Samsung Galaxy S5, which has a relatively unimpressive plastic body.
It may not look great but it's IP67 certified dust and water resistant and its pock-marked battery cover is easy to get a firm grip on, so at least you shouldn't drop it.
Screen
The Samsung Galaxy S6 has a ludicrously sharp 5.1-inch QHD 1440 x 2560 display, which is an improvement on the 5.1-inch 1080p display of the Samsung Galaxy S5.Whether it will make much practical difference is hard to say and all those extra pixels are bound to hurt battery life, but if you want one of the sharpest screens around the Galaxy S6 has you covered.
Both handsets have Super AMOLED screens, so with either of them you can expect bright, rich, vibrant images that put many other smartphone displays to shame.
The colours aren't always quite as natural as they could be, but Samsung has tuned its displays to the point where they're not far off now. In our early look, the S6 certainly had a decent colour palette, although worries remain about whether the screen can stay bright enough with so many pixels blocking the way.
Camera
Samsung tends to equip its flagships with pretty good cameras and the Galaxy S6 looks set to continue that trend as it has a 16MP snapper with optical image stabilisation (OIS).
OIS is still a relative rarity on smartphones, but it's a feature that's worth highlighting when it does show up, as it compensates for camera shake to help ensure images come out sharp, even in low light.
Beyond that its camera is also designed to function in ultra low light conditions, so you can live your dreams of being a night-time photographer.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 on the other hand has a 16MP camera but no OIS, so while it's no lower on megapixels, but it's not as well equipped to cater for shaky hands and dark environments. It's far from bad though; in fact in our review we found it both competent and powerful.
What it doesn't have is the new 'double tap the home button' to activate the camera from anywhere in the phone on the Galaxy S6 - and that opens up in 0.7 seconds. Super speedy.
Battery
Surprisingly the Samsung Galaxy S6 only has a 2600 mAh battery, which is actually smaller than the 2800 mAh juice pack in the Samsung Galaxy S5.
Combined with the fact that the S6 doesn't have a removable battery that sounds like a recipe for disaster, with the S5's unit is still up there with the best.
Perhaps Samsung has optimised things well and the Galaxy S6 power use won't be too far behind, especially when coupled with Ultra Power Saving Mode, a feature found on both handsets, which does its utmost to keep your phone alive.
Plus when it does run low the Samsung Galaxy S6 supports fast charging, so you won't be waiting around all day for it to get juiced up again.
One key battery feature the S6 has over the S5 is the ability to wirelessly charge - and it can do it on either standard, meaning if there's a pad that lets you charge your phone without wires, your Galaxy S6 can suck juice from it.
Key features
The Samsung Galaxy S6 sports a completely new design, with a metal and glass build that's more high-end than any previous Galaxy S flagship.The relatively cheap build of previous Samsung flagships has long been a mark against them and Samsung has finally remedied that here.
It's also made improvements to the fingerprint scanner that it introduced on the Galaxy S5, replacing the swipe-based system with one which simply requires you to place your fingertip on the sensor, much like Apple's Touch ID. This should make it more accurate and more useful.
Samsung threw a whole bunch of new features at the Galaxy S5, including a fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor, download booster and a selective focus option for the camera, allowing you to refocus images after taking them.
Some of these functions are better than others but there's no denying it's a feature-packed phone.
Many of its features have been carried over to the Galaxy S6, but it also has a microSD card slot, a removable battery and a water and dust resistant build, all three of which are lacking from the Samsung Galaxy S6.
Verdict
Samsung seems to have taken a considered approach to the Galaxy S6, finally doing something about the build to deliver one of its sleekest, most premium handsets yet, while upgrading the camera and processor and surprisingly even cutting out some features, such as a microSD card slot.It's undeniably an impressive handset, but the removal of features means the Samsung Galaxy S5 could still be a tempting choice for many buyers, especially as it will be cheaper.
The design and build hardly impress but despite being a year old it's still a powerful handset with a competent camera and strong battery life.
- Sony's got a new flagship on the way soon.
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MWC 2015: HTC One M9 vs Samsung Galaxy S6
The waiting is over, and the two much-anticipated flagship phones of 2015 have been unveiled. But how do they stack up against one another? We take a look at the latest offerings from HTC and Samsung.
Both HTC and Samsung find themselves in a similar position: needing their new flagship phones to make a big splash in the market. The HTC One M9 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 have a lot riding on their respective shoulders, as their manufacturers look to wrest some of the market profits back from Apple.
HTC wants to keep trending upwards after a few years of dismal losses, and Samsung is in danger of sliding the same way if the Galaxy S6 isn't a big success.
Against that background, HTC and Samsung have thrown everything they can at these new phones. They're just about the best smartphone technology these two companies can come up with right now - but do either have what it takes to leave a lasting impression?
Power
The latest and greatest mobile chip - the 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 - sits snugly inside the HTC One M9, so it shouldn't be lacking in the power department, whether you're playing FPS games or playing 4K video. That's combined with 3GB of RAM, making this one of the most powerful phones on the planet.
Over in the Samsung corner, the Galaxy S6 eschews the Snapdragon route for its own 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7420 processor (although that's still to be confirmed from the South Korean brand). Couple that with 3GB of RAM and you've got a handset that, on paper, pretty much outspecs even the impressive M9.
There's good news for fans of a good, streamlined OS, as Samsung's TouchWiz take on Android now comes with fewer apps installed and a much cleaner interface, leaving you to enjoy all the features of Lollipop without distraction.
HTC has opted for Android 5.0 Lollipop too, with its own Sense 7.0 UI on top, which comes with a clever contextual widget to rearrange your apps depending on whether you're at work, home or out and about.
Design
There are few surprises from HTC as far as the design of the HTC One M9 goes: it looks a lot like last year's M8, at least from a distance. The full metal uni-body appears again after working so well last time, though overall the handset is a little shorter and fatter than the 2014 edition.
Samsung, in contrast, has shaken things up by fitting the Galaxy S6 with metal sides and a glass back. The appearance is along the lines of the S5, but the materials feel much more premium. There's a thinner bezel than last year's model but no waterproofing and no removable battery.
If you're wondering which one you'll like the look of most, you can use last year's flagships as guidelines, as well as the new shots from MWC.
Screen
HTC has chosen a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel screen for the One M9, which puts it some way behind the spec of the display on Samsung's flagship. It doesn't look as far behind as you might imagine though, thanks to some clever use of LCD technology to boost the colours and contrast ratio.
With its Super AMOLED, 5.1-inch 1440 x 2560 pixel QHD screen the Samsung Galaxy S6 has one of the best and brightest displays around - even punching up to 600 nits of brightness when outdoors (which, in non-display speak, is super bright).
The screen on the S5 was excellent in all departments and we're expecting this to be even better. For something a little different, there's the Galaxy S6 Edge of course.
We've been fans of Samsung's Super AMOLED technology for a while now, but it's how the screens look in reality that really matters, rather than how the specifications look on paper - and to our eyes, the S6 just shades it thanks to that jaw-dropping clarity.
Camera
With the One M8, HTC focused on image quality rather than megapixel count, but this year it's slapped a heavy-duty 20MP snapper around the back of the One M9. Last year's 4MP UltraPixel lens appears around the front.Samsung doesn't quite match that spec, but our early tests show that the optimised 16MP snapper of the S6 is far superior than HTC's Sony-powered effort - although HTC assures us an improvement is coming there.
The inclusion of optical image stabilisation technology should help minimise camera shake, plus the new Pro mode added to the camera software is likely to make for an improvement in quality too.
Not much to separate the two flagships in terms of specs then, but it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S6 has just edged it in practice.
Battery
The size of a smartphone's battery isn't the be all and end all as far as battery life goes, but it certainly helps. The HTC One M9 sports a 2800mAh battery, which is a step up from the 2600mAh cell inside the One M8. Last year's model did pretty well in our battery benchmarks so we're expecting big things from this year's larger size.As for Samsung, it's gone for a 2550mAh battery in the Galaxy S6. That's a smaller battery than the one sported by the Galaxy S5, and even the one in the HTC One M9, but we'll have to wait and see what software and power efficiency tricks Samsung has got up its sleeve before offering a final judgement.
With that QHD screen to power though, things could get dicey for Samsung if the battery isn't perfect.
Key features
Aside from the looks and specs of the HTC One M9, its Dolby sound improvements, delivering virtual surround sound both with and without headphones is worth mentioning (despite not really being able to hear much improvement through standard YouTube clips.The all-metal uni-body (available in gold as well as silver) is perhaps the most distinctive feature, though it's a shame the screen hasn't been upgraded to QHD.
The Samsung Galaxy S6, meanwhile, has a fingerprint scanner that's said to be an improvement on the one on board the Galaxy S5 - it can apparently be activated with a tap, iPhone-style, rather than a swipe. Other than that, the screen is the feature we're most excited about.
Verdict
It's too early to know how well they'll sell, but these are two very impressive phones on paper. Both handsets offer a sleek and well-finished design, though the 1080 x 1920 HD screen of the HTC phone is some way short of the 1440 x 2560 one sported by the Samsung.Don't forget that fewer pixels means better battery life though, and with the 2800mAh cell inside the HTC One M9 this could be one area where the HTC model outshines the Samsung. We'll have to wait for the benchmark results to know for sure.
Apart from the display resolution there's not much to split these flagship smartphones, so let the looks do the talking and decide whether you prefer the raw power of Samsung's best or the smooth craftmanship of HTC's finest. Both are amazing phones, so neither will see you angry at your choice.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6
The future of Samsung's smartphone department may well hang on the Galaxy S6 that it's just unveiled in Barcelona at MWC. But let's be honest, all people care about is one thing: is it better than the iPhone 6?.
Samsung's flagship Galaxy phones may sell in decent numbers, over the years but overall the company continues to struggle to make money from its smartphones, partly down to a lack of critical success with its plastic designs.
Apple, meanwhile, has just announced the most profitable quarter in history - from any business, ever - on the back of iPhone sales that exceeded 74 million for the last three months of 2014.
Into this fray steps the Samsung Galaxy S6: a beautiful handset that combines the best tech with a sumptuous design. Is it going to be enough to help tip the balance back in Samsung's favour? We put the two handsets head-to-head to see which one comes out on top in all of the key areas.
Power
When it comes to internals, Samsung has (reportedly - we're still waiting for confirmation) opted for its own 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7420 processor after production quality concerns about the Snapdragon 810 (which we may still see further down the line).The Exynos 7420 brings a lot of grunt to the phone, and paired with 3GB builds up a pretty impressive picture. In terms of raw power and multitasking the Galaxy S6 should be able to take everything that's thrown at it.
Samsung's TouchWiz-flavoured version of Android Lollipop benefits both from the removal of a bunch of so-so Samsung apps and the slimming down of the overall interface to make everything a little slicker.
Apple, meanwhile, has its own proprietary 64-bit 1.39GHz dual-core A8 processor and 1GB of RAM.
On paper that leaves Samsung way ahead but we know that the care and attention that Apple puts into its melding of hardware and software means the handset can keep up with the best - just look at Infinity Blade III.
It's not quite as bleeding fast as Samsung's new flagship but it won't be eating its dust either.
Then there's iOS 8.1, an operating system that continues to duke it out with Android for the number one crown in the world of mobile OSes. There's not much to choose between them, nowadays, though iOS remains the slightly more polished and less customisable option - as it pretty much always has been.
Design
Samsung hasn't completely thrown away the Galaxy blueprint with the S6, but there's a lot more use of premium materials here: primarily the metal sides and the glass back.It's a real looker as far as it's appearance goes, and it's an improvement on the Galaxy S5 which had a vaguely cheap and low-end feel to it. The bezel size has been reduced too, though there's no removable battery and the waterproofing has been ditched.
Then there's the iPhone 6, another gorgeous-looking phone that's really benefitted from a design overhaul since the iPhone 5S appeared on the scene. It's remarkably thin at just 6.9mm and everything about it feels well made.
The all-metal back adds a real feeling of quality to the hand and Apple still probably just edges it in terms of design - beauty is always in the eye of the beholder though, so you can make up your own mind.
Now, here's the thing: far be it from us to say that Samsung's been looking at the iPhone 6 when it comes to design, but the speaker dock being moved to the bottom and the rounded rim do look reminiscent of something...
Screen
Samsung is pulling no punches with the display of the Galaxy S6: it has again gone for a Super AMOLED screen, measuring 5.1 inches diagonally and cramming in 1440 x 2560 pixels.That makes it one of the best mobile phone screens around at the moment (and for something a little different you can always try the S6 Edge) - with a eye piercing 577 pixels per inch.
Apple is still refusing to push too hard when it comes to screen size and resolution. The iPhone 6 sports a 4.7-inch display running at 750 x 1334 pixels (a pixels-per-inch of 326).
It remains a top-notch display, even if it lags behind Samsung on paper, but this is one area where Apple's competitors are starting to stretch ahead. Next year's iPhone has to have a full HD screen at least, we would think.
This is one of the areas that Samsung is so, so far ahead of the iPhone. It's got more colour, better resolution, a bright display and a larger screen all in a package that's barely bigger than Apple's smartphone - surely Apple has to step up its game soon?
Camera
Samsung is boldly promoting the photo-taking capabilities of the Galaxy S6, which features a 16MP camera, optical image stabilisation technology and a new Pro mode all designed to make your snaps the best that they can be."Find clarity in darkness" was the message of one of Samsung's promotional tweets for the S6, so we're expecting its camera to perform well in low light when we finally get our hands on it.
In terms of raw specs the iPhone doesn't look as impressive but we know that Apple's handset has long been one of the standard-bearers for mobile phone photography.
The camera is rated as an 8MP snapper but the internal optics have been upgraded and it's capable of some outstanding shots in all kinds of conditions. Proprietary technology labelled Focus Pixels and that low pixel count mean shutter speed is very fast too.
The Samsung has more camera smarts, and the 0.7 second start up time when double tapping the home button is a real step forward. Both cameras are brilliant for pictures though, with Samsung's likely a little more sensitive in low light - plus with a better 5MP front facing camera.
Battery
Samsung has gone for a 2550mAh battery in the Galaxy S6, which is something of a surprise considering last year's Galaxy S5 featured a 2800mAh one.However, it's not all about battery size - power use and efficiency are very important too - so we'll have to investigate just how this affects battery life when we get the phone in for a full review.
Battery life has been something of an Achilles' heel for iPhones down the years, and the iPhone 6 comes with a 1810mAh battery.
Battery life is still adequate enough - indeed we found it to be an improvement on previous models when we tested it - but when you compare it to the competition there's room for concern. Even with its more power-thirsty screen, the Samsung is likely to last longer in use.
Key features
Fortunately, the Samsung Galaxy S6 features an upgraded fingerprint scanner that only requires a tap rather than a swipe, so securely logging into the phone should be much easier than it was on the Galaxy S5.
Apart from that feature, it's all about the display and the design of the S6, an impressive all-round package that carries the hopes of Samsung's smartphone division.
Over in the iPhone corner there is of course Touch ID, not without its faults but very reliable most of the time. It's undoubtedly the best iPhone ever made - or at least joint first with the iPhone 6 Plus - and marries together excellent design with smooth performance.
Let's not forget the quality of the whole ecosystem either, from Mac OS X compatibility to the strength of the content offered on iTunes.
Verdict
Trying to compare the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Apple iPhone 6 isn't an easy task, as there are so many factors to take into consideration (not least TouchWiz Android vs iOS). Everyone will have their own opinion on the designs of the two phones, but from where we're sitting they're about equal in the looks department.Samsung wins bragging rights in terms of raw specifications, from the battery size to the screen resolution to the number of megapixels served up by the camera - with the display probably the biggest disparity between the two.
Apple, though, has produced a phone that sets the standards in terms of stability, app choice and photo taking, so it's not quite as straightforward as comparing spec against spec. It's a tough one to call - do you prefer the rugged ecosystem of Apple, combined with a strong smartphone, or the brilliant design and power combo from Samsung?
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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Mediatek takes fight to Apple with groundbreaking mobile CPU
Chinese chipset designer Mediatek used MWC 2015 to unveil a powerful new system-on-chip, the MT8173, which is based on the ARM Cortex-A72 architecture.
The latter was only announced last month by the British technology company but we can reveal that Mediatek and ARM have been working on the project for nearly a year, according to sources within the company.
Mediatek has also confirmed that the chip has already started shipping to select customers and that products based on the MT8173 will be available in the second half of 2015.
The company had a working reference smartphone and reference tablet at its press briefing earlier today. Hardware-wise, it packs two A72 and A53 cores in a big.LITTLE architecture and clocked at up to 2.4GHz.
Better than Apple's?
One particularly interesting tidbit in the presentation pitched the MT8173 against Apple's A8X, its most powerful system-on-chip that powers the iPad Air 2.According to Mediatek, the MT8173 has a higher SPECint 2000 rating than Apple's; that benchmark, though not popular, is used frequently among engineers.
When it comes to graphics performance, it integrates an Imagination PowerVR GX6250 GPU which is no match for the GXA6850 that Apple's top-of-the-range tablet sports.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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MWC 2015: We're live in Barcelona for Samsung's big Galaxy S6 launch
19.15 Let's do a little wrap up:
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S6 review
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge release date, news and features
- Samsung Galaxy S6 - all you need to know
- Samsung Galaxy S6 release date: where can I get it?
- Samsung supercharges virtual reality
- Samsung Pay arrives to try and destroy Apple Pay
Look at all that stuff! Loads of it, mate. All you could want to know. BYE!
19.13 The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will be on sale from April 10, with accessories and all that on sale too. No word on price though, despite it being outed as 32GB, 64GB and 128GB flavours.
19.12 Watching the adverts now. The two phones will be shown off together... that's interesting. I really wish the Edge would do better in sales. It's awesome.
19.10 That was short. Unpacked is wrapping up now. Samsung certainly has done something to put the spectre of the horrendous S4 launch in New York to bed.
Man, that was horrible.
19.09 Hearing about how secure this phone is. Samsung Knox is on the menu. It's two thumbs up from top government agencies with high standards of mobile standards security - I bet our TechRadar Pro editor Desire Athow is going to have something to say about this.
19.07 To enable security, there's no card information on the phone itself, or with Samsung. It's going to be with Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Starting this summer in US and South Korea.
It will be accepted by 'far and away' more merchants than any other offering. 'Getting mobile payments right'.
I bet Apple isn't bothered... a phone being able to mimic magnetic stripes is confusing. People aren't going to like that.
19.05 Onto payments now: NFC is not universally accepted - it limits you to less than 10% of merchants in the US, for instance. So Samsung Pay lets you pay anywhere that accepts credit, debit or NFC cards.
Can't do chip and pin though, can it?
19.04 The S6 camera is always on, so double click the home button and it turns on in 0.7 seconds.
This is a little worrying - no matter how good the effects are. This phone only has a 2550mAh battery... that efficiency had better be frickin' brilliant.
19.02 Optical image stabilisation is back again - and we're comparing to the iPhone 6 Plus' OIS too. It's a big difference, but making this much of a deal about how much better than the iPhone is dangerous.
There was a comedy moment here when Samsung tried to show that its video HDR mode was super bright compared to the iPhone 6 Plus. Except the video stuttered. Erm....
19.00 Samsung is, once again, excited about its new phone. 'The key challenge is creating a camera that excels in all lighting conditions'.
It's got a really bright f1.9 lens, and that's good. Auto HDR is good. But this is stuff from a couple of years ago Samsung. Although the real time HDR isn't... apart from last year on the S5. Just not on the front.
In fairness, the front and back cameras are the same power in terms of aperture. 5MP on the front, 16MP on the back.
18.59 It's camera time... again. Oh, the quality of it.
18.58 Talking about the non-removable battery - said it resisted as it wanted to make sure it could do it properly, that everyone could charge easily.
And wireless charging - on both standards - is built right in so no matter what cafe you're in you'll be able to charge your phone.
18.57 Samsung has made the industry's fastest charging phone - 10 minutes for up to 4 hours of every day use. Takes half the time of the iPhone 6.
THEY SAID THE iWORD! WHAT.
18.56 A new Gear VR: for both the S6 and S6 Edge. Shame the original won't work with it. You could hear the applause was pretty muted then.
People are grumpy.
18.55 The S6 and S6 Edge have next gen displays, according to old Justin. 77% more pixels than the Galaxy S5! So many pixels! How exciting!
18.53 Justin Denison on stage now to talk about the chipset in the phone - 14nm technology sounds boring, but it means 20% faster performance, and 35% more efficient than the Note 4's chip.
The RAM speed is massively faster, and the new Flash Storage will use less power and be quicker too. It means lag is less likely to happen - although this is Samsung, and I've heard these things before.
18.51 People are clapping a lot here for... well... nothing. This bit is cool though: the Edge, when flipped, will glow on the sides of the screens with a different colour for each of your favourite five contacts. Place your finger on the heart rate sensor and it will send a pre-loaded message.
We suggest 'leave me alone, I don't love you any more'.
18.50 Camera controls now. Labels on the icons is apparently massive. Seems like Samsung has just added words to pictures. Hyun just shouted about that one.
18.49 The lag or juddering is gone, we're hearing. They are a lot faster under the finger, that's true. Samsung's own chip certainly helps inside these phones.
18.48 Hyun Yeul Lee from the UX team is on stage now. Spoiler alert, Samsung is going to pretend its stripped TouchWiz right down. It hasn't really. Just fewer menus, moved icons into text, and flattened icons.
18.46 We're hearing about how amazed people were at Samsung when they heard about the colours on the back. Gorilla Glass 4 is on the scene as well - the toughest in the market, and the metal in the Galaxy S6 is 50% stronger than other phones on the market.
'I know that this phone will not bend'. OMG APPLE ZING.
People are going to bend these phones.
18.45 Payment options through Samsung Pay, an all new VR headset for the phones - but it's good to see that Samsung is just chatting about how good looking the phone is. That's what people need to think about this phone.
18.44 Samsung keeps calling these the most advanced phones in the world. Given the spec list, I'm inclined to agree.
18.41 Here's everything you need to know about the new phones:
- Samsung Galaxy S6 release date, news and features
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge release date, news and features
18.38 JK Shin is holding the curved Edge version, not the S6. That's interesting. He's saying that 'nobody else can match' what Samsung has done.
18.37 There's a massive cacaphony about the new phone on stage now. They just showed the end of the phone. It looks like an iPhone.
The S6 Edge is getting the bigger applause here. And it should. It's a Space Phone.
18.35 He sounds a bit apologetic for what's gone on in the past. 'Some companies set themselves apart in design, some in terms of practicality. People want both.'
Why haven't you done it then, Samsung? Luckily the S6 has actually made the Galaxy range look good.
18.34 JK Shin is on stage - he's telling us that the whole thing is new, that the philosophy at Samsung is amazing. Relentless innovation.
He just made a great joke: "I might not be the best public speaker, but that's because my first language is engineering."
18.30 It's only everything you need to know about the new phones - the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge are here.
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S6 review
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy S6 review
18.27 We're all pretty clued up on what's going to come in a few minutes - but a few question marks remain. Will it be the S Edge or S6 Edge? Waterproof? MicroSD? Tiny battery? WHO KNOWS.
Probably Samsung, thinking about it.
18.25 T-Minus 5 minutes. Just a cheeky copy and pasted reminder to berate me for the awful coverage over on@superbeav... or @techradar if you want to complain directly to the bosses.
18.18 Those that were here for HTC One M9 live blog will be saddened to know we've not been contacted by Anna Kendrick's people to give her opinion on the new phones.
I've not given up hope though.
The sun is shining, the birds are out, and we're drowning under a pile of smartphones and caffeine tablets in the biggest exhibition hall known to humans. Yes, we're back in Barcelona for MWC 2015.
It's set to be another stonker, but as usual it's Samsung that's trying to steal the headlines. It's gearing up for the launch of the Galaxy S6 and possibly a curvier S6 Edge too.
Expectation are high for the big S, following months of leaks, rumours and speculation surroundings its new phones. Can it deliver a titan flagship for 2015? Will the Edge have, well, the edge over the S6? Does anyone even want three displays?
All of these burning questions are soon to be answered, and we'll be bringing you all the news as it breaks. So keep an eye on this live blog as we'll be updating live from Samsung's Unpacked conference on Sunday March 1 at 17:30 GMT/9:30 PST.
- Everything else going down at MWC 2015 this year (spoiler alert: there's quite a lot)
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MWC 2015: Samsung brings better virtual reality to the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge
Samsung tested the virtual reality waters with the launch of Gear VR for the Galaxy Note 4, and clearly it's keen to keep pushing forward in this area: it's launching a new Gear VR Innovator Edition for both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.
The new headset will work much the same as the Note 4-fitting variant, but has been designed to be compatible with the 557 ppi display of Samsung's new smartphone duo.
The device, a collaboration with Oculus VR, will make use of the phones' 5.1-inch Super AMOLED displays, smaller than the Note 4, meaning a denser, less pixelated screen. That also means a 15% reduction in the overall size of the headset.
The field of view is still 96 degrees, but the 14nm Exynos Octacore means better performance, while Samsung now lets you power the device when in use via the USB.
- All the action from MWC 2015
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Hands-on review: MWC 2015: Huawei Talkband N1
If you've ever looked at a pair of headphones and wondered if you could turn them into a hipster necklace if only they were stuck together somehow, then boy does Huawei have the alternative headset for you.
For everyone else, it might take a bit of time to adjust to the fascinatingly bonkers Huawei Talkband N1, a bluetooth headset/wireless microphone/fitness accessory that can live around your neck in its downtime.
A simple wire between the two chunky but not unattractive headphones means that when you are not using them you can stick them together with magnets in the earpieces and turn them into a necklace that looks amazingly like two chunky (but not unattractive) headphones stuck together with magnets.
Okay, so you've rumbled us - we think the style conceit is a little silly, but it could prove surprisingly functional for those people who have finished their run and need their hearing back but don't have a pocket in their spandex outfit.
And for those that want bluetooth in-ear headphones but are scared of losing them then a necklace is also not the world's worst idea.
We couldn't try any actual sound with the headsets, not least because a press showcase in Barcelona is not the most sanitary of places, but Huawei are confident that the E117 pricetag has allowed them to give you something that sounds comparable to the likes of Sennheiser.
Continuing the exercise theme, the Talkband N1 is IP5-level water and dust proof (ie don't swim or take on a sandstorm in them) and should keep that troublesome sweat from damaging it.
Stats-wise, there's a purported 4.5 hours of talk time or 7 hours of music - which can be kept in the 4GB of onboard storage. It will take two hours to fully charge and has noise reduction for both the mic and the headphones.
Last, but not least it comes in three colours silver, gold or (a very pinkish) red - so when you are looking for your necklace you can match to your heels. Or something.
Host and former Blue Peter TV show presenter Zoe Salmon told us she thought the Talkband N1 was 'the new diamonds' which we hope is a joke and certainly justified her salary, but this is an interesting and novel new offering from a company that's showing a promising glint of innovation.
Just make sure you wipe off the earwax before you start sporting it as a necklace.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge bring back the premium look
Samsung's launched the phones we knew it would at MWC in Barcelona, with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge landing precisely as predicted.
The big news is the design: the 'standard' Galaxy S6 is clad in a metal unibody that offers a higher-end finish than the recent A Series, due to it adding glass to the front and back.
The Galaxy S6 Edge is slightly different in that it has a 'dual curve' screen that bends down at the edges of the phone, giving new options for the display with tactile elements for hitting up your favourite contacts and control music without disturbing your main app.
The same differences
Apart from the design both phones are largely identical; the S6 Edge comes in slightly thicker at 7mm – compared to 6.8mm on the S6 – and the curvier phone has a larger battery (2600mAh compared to 2550mAh).Both phones will come in a variety of 'translucent' colours to offer consumers a different flavour, which Samsung is hoping will hide the fact its got rid of the microSD slot and removable battery from last year.
The former is designed to speed up the internal workings of the phone, with everything coming from the 32GB / 64GB / 128GB capacity, and the latter is to allow for a more sleek unibody design.
The camera remains at 16MP on the rear, with 5MP on the front, and both have upgraded low light abilities (f1.9 aperture, if you're curious) as well as Auto HDR.
Samsung hasn't revealed the Galaxy S6 release date or price (for either model, actually) but we're pretty sure it's going to be around April that you can get your hands on one.
Expect to pay something close to the iPhone 6 levels for the phone, if not a little more for the S6 Edge.
- All the latest from MWC 2015
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MWC 2015: Samsung Pay arrives - looks to shortchange Apple Pay
Samsung has revealed that it is going after mobile payments in a big way, using MWC 2015 as its platform to announce Samsung Pay.
Unlike other mobile payment systems, Samsung's is said to work seamlessly with current payment systems in shops - so no retail upgrade is required for Samsung Pay to work.
This is because Samsung is using both NFC and something called Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST). The latter bit of tech has come about thanks to a partnership with a number of financial bigwigs - including Visa and MasterCard.
Pay up
Samsung is hoping that it has made the technology as easy as possible to use. You will be able to access the app with just a swipe up from the bezel of your handset and a bit of fingerprint recognition.To make sure that things are secure, Samsung Pay won't actually house any sensitive card information - instead it will swap this for a secure 'token' system.
Samsung Pay will be available in the US and Korea this summer and will then spread to Europe and other areas soon after.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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Hands-on review: MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6
Introduction and design
I've often wondered how a brand like Samsung could have messed up so badly in the smartphone space. When I saw the Galaxy S4, I sighed. When the Galaxy S5 rolled around, my shoulders sagged further.How could a brand with so many hyper-intelligent researchers and well-paid designers make something so bland yet complex time and again? Both phones packed amazing power in a boring case, with each element somehow negating the other.
This year though, following a reshuffle, things have changed. The Samsung Galaxy S6 is a thing of beauty, a complete redesign that really works, but blended with large swathes of power once again.
The key thing here though is, it appears that power is not there for the sake of it – each element has a purpose, to ensure the Galaxy S6 works well under the finger while finally being a phone you'd consider alongside an HTC or iPhone.
Let's not get too carried away though. TouchWiz is still on board, adding a cartoonish feel to things where other brands still feel more premium, but Samsung has refined this again (building on good work from the S5), removed a lot of the bloatware and cleaned up the icons.
It's easy to see the S6 is a great phone, and one Samsung sorely needed – but coming from so far back (its flagship device was barely a top 10 phone last year) it wasn't hard to improve dramatically.
Design
Smartphones stopped needing more power a long, long time ago – arguably we could have called it quits with 2013's specs and spent the following months optimising them to allow days-long battery.So with that race already run it became a battle for the best design, which meant that HTC suddenly rose to prominence once more, with a good-enough spec list sitting inside one of the best phones I've ever held.
Apple managed the same thing with the new iPhone 6, focusing on a premium metallic shell while getting the battery life just about tolerable.
All the while Samsung toiled in the background, promising that we'd start loving plastic at some point, showing that it's more robust and scuff-free and rugged… and it didn't work.
So Project Zero was born, a plan within Samsung to completely redesign its S6 model from the ground up. Plastic was out, waterproofing gone, and in their place a fusion of glass and metal.
Put simply: it's a much, much better phone, but again that's not hard when you've got the Galaxy S5 to improve upon. But the S6 does feel very well packaged, the combination of metal and Gorilla Glass 4 giving no hint of creak or give when pressed.
It does sound a little hollow when tapped on the back though, which does diminish the effect somewhat – however, at only 6.8mm thick, that's kind of understandable.
Samsung's gone bold with this design in more than one way. It's got rid of two of the staples that users have loved for years: the microSD slot has been removed and the battery is locked in.
The reasoning behind this is sound: Samsung tells me the former is to improve performance and speed (something the S5 struggled with terribly as it aged) and the latter is clearly to allow for a unibody design.
I'm behind the loss of the removable battery – after all, it's easier to carry a battery pack than shell out for a replacement power unit – but the microSD card disappearance is a shame. I appreciate the quest for a better performance, and perhaps it will turn out to be up there with the iPhone when my full Galaxy S6 review comes out, but other Android phones seem to manage to tick along just fine with expandable storage.
Samsung is offering the S6 in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB flavours to compensate, but those latter options are likely to be pretty expensive.
I'm hugely impressed with the way Samsung has put this phone together though – it's managed the incredible feat of bringing the best screen on the market (the brand's words, although the combination of QHD resolution and a 5.1-inch display with Super AMOLED technology means I'm inclined to agree) in a package that's barely larger than the iPhone 6.
That means Samsung can offer a phone with a huge, crisp display while still being small enough to be considered alongside Apple's non-phablet and Sony's Xperia Z3 Compact – both phones that I'll point to when people ask 'I want a phone, but not one that's massive'.
Considering the options from Sony and Apple both have a 720p resolution, and Samsung's packed in four times as many pixels in the same footprint, and you can see why I'm impressed by Samsung's option.
Of course, this could all come at the expense of battery – after all, more pixels take more power, and the smaller package means there's less space for a battery (a 2550mAh pack is smaller than the 2800mAh seen in the Galaxy S5, which is a bit of a worry) so I'm intrigued to see how Samsung has managed to solve that problem.
Samsung needed to sort out the build quality of the entire phone, but one of the big issues was with the home button, which was too soft to push.
The S6 has a really nice action now, with a lot of effort put into the satisfying click (useful for when you need to activate the camera, which I'll come onto later).
The phone is going to be unveiled in four colours at launch too, with a pleasant jewel-like exterior that changes colour slightly as the light hits it. It's got a nice translucent effect, which again adds to the more premium chassis.
Screen, interface and specs
The display on the Galaxy S6 warrants its own section, simply because it's so crystal clear and sharp, while offering the high contrast ratio for brilliant whites and dark blacks.It's also the sharpest on the market at the moment, according to Samsung, with 577ppi and a super bright mode that fires when outside - and it'll even do so automatically, rather than needing to be activated manually.
The QHD resolution is almost diminished by the size of the screen - at 5.1-inch, it's going to be hard to see the greater amount of pixels compared to last year, but web browsing and video watching (especially those encoded at the right resolution) are a real joy to watch.
In terms of output, I suspect Samsung could have stuck with a 1080p screen on this phone and still have a brilliant display, but the brand knows what a baying mob the media and early adopters can be when the best spec isn't present on a flagship phone, so decided to aim for the headlines,
That's not to say this isn't a brilliant screen - it's better than the Note 4's, which was already industry leading - but that smaller battery pack is still worries me slightly, so here's hoping the display isn't going to harm that.
TouchWiz
TouchWiz, Samsung's Android overlay, was never going to go anywhere, but at least it's been cleaned up a little bit. It's still got the same cartoony look about it, with the colours garish and the amount of options slightly complicated, but it's a far cry from that seen on the Samsung Galaxy S4.The main changes are to the menus: Samsung tells me that the extra dialogue boxes it deemed unnecessary are gone, so if you activate flight mode then you'll get just that - no double checking from the phone.
Other apps have been polished as well. As you can see the Contacts screen has been scrubbed of options and tabs, instead offering you the chance to just interact with the people you want to. I think this means that it's been uncoupled from the phone dialler, which is annoying as having the two apps together made sense to me, but at least things are simpler.
The icons have been flattened as well, with Google's Material design from Lollipop stretching further through the phone - it's certainly more attractive, if not quite all the way there.
But one of the big pats on the back has to be for the loss of S Voice from the home button. Instead you'll be taken to the camera in, according to Samsung, 0.7 seconds.
Given this is a brand that takes a few seconds to open up the 'Running Tasks' pane after pressing, I'm not convinced this will remain so speedy, but I'll reserve judgement until I check out what Samsung's done with the upgraded memory and RAM.
Specs
The specs on the Samsung Galaxy S6 are out of this world, with very little left to want for. I've already covered the QHD screen and improved design, but that's joined by a 64-bit octacore processor (clearly Samsung's own Exynos offering as it declined to name the chipset) 3GB of RAM and upgraded storage of between 32GB and 128GB.The RAM and storage used has also been improved, which Samsung reckons is worth at least 40% performance improvement in some areas.
Given this was one of the poorest parts of the Samsung Galaxy S5, it's a bold claim. In my early tests, it held up really well despite constantly opening and shutting of apps. This bodes well for something that's probably early build software, so should only get better.
I didn't get a chance to check out the keyboard, but I hope that's been given a lick of paint as the inbuilt version on the S5 was truly awful.
The fingerprint sensor is present as well, and it's (likely - Samsung wanted to confirm this before launch) a touch option, in the same vein as the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6. This is great news as the swipe was just too inaccurate, so hopefully this new technology will allow you to be more accurate and stay secure as well.
Payment options have been increased massive to include magnetic strip payment (somehow, the phone will mimic the stripe on your credit card, but the Galaxy S6 isn't THAT thin) and NFC payment too - with barcodes chucked into the mix as well for good measure it seems.
Overall, this is a very, very well specified phone, and one that even the most hardy of Android fans won't be able to resist at least looking at, despite their attitude towards Samsung.
The loss of microSD and removable battery will sting a little, but the reasoning over their removal at least makes sense.
Camera, battery and verdict
The camera on the Samsung Galaxy S6 is a 16MP affair with f1.9 aperture, up 34% in terms of low light ability from the S5.It's still got all the tricks of the Samsung Galaxy S5, including Auto HDR mode and optical image stabilisation, as well as an automatic tracking mode which can follow faces, pets and other moving objects without needing to refocus.
The front sensor is also improved, up to 5MP with the same impressive low-light performance and faster shutter speed. It also packs the same automatic HDR mode, which will show you just how much the high dynamic range will improve your pictures.
Of course, if you're taking selfies, then this is going to be the sort of thing you worry about... or you could just, you know, not.
And in another moment of 'isn't that what another brand is doing?' Samsung has chucked on fast and slow motion to the video app, so you can do cool timelapse shots or slow things down to 240fps to get a really smooth slo-mo movie.
The extra trick is here is the ability of the Galaxy S6 to choose the speed with which the slowdown happens, meaning you can go really, really slow if you want to properly show your mate getting hit in the nuts with a hamburger in minute detail.
Battery
OK, this is the big one, the sticking point that could prevent Samsung from making an industry-leading phone. But let's get the positives on the table first.The Galaxy S6 has a custom processor, which means it'll be more efficient at processing and won't need to do a lot of pointless work to complete whatever you're asking the phone to do. That same chipset is also smaller, which adds to the efficiency.
Samsung's being very upfront on how much battery life is left too, with an app letting you know how long you could get if you enable power saving or ultra power saving modes, so you'll at least be in control of what's there.
However, let's get down to it. The battery in the Galaxy S6 is 2550mAh, which is less than the 2800mAh option on last year's phone. That's also smaller than the one found on HTC's One M9 this year, which is something of a worry.
HTC has always, historically, had the worst battery life of the top smartphone vendors, so if it can combine good efficiency from the Snapdragon 810 chipset with a lower-res screen, it could well leapfrog Samsung this year.
Also there's that QHD screen to think about – all those pixels in such a tight space is going to take its toll on the battery life, and the packaging of the phone overall is such that it's going to get pretty toasty in there.
Samsung thinks it's got the problem covered, with better battery life than ever – plus it's stuck double wireless charging in there too. The Galaxy S6 will be able to wirelessly grab power from either of the standards (Qi or PMA) without having to mess around with an accessory if you've wandered into a coffee house with the 'wrong' technology built in.
Verdict
This is the best phone Samsung as ever made, which isn't a very difficult thing to say given the efforts in the last two years. But it's managed to make a huge leap forward, offering something that's the equal of the best in the market and set a very high bar to reach.It's still got a couple of niggles: I'd have loved to see a completely redefined TouchWiz, and I'm not convinced the battery life is going to be stellar.
But this phone is simplicity redefined for the South Korean brand. No betting on stupid hand waving gimmicks, no skimping on design to just make it waterproof… this is a premium phone as it should be. Samsung is back.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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Hands-on review: MWC 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Introduction, design, screen and interface
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is a bit of a mouthful, but it's a phone that makes me annoyed the S6 is even being created at all.I get that Samsung thinks this is a phone for the early adopters, that the added expense the next level screen technology will be prohibitively expensive at a time when the brand needs to get the basics right.
I guess I understand that... but hold this up down the pub and people will be desperate to take a look at your new SpacePhone. If Samsung had wanted to make a big splash with its flagship handset this year, the S6 Edge would have been the one to throw the spotlight on.
It's essentially just the Samsung Galaxy S6 but with slightly bent edges. It's 7mm thick, so fractionally less thin than the main version, but it's also lighter and has a 50mAh larger battery. Take that, spec fans.
Design
I'll admit, the S6 Edge is ever so slightly less ergonomic to hold, as where the curved edges taper into the chassis is a little sharp, where the S6 is smoother and nicer to use in that respect.But this is a very light phone, and is primarily screen across the front. It manages the very clever trick of being able to fit a massive screen (5.1-inch) into a frame around the size of an iPhone 6, which should settle the need for many to decide between a compact handset and one with a larger display to play with.
The camera protrudes slightly from the back, as Samsung has packed in an advanced sensor and didn't want to compromise on the specs to get to a thin, flat back.
This does mean it wobbles on the table a little, but it's barely noticeable... I'll be keeping an eye on whether that scratches in our full Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review.
But the main thing you'll feel when you pick up the Edge is just how premium it feels. Its curves blend perfectly with the chassis, and the combination of metal and glass really works well to convince that you that this phone is worth paying for.
It's going to be expensive, so elements like a translucent back in a variety of colours really help sell that ideal.
Screen
The display is something to behold. It's definitely the next generation compared the Galaxy Note Edge, for instance. That phone looked lopsided and the 'spine' screen looked like it was tacked on later.With the S6 Edge, both sides of the screen are more subtle, not quite reaching to the bottom of the chassis to make it seem like the whole front is just well-designed.
It's also very impressive that this phone manages to pack QHD resolution into the smaller display and bend it at the sides. Although you could ask what those curves are actually for beyond a headline grabber.
It'd be a fair question to ask too. The Galaxy S6 Edge has a great screen, and things like being able to control the video player without having have the controls wipe across the main display are cool but not necessarily game changers.
This is a phone that does have some reasons to use the curved edges, but perhaps not enough to convince you to spend more than just buying the main Galaxy S6.
TouchWiz
It's still here, but Samsung's overlay has at least been refined. Plus it comes with some nifty abilities to make use of the curved sides of the Edge.For instance, when the phone is flipped on its front the sides will glow a specific colour when one of your favourite contacts calls in, so you can see who it is without having to turn the Edge over.
It's basically the same as having a notification light on the back, which doesn't sound that exciting when you say it in such a way.
However, sliding from the edge of the screen does allow you to get access to your favourite people anywhere in the phone, and apparently pick up things like missed calls and messages from the same people.
I assume the same touches from the Galaxy Note Edge will make their way over to this phone - this means being able to control your music at the side while still using the phone to browse Facebook, for example.
The TouchWiz interface has been cleaned up to be a little flatter and easier to use, with fewer menus and dialogue boxes to annoy you. It's still too garish and cartoony, but it's done some growing up in the last year.
Camera, battery, specs and verdict
The camera on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is again refined (well, if you consider this a sort of sequel to the Galaxy S5). It's got a 16MP camera with f1.9 aperture sensor, so it'll have a very fast sensor with good ability to draw in light in darker situations.The interface here has been well improved, as instead of a sea of icons users are greeted with fewer pictures and more words to help explain what you'll be tapping when trying to get a snap.
The front facing camera is wider than before but has the same decent low light abilities, allowing you to improve your narcissism whenever you fancy. However, unlike the Galaxy S6, it seems that there's no ability to touch the heart rate sensor on the back to take a selfie... although that might just be a glitch in the software I tried.
Battery and specs
Samsung's gone big on the specs for this phone, as it's got something to really shout about with the curved screen. There's no Qualcomm chip here (at least, that's what I deduced by being told it was a '64 bit chip' for the first true 64 bit OS).Rumour has it that this is Samsung's own-brand Exynos octacore chip running things, and backed up by 3GB of RAM it's certainly a powerful beast.
I've still yet to find out clockspeed, but under the finger it felt slick and smooth. Then again, coming from the Galaxy S5 recently anything feels fast in comparison.
Like the S6 it comes without a microSD slot (or removable battery) but the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge does have the same faster RAM and memory on board, which were apparently key factors in the slowdown before.
To make up for that lack of expansion, Samsung is offering a 32GB / 64GB / 128GB to those that fancy a different package and that's combined with a lot less bloatware so the overall space you have free is much improved.
The battery life could be something of a concern here, I'll admit. While that extra 50mAh of life (ramping it up to 2600mAh) doesn't sound like much, it could be crucial to this phone lasting a day. It's got a lot of pixels to power in a very tightly packaged body... this could be disastrous if Samsung hasn't optimised it properly.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is one of those phones that sets a line in the sand for smartphones. It makes curved edges viable, offering them in a phone that doesn't look bonkers just for the sake of it.It won't sell anywhere near as well as the standard S6, simply because it will very likely be more expensive and users are always reticent to try something new when there's no proven need for it, and rightly so.
But this is the phone we all hanker after secretly, something that looks premium yet futuristic. And if the battery life holds up well, the combination of form and high end specs could see the Galaxy S6 Edge being something of an underground hit.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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Updated: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge release date, news and features
Galaxy S6 Edge: release date, screen and design
We all knew the Galaxy S6 was coming from Samsung, but even with myriad leaks, it felt weird to think that there might be another phone launching alongside.But there was, and it was the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, the world's first handset with a dual-curved design. and it looks awesome.
There aren't a lot of differences between it and the standard Galaxy S6, although it's arguably the more powerful and cool device. So as an avid fan of all things smartphone, you'll want to know all about it - and we've got all the info right here for you.
- Hands on with the Samsung Galaxy S6 - our first impressions
- Hands on with the Samsing Galaxy S6 Edge - our first impressions
Cut to the chase
- What is it? A curvy new flagship from Samsung
- When is it out? No confirmation, but likely mid-April
- What will it cost? Prices haven't been announced, but expect close to the iPhone 6 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge release date and price
We don't know for sure when the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge will land on shop shelves, but it will be around the same time as the Galaxy S6, which seems pegged for mid-April as it stands.Samsung was being irritatingly quiet on the price of the new device as well, but we've got some early info... and hopefully you've been saving if you want one.
AndroidPIT reports that it's received the expected price in Euros and it starts at €849 (roughly £636 / $970 / AU$1241) for a 32GB model, rising to €949 (around £711 / $1085 / AU$1387) for 64GB and €1,049 (approximately £786 / $1199 / AU$1534) for 128GB.
Not only would those prices make it one of the most expensive phones on the market, but it's likely to be more expensive than the Galaxy S6
Of course direct currency conversions aren't always accurate, but based on these prices we expect the Galaxy S6 Edge will enter the market at between around $749-$849 unlocked. It's also likely there won't be as many made as they're hard to produce, so availability could be tricky.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge screen
The screen is easily the Galaxy S6 Edge's standout feature, curving as it does over two sides of the phone, unlike the Galaxy Note Edge which had one mega-curve on its right-hand side.
The display is rather high-res though, with a QHD resolution packed into the small 5.1-inch screen. This makes it one of the sharpest on the market at 577ppi and offers some really great images and video.
The Galaxy S6 Edge is also using Samsung's Super AMOLED technology as you'd expect, meaning the colours are incredibly rich and the contrast ratio awesome too.
The curves at the side almost give an 'infinity pool' look, like the screen is fully edge to edge.
We've just got the name.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge design
Curved screen aside, the design of the Galaxy S6 Edge is similar to that of the Galaxy S6, meaning a metal frame, glass back and translucent colours on the rear of the phone.It means that, like its S6 brother, the S6 Edge isn't waterproof, with an 'S6 Active' likely to hit the shops at some point in the future.
If the loss of waterproofing is the reason the design is so much better, we'll gladly take it.
The Galaxy S6 Edge is a little sharper on the edges than the standard Galaxy S6, but it's still a very compact device at 142.1 x 70.1 x 7mm and weighing a feather-like 132g.
It's hard to explain the design ethos from the Galaxy S6 Edge, but Samsung's Project Zero approach has been brilliant in bringing the phone to the level after the plastic madness of the S5. It just looks and feels great in the hand.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge power
Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge, the Galaxy S6 Edge has the same amount of power as the Galaxy S6. More specifically, it looks like it will come with Samsung's octa-core Exynos 7420 chipset - the brand has outed the exact chipset, but it's an octa-core 64-bit option, so almost certainly is that model.RAM was rumoured at both 3GB and 4GB for the S6 Edge, and sadly it's come in as the former - if it had packed 4GB it would be the first phone to really be able to exploit the 64-bit architecture (although there aren't really that many apps to use it yet).
As for storage, it will ship with 32, 64 or 128GB and it uses Universal Flash Storage 2.0, which provides enhanced data speeds and power consumption savings of up to half compared to the previous generation of flash memory.
But as a result, there's no microSD storage, which Samsung reportedly took out to keep speed and performance up.
It's also likely to be a speedy performer on 4G, as Category 6 LTE support is included for the Galaxy S6 and Edge, allowing for download speeds of up to 300Mbps.
The battery life is something you might want to worry about a little bit though: Samsung has promised it will be highly optimised, but the 2600mAh power pack doesn't sound like it's going to be as high power as in years gone by - especially when the S6 Edge has such a powerful screen to keep alight.
The good news is that the phone will be able to wirelessly charge on either system - Qi or PMA - which is going to be handy. Any wireless charging surface? Plop your S6 Edge down on it and you'll get the power.
It can also charge up enough for 2 hours' video playback in just 10 minutes thanks to the new faster charging system.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge operating system
It was a safe bet that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge will run Android, and it would almost certainly be on Android 5.0 Lollipop, since that's the latest version... and it does.That's the good news, though the fact that it's still overlaid with Samsung's TouchWiz UI may not be met with much enthusiasm. There's good news there too though, as Samsung has slimmed down the UI quite a lot, taking out a lot of the annoying pop up menus and streamlining the apps to have fewer options littered around everywhere.
It does still have the same look and feel though, despite flatter icons, so if you weren't a fan before this 'overhaul' isn't likely to change your mind too much.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge camera
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 have identical snappers, with the South Korean brand looking to keep them as similar as possible - it's just the screen that's the differentiator.Let's get into the specs here: the rear camera has a 16MP sensor, with an aperture of f1.9 - this thing is going to be excellent for low light, and an improvement of 34% over the Galaxy S5.
It still has the same Auto HDR mode as before, and will show how the pic will look in HDR mode before you take it - plus smart Optical Image Stabilisation will keep the shake away.
The front facing camera has been upgraded too, with the same low light performance (which is a big jump from last year's model - plus the ability to balance the white levels using infra red.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge other features
There's a worry this phone won't be compatible with the Gear VR - we're working on getting more details on that.It does have a fingerprint scanner though, and the better news is it's (likely) to have a touch-based fingerprint scanner in the same way as the iPhone 6's TouchID.
A heart rate monitor is also present and correct on the back of the phone, although it's moved next to, rather than below, the camera sensor.
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Hands-on review: MWC 2015: Alcatel Idol 3
There's really no wrong way to hold the Alcatel Idol 3, I found out at MWC 2015. The defining feature of this Android smartphone is two microphones on opposite ends, one at the top and another at the bottom.
Dual microphones mean that the phone can be held "upside down," which is perfect whenever you're in a scramble to pick up a call from your pocket or purse.
It's 100% reversible, with the interface always righting itself too. The Idol 3 essentially puts an end to you awkwardly talking into the speaker and foolishly listening from the microphone.
Display and specs
The rest of the Alcatel Idol 3 is built to resemble a near-premium smartphone while being priced for the budget category.It has two display sizes, 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, and both are HD. The distinction is that the smaller version is 720p with a max of 600 lumens and the larger screen size is 1080p with a max of 650 lumens for increased outdoor readability.
Both flavors come with Android 5.0 Lollipop and the always-convenient double tap the screen to wake feature. It's kind of funny to think that users of top-tier Androids are still waiting for this Android update, while a budget phone like this sneaks out with it from the start.
The internal specs are divided in a similar fashion. There's a quad-core CPU in the 4.7 inch model and an octa-core processor in the 5.5-inch version. Both chips are from Qualcomm and both support 4G LTE.
Speakers and music app
Going along with the dual microphones and taking a cue from HTC One M9's BoomSound speakers, Idol 3 boasts two front-firing stereo speakers with JBL-certified audio.
To test out these "3D" speakers and my own DJ skillz (spelled with a Z, of course), I loaded up Alcatel's Onetouch Mix, a music app for mixing tracks.
I'm usually skeptical of music apps made by phone manufacturers, but this one stood out with the ability to load two tracks at once.
The apps is meant to for straightforward DJing, but I was able to add my own sound in portrait or a slightly more advanced landscape mode. The resulting beats can even be recorded.
Camera and price
Alcatel Idol 3 has a 13MP rear camera with a Sony sensor and Fotonation-developed "Fast Face Focus" for quick face detection.
This feature enables the camera to detect faces in 0.26 seconds. We'll have to review this in full in the future, but that's pretty speedy on paper.
Idol 3's symmetrical design doesn't cover up the fact that this is still a brushed-metal-looking phone with a plastic build.
But that's the main reason it costs a fraction of other Android phones. Unlocked, the price is set at €279 for the 5.5-inch version and €199 for the 4.7-inch model with a global rollout expected in April. More "aggressive" prices for the US and UK are to come, according to Alcatel.
Early verdict
Alcatel Idol 3 solves an age-old smartphone flaw that I've experienced with candy-bar-style phones. There are few ways to say "this side up" like you see on shipping containers.Instead of moving away from a symmetrical like the Sharp Aquos Crystal does, Alcatel added dual microphones, an idea that strikes that screams "Why didn't they think of that before?"
This grand idea is coupled with admirable specs, especially for the price. Its two display sizes and Android 5.0 Lollipop make it a phone to keep an eye on if you're on a budget.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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Hands-on review: MWC 2015: HTC Grip
The HTC Grip is the fitness tracker that we all saw coming as soon as the brand announced a tie-in with Under Armour.
However, since the apparel brand bought Endomondo, MapMyFitness and MyFitnessPal it's become a real player in the apps space, and this tracker from HTC is now a key part of that ecosystem.
It's very similar to the Nike Fuelband in many ways, as it has a clasp that likes to eat arm hair when shutting, with three sizes to choose from (with a spacer to allow slight alterations). It looks the business when it comes to fitness as well, thanks to the black and lime green colours that adorn the rubbery-plastic band.
It's also decked out with a screen to give you information when working out: unlike most other things on the market, it's a passive matrix OLED (which means it's very low-res, but also very good on power drain) with a 32 x 160 pixel count.
In use it looks clear and bright, and you'll never have an issue seeing what's going on with your workout (or the weather/time/calendar/alarm, as the HTC Grip also does a lot of other things as well).
It's a fitness tracker primarily, and works with the Under Armour Record app as the sole way of getting information to the smartphone. That said, it doesn't need to be tethered to your handset, as it packs its own accelerometer and GPS, so when you trot off into the mountains it'll be able to track you for five hours straight before the battery gives out.
With that in mind, this is both a fitness tracker and running watch beater, with a US$199 (about £129, AU$255) price tag. That seems a little expensive, and given HTC doesn't have a huge presence in this space could be a hard sell, but it does have good build quality and more than a little functionality.
It's IP57 rated, which essentially means you can take it into the shower but not go swimming with it. It will also show smart notifications from your phone, or let you control tunes when working out should you decide that to head into the mountains with no way of communicating is a BAD IDEA.
The interface on the unit I tested was very hard to use, requiring swipes that glide over the flush interface or pressing the home button that is also smooth and non-tactile - but this was a very, very early build so it's completely unfair to judge it too much now.
The annoying thing to some is that the HTC Grip doesn't have a heart rate monitor, which means you'll need to buy a separate chest strap that's Bluetooth LE / 4.0 compatible. This does mean it's more accurate (HTC is apparently aiming this at the more elite athlete anyway) but does add a lot to the cost - around $80 for a decent one.
Early verdict
This is a very early verdict, as it's more based on the build quality and spec sheet than anything else. It's hard to see who buys this device right now - the new runner might stop at the higher price, and the more seasoned road warrior will want a lot more functionality - although it does look decent as a watch.If only the display stayed on permanently, it would be a lot easier to recommend.
The addition of GPS is great, and there's the seed of a great idea here... it just needs a couple of iterations down the line, a little more influence from Under Armour perhaps, and it could be a very good accessory for your smartphone.
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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Hands-on review: MWC 2015: HTC One M9
Introduction, design and screen
The HTC One M9 is a tricky phone to talk about, as it's a beautiful, well-crafted and powerful device, yet it's also not offering a huge level of detail compared to the One M8.The reason it's difficult to talk about is because it's such a well-made device, and to criticise it seems almost childish when HTC has clearly thought hard about how to make the best-feeling phone feel even better.
But there are some limitations that have to be butted up against when making the best phone on the market, as HTC has done for the last two years, and the lack of places to improve upon is quite apparent with the One M9.
Design
The HTC One M9 doesn't really need to be explained, it needs to be felt. To speak about it, or even show it in pictures, doesn't really do justice to the premium finish in the hand, to the well-balanced design, to the way everything feels weighty and solid.There are some tweaks from the One M8, with the power key moving to the side of the phone, despite the brand sticking with a 5-inch screen and actually shrinking the height of the device.
The power button sits below two volume keys on the right-hand side, and it's actually irritating that all three are the same shape as it's not always easy to tell where your hand is hitting at times.
The power key is slightly ridged to help that, but it would have been better to have the volume keys on the other side - or move the microSD slot to the left-hand side below the SIM tray, thus giving more room to move the volume buttons up.
This may seem pedantic, but given you'll be pressing this button tens, if not hundreds, of times a day, it needs to be right. You can use the double tapping of the screen to open the One M9, or swipe from the sides, but the general need for a well-placed power key is paramount.
The HTC logo still exists at the bottom of the screen in its own little black stripe, which will annoy some users who have complained to me about this feature in the past. It does add to the already-long length of the phone, but it holds important components, according to HTC, so it needs to stay.
This is likely down to the BoomSound speakers, added to the mix here once again, as they need the extra chambers to be able to make that boomy sound that's great for watching videos or playing music on your phone around the house.
In the hand, the HTC One M9 is a little chunky, but in an oddly positive way. The rounded back makes it sit nicely in the palm, and the weight and depth both seem to dovetail nicely with the premium feel.
There's something weird going on with the early builds that I got my hands on for a couple of days: the first option, a silver and gold combo, was quite sharp and abrasive at the edges. But the gunmetal grey choices were much smoother, with a feeling closer to the One M8 which gives me hope that everything might be OK.
HTC has taken its craftmanship and pushed it to the next level. The body is more metal than ever, the screen fitted snugly inside, and while I'm really not a fan of the two tone look (HTC tells me this adds to the premium look, something similar to high end watches) it does at least have some class about it.
Display
The screen on the HTC One M9, on my hands on sample at least, is both great and a little disappointing in one. The resolution of 1920 x 1080 on a 5-inch footprint is absolutely fine, and looks bright, colourful and rich.
However, the disappointing part comes when considering the colour temperature. It's very cool, with a slight green tint compared to its predecessor.
HTC hasn't done a huge amount to screen it seems, offering a very similar thing to last year's model, but it's fine and still looks the part - plus by not going for a QHD resolution it's certainly got a good chance of saving battery.
Features, performance, camera and verdict
Features, spec and performance
The HTC One M9 is a phone that didn't really have much room to innovate into, given the brand has done so much of it in the past. The One M7 from 2013 was well designed but flawed in terms of power and battery life, and the One M8 solved those issues.HTC has repeated that again with the One M9, adding in the high end chipset du jour, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, to power things along.
The need for this might seem like a simple ticking the box in terms of spec (no bad thing for the smartphone phone) and with an octa-core power unit with 3GB of RAM, this phone doesn't want for grunt.
And that's borne out under the finger, with everything feeling a little snappier again compared to the mode from last year. It's clean, fast and apps are almost infallible in opening and closing.
I was hamstrung by using the One M9 in places where there was very little connectivity, which made trying to work out how fast it was in day to day use almost impossible, but when doing native tasks it flew along
The rest of the spec sheet is pretty impressive... on paper at least. The 2800mAh is pretty big indeed for HTC, a brand that usually likes to lag behind the rest of the world when it comes to battery power in its flagships.
The 20MP camera will impress (as will the Ultrapixel sensor from the phone last year now living on the front) and the BoomSound speakers are now imbued with Dolby power, for a virtual surround sound experience both with and without headphones.
I can't say I noticed much improvement in my tests, but without trying the phone with proper headphones it's hard to say whether the audiophile will enjoy the upgrade.
The HTC One M9 is excellent in terms of performance, with everything zipping along, and while it doesn't have a real headline spec like in years gone by, it does everything you'd expect it to and more. Proper LTE, carrier aggregation and VoLTE might sound like pointless titles to some, but they keep the new HTC at the cutting edge.
A note should go out to the new themes element on the One M9, as it's a really nifty idea that users will really like. Take a picture, press theme when checking it out in the gallery, and you'll be presented with a cropped section.
When accepted, the One M9 will analyse it and then create a theme based on the colours and style in it, with multiple options for you to choose from. It's really personal, the pictures are always clever if you think about composition, and instantly the M9 feels like its yours - a key thing for any brand this year.
Camera and battery
Now, this is a sore point, and should be brought to you with the caveat that the phone I was using didn't have the final software. But the camera performance simply wasn't good enough.HTC has spent two years trying to tell the world that more megapixels aren't needed, that more light is a better thing. However, the Ultrapixel sensor on the One and One M8 wasn't great in bright light, with a lot of bleed.
I was really hoping that this year we'd finally get an 8MP Ultrapixel sensor, with Duo Camera again but instead it's a stock 20MP sensor from Sony. And the pictures are noisy, lack depth and colour, and simply don't impress in any way (except in bright light and simple conditions... and most cameraphones are good in that scenario).
The Ultrapixel camera on the front is the sensor from last year, and it's a lot better in terms of performance compared to the back option. The selfies are generally of good quality and low light snaps are obviously great.
But this isn't enough. The rest of the phone camera needs to be brilliant too, and it's really not. There are some cool effects, like double exposure and the option to add prism effects to things, but they're just gimmicks and too hard to enable for the average user's attention span. Four menus is too many.
The battery life in my two days of use was actually pretty good. The first day was terrible, but that's because the One M9 was downloading loads of updates in one go.
The second day it held on very, very well to battery charge, and comes with the power saving modes from last year that really do work - I got 8 days of battery life when I used the Ultra Battery Saving Mode.
I'm quietly confident that HTC has solved its battery woes once and for all - the numbers seem to add up (lower res screen, higher efficiency and larger power pack) so it could be that this when HTC finally sheds its tag as the worst flagship brand for battery.
Early verdict
The HTC One M9 isn't a huge jump forward from the One M8, and it will disappoint some as a result. It's a tremendously well made device though, and I'm glad HTC didn't change things for the sake of it.If you're upgrading from an HTC One M7, then you'll love this model... it's night and day better. It's very much an 'S' variant of the One M8, but improves in nearly every area (camera aside). It's not got the impressive clout of years gone by, but then again HTC needs to consolidate its place as a real craftsman of phones in a year when the rest of the competition is going to be gunning for the same space.
I'm sad about the camera, as HTC usually innovates throughout its phones, and here it feels like it decided to just placate those slavishly begging for megapixels by plopping in an off the shelf solution.
But with a new version of Sense, a good selection of treats and hopefully better battery life, it's hard to see where HTC could have done better... it's just not as much of a leap forward as in years gone by.
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MWC 2015: We're live at HTC's big One M9 launch in Barcelona
16.39 That's it - wow, that was fast. Lots to talk about there... surely the HTC Vive was the biggest secret HTC has ever kept??
Virtual reality, a new fitness wearable for fitness freaks, a big new phone... let's going and check this stuff out. Laters guys... I'll see you at Samsung in a couple of hours.
16.36 We're now hearing about the future of HTC - there are loads of the guys on stage showing off the new products. Vive looks BIG. But the phone seems pretty sweet. Can't really see Grip, but that's probably because there's no pro athletics going on up there.
16.34 Limited demos available here at MWC - there's an email address to try and get on it. That's going to be a full inbox tonight.
Cher Wang is on stage now. We've whipped through the products today.
16.33 HTCvr.com is going to be the location for all the stuff on this. Gatiss is telling us that he was skeptical and then he was on top of a canyon. Like reality, but virtual.
16.31 Loads of partners: Vertigo Games, Alchemy, Google, HBO and Lionsgate. 'Imagine walking down the streets in San Diego while out in space' Sounds dangerous.
Developer edition is coming in Spring. But wait... consumer version will be here in 2015.
16.30 It doesn't LOOK that much different - actually pretty chunky. We've got Jeff Gatiss, HTC's Exec director of global marketing to say more.
360 room tracking! Loads of sensors in there.
It will have wireless controllers to reach, grab shoot and more - this thing could be awesome. Or a massive disappointment.
16.29 It's going to be called the HTC Vive - this looks awesome. Imagine the White and Gold dress but three times more exciting.
16.28 3D chatting, being at a concert, looking at your photos - this thing is going to 'define the game'.
16.27 Going to be in partnership with Valve. How is this going to work? Apparently it's going to make VR a 'mainstream experience'.
16.26 HTC is doing a virtual reality headset!!
16.25 Chou just pretty much said 'One More Thing'. What could it be??
16.24 It syncs with Under Armour Record app, and it will be able to give you the chance to set up challenges with friends, get advice on avoiding injury - basically like you have a team of experts behind you the entire time.
16.23 It's going to be called the HTC Grip, and there's a video of a lot of young, fit and sexy people on the screen. The Grip - although it just was called the Re Grip on the screen - has a monochrome screen.
Designed for those that have a serious fitness goal - there's GPS on there too.
16.22 WHAT? IT'S a WEARABLE? That is UNEXPECTED NEWS! In association with UNDER ARMOUR?
16.22 Chou is back now. Talking about firsts. Why have we stopped hearing about the phone already? What's happening next?
16.21 Wait - pink? That's a new one. We'd seen the Silver and gold one, gunmetal grey and gold, but that's a new one.
16.20 Now THIS is cool: DotView case has been upgraded to include games, scrolling messages and other pics compared to just calls and messages from before.
16.19 Dolby is on board for the BoomSound speakers - we knew that. Bamford claiming only HTC is bothered about music on a phone.
We're seeing a cringeworthy video of young people dancing around a room now. Sad times.
16.17 This is interesting: Sense 7 will change the apps depending on where you are - be it Home or Work, and the most used will percolate to the top. And theme creation will let you choose a pic and nab the colour palette from it to create a whole theme.
Not sure about the food bit - it will mention nearby restaurants on the lockscreen. That could get old quickly.
16.15 CloudEx is the new storage service from HTC - allowing you to put all your photos in one place from Facebook, phone, Google and more - so you can always search through them.
The Selfie camera now has the Ultrapixel camera on the front - 20MP on the back, then.
16.14 Onto the camera now. Scratch resistant sapphire glass on this - apparently SLR level of quality.
16.13 Drew Bamford, from HTC's Creative Labs, is on stage. This phone is two phones in one: the One M7 and One M8 together.
Ooh, it's got a Snapdragon 810 and HTC Sense 7. Well, we kind of knew that.
16.12 Apparently HTC wanted to aim higher. So inspired by the 'premium watch... is HTC going to make one of them too? That would be a surprise.
16.10 Ladies and gentleman, the One M8 is on the big screen. It's beautiful metal, lots of machine brushing, a massive camera and ...well... it looks a lot like
16.09 One M9 has been announced: simple elegant curves, width feels 'effortless' in your hands, and the phone is almost entirely made of metal.
16.08 New products bring design brilliance, apparently. We're going to get a story about it. It's a video of stuff that started with 'inner truth' and 'universal brilliance'.
16.07 He was just a warm up for the big dog: Chou in the house!
16.06: We just saw the advert for the new HTC phone. It was totally One M9. Robert Downey Jr narrated it. Phil Blair, president of EMEA, is on stage. Talking about Utopia in Progress.
16.03 Still nothing happened. Apart from me finding out this blog decided to go off the site for a few minutes. I WILL NOT BE SILENCED.
16.00 OK, it should have started by now. I'm going to leave soon if nothing happens. Oh, wait, boomy man is here. He's giving us emergency exit instructions. Health and safety can never be too strongly hammered home.
15.59: One minute to go. The boomy mic man hasn't been on in while to tell us to sit down. Hope he's OK.
15.58: I've listened to Belfast by Orbital 49,000 times since I walked in. HTC's choice, not mine. I'm standing at the back like I'm tending the bar. It's the only way to get internet.
You're welcome.
15.55: Probably should talk phones at some point. The HTC One M9, as you've probably seen all over the internet, is going to be a very similar device to the One M8 apparently. Metal and screens and Lollipop and all that. Will we see the wearable that's been apparently developed with Under Armour too?
Who knows. Let's all ask Anna Kendrick.
15.54: Just a cheeky reminder to berate me for the awful coverage over on @superbeav... or @techradar if you want to complain directly to the bosses.
15.51: Not that she says anything relevant to phones. She's just funny.
15.49: Alright players, it's game time. HTC's big announcement (let's be honest, if it's NOT the One M9 then HTC has staged the biggest troll in the history of all internet) is ten minutes away... let's all take a moment to take a look at what Anna Kendrick has been tweeting.
HTC is helping to kick of proceedings at MWC today with the big launch of its next flagship, the HTC One M9.
Following months of leaks and rumours, we're expecting big things from the company's new handset. It certainly has big shoes to fill in the wake of the M8. Ridiculously, stupidly big shoes.
Hope are also high for HTC's first wearable, which is rumoured to be debuting in Barcelona alongside the M9. Will it bring HTC's brilliant design to a market that's still trying to prove its value.
Keep eyes on this page as we'll be updating with all the news as it breaks...
- Check out the rest of our MWC 2015 coverage
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