Samsung recently revealed the Galaxy S6, which is touted to be the company's best smartphone ever. One of the noticeable improvements that the Samsung Galaxy S6 has is its improved hardware, metal sides and a glass back, which are similar to older iPhone models, according to a review by Yahoo News.
The new Samsung Galaxy S6 reportedly makes the feel of the phone slippery and it could still be compensated by buying a case.
The camera shots that the Galaxy S6 offers could reportedly match up with the iPhone 6, giving great focus, and users won't be having a hard time launching cameras from the lock screen with S6 since a quick double tap of the home button will just launch the camera.
Rich colors are produced by Samsung's Amoled screen display. However, it still needs to be handled with care. It has a QuadHD resolution (2,560 x 1,440), with a pixel density of 576 pixels per inch. Mashable noted that it's the highest of any smartphone ever seen.
The Samsung S6 software replaced many icons with texts. Previous Samsung models show a magnifying glass for the "search", but with the S6, it goes only with the text "SEARCH", making it less complicated. However, this only applies to Samsung features and apps, not with third-party apps. Further, the S6 will also have the latest Android Lollipop that brings notifications to the lock screen, same with the iPhones.
As Mashable states, "the Samsung Galaxy S6 is exquisitely, packed with helpful features and perfectly sized. It's simply the best smartphone Samsung has ever made."
Though, there were some flaws that other gadget reviewers noticed about the Samsung Galaxy S6, they are not considered to be major concerns. Forbes stated, "It's above average in every single department, it will always get the job done, and has been respected by every reviewer."
This seems to show a good sign for Samsung. However, there are signs to watch for.
A separate report by Forbes said that there five signs to watch out for whether the Galaxy S6 will be a success or a failure, as Samsung saw a 20% fall of revenue and 60% drop of profits last year.
The first sign to watch is "the critical response". Though most of the reviews have given S6 a "thumbs up" as of now, there is still a possibility that the "thumbs up" could still deviate. Almost every reviewer reportedly asked for more time to assess the impact of the smaller battery of the S6. And a second wave of reviews is still to be considered as well as the "long-term" reviews from publications who had experienced using the smartphone. If the reviews would make a turn and give the S6 similar to what the S5 had, it's going to affect negatively on the success of the smartphone.
The second sign is "the initial sales". Indeed, everyone wants to buy a successful smartphone. If the Galaxy S6 is perceived to be a commercial success, this could encourage undecided buyers to purchase the smartphone. And everybody will know it since, if it gets successful, it will be broadcasted "loudly and proudly". But if it takes a week or two to sell the stocks, then the S6 is in danger to have the same fate as with the S5. Further, despite the announced 20 million pre-orders shipped to carriers, it would still mean nothing about how many are sold if they do not sell to costumers. As Forbes puts it, there is a difference between shipped and sold.
The third sign to watch is "how quick the price drops". Since no retailer will give discounts to a smartphone that sells like "hot-cakes", it could be a telltale sign for another drop of revenue and profits for Samsung (hopefully not) if it starts to be sold with price cuts, special offers, bundle hardware, or extra accessories shortly soon after its release date.
The fourth sign is the "Touchwiz and consumer feedback". The consumer feedback will be good if everything is okay about the Galaxy S6. If not, it will come out to the public through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Vine, etc. And, if majority of the consumers gets unsatisfied, social media "shout-outs" could affect the second wave of sales negatively. If positive, this year could be one of the most memorable for Samsung.
The last sign to watch is the "follow-up devices and the 'Galaxy' halo". The Galaxy S6 alone cannot redeem Samsung's profit loss last year. Every device that bears the "Galaxy" branding has to sell well. Forbes observed that the "S" smartphones have a "halo" effect used by Samsung, hoping that a "strong performance with critical and commercial success for the S6 will be followed up by success of other Samsung handsets that carry the Galaxy branding through association". But other than the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge, Samsung has other devices such as the Galaxy S6 Active, Galaxy S6 Mini, A3 and A7 mid-range phones, and others that have the potential to sell well. And if these other devices will sell significantly, it will partly reflect on the success of the Galaxy S6.
It seems that this year is a crucial year for Samsung. But as what Forbes said in the post, "Just because the challenge is huge and it has rarely seen success from others does not mean that Samsung will fail. A healthy and competitive ecosystem benefits every player in the space."
Samsung Galaxy S6 is set to be released in the US on April 10.
Join the Conversation