Though the surprise appearance of Mark Zuckerberg at Sunday’s Samsung launch had critics abuzz, the new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge can hold their own in a news cycle.
Available in stores March 11, the phones feature a number of returning and new features. Here’s what you need to know:
- Better camera: Critics say the camera has been redesigned for better performance in low light. Going from 16 megapixels to 12 allows more light to enter the camera—a must for dim settings
- Water resistance: This phone can survive a drop into 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. Fear no more the pool selfie or getting caught in the rain
- Additional storage capabilities: The S7’s hybrid SIM tray can hold up to 200GB of expandable storage
- “Always On”: The phone can show time, calendar, and notifications on the lock screen without draining the battery
- Gear VR Headset: Sales of the S7 will also include the company’s Gear VR Headset for virtual reality gaming. The phone is compatible with the Gear 360 camera, which allows users to create their own virtual reality video on screen
- Curved back: The S7 features a curved back like the Note 5 and is slightly slimmer thanks to the smaller camera
Presales for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge start on Feb. 23.
By Prasana William