Early reviews peg Samsung's Galaxy S7 as a serious contender for best smartphone
Two generations into its campaign to push Apple and the iPhone in the premium smartphone segment, Samsung seems to have hit on a winning formula -- though the software could still use some work.
Samsung Galaxy S7
Ed Baig, USA Today
Baig compares the Galaxy and iPhone lineups to Pepsi and Coke, and found Samsung's model to be winning the challenge. He praised the S7's industrial design, though found that the shiny new back was too prone to showing smudges and fingerprints.
Most components received high marks, including the display, camera, and battery. Baig wished for USB-C, however, as well as a removable batteyr.
Until Apple releases its next major iPhone update, Baig says, Samsung has "the extra fizz."
Dan Seifert, The Verge
Seifert's take was much the same, including a minor complaint about the device's slippery rear finish. He especially liked the displays, calling out the S7 Edge's design that packs a large screen in a smaller overall package.
One area where Samsung falters, Seifert believes, is in software. Samsung includes too many default apps, while carrier bloatware -- in this case, from Verizon -- adds an additional 13 apps. He also found the interactive Edge features a bit buggy; in his words, "mostly a gimmick" that he "turned...off after a few days."
Seifert scored the S7 at 8.8 and the S7 Edge at 9.1 overall. The latter just..edges..out the iPhone 6s Plus, which garnered a 9.0 last year.
Geoffrey A. Fowler, Wall Street Journal
Fowler calls the S7 "head of the smartphone class," continuing the overall effusive praise for its hardware. The camera garnered extra praise, with Fowler saying that it handily beat his iPhone 6s Plus in side-by-side comparisons.
He did wish for more wiz-bang features, however, like USB-C or a Samsung take on Apple's 3D Touch.
On the software side, Fowler actually enjoyed many of Samsung's built-in apps, though -- unlike other reviewers -- he did fault the battery life.
Sascha Segan, PC World
According to Segan, Samsung's best trick was packing a larger display into an overall smaller shell than its competitors. He particularly likes the AMOLED displays, saying both S7 models "put the iPhone 6s to shame."
Like Seifert, Segan panned the inclusion of so many Samsung and Verizon apps. The non-removable bloatware took just over 9 gigabytes of Segan's 32-gigabyte storage.
In all, Segan prefers the S7's hardware but "can't unequivocally recommend it instead of an iPhone, because of the apps and services that are exclusive to Apple phones."
Samsung Galaxy S7
Ed Baig, USA Today
Baig compares the Galaxy and iPhone lineups to Pepsi and Coke, and found Samsung's model to be winning the challenge. He praised the S7's industrial design, though found that the shiny new back was too prone to showing smudges and fingerprints.
Most components received high marks, including the display, camera, and battery. Baig wished for USB-C, however, as well as a removable batteyr.
Until Apple releases its next major iPhone update, Baig says, Samsung has "the extra fizz."
Dan Seifert, The Verge
Seifert's take was much the same, including a minor complaint about the device's slippery rear finish. He especially liked the displays, calling out the S7 Edge's design that packs a large screen in a smaller overall package.
One area where Samsung falters, Seifert believes, is in software. Samsung includes too many default apps, while carrier bloatware -- in this case, from Verizon -- adds an additional 13 apps. He also found the interactive Edge features a bit buggy; in his words, "mostly a gimmick" that he "turned...off after a few days."
Seifert scored the S7 at 8.8 and the S7 Edge at 9.1 overall. The latter just..edges..out the iPhone 6s Plus, which garnered a 9.0 last year.
Geoffrey A. Fowler, Wall Street Journal
Fowler calls the S7 "head of the smartphone class," continuing the overall effusive praise for its hardware. The camera garnered extra praise, with Fowler saying that it handily beat his iPhone 6s Plus in side-by-side comparisons.
He did wish for more wiz-bang features, however, like USB-C or a Samsung take on Apple's 3D Touch.
On the software side, Fowler actually enjoyed many of Samsung's built-in apps, though -- unlike other reviewers -- he did fault the battery life.
Sascha Segan, PC World
According to Segan, Samsung's best trick was packing a larger display into an overall smaller shell than its competitors. He particularly likes the AMOLED displays, saying both S7 models "put the iPhone 6s to shame."
Like Seifert, Segan panned the inclusion of so many Samsung and Verizon apps. The non-removable bloatware took just over 9 gigabytes of Segan's 32-gigabyte storage.
In all, Segan prefers the S7's hardware but "can't unequivocally recommend it instead of an iPhone, because of the apps and services that are exclusive to Apple phones."
Comments
(I am impressed by the wireless charging, though. Assuming it works as advertised).
NOT AT FUC*ING ALL
Mercerdes and BMW are different from one another.iPhone and iPhoney will be like Jordan shoes and cheap knockoffs named Jurdan's. People who can afford the real thing will have iPhones, broke and dumb people will buy the knockoff and pretend it's "just as good". This is already happening.
Also Samsung is an evil chaebol. They wouldn't have issues with murdering people via crappy ignition switches or whatever.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol#Criticism
1) The operating system and primary applications are from a creepy surveillance advertising company who will track everything done on the phone and track every movement of the user. The information collected will be used to line the pockets of employees, executives and investors of said creepy company. The user gets nothing other than a deep invasion of his or her privacy.
2) A second layer of applications and interface "enhancements" are provided buy a hardware company with a notorious reputation of sleazy, unethical and unscrupulous behavior.
3) A third level of applications provided by the wireless carrier. Wireless carriers are so sleazy and corrupt you could write a 4000 page tome documenting their sleaziness and corrupted-ness.
In other words, the phone is a layer cake of privacy invading software sleaze.
So it has a better camera than the current iPhone? Great. A case with an Apple level of fit and finish? Great. None of that matters when it runs three levels of sleazy software from sleazy companies who don't see their users as customers but rather soulless biological entities whose privacy is ripe for the taking.