NEW YORK: Samsung has released its new smartphone lineup the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung Galaxy S6 has been in the news for its positive and negative responses. The developer has told six reasons why the customers should buy this new smartphone.
We could think of at least six reasons to get the handset, but we reckon you may want to look at the Galaxy S5 too.
The Galaxy S5 (review) didn’t fare too well for Samsung, but it’s a pity, because the device really does stand out as possibly the best smartphone it’s produced.
In fact, there are many features and selling points that didn’t make it into the Galaxy S6, for starters.
Water damage? No problem here
For starters, the Galaxy S5 is water resistant while the S6 and S6 Edge aren’t – clearly a case of Samsung valuing design over practicality perhaps. This means that a splash in the pool or a dip in a puddle shouldn’t result in water damage, giving you some peace of mind.
Water-resistance is even more valuable when you realise that liquid damage might not fall under the Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) policy when the S6 launches here. The Note 4’s ADH policy only covers screen replacements, but the S5 is covered for liquid damage as well.
But there’s more to the Galaxy S5 than water-resistance and a better service policy.
Is the Galaxy S5 tougher?
This isn’t so much a selling point as it is an observation, but Samsung’s move to a glass back might not be the wisest move – just ask Apple and the iPhone 4/4s.
Glass backs are notorious for cracking and “spiderwebbing” after a particularly hard drop, with plastic generally holding up well. While Samsung has Gorilla Glass 4 and all sorts of crazy tech for the S6, I won’t be surprised if the latest Galaxy blinks first in a drop-test battle.
Need a ton of space for your music and videos? Then you’ll be happy to know that the Galaxy S5 supports microSD storage, as is the case with previous devices.
Sure, you could buy the 128GB S6, but you’d be spending a buttload of money compared to a Galaxy S5 and microSD cards.
A larger, removable battery
The Galaxy S6 does come with some fantastic quick-charging capabilities in tow, but it comes at the expense of a smaller battery. Will Samsung’s leaner software and battery management tech make the difference here? I certainly hope so, especially with that pixel-dense screen.
But the Galaxy S5 comes with a removable battery too, which means you can carry a second (or even third) battery pack around. Simply swap the batteries and you’re at 100 percent capacity again – neat.
It only costs an arm
Okay, this one is a given, as the release of a new flagship phone almost always results in the old model depreciating in value.
But the Galaxy S6 Edge in particular is ridiculously expensive, at over R10 800 from Orange – and they’re traditionally the cheapest marketplace in South Africa.
The Galaxy S5’s price? A not too bad R6300 – although the S6 Edge starts at 32GBs and the S5 model listed is a 16GB version.
Still, that Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GBs of RAM and full HD display makes for a rather impressive combination 12 months later.
