The Samsung Galaxy S7 release date could happen a little earlier than planned, based on reports that surfaced last week. In a new development, it appears now that an S7 prototype already exists and is now being tested. The handset is codenamed Jungfrau, a new report said.
Galaxy S7 Jungfrau
According to G4Games, a Galaxy S7 prototype is currently on the testing phase and the device, which likely is quite far from what Samsung will issue in the final cut form, is internally referred as Jungfrau. The labeling has something to do with a hero character although G4Games stopped short of explaining why the early S7 build is named that way.
Citing a leaked internal Samsung document, the same report indicated too that the S7 Jungfrau is being testing with a processing chip codenamed MSM8996, which is the 8-core Snapdragon 820, G4Games said.
"If these leaks are the real deal, it looks like Samsung is strongly considering outfitting the Galaxy S7 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820," the tech blog site added.
Agile development methodology
The new information seems to support an earlier scoop from SamMobile that Samsung is ramping up the development of the Galaxy S7 in hopes of issuing the device ahead of schedule. One solid indicator that work on the 2016 flagship is ongoing is the South Korean's decision to use a new and faster development methodology for the device. It's called Agile.
Agile replaces Waterfall and the main benefit, the report said, is the cut down of development time by up to two months. The method is mainly a modular approach and the key feature is flexibility.
"The main advantage of this method (Agile) is that the product can easily be changed mid-way due to the flexibility of modular development," SamMobile said on its report. Waterfall, on the other hand, is rigid with no room for modification once a project is already underway.
Advanced rollout
To date, these reports about Agile and the supposed Jungfrau prototype of the Galaxy S5 are the most solid evidences that the next big thing from Samsung, after the Galaxy Note 5 that is, is already in the process of being perfected. SamMobile is saying on its report that development stage of the S7 will be completed.
If true, the Galaxy S7 is well positioned for an earlier 2016 release date with Samsung likely choosing between the Las Vegas CES and Barcelona MWC gadget trade shows as possible platform. That could place the S7 global rollout no later than February or as early as January next year.