This early, Samsung appears to be shaping up its first 2016 flagship, the Galaxy S7, as a fully-equipped iPhone 6S killer. The handset was initially reported to rock the mighty Snapdragon 820 and there are fresh indications that the S7 frame will be the sturdiest smartphone to come out next year.
Apple used 7000 Series aluminum alloy with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus body materials to ensure that Bendgate allegations will not hound the iOS 9 flagships. For its part, Samsung, as expected, is also upgrading the already pretty and tough Galaxy S6 shell. According to G4Games, the S7 will be built using an aerospace-grade material made from magnesium alloy.
The obvious plan is to release a Galaxy S7 that not only is more robust than the S6 but will also get ahead of the iPhone 6S in terms of having a rock-solid framing. The specific details on how magnesium alloy will toughen up the S7 frame was not provided in the report but G4Games is speculating that Samsung has yet to decide on the exact use of the material.
One possibility is the use of unibody design for the Galaxy S7, which would mean that S6 finish is geared for a major overhaul. And the first casualty is the glass-made back plate of the handset.
Or the Galaxy maker can opt to carry over with the S6 metal and glass finish and still use magnesium alloy for the inner chassis of the device, the report said.
And while the final decision on the matter remains up in the air, it seems that the South Korean tech giant is also considering the use of a new glass protective coating for the Galaxy S7, G4Games said in a separate report. This translates to the likely ditching of Corning Gorilla Glass cover for future Samsung flagships.
In fact, work on an in-house Samsung protective glass is already underway and the final product is said to be used not only on high-end Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Codenamed Turtle, the display panel coating appears ready to protect television and smartwatch screens, the report said.
It was suggested too that Samsung's Turtle glass cover will include bendable features, which aligns with an earlier report that the company is flirting with the idea of releasing a foldable smartphone in 2016.
Regardless, the blueprint for the Samsung Galaxy S7 should be revealed soon as the supposed release date of the 2016 flagship nears. Rumors say the rollout will happen earlier, likely in the immediate weeks following the 2016 CES in Las Vegas that is scheduled to kick off in late January.