New Android phones to get excited about in 2015

We've already seen some great smartphone releases in 2015, with the Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4, HTC One M9 and Huawei P8 already gracing many people's palms. But the year is far from over and there's plenty more to come from the big manufacturers, as well as some possible surprises from up-and-comers. Read on for a list of the phones that AndroidPIT's most excited about seeing in 2015.




The next Nexus - Nexus 5 2015 ?

Google’s silly naming convention means we have no idea what the next Nexus will be called – the successor to the Nexus 6 can’t be the Nexus 7 – because Google used that two years ago for its 7-inch tablet, and some pundits believe Google will dump the brand completely in 2015. Who knows though, it could very well be the Nexus 6 2015.

Recent speculation suggests that Huawei will be at the helm of Google's next 2015 flagship, which would make sense for Google’s reach in China, and the company is already well-versed in producing quality hardware at attractive prices. Intriguingly, a Google video touting Project Fi revealed a mystery phone that many thought could be the next Nexus. The phone looks virtually bezel-less, and seems to have a similar design to the Nexus 5. Could this be the Nexus 5 2015? We hope so.

Xiaomi Mi5

Though it’s not sure that western markets are going to be able to get their hands on this one, we do know that Xiaomi is keen to enter the US market in the near future. This would suit us fine, because the Xiaomi Mi5 could be one of the best devices to ever be released on Android.

Rumors suggest the Mi5 will feature a bezel-less design, a 5.2-inch QHD display, and an octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset with either 3GB or 4GB RAM. These fine specs could be rounded off by a 16MP camera and 3000mAh battery. It's early days yet, but we're excited already.

Project Ara

Project Ara won't produce a flagship. More intriguingly, it'll let you create your own phone, with your design, your preferred hardware and software features, and built to your own specifications. It will be unique to you, and this is why your phone might be the Android phone to get excited about in 2015.

We already got a glimpse at some of the capabilities of Project Ara - with unique components like a night-vision camera module - and the range of design opportunities that Project Ara presents are extremely exciting. Consider this: typical smartphone manufacturers can't include components to appeal to "niche" user interests because they are built to attract as wide a demographic as possible. It's not built for you, it's built for everyone. Project Ara is going to change this. What are you into? What do you want to see from a smartphone? Project Ara will let you create your own answers to these questions.
Project Ara: everything you need to know

Oppo Find 9

Chinese manufacturer Oppo brought a fantastic phablet to the Android table last year with the Find 7. It's no easy task to compete with the other names that dominate Android, but Oppo is doing just that, and we fully expect a Find 9 to appear later this year to take Oppo's intrepid journey into smartphone manufacturing to the next level.

Details on the Find 9 are a little thin at the moment, but early signs indicate Oppo could be pursuing a bezel-less design like the Sharp Aquos Crystal for the Find 9, on a square device bearing little semblance to the Find 7. Rumors suggest it could also feature a 5.5-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset, and 4GB RAM, so it should be powerful as well as pretty.

Sony Xperia Z4 / Z4 Ultra

The Xperia Z4 had a surprisingly muted release in Japan in mid-April. It looked like a decent handset, following a similar design philosophy to its predecessor while kitting out the internals with a Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset and shaving a few decimals of a millimetre off in thickness. It's still waterproof too, though this time there is no unwieldy flap covering the microUSB port.

In truth, the model that's being released in Japan didn't excite us too much either, but we're intrigued by rumors of an Xperia Z4 Ultra being in the works, which could pack a 5.5-inch QHD display, along with a metallic slate design.

There is a lot of speculation right now about what form the Xperia Z4 will take when it appears in the west - (Ultra version, compact, improved specs?) - so we're excited what it offers when it hopefully makes an appearance at IFA 2015 in September
Sony Xperia Z4 release date, news, specs and rumors

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Thanks to the iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung no longer has the premium phablet market to itself - even though it created that market when everybody else was still mocking the idea of big-screened phones. That means the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 needs to be something special - a true Android phone to get excited about.

Rumors suggest an Ultra HD 4K display and a camera with up to 55 megapixels, although that resolution is possible rather than definite so far - if Sony’s sticking to 21 MP the presence of a higher resolution sensor in the Note 5 might be a gimmick rather than a great leap forward. In light of the success of Samsung's in-house Exynos chipset in the Galaxy S6, there are big question marks over whether Samsung would go back to a Qulacomm Snapdragon for the Note 5.If Samsung chooses to go with an Exynos - which we think is more likely - then that could spell the end of Samsung's relationship with Qualcomm for flagship phones.

We’d like to see wireless charging and two-day battery life too. The latest word on the grapevine suggests that the Note 5 could come with a dual-edge design, which we wouldn't mind one bit - if it's not too expensive.
Galaxy Note 5 news and rumors

OnePlus Two

Some firms could teach Google a thing or two about sensible names - the next OnePlus handset is almost certainly going to be called the OnePlus Two. After a split with Cyanogen Inc, OnePlus is going it alone and has already developed a new OS, Oxygen OS, for its second device. Here are the differences you should know about between Cyanogen OS and Oyxgen OS.

The now-familiar blend of great hardware and provocative marketing is likely to continue, and the device, currently codenamed Lettuce, should pack a 64-bit Snapdragon and Lollipop for a very good price. Count on OnePlus's invite-only purchase system to return also.
OnePlus Two release date, specs, news and rumors

Motorola Moto X 2015

The Moto X (2014) is a great phone at a great price, and we’re hoping the 2015 version addresses some of its weaknesses: the rubbish battery, the mediocre camera, the just-OK screen and the lack of stereo speakers and microSD slot. But will that be enough to keep Moto at the top of the table?

Which Android phone are you most looking forward to in 2015?

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Posted at 12:40 AM |  by Unknown

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Apple iPhone 6: Smartphone Face-off

The iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S6 basically have two things in common: They're the smartphone measuring sticks for the rest of the industry, and they represent a fairly big departure from their predecessors. The iPhone 6 finally gives Apple fans a bigger 4.7-inch display, as well as new capabilities, such as Apple Pay. For Samsung, the Galaxy S6 represents a fresh start for the brand, with an all-new, glass-and-metal design (no more plastic!).


But Apple's and Samsung's flagships are totally different in most other ways, from processing power and screen quality to cameras, interface and battery life. I put the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 through nine rounds of handset-to-handset combat to name a winner.
Design


Credit: Jeremy Lips / Tom's GuideDesign has always been a hallmark of the iPhone, and the iPhone 6 maintains that tradition. Made of anodized aluminum, stainless steel and glass, the latest iPhone has rounded edges and a smooth but sturdy body. It's almost too smooth, though, making it feel somewhat slippery. But I do like the way the glass display curves to meet the rest of the chassis, which gives the design a unified aesthetic.





The Galaxy S6 is iPhone-like in some ways, especially the aluminum bottom edge, but I prefer the overall look and feel of Samsung's phone. On the black model, for instance, the Gorilla Glass 4 back appears to change from black to blue depending on how you hold it. There's also a white-and-gold model of the S6, whereas the iPhone 6 comes in either gold, silver or space gray.



Measuring 0.27 inches thick and weighing 4.9 ounces, the Galaxy S6 is about the same thickness but slightly heavier than the 4.6-ounce iPhone 6, but the S6 is remarkably light and thin, given that it has a bigger 5.1-inch screen. However, the S6 has a bigger bump for its camera on the back.
Winner: Galaxy S6.


Sure, Samsung takes some visual cues from Apple, but the combination of glass and metal on the S6 is simply more exciting than the iPhone's design.


Display

This round is not close. Yes, the iPhone 6 has a bright display that's bigger than before (4.7 inches versus 4 inches), but the Galaxy S6's larger, 5.1-inch Super AMOLED panel runs circles around Apple's screen. For starters, you get much higher resolution from Samsung, at 2560 x 1440 pixels, compared to the iPhone 6's 1334 x 750 pixels.


Just as important, photos and videos just look better on the S6, as evidenced by our side-by-side comparison of The Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer. The S6 shows more contrast and detail, especially in Robert Downey Jr.'s face. The iPhone 6 delivers more natural-looking color, but I prefer the more saturated hues from the S6, as well as the superior black levels.
Winner: Galaxy S6.

Audio

For the Galaxy S6, Samsung moved the speaker to the bottom of the device (the S5's speaker was on the back of the device), and the result is louder, but not necessarily cleaner, audio. The S6 sounded more boisterous when I blasted Caesars' "Jerk It Out." However, the iPhone sounded balanced, with more of a bottom end; the same track on the S6 was harsh.
Winner: iPhone 6


The iPhone 6's audio just sounds better.


Interface

Apple's iOS 8 is supereasy to use and even more flexible. For instance, you can finally swap out the default keyboard for a downloaded one, and there are photo extension apps to help you get more out of the camera. Double tapping the home button provides instant access to your favorite contacts, and swiping down on the display while on the home screen launches the excellent Spotlight search feature for finding apps. But now, Spotlight is smart enough to also include relevant results from Wikipedia, Maps and various news sites.


However, the iPhone's Today screen, which includes Notifications in a separate tab, wastes a lot of space compared to the Galaxy S6's notification drawer. In fact, you can access quick settings and notifications all in one place. On the iPhone, you need to swipe up from the bottom of the display to access settings shortcuts, and there are fewer shortcuts.

in other ways, Samsung has streamlined its TouchWiz interface (which runs on top of Android 5.0) and made it more user-friendly. From the home screen to the settings menu, there's less clutter than before. Samsung also provides a better built-in keyboard, complete with a number row, and you can run two apps side by side. Plus, you can download custom themes that let you customize the look and feel of the phone.
Winner: Tie.


The iPhone's ease of use is matched by the Galaxy S6's easier-to-access settings and flexibility.

Features


Samsung promises to launch its own mobile payment solution this summer, but in the meantime, Apple is off to a huge head start with Apple Pay. With NFC technology and the Touch ID sensor, you can use the iPhone 6 as a wallet in more than 700,000 locations. Samsung Pay has the potential to work in more places because it supports both NFC and magnetic secure transmissions, but we'll have to wait and see how well it works.


Another unique benefit of the iPhone 6 is Family Sharing, which allows you to share purchases from iTunes, iBooks and the App Store with up to six accounts. Have a Mac or iPad? Thanks to Continuity, you can accept iPhone calls from those devices, as well as send and receive texts. Then there's Siri, which continues to be the smartest voice-enabled assistant (although Google Now is faster).


The Galaxy S6 has several special features of its own, starting with wireless charging. The S6 supports both the Qi and PMA standards, so you can juice it using a wireless charging pad or at businesses that support the tech. (Note that the above image shows the Galaxy S6 Edge but the S6 works with the same accessory). Want to go the wired route? Fast charging allows you to get to 50 percent battery capacity in just 30 minutes.


In addition, Samsung has improved the accuracy of its fingerprint scanner; you place your finger on the home button instead of swiping it, just like on the iPhone. Other notable Galaxy S6 features include a built-in remote control (powered by Peel) and a heart-rate monitor on the back that doubles as a shutter button for the selfie camera.
Winner: Galaxy S6.


Apple Pay and Family Sharing are compelling, but Samsung offers more features for your money.


Performance


Powered by an octa-core Exynos processor and 3GB of RAM, the Galaxy S6 is the first Samsung phone I've tested that exhibited little to no lag. In fact, the S6 closed apps a hair faster, and opened its camera quicker, than the A8-powered iPhone 6. It took both phones about the same amount of time to open the Stormblades game (8.91 seconds for the S6 versus 9.1 seconds for the iPhone 6).

On the benchmark front, the S6 smoked the iPhone 6. When running Geekbench 3, which tests multicore performance, the S6 scored 5,120, while the iPhone 6 notched just 2,931.

It was a similar story on 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited, which measures graphics performance; the S6 hit 21,193, compared to the iPhone's 16,558.


I ran another demanding graphics benchmark, GFXBench GL (version 3.1), and the S6 once again came out on top. On the T-Rex 1080p off-screen test, the Samsung delivered 57 frames per second, compared to 42.4 fps for the iPhone 6.
Winner: Galaxy S6.

Samsung's phone is simply more powerful.



Camera


Both Apple and Samsung upped their camera game for the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6. The iPhone 6 has an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, while the S6 has a 16-MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture, which should give the Samsung an advantage in low light. It does.

Take a look at this indoor shot I took of a colorful painting. The S6's image looks brighter and crisper, while the iPhone 6 image has a yellow cast.

Outdoors, the iPhone 6 delivered more faded, but more natural, hues in a shot of a porcelain clown. (It's OK to be afraid.) However, the S6 picked up details completely missing from the iPhone 6 shot, such as the specks on his head, and it offered better contrast.

The iPhone 6 fared better in a photo of my two dogs sitting on the stairs with a decent amount of ambient light. It offered better white balance and slightly better contrast.

The iPhone 6 also delivered more accurate color in a shot of a bouquet of decorative flowers. It turned out pink, which is what it's supposed to be, versus more violet/purple for the Galaxy S6. But with the S6, you can zoom in more and make out more detail in the vase and (fake) petals.

My final test for the back cameras was a tree in front of a building. The S6 offered way more detail, especially in the trunk and surrounding stone wall. See the stone wall: The Samsung shot has a "whiter" (bluer) white and more vibrant-looking grass.

If you're a selfie fan, you'll probably like the S6 more than the iPhone 6. It has a sharper 5-MP front shooter that sports a wide-angle lens. This allowed me to easily capture a photo of my two co-workers and me, with plenty of room to see the environment. The iPhone 6's 2-MP front cam captured warmer tones, but its shot looked a little fuzzy compared to the S6's image.
Winner: Galaxy S6.

Although Samsung's camera sometimes oversaturates colors, its photos are sharper and offer more contrast.

Apps





Even though Android now has more than 80 percent of the worldwide smartphone market share, the platform still plays second fiddle to the iPhone when it comes to getting the hottest apps first. Meerkat, Periscope, Clear, Dark Sky, Instagram's Layout and Hyperlapse apps — the list goes on and on. Android offers a lot of great apps, but iOS and the iPhone rule.


As for preloaded apps, both the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 offer health apps, but Samsung's S Health measures your heart rate, and can track your runs and your diet. Apple's Health app is more like a dashboard for other apps. Samsung's Milk Music app deserves a mention (powered by Slacker) because it's slicker than iTunes Radio.


What I don't like about the Galaxy S6 is that you have to deal with carrier-installed software, which isn't an issue for the (mostly) bloatware-free iPhone.
Winner: iPhone 6. 

Developers continue to favor Apple, which means iPhone owners get the best new apps first.

Battery Life

A part of me doesn't want to declare a winner in this category, because neither the Galaxy S6 nor iPhone 6 offer great endurance. On our battery test, which involves continuous Web surfing over 4G LTE at 150 nits of screen brightness, the Galaxy S6 (on T-Mobile) lasted 8 hours and 32 minutes.

That's more than a full hour longer than the iPhone 6 (7:27 on Verizon), but it's only a couple of minutes longer than the category average of 8:22. The older Galaxy S5 lasted more than 10 hours on T-Mobile's network, which makes me wonder how much power the quad-HD display drains.
Winner: Galaxy S6.


I'll take an extra hour of juice.

Overall Winner


If you're in the market for a smartphone, the choice is clear. The Galaxy S6 wins this contest by a fairly wide margin, at 7 rounds to 3. With the Samsung phone, you get a bigger and better display, faster performance and a sharper camera that performs better in low light, all wrapped up in a design that's even sexier than the iPhone 6.


The iPhone 6 is easier to use and offers better audio quality, but the biggest advantage Apple has over Samsung is the app gap that persists between Android and iOS (not in terms of number, but quality). Overall, though, the Galaxy S6 is the superior smartphone.

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Posted at 12:07 AM |  by Unknown

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Review: Killer Curves

It feels like I'm holding a piece of the future – as if someone sliced me off a piece of a Daft Punk helmet and put it in my hands. And that's exactly the vibe Samsung is going for with the Galaxy S6 Edge, which makes a clean break from the brand’s plasticky past.

With its glass-and-aluminum body and curved, dual-edge display (a first for smartphones), the S6 Edge is easily the sexiest smartphone yet. But given that the regular S6 has all of the same features - including a powerful octa-core processor, quicker and brighter camera and sharp quad HD screen - are those curves enough to justify the $100 premium over the regular S6 and other flagship phones?
THE GOOD
iPhone-Beating Design

Most people don't believe me when I tell them that the Galaxy S6 Edge looks better than the iPhone. And this is coming from a long-time, card-carrying iPhone snob.

Samsung has delivered a complete redesign, starting with strong Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back. The frame of the phone uses aluminum, complete with a bottom that resembles the iPhone 6. The result is a handset that's as sturdy as it is alluring.

The S6 Edge comes in Black Sapphire, White Pearl and Gold Platinum. I love the way the black model plays with light so that it looks blue depending on how it's being held. The white version did a much better job resisting fingerprints, but it also looks boring. Having a curved display on both sides makes the S6 Edge sleeker, but there's not a ton you can do with it (see below).

Measuring just 0.26 inches thick and weighing 4.7 ounces, the S6 Edge is thinner and lighter than the regular S6 (0.28 inches, 4.9 ounces) and slightly thinner and a bit heavier than the iPhone 6 (0.27 inches, 4.6 ounces), which has a smaller screen. HTC’s One M9 weighs a hefty 5.5 ounces.

I do have some complaints about the design. At first it felt almost too narrow in my hand while typing; it could be easier to grip. And you need to be careful not to accidentally activate something on screen when you pick up the phone or when you're passing it to someone else to show off a photo or video. That's the cost of having almost all screen up front.
Finally, A Camera That Cures Apple Envy

You don't even have to think about it. A double tap of the Home button is all it takes to launch the S6 Edge’s beefed-up camera. It didn't save me a ton of time versus swiping up on the iPhone 6's home screen (1.5 versus 2 seconds) but I appreciated the convenience.

Although the S6 Edge's back camera has the same 16-megapixel resolution as the S5, Samsung has made some major upgrades. The f/1.9 aperture lets in considerably more light than its predecessor, as well as the iPhone 6 (f/2.2).

In side-by-side shots versus the iPhone 6 Plus, the S6 Edge delivered better sharpness, color saturation and contrast in some shots. Take this photo of a bunch of flowers. The S6 Edge manages to bring out fine shading in the petals, while the iPhone's shot has a hazier look.

Indoors without much light, a portrait of my co-worker Valentina offers more detail - especially in her scarf - as well as better color.

One of the highlight features of the S6 Edge's camera is the tracking autofocus, which lets you keep a moving subject in focus. I just tapped on a moving van and a yellow square appeared on the live view, following it as I continued to hold down the shutter. Surprisingly, all but one of the 11 shots had the writing on the van door in focus.



Samsung has streamlined the number of camera modes available, giving you eight out of the box.

These include selective focus, slow motion, fast motion and panorama. If you want other options - like Sports Shot and Sound & Shot - you'll have to download them.
Sharper, More Group-Friendly Selfies

Samsung deserves kudos for the 5-MP front camera on this S6 Edge (up from 2 MP). Its 120-degree, wide-angle lens let me capture three people at once much easier than with the iPhone 6's front shooter. I could have fit a couple more folks in the frame. I noticed some noise in the photo when I viewed it on my desktop, but overall, the S6 Edge delivered warm colors and a good amount of detail.



If you want to freak out your friends - in a good way - try the Virtual Shot mode. It stitches together a short 360-degree tour of you and your surroundings that you can then share with friends as a video.

On your device, or another Galaxy S6, you can swipe left or right on the screen to spin the image around. Virtual Shot mode also works with the back camera if you want to give a 3D tour of an object.
Best Quad HD Display, Louder Audio

No, there's not much content that takes advantage of 2560 x 1440 pixels on a phone, but there’s no denying that the 5.1-inch quad HD Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy S6 is the most luscious yet. Text in websites and notifications look as sharp as what I'm used to seeing on the printed page.

Credit: Cherlynn LowWhen watching The Age of Ultron trailer at 1440p, I could make out nearly every vein in the Hulk's green neck, as well the patches of soot and dirt all over his battle-worn torso. This panel is certainly colorful and bright, delivering 150 percent of the sRGB color gamut and an impressive 536 nits of brightness. That's above the category average but below the iPhone 6­.

During the trailer I had to turn the thumping soundtrack down so as not to disturb my colleagues. According to Samsung, the bottom-mounted speaker gets 1.5 times louder than the S5, and I believe it. Repositioning the speaker from the back was a smart move, because it doesn't get muffled when placed on a table. When I played Muse's "Starlight" on Spotify, the S6 got louder but sounded harsh at max volume; the iPhone 6 sounded a little fuller.
Fastest Phone Yet

Samsung dumped Qualcomm's Snapdragon CPU in favor of its own octa-core, 14 nanometer Exynos processor for the Galaxy S6 Edge. That chip gets paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of UFS 2.0 flash storage. In everyday use, I noticed little to no lag with this phone, although I could do without the animated transitions.

The S6 Edge took only 2 minutes and 25 seconds to transcode an HD video to 480p in the Vidtrim app. That's about 2 minutes faster than the Snapdragon 805-powered Galaxy Note 4. By comparison, the Snapdragon 810-powered HTC One M9 took a leisurely 4:44.

On Geekbench, which measures overall performance, the S6 Edge notched 5,335. That smokes the iPhone 6's mark of 2,931 and the Galaxy Note 4 (3,124). The HTC One M9 also trailed the Samsung with a score of 3,818. For those scoring at home, the Dell XPS 13 -- a Core i5 laptop -- hit 5,530.

The S6 Edge also excelled on 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited, which measures graphics performance. It scored 21,193, compared with 16,558 for the iPhone 6 and 20,126 for the Galaxy Note 4. However, the HTC One M9 finished with a stronger 22,804.

We then tried the demanding GFXBench 3.1 OpenGL graphics test. On the T-Rex portion (1080 offscreen) of this benchmark, which renders a 3D scene with highly detailed textures, the S6 Edge scored 50 frames per second versus 48 fps for the HTC One M9 and 42.4 fps for the iPhone 6.
A Softer, Cuddlier TouchWiz

Like a hoarder that promises to clean up its act, Samsung has been reducing the clutter with each iteration of its TouchWiz software. With the S6 Edge, the company says that TouchWiz has 40 percent less built-in features and steps for doing things than previous models, such as making menu selections. The settings menu is definitely more intuitive and less onerous than before, thanks to some Quick Settings shortcuts up top for things like Sounds and Notifications and the Display and Edge Screen.

Credit: Cherlynn LowOverall, TouchWiz looks and feels friendlier than on the S5. For example, the Calendar icon is no longer just a flat white box with a number on it; now you can see a little fold in the middle (like a real desk calendar). And all the icons have rounded, not sharp, edges.

Of course, Samsung can’t help but add new features here and there; for instance, swiping down with two fingers on an email message lets you reply all, set a reminder or delete.
Improved Fingerprint Scanner

No more swiping! Samsung ditched the finicky fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S5 in favor of one you just tap on the S6 Edge. Not only is this implementation as easy to use as the iPhone 6, I encountered fewer false negatives.

Eventually, the fingerprint sensor may also be used for mobile payments, but for now the only other uses are signing into websites and into your Samsung account.
THE BAD
Edge Screen Doesn't Do Enough

As slick as the dual curved-edge display looks on the Edge 6, there's not much you can do with it. Swiping in from the right side of the screen launches People Edge, which lets you quickly access your favorite contacts - each marked with a distinctive color. Note that you can move the edge screen to the left or right side.

If you happen to have the phone turned face down on a table, the edge display will glow that hue when that person calls. Neat. There's even a quick-reply option, which enabled me to send a canned message to an incoming caller by placing my hand on the heart rate sensor.

Unfortunately, Samsung limited access to People Edge to the lock screen and home screens. I’d like to access the feature from within apps as well.

With the display turned off, you can glance at various tickers for notifications, news, stocks and sports, but there's really no reason to versus enjoying the full phone experience. The only thing I'd use with the display off is the clock mode, which was dim enough not to wake me.

The Galaxy Note Edge does more with its edge display, including offering instant access to your favorite apps and a dedicated app store. I wish the S6 Edge did at least the former.
Shorter Battery Life Than Predecessor

First, the good news. The Galaxy S6 Edge comes with a charger that juices the phone up to 50 percent in 30 minutes. Hate wires? The phone supports both the Qi and PMA standard, which means you can use any number of wireless charging pads. Plus, businesses such as Starbucks and McDonalds are starting to offer wireless charging stations. Even IKEA is getting into the act, with Qi-enabled furniture. However, there's no denying the S6 Edge suffers from shorter battery life than the S5.

On our battery test, which involves continuous 4G LTE Web surfing on 150 nits of screen brightness, the S6 Edge lasted 8 hours and 57 minutes. That runtime is better than the smartphone average of 8:22 and trounces is the HTC One M9 (7:14) but a full 2 hours behind the S5.

At least the 2,600 mAh battery gives you more capacity and endurance than the 2,550 mAh battery on the regular S6, which lasted 8:32.
Lacks Removable Battery, microSD

I’m not that bothered by these omissions, but a lot of people are. Up until now, the Galaxy S line has sported a removable back, allowing you to replace the battery or add a higher capacity pack. You've also been able to add a microSD card to expand the storage. To create a slimmer package, Samsung opted for a sealed design that eschews these features.

Given that the S6 Edge starts with 32GB of memory now, the lack of expandable memory is less of an issue, but HTC includes a microSD card slot on its One M9. The Galaxy Note 4 offers both a removable battery and a microSD.
Some Bloatware on Board (But Some Good Stuff)

Samsung may have caught up Apple in the design and camera departments, but you still have to deal with carrier bloatware and other apps that may have zero value. There's a whole T-Mobile folder of stuff you don't really need, including Name ID, TV and Visual Voicemail. However, I would probably use My Account and Mobile Hotspot.

Other bundled third-party fare includes a suite of Microsoft apps (OneDrive, OneNote and Skype), Amazon (did you know there was one?!) and Lookout for security.

Samsung includes some of its own wares, such as S Health for keeping tabs on your fitness and heart rate, Smart Manager (which monitors battery, storage, RAM and security), the cool Milk music app (powered by Slacker).
Samsung Pay Not Ready

The Galaxy S6 Edge will let you make mobile payments via the Samsung Pay service, promising a wider array of retailer options when it goes live this summer. That's because it will leverage both magnetic secure transmission technology and NFC. However, it remains to be seen how easy this service will be to use.
BOTTOM LINE

The Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 are practically identical. They share the same speedy octa-core Samsung Exynos processor, sharp 5.1-inch quad HD screen, faster and brighter camera and built-in wireless charging -- all wrapped up in premium glass-and-metal bodies. They're also both missing the same features versus the S5, including a microSD Card slot and a removable battery. However, the curved screen makes a more stunning impression. It's just too bad that Samsung couldn't find more to do with it, like the Galaxy Note Edge.

Credit: Jeremy Lips / Tom's GuideStill, the Edge lasts longer on a charge, and to me the regular S6 reminds me too much of the iPhone 6. Priced $100 higher, the S6 Edge isn't the better value. But it's the one I’d buy. If you prefer a phablet, the Note 4 gives you a bigger screen, longer battery life and a built-in pen. The HTC One M9 is another fairly strong competitor, but it's heavier than the S6 Edge, has a lower-res display, and its camera has received a lukewarm reception.

It's a tougher call between the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge. For the same $299, you could get an iPhone 6 with 64GB of memory (versus 32GB for the Samsung), a great camera and access to the hottest apps first. But if you're an Android fan, the S6 Edge is the sexiest and fastest smartphone available.

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Posted at 12:00 AM |  by Unknown

Samsung Galaxy S6 Camera Defeats iPhone 6

Round 1: Daylight Still Life

We start with the easiest test — shooting objects that don't move under sunlight, albeit diffused sunlight owing to gray New York City skies. Photos from both cameras look great. The iPhone 6 Plus photo (at right) shows a hint of extra green, yielding slightly fluorescent-looking greens in the apples. The Galaxy S6 photo puts a bit too much blue in the image, giving the apples a slight purplish tint. But this is nitpicking. Both show crisp detail, though the Galaxy S6 photo is a tad sharper, owing to its 16-megapixel sensor, compared to the 8-MP chip in the iPhone 6 Plus camera.

Round 2: High-Color Still Life

We saw a clearer difference in these shots of brightly colored flowers, mostly under cloudy sunlight, with a bit of fluorescent lighting from the vendor's stall. The Galaxy S6 photo, at left, has a pleasing higher color saturation. It also shows more detail — due not only to higher resolution but also to better contrast, which brings out fine shading in the petals. The iPhone 6 Plus photo has a hazy appearance. We sometimes see this due to the camera's tone mapping, which tries to pull back areas that are overexposed. It goes too far here, producing a flat image.

Round 3: Daylight Portrait

Both cameras capture the skin tone of our colleague Dave pretty well. The iPhone 6 Plus image makes his face look brighter and clearer, though; whereas it looks a bit flat in the Galaxy S6 photo. The iPhone 6 Plus pic also shows a stronger black in his coat. It's a close call, but the iPhone 6 Plus does better overall.



Round 4: Indoor Still Life

Low-light performance is a strong point for the iPhone 6 and a priority for the Galaxy S6. This photo shows that Samsung has not only closed the gap but actually pulled ahead. Not surprising is that its higher-resolution camera captures more detail, as in the label on the Captain Morgan's bottle. But further, the Galaxy's default real-time high dynamic range (HDR) produced a better exposure, not only bringing up the shadows but also capturing more detail in highlights.

That, as much as resolution, makes the text on the frosted Absolute Mandarin bottle sharper. The Galaxy S6 captures more and brighter highlights, too, as on the brown rum bottle at the left. The clear bottles show complex reflections and diffractions in the S6 photo that appear at best as blobs in the iPhone image.

Round 5: Indoor Portrait

Both phone cameras captured nice photos of our co-worker Valentina in a dim hallway with mixed fluorescent and LED lighting. However, the iPhone 6 Plus photo appears a bit flat compared to the higher-contrast Samsung image, and it doesn't capture the reddish highlights in her hair.

The Galaxy S6 photo better reflects the color of the lighting. Perhaps this is due to the infrared sensor, but we can't say for sure. The higher-resolution Galaxy S6 photo also shows much finer detail, evident in her scarf.

Round 6: Low-Light Portrait

This is an extreme-low-light test — images taken with only dim overhead light. There are several variations between the two photos: for example, the Galaxy S6 image appears too warm while the iPhone 6 Plus image looks greenish. But the glaring difference is that the iPhone 6 Plus photo shows yellow splotches on her face, such as her forehead and under her eyes. We've occasionally seen the iPhone 6 tone mapping turn overexposed areas yellow, but this is worse than usual.

The Galaxy S6 photo also appears a bit brighter, possibly due to its f/1.9 aperture, which lets in about 30 percent more light than the f/2.2 aperture of the iPhone 6 Plus camera.

Round 7: Flash Photo Portrait

Sometimes, a camera simply needs to use a flash, and here, the Galaxy S6 beats the iPhone in a few ways. It shows far more detail, again evident in her scarf. Colors also appear more accurate in the Galaxy S6 image. The Samsung's flash is perhaps more powerful than some people might want, but the photo is not overexposed.

The most noticeable aspect of the iPhone 6 Plus photo is that there are yellow splotches, especially on her cheek and neck, due to failed tone mapping. The iPhone 6 Plus image also has a worse red-eye effect, but this could just be a matter of chance.

Round 8: Sunny Cityscape

Both the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy S6 cameras performed well — as they should — in this cakewalk photo test. People we asked around the office preferred the warmer colors of the iPhone 6 Plus photo, and so it takes the round, but only by a hair. The Galaxy S6 photo is also of high quality.

Round 9: Backlit Street Scene

There was no contest in this comparison. When the subjects were backlit, the whole image appeared faded in the iPhone photo, while the Galaxy S6 photo retained good contrast. We saw similar results in other backlit shots taken with both cameras.

Round 10: Front-Lit Street Scene

The differences between the two phones go away when strong sunlight hits the front of the subject. Here both cameras captured detail well, and the fast phase detection autofocus in both cameras helped each capture a sharp image of the moving subjects. People viewing both photos tended to prefer the iPhone 6 Plus image for its warmer tone, but again, the differences are subtle.

Round 11: Sunlight Group Portrait

The iPhone 6 Plus won our competition in the portraits of Dave under diffused sunlight, and it triumphs again in this very bright photo of Dave, Valentina and our colleague Sherri — with richer, truer colors and far stronger contrast. This is a pattern we have consistently seen between the two cameras in photos under intense sunlight. If you're going to the beach, the iPhone will certainly serve you better.

The iPhone 6 Plus image is far from perfect, though. Tone mapping has flattened out details and produced those characteristic yellow spots on Valentina's and Dave's faces. Because the S6 image retains more tonal detail, it might ultimately produce a better photo after editing. But straight from the camera, the iPhone 6 Plus image looks much richer.

Scorecard

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Posted at 11:45 PM |  by Unknown