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Samsung pins hope on Galaxy S6 for rebound

February 3, 2015

An invitation card issued to the press Tuesday by Samsung Electronics for the Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event. It is expected to release its latest Galaxy S6 model on March 1, a day before the opening of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. (Courtesy of Samsung Electronics)

By Bahk Eun-ji

Samsung Electronics’ new smartphone Galaxy S6, set to make its at the debut Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in Spain next month, will look a lot like Apple’s iPhone 6, sources said Monday.

Samsung hopes the Galaxy S6, with improved design and features, will win back customers lost to Apple.

Analysts said that the new handset will provide the company with fresh momentum in the mobile segment. Its operating profit fell 32 percent year-on-year to 25 trillion won in 2014, hit by a revenue fall in the handset segment.

Samsung is expected to unveil the latest model on March 1, a day before the opening of MWC.

“The Galaxy S6 is expected to have pretty much upgraded features compared to previous models. It will help the company post stable growth,” said Kim Young-chan, a technology analyst at Shinhan Investment. “If it successfully attracts users who have been reluctant to change their devices, Samsung can increase market share in the premium smartphone segment.”

On Tuesday, Samsung started giving out invitations for its Galaxy Unpacked Event 2015.

“The Galaxy S6 will make its debut in two versions ― flat and rounded screens,” said an executive at a local parts supplier, Tuesday. “It will have a metal build, which will make it look even more like Apple’s latest models.”

Galaxy S6 will use glass on the front and back, making it more appealing, he said.

Samsung dropped its earlier plan to adopt a dual-edge design on the new phone due to concerns over defect rates of curved glasses.

It is expected to have a 5.1-inch OLED display and have rounded corners.

Samsung will use its own Exynos chip in the new handset, sources said. Qualcomm will also supply its Snapdragon 810 processors soon after the release of the Samsung phone as the San Diego-headquartered outfit recently addressed overheating issues of the chipset.

One major change is the use of new-generation lithium-polymer battery in the S6, which is smaller and runs cooler.

“Batteries will be embedded in S6 as Samsung is putting more focus on strengthening the safety of batteries by replacing the flammable liquid electrolytes of conventional lithium-ion cells with improved polymer electrolyte cells, which are non-flammable and non-volatile,” another source who is familiar with the issue said.

Galaxy S6 features include a mobile payment system called Samsung Pay, just like Apply Pay system.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong will reportedly visit the fair to promote the phone.

The company declined to comment on the features of the new phone and the vice chairman’s visit to the show next month.