Sony showed off a new range of phones created to appeal to more cost-conscious consumers. If you pre-order a Samsung S7 or S7 Edge phone, you’ll get a Samsung Gear VR headset (a $100 value) thrown in free, meaning there will be a lot of people trying these out this year.
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The Mobile World Congress and the Smart Energy Summit both hold court this week-the former in Barcelona, and the later in Austin, TX. As of yet, no announcement has been made by LG regarding the official price.
But LG’s recent smartphones have been struggling, feeling the pinch from high-end Apple’s iPhone and Samsung Galaxy and Chinese budget phones.
Stay tuned this week for more Mobile World Congress news and updates.
“We are moving towards a logic of segmentation and improvement, with a better camera or more autonomy for example, maybe some advances in virtual reality, but there will unlikely be any major innovation”, said Thomas Husson, an anlyst at Forrester.
Although the Facebook founder did not dwell on it during his comments at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, the social network subsequently confirmed in a statement to the media that Facebook is forming a Social VR team “focused entirely on exploring the future of social interaction in VR”. Both the S7 and S7 Edge feature top of the line processors (quad core/octa core depending on region), 4GB RAM, 32GB storage, 3000mAh battery (S7), 3,600mAh battery (S7 Edge) and expandable storage thanks to a hybrid SIM slot.
The new devices are water resistant and can handle being submerged in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes, according to Samsung, though it’s not recommended you try it with your device. Samsung’s Edge is getting bigger, at 5.5 inches, but because the sides curve, the phone won’t be much wider. “Given that users can switch freely to other brands with the Android system, Samsung has to do more to retain users”, Tay Xiaohan, senior market analyst at IDC’s Asia-Pacific Client Devices Group, said in a telephone interview. What sets it apart are the components that can be added or swapped. The G5’s bottom bezel slides out, allowing the users to swap out the battery and plug in modules like the LG Cam Plus (a larger camera grip with dedicated shutter and zoom functions, and extended battery for shooting photos all day) or the Hi-Fi Plus (a digital audio converter and amp for improved music playback).
Another module turns the phone into a high-fidelity speaker, ideal for audiophiles. Samsung broadcast its Unpacked event in 360 video, and had Gear VR headsets for the entire audience to lose themselves in. Samsung focused on the software side too with features like an “always on” display, game optimization and game tools. If you don’t like it, the feature is optional.
Mobile World Congress, Europe’s biggest consumer electronics show with an expected 95,000 attendees, started this week.
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Early adopters will get a bonus of two games, including “Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives” where robots have taken human jobs and a second, “Fantastic Contraption” that challenges to build contraptions as they float on a grassy island in the sky.
