Update: We’re live at Samsung’s Unpacked event. Follow our coverage of the launch where we expect to see the S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5.
You shouldn’t need many guesses to work out what to expect from the SamsungGalaxy S6 Edge+ as while nothing has been confirmed yet the rumors largely match up with the name, which is to say it’s likely to be a phablet-sized Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
It’s also likely to be here very soon, so if you were impressed by Samsung’s dual-curved screen smartphone but wanted something a little larger your prayers may have been answered.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Samsung’s upscaled Galaxy S6 Edge
- When is it out? Likely announced on August 13 for September 3 launch
- What will it cost? Possibly around £560 ($875, AU$1204)
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ release date
We’re pretty sure that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will be unveiled on August 13 in New York, as Samsung is holding its annual Unpacked event then.
In fact it now looks pretty much nailed on to show up, after Samsung posted details about the Galaxy S6 Edge+ on its French language website.
The official slip also reveals a pre-order window which opens on August 21 andcloses on September 3 – suggesting that perhaps we’ll have to wait until next month to get our hands on the super-sized S6 Edge+.
It’s August 13 today, so head over to our live blog to stay up to date with all the action from 4pm BST/11am EST/8am PDT.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ design
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is set to have a very similar design to the Galaxy S6 Edge.
Here’s one of the first leaked images of the phone – it looks to be a blown up version of the Galaxy S6 Edge with not much different apart from a 5.7-inch display on the front.
Everything else about the design looks pretty similar with the glass back and metal frame in tow as well as the curved display. All the images we’ve seen so far suggest as much, and we’ve seen quite a few, including a press shot, a picture of it next to the Note 4, and several other shots of it on its own.
Of course the dimensions will be changing, with the S6 Edge+ rumored to be154.4 x 75.9 x 6.9mm, up from 142.1 x 70.1 x 7mm on the S6 Edge.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ screen
The biggest change from the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge to the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is likely to be the screen size, with the upcoming handset rumored to be 5.7 inches, with a resolution of either 1440 x 2560 or 1600 x 2560.
Although an earlier rumor suggested it would just be 5.5 inches. Either way it’s sure to have a Super AMOLED screen too, so expect bright, vibrant visuals.
The edge of the display is also in line for some new tricks, with leaked press shotsappearing to show an additional column of app shortcuts – allowing you to jump to your favorites without the need to navigate back to the home screen or app draw.
It’s hardly a ground breaking feature, and we hope Samsung has a few more tricks up its sleeve.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ rivals
Oddly the biggest rivals to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ could be other Samsungphones, since it’s likely to be a combination of the smaller Samsung Galaxy S6 Edgeand the less curvy Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
Beyond that there’s the Motorola Moto X Style which offers a similarly large screen and the upcoming iPhone 6S Plus, which should also be a premium phone of phablet proportions.
One of the new Nexus handsets is also rumored to be a phablet and could significantly undercut Samsung’s offering, though it won’t have a curved screen.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ camera and battery
The only camera rumors we’ve heard are that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will have a 16MP rear snapper and a 5MP front-facing one, just like the normal Galaxy S6 Edge, which is no surprise really.
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Presumably all the features of that camera will also remain intact, including optical image stabilisation.
We’ve also heard a battery rumor but it doesn’t paint a promising picture. According to @evleaks the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ will have just a 3,000mAh juice pack. That’s up from the 2,600mAh one in the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, but still pretty small for a phablet.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ OS and power
A leaked photo shows the Galaxy S6 Edge+ running Android 5.1 Lollipop, which is no surprise, though you can expect it to be overlaid with TouchWiz.
Oddly early rumors pointed to the phone packing a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, which would be a bit of a downgrade on the octa-core Exynos 7420 in the Galaxy S6 Edge, so we’d take that with a pinch of salt.
There’s not much word on RAM but 3GB (the same as the standard S6 Edge) seems likely. Failing that it could get pushed up to 4GB.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ other features
We haven’t heard much about extra features, but the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ will almost certainly have a fingerprint scanner, just like the S6 Edge.
The curved edges may also be getting more useful than they have so far been on the S6 Edge if a new patent allowing quick access to apps becomes reality. Don’t expect the S6 Edge Plus to have an S Pen though. This might be a phablet but it’s not a Note.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ cost
Surprisingly the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ might not be as bank-breakingly expensive as we’d thought, as according to SamMobile the 32GB version will come in at €799 (about £560, $875, AU$1204).
That’s still pretty pricey, but considering the standard Galaxy S6 Edge launched at €849/£700 (around $1030, AU$1320) it’s actually not bad at all. The lower price could be because it’s possibly going to be a little less powerful and Samsung haslowered the price of the standard Edge anyway in the face of lower than expected sales, but then again the price could just be wrong.
If Samsung is to make a larger Galaxy S6 Edge we have a few ideas of our own as to what it should include. Here’s our thoughts as to what the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ should have.
1. A massive battery
Perhaps the biggest downfall of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge was its disappointing battery, making it a struggle to even get through a day of moderate use.
So we want to see big improvements in the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and as it’s going to be larger there should be plenty of room to stick a meatier juice pack in.
2. More useful edges
The curved edges on the Galaxy S6 Edge sure do look pretty, but they don’t really do much. This time around we want Samsung to really give them a reason for existing beyond looking good, whether that’s through extra functionality or shortcuts to existing apps and services.
3. A Waterproof build
An ever growing number of smartphones are water resistant, with even affordable handsets like the Moto G 2015 getting in on the act, but the Galaxy S6 Edge isn’t. There’s been no suggestion that the Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be either but we hope it is.
We’re writing this from England where it rains 97.4% of the time, everything needs to be water resistant.
4. A MicroSD card slot
The Galaxy S6 Edge is available with up to 128GB of built in storage and we’re hopeful that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will be just as generous, but it would still be nice to have a microSD card slot too, either so we can get away with buying a smaller, cheaper model or so we can store every last megabyte of our digital content on it.
5. A lower price
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge was and is prohibitively expensive, even compared to the flagship Samsung Galaxy S6, so there’s a fear that with its larger dimensions the Galaxy S6 Edge+ will be even pricier.
Surprisingly one rumor suggests it could actually be cheaper though and we really hope it is, as it could have far more mainstream appeal if you could buy it without having to give up luxuries like food and housing.
6. A more comfortable design
As stunning as the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge looks it’s not the most comfortable phone to hold, with its flat back and sharp-edged frame. A curved back could allow it to sit more comfortably in the hand and may even allow room for a larger battery in the process.
7. A powerful processor
We would have thought a top tier processor was all but guaranteed for the SamsungGalaxy S6 Edge+. After all this is a Samsung flagship we’re talking about, but some rumors suggest it will have a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chip, which while not exactly lacking in power would leave it less powerful than the standard SamsungGalaxy S6 Edge.
So at a minimum we really want it to have the same chip as its smaller sibling and since it’s newer it doesn’t seem like it should be too much to ask for something even better.
8. USB Type-C
The OnePlus 2 has arrived with USB Type-C and now we want to see it in other phones, so we’ll never again have to do the dance of the USB cable. It’s not lookingsuper likely that we’ll see it in the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, but you never know.
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