Samsung Galaxy S7 Design Leaked, Bound to Disappoint?

Information on the design of the next Samsung flagship device has been leaked, which may be a disappointing one for those who are anticipating the Galaxy S7.

A report from The Korea Times has revealed that the Korean tech giant plans to make minimal changes to the design of Galaxy S6.

"As the S6 and S6 Edge represented progress, the S7 will have improvements both in picture quality, performance and other some new features. But because smartphones have already been commoditized, you don't need to spend more on a surface overhaul," a source told the newspaper. "The key point is can consumers enjoy content with enhanced viewing quality and boosted processing speed."

But the thing is, many are actually hoping that Samsung will change the surface build of its device, particularly the glass back it introduced in Galaxy S6 models. As per Forbes' Gordon Kelly, the glass back is "impractical" and based on long-term testing, it was slippery when hands are cold and sticky when warm. Add that to the fact the Samsung had to remove the expandable SD card slot and the removable battery.

Kelly says Samsung needs to bring back some practicality to its device, e.g., a surface build that is easier to grip and a microSD card slot.

The Korea Times explained that the decision with the design is because of evidence that the price and hardware specifications matter to consumers rather than the appealing outer look. Samsung Galaxy S7 will look similar to Galaxy S6 or Note 5 phablet.

Samsung Galaxy S7 might be released in the first quarter of 2016, probably at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, which is scheduled on Feb. 22 to 25.

Meanwhile, Samsung has already unveiled its 2016 Samsung Galaxy A series, which will launch in China in mid-December.