Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
In March of 2016 Samsung released the latest version of their long standing flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. It was the 2nd version of their closed back, un-removable battery configuration. Learning from the mistakes of the Galaxy S6, they made sure to add a micro SD port to appease their base. Galaxy users have stated that most of them opt to buy the Galaxy because it's not an Iphone, and has features like a removable battery, and micro SD port. So with the S6 it was safe to say many Galaxy loyalists were very disappointed. Samsung wisely embraced the feedback of their customers and at least added the micro SD port.
New features
The S7 and S7 edge feature a 5.1 inch and 5.5 curved edge screen respectively. The phone received a lower megapixel back lens at 12 mp, down compared to the previous Galaxy. 5 megapixel "selfie" camera. And a new optical image stabilizer system for those without a tripod. This feature was a welcomed addition.
Qi and powermat charging for those who want wireless charging and a 3,000 mAh battery for the S7, and a 3,600 mAh battery for the S7 edge to account for the larger screen. The standard S7 screen is a flat screen, typical of most smartphones. The S7 edge features a screen that curves at the edge.
Both models are equipped with 32 gb system memory. Both contain either a Quad-core Snapdragon 820 or Octa-core Samsung Exynos 8. These two models have plenty of torque. These models have most of the bells and whistles that Sammy fans have come to expect.
Reception
The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge were the best selling Android phones of 2016, beating out rivals LG and Moto. However, according to CNBC , Apple's Iphone 6s surpassed all Galaxy models. Still, outselling every other model from every other company on your OS is no small feat.
A year later
Huge gripes
Now that this phone has been out for a year and consumers have been able to settle in with the S7 line, the problems with them have become more obvious, and more annoying.
God awful battery life
This is a personal anecdote, but the battery life on the S7 is absolutely atrocious. On a full charge with performance on full (as opposed to the two lower power settings), battery life is well under an hour with continual use.
I searched online for any reviews praising the battery life. Could not find any. A majority of the 1 star reviews I've read from sources like Cnet have been pertaining to the very poor battery life.
Overheating
If you charge the S7 wirelessly, you're bound to almost burn your hand on it, it runs so hot. The heat exposure undoubtedly shortens the battery's life. The battery that can't be swapped. Under continued use the phone will run very hot too. This worries me due to the infamous Note explosion fiasco that plagued Samsung a year ago. I haven't read about S7's exploding but they run very hot.
Malware
Samsung's chief rival, Apple is known for their teflon malware protection for the IOS. Marshmellow seems to be just that, a security marshmellow. In recent weeks, I've gotten a home screen ad that has to be swiped to get to the real swipe screen. Not sure what it is but It popped up out of nowhere.
S7 edge screen
The edge's curved screen has led to many sales. Aesthetically the screen gives off the impression of luxury, and elegance. A year later it has proven to be little more than a gimmick, offering virtually nothing of practical value over the lower tier S7 model except for a slightly larger, curved screen. The battery size is slightly larger on the S7 edge, but that battery power is used by the larger screen size. Pound for pound it offers no added battery life advantage over the standard S7.
The edge screen is much more prone to cracking and breaking from impact. Even if the phone falls and lands on its side it's prone to crack the screen.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+
The latest models of the flagship Samsung line have been released. And my worry is that these models will have the same exact issue. On the positive side, the S8 models feature a standard of 64 gb system memory, double that of the S7 models. The front camera has been bumped up 3 mp to 8 mp. The S8 features a faster chipset, a 5.8 in screen (.7 in larger than the S7) and the same 3,000 mAh battery. The S8+ behemoth features a 6.2 inch screen, and a 3,500 mAh battery, down 100 mAh from the S7 edge.
I think this is a very poor decision by Samsung to use these capacity batteries if they will not allow for a removable battery. It's forgivable if consumers have the option of purchasing an aftermarket battery with a larger capacity.
A phone can have all of the bells and whistles in the world, but it will not matter if the battery cannot power them.
Time will tell how the S8 and S8+ hold up in this regard. Stay tuned for those updates.The Smartphone Mart will address the battery life situation for consumers in the coming months.
In the meantime, how has your experience been with your S7, S7 edge, S8, or S8+?
