Xiaomi is finally releasing kernel source files for Mi3, Mi4, and Mi Note
Xiaomi sure took its time, but the Chinese company is now finally releasing the source code for the Mi3, Mi4, and Mi Note kernels.
The Xiaomi Mi 3 was announced in September 2013, while the Mi 4 followed up in July 2014. For the Mi 3 in particular, fans and developers have heavily criticized Xiaomi for not complying to its GPLv2 obligations, which require anyone who uses Linux to release the source code to the public. Not only did Xiaomi fail to immediately release the kernel source code for many of its devices, it delayed it repeatedly and offered very little in terms of justification.
Back in December, Xiaomi’s Hugo Barra promised the kernel code for the Mi3 would be released within Q1, and today, on the last day of Q1 2015, Xiaomi finally kept its word.
The kernel source code for Mi 3 (world and CDMA), Mi 4, and Mi Note is now available on Xiaomi’s GitHub page. That means anyone can peruse the code and that developers can begin tinkering with it, hopefully leading to a richer ecosystem of custom ROMs. It’s good to see that the high-end Mi Note phablet, released in January, is included on the list.
It remains to be seen whether Xiaomi is committed to adhering to GPL from now on, or this is just a Band-Aid that won’t solve the problem long-term.
Head over to GitHub for the code and check out this post about MediaTek’s similar practice for a closer look at GPL licensing and source codes.
AT&T HTC One M7 getting Lollipop today, AT&T M8 update on 4/6
While HTC has been much more aggressive with rolling out updates since the arrival of the HTC One (M7), they’ve fallen a bit behind schedule with the Lollipop rollout. The update to carriers should have happened months ago now, but better late than never.
AT&T HTC One (M7) Owners! Great news, we’ve received technical approval on Lollipop OS. OTA will start tomorrow. Thank you for your patience
— Mo Versi (@moversi) March 30, 2015
For those on AT&T’s network, you’ll be happy to know the One M7 and One M8 will soon be seeing an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop, starting with the HTC One M7 sometime today. Mo Versi originally confirmed the news of the One M7’s impending update through Twitter last night, and this morning also revealed that the HTC One M8 will also be making the jump, albeit slightly later on April 6th.
@LindsayCallende Hi Lindsay, M7 has been received. OTA to start tomorrow. M8 scheduled for 4/6. Thanks.
— Mo Versi (@moversi) March 30, 2015
As for what’s new here? Both updates will bring a number of new features from Lollipop including notification improvements, a redesigned recent apps panel, and a slew of new security features. As for Material Design, you can expect a few aesthetic changes but the visual update will be much less noticeable than you’d find with a stock Android device like a Nexus, thanks to HTC’s custom skin.
Keep in mind that the One M7 update is coming sometime today, but we’ve yet to receive any confirmation that its rollout has begun. We’ll be sure to update you as soon as we learn more.
14 best new Android apps and games from March 2015
The buzz of CES and Mobile World Congress 2015 has finally started to calm down but the app world is as busy as ever. We saw some great Android apps and games releases from March 2015 and we’re going to talk about the best ones here.
Almightree; The Last Dreamer
[Price: $1.99]
Almightree: The Last Dreamer is a 3D platformer game with impressive, colorful visuals, a fun story line, and challenging game play. You play as a hero who is trying to save a world that is crumbling by the minute. It’s a lot of fun but doesn’t work on devices that use ART although we imagine that issue is temporary.
Alphadia Genesis 2
[Price: $4.99 with in app purchases on sale ($9.99 usually)]
Alphadia Genesis 2 is the latest in the Alphadia series from Kemco Games. It is an RPG title that features a long and decent story, job classes, decent graphics, and a unique UI experience for a game. There are a few bugs here and there so be sure to test it inside of the refund time!
AutoWear
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
AutoWear is an Android Wear application that gives you the ability to add some unique stuff to your smartwatch experience. Some features include floating icons, interactive screen creation, Okay Google integration, and a lot more. If you like to tinker and don’t mind a learning curve, you can get a 7-day free trial of the app right now.
Corgi for Feedly
[Price: Free]
Corgi for Feedly is a lock screen replacement app that puts your Feedly news feed on your lock screen. It adheres to material design, uses your customizable Feedly feed, and also lets you share with friends. It’s a simple replacement but it doesn’t have good lock screen security and there are a few bugs here and there.
Drupe
[Price: Free]
Drupe is a kind of messaging app where you can browse your contracts and message any one of them you want using your preferred messaging service. That means you can get a hold of one person on Facebook Messenger and another on Hangouts, all from one app. It’s definitely interesting if you use multiple messaging platforms and free to use.
Dungeon Hunter 5
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Dungeon Hunter 5 is the latest iteration of the Dungeon Hunger series from Gameloft. It continues where Dungeon Hunter 4 left off and includes improved graphics, a new story line to play through, and some online player mechanics. It’s an action RPG that uses a freemium model but it’s still worth a shot if you like action RPGs.
Final Fantasy Record Keeper
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Final Fantasy Record Keeper is a dual effort between DeNA and Square Enix. The game has enough nostalgia to where any Final Fantasy fan can feel welcome. The game play is simple and easy to understand. There are some optimization issues and the game starts slowly but pretty much any Final Fantasy fan could enjoy this one.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 3
[Price: $2.99]
Five Nights at Freddy’s is a horror game series that took Android by storm in 2014. The third in the series was released in March to positive reviews from both reviewers and users. It’s inexpensive with no in-app purchases and it’s truly a creepy experience. It can’t hurt to pick up this one.
Fotonica
[Price: $0.99]
Fotonica is an infinite runner game that uses some unique minimal graphics and fast speeds. There are eight levels, three endless levels, local multiplayer, two difficulty settings, and it comes with a cheap, affordable price tag with no in-app purchases. It’s a fun little time waster.
Fun Fit
[Price: Free]
Fun Fit is a workout application that was released by HTC in an effort to help people get in shape. It isn’t as featured filled as something like Runtastic but if you need something basic and simple with a good design then you should be okay with this one. It also includes goals, Facebook integration, and more.
King of Thieves
[Price: Free with in-app purcahses]
King of Thieves is a time-waster out of ZeptoLab, makers of the famous Cut the Rope series. In this game, you build a base to protect your gold, then you go and raid other people for theirs. Unlike most games with this dynamic, you’ll be attacking people using platformer game mechanics. It’s free to play and good for adults and kids.
Motion Tennis Cast
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Motion Tennis Cast is a unique game that uses a Google Chromecast to let you play tennis on your TV screen similar to a Nintendo Wii game. This is definitely one of the most interesting mobile games we’ve seen in a long time. If you have a Chromecast, you should definitely try it out.
Nuzzel: News From Your Friends
[Price: Free]
Nuzzel is an application that helps you keep track of what news your friends read. It sounds creepy but they mean well. It’s a way to find news and topics based on the stuff your friends are reading. It’s totally free to use so it can’t hurt to try. That is, unless you don’t have a Twitter or Facebook account. Then you can’t use it.
Zombie Highway 2
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
The original Zombie Highway was one of the best time wasters on Android in its day and Zombie Highway 2 hopes to continue that tradition. It includes more cars, more guns, improved graphics, more levels, and plenty of objectives to complete. It is a freemium game that you can do fairly well in without purchasing anything.
Wrap up
If we missed any great new Android apps or games from March 2015, let us know in the comments!
Meizu M1 Note Review
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The Bottom Line
- Fast, fluid, and clean interface
- Manual camera controls
- Bright and vivid display
- Solid build quality
- Lackluster speaker
- Design is far from unique
- Software is uninspired and lacks customization
The Meizu M1 Note stays true to its formula, providing a device with excellent specifications for an affordable price. Although, on the surface the device screams iPhone, once you get a bit deeper, you will realize that this is a decent Android device with great performance.
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As amazing as high-end flagship devices are, there is an increasing demand for high quality, yet affordable, smartphones in the market. Gone are the days when a low price point for a smartphone was indicative of a compromise in build quality or specifications, with various OEMs jumping in with a variety of options in this segment. While bigger names like Motorola certainly play this field, a great number of these low-price, high-quality offerings come from lesser known entities, mostly out of China. One such company is Meizu, and today we’re going to be taking a closer look at one of their latest devices that fits this bill, in our full review of the Meizu M1 Note!
Design
There’s no avoiding it, this phone is clearly inspired by Apple’s iPhone series, both on the hardware and software design front. The M1 Note features a unibody glossy polycarbonate design, with Meizu’s signature home button up front, which may look like what we get with the iPhone, but is capacitive in nature. The color of choice, white in the case of this review unit, is found on the back and wraps around its sides.
Up top is the power button and the headphone jack, and on the bottom you’ll find the speaker grill and the microUSB port. A dual-SIM card slow and volume rocker can be found on the right and light sides, respectively. The buttons share the same materials as the back of the device, though they are raised just enough to make them easy to locate. The buttons also offer a solid tactile feedback, with a button press covering a lot of ground.
The glossy plastic back is aesthetically rather plain and simplistic, with only the camera and dual-tone flash to be found, accompanied by the Meizu logo at the bottom, followed by a tag, “Designed by Meizu. Made in China.” It’s also worth noting that the back is non-removable, so there is no access to the battery. The curve on the back along the sides which is a result of the wraparound design contributes to the grip, with the glossy plastic not as slippery as one would expect at first glance. The 5.5-inch M1 Note doesn’t share the same impressive screen-to-body-ratio as its flagship counterparts, and as such, does fall just outside the realm of a very comfortable handling experience though.
The curve on the back along the sides, which is a result of the wraparound design, contributes to the phone’s grip, with the glossy plastic not as slippery as one would expect at first glance. The 5.5-inch M1 Note doesn’t share the same impressive screen-to-body-ratio as its flagship counterparts, and as such is a bit bigger than many folks might be comfortable with when it comes to handling experience.
Display
On the display front you get a 5.5-inch IGZO display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 401 ppi,which is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panel. This is a very bright and vivid display, with colors and text that pops. Granted, there are times when the colors are a bit warm, with a slightly yellowish hue, but that isn’t going to be too noticeable in most cases. Viewing angles are fantastic on this display as well, with the device providing a consistent picture, no matter what angle you are holding it at. You will have a great time doing just about anything on this display, including watching videos or playing games.
Performance and Hardware
Under the hood, the Meizu M1 Note packs an octa-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6752 processor, clocked at 1.7 GHz, and backed by the Mali-T760 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. While MediaTek processors haven’t received the best of reviews when compared to the Snapdragons of the world, the company is certainly catching up, as we see in the case of the M1 Note.
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Navigating around the various elements of the user interface is an enjoyable experience, and opening and closing applications feels just as quick as what we see with the latest flagships. General tasks are carried out with little issue, and even gaming is handled admirably, with a few instances of slowdown only during the most graphic-intensive of sequences. Benchmark test results may not be the most impressive, as you can see below, but when it comes to real world performance, at the very least, the device feels about on par with flagships that were available last year.
The M1 Note offers a standard suite of connectivity options, including support for 4G LTE. That said, while the device was able to connect to the AT&T network, the connection was not the most stable, and data speeds were quite slow, limiting my use to Google Hangouts and some web browsing. If you do decide to pick up this device, don’t forget to check the compatibility with your network carrier before taking the plunge.
As mentioned, the single speaker is found at the bottom of the device. While it does get plenty loud, it lacks crispness. Using it during a call on speakerphone, or while doing anything in the portrait orientation, is fine, but things do get muffled when in landscape, as it is quite easy to cover up.
On the battery front, the M1 Note packs a large 3,140 mAh battery, but battery life was still quite average, getting about a full day’s life with average use. Of course, the higher battery drain rate may be a result of the device having a difficulty in maintaining a network connection, so your mileage will likley vary.
Camera
For a lot of consumers, the camera is the most important aspect when it comes to their smartphones, and the Meizu M1 Note brings a decent performer to the table, with its 13 MP rear camera with a dual LED flash, and a 5 MP front-facing unit.
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The images that you get with this camera are quite good, even if it isn’t really comparable to what you’d expect from a flagship device. It definitely gets the job done, and is more than just a passable camera. What the M1 Note lacks in image quality, Meizu makes up for in the camera software. The M1 Note has a manual camera mode built in, allowing anyone who has an understanding of photography to take fantastic photos. Of course, this isn’t going to replace your DSLR, but the ability to play around with the settings lets you get just that little bit extra out of the smartphone camera experience.
It’s also important to mention that the Auto mode on the camera does allow for some really good shots when outdoors or in good lighting conditions. As expected, the quality worsens in deteriorating lighting conditions, and you will need to depend on the manual mode to properly cater a shot to your liking. Other standard camera modes are also available, such as panorama and HDR, a beauty mode, as well as the ability to shoot slow motion video. When it comes to shooting video, the quality is just about standard, with no manual controls available to you, along with the audio losing clarity even when just a few feet away from the camera.
Overall, this is more than a decent smartphone camera, and certainly not what you’d expect from a device available at this price point.
Software
The Meizu M1 Note is running Android 4.4.4 Kitkat, with Meizu’s Flyme OS on top. An update to Android 5.1 is expected sometime in the not-too-distant future, but no exact timeframe has been revealed just yet. Meizu’s Apple ‘inspiration’ isn’t just limited to design, making its way over to the user interface as well, noticeable in the design of the various icons, as well as in the fact that an app drawer isn’t available, leaving you dependent on folders to keep things organized.
Starting with the lock screen, you can unlock the device with a simple tap or swipe up on the home button, or with a swipe up on the lock screen. Swiping to right or left directly opens the camera application or Quick Applications respectively.
Going into the Settings menu, all the settings you’d expect are available, but are in different locations and with different icons. The general Android user may require some time to get used to this layout, and as such, the Flyme OS does have a learning curve to it. Of course, if things get too cumbersome, you always have the option of third party launchers available from the Google Play Store, which will help alleviate some of the UI’s issues.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch IGZO 1920 x 1080 resolution, 401 ppi |
| Processor | 1.7 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6752 Mali-T760 GPU |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB |
| Camera | 13 MP rear camera with dual LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | HSPA, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth 4.0, GPRS |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 3,140 mAh |
| Software | Flyme OS 4.0 based on Android 4.4.4 Kitkat |
| Dimensions | 150.7 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm 145 grams |
| Colors | White, Green, Blue, PInk, Yellow |
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Pricing and Final Thoughts
The Meizu M1 Note is available from Amazon priced at $260, but as mentioned, don’t forget to check for compatibility with your network carrier before picking one up.
So there you have it – a closer look at the Meizu M1 Note! Meizu has really stepped up their game in this segment, offering great phones at a very affordable price point when compared to the competition. The M1 Note doesn’t do too much in terms of design and features, but it still a solid smartphone for a very aggressive price.
Court rules that UberPOP cars can still pick you up in Paris
Uber’s Paris headquarters were recently raided by 25 policement, but a court has now ruled that its disputed UberPOP service is actually honky-dory — for now. The company’s low-cost ridesharing option uses non-professional drivers that French authorities say are under-insured (its other services use professional drivers and are legal). However, the decision is more of a reprieve than a victory for Uber. Paris’s Cour d’Appel merely passed the buck to a higher appeals court on whether or not to ban UberPOP. Still, it means Uber can continue to operate the service in Paris until at least June, when a new constitutional court ruling is due.
UberPOP has had a rocky ride in France. In December, a court allowed it to operate, but following an appeal by taxi associations, the government created a new law making it illegal effective January 1st. French authorities have been fining drivers ever since, culminating in a raid earlier this month in which cellphones and documents were seized. However, Uber challenged the constitutionality of the ban and called the raid “a disproportionate attempt to intimidate.” It says today’s ruling is a “strong sign” that the ban will be overturned.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: WSJ
Source: AFP
Here is how to get your WhatsApp voice calling enabled
For those who have been eagerly waiting for WhatsApp’s voice calling feature, we have a good news! They no longer need to wait for invites by someone whose WhatsApp voice calls are active. The voice calling feature now comes bundled with the latest version of WhatsApp, and all you need to do for that is to download version 2.12.19.
However, there is a catch! You can’t download the latest version of WhatsApp from Google Play. Version 2.12.19 can be downloaded from APK Mirror or WhatsApp’s website. Once you download the APK file, go to Security Settings and allow installation of apps from Unknown Sources. When you open your WhatsApp, you will now see an additional Calls tab, which features missed calls, dialed numbers and received calls like any other dialer. The new WhatsApp UI also includes integration of a Calling icon on top of every chat window. Previously the default calling icon used to redirect users to the phone’s dialer.
If you call someone who doesn’t have voice calling enabled, WhatsApp will give you a warning saying, “XYZ needs to update the app to receive voice calls.” If the other person is offline when you are making a WhatsApp call, you will hear a ring and the other person will receive a missed call notification when they come online.
Some users have reported whistle in the voice while talking on WhatsApp while the others are saying that they missed some calls despite being online. Looking at WhatsApp’s track record, the app might get an upgrade for better or it could be scrapped altogether. So dear users, you better update your app before it gets too late.
The post Here is how to get your WhatsApp voice calling enabled appeared first on AndroidGuys.
OnePlus continues to tease the DR-1 Drone, but let’s not forget that tomorrow is April Fool’s Day
OnePlus is supposed to announce a new device this April and it’s supposed to be a game changer. Last week during a Reddit AMA, OnePlus’ Carl Pei came out and said they will announce the DR-1 Drone. Now assuming that it is indeed a drone, why would he tell the world that it is?
Of course, a lot of blogs picked up on the story. We didn’t because, until it’s officially announced, why bother? Now today, OnePlus tweeted, “Feeling adventurous? The DR-1 is flying to our store next month. #OneGameChanger.”
Maybe OnePlus will really unveil a Drone for April, but let’s not forget that tomorrow is April Fool’s Day, which probably makes it the perfect day to unveil this thing.
Feeling adventurous? The DR-1 is flying to our store next month. #OneGameChanger https://t.co/0EzjG03kei
— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 31, 2015
Come comment on this article: OnePlus continues to tease the DR-1 Drone, but let’s not forget that tomorrow is April Fool’s Day
EA Launches ‘Get To Work’ Expansion for ‘The Sims 4’ [Mac Blog]
EA today announced the first major expansion for The Sims 4, called “Get To Work”, launching today. The expansion is aimed at introducing a handful of new interactive career options for Sims to explore alongside an update that allows users to create and run their own retail business.
The three new careers included in the expansion are Doctor, Detective, and Scientist, with each providing interactive experiences with fellow coworkers, the ability to work up the promotional hierarchy, or, of course, the choice to “wreak havoc on the workplace.”
Doctors will make house calls, perform surgeries, and run diagnosis on sick patients, while Scientists will use their intellect to create cloning machines and freeze rays. The career path will even grant players the option to build the ElectroFlux Wormhole Generator to teleport them to the homeworld of the Aliens, making a return to the franchise after being absent from The Sims 4 base game.
Detectives appear to have the most work, checking in at the police station to grab cases, working crime scenes to find clues, interviewing witnesses, and eventually tracking down the prime suspect. They’ll also be able to choose to patrol the streets and issue tickets to various low-level criminals.
If none of those career paths are of interest, the “Get to Work” expansion will allow players to build and edit their own retail location, including what items are sold there, as they see fit. EA promises that players who choose this option will get just as much variety and customization out of the career path as the three other options introduced in the expansion.
Players can set prices, hire and manage employees, customize uniforms and work to make the final sale. From clothing boutiques to art galleries, or bakeries to bookstores, there is no limit to the type of retail business that can be created. Also new are the Photography and Baking skills that give Sims new things to learn, new things to do and achieve and new creations to sell.
The Sims 4 initially launched exclusively on PC back in September 2014, hitting Mac platforms this past February. The “Get to Work” expansion can be purchased from EA’s Origin platform for $39.99 for PC and Mac.
Over the Edge: Why I’m Getting the Galaxy S6 over its curved brother
Instead of the “waterfall” approach the Note Edge took, the S6 Edge looks more like a beverage can.
To say that I was smitten with the Galaxy Note Edge might be an understatement. My very first post on Android Authority was a mini-expose on the (then) Japan-exclusive product. I defended it against the harsh criticisms that people lobbed at it. I used it with love. Funny then, that not only am I disinterested in the Galaxy S6 Edge, but I actually plan to get the standard S6 instead. As for what could cause such a shift, there are two main reasons: the software and the pricing. After discussing both, I will move onto the third (overarching) problem: the concept.
Note-worthy for what it’s missing
Despite the fact that I loved the Galaxy Note Edge, I will accept that most people didn’t get it, in both the literal and figurative sense. The product cost at least a few hundred more than the standard Note 4 and made use of a curved display that critics immediately labeled as a gimmick.
Having used the Note Edge for some time, I (and many other owners) don’t feel ‘novelty-approach’ is a suitable conclusion. The Edge Display SDK has provided a small trove of interesting panels for the device, and basically all for free. Even if you were to buy the pricey product and not use a single optional side panel, the fact that icons and messages will appear there by default means that you’re bound to use it in some context or another.
Take a look at some sample pictures from the Galaxy Note Edge:
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In the top left, you can see various icons along the right side of the display, these were instant shortcuts and served as an “always present” way of multitasking without any superfluous pop-ups. The center picture shows the various Edge panels that can be selected and cycled through at any given time. On the right, you can see how Samsung mapped the camera function to the Edge display, something that bothered me personally but did make perfect sense. Finally, on the bottom left you can see how the Edge panel could be used to display a customized message, along with the various notifications that would run like a stock ticker.
Now compare this to the functionality of the S6 Edge:
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The Galaxy S6 Edge annoys me, for the simple fact that it’s basically useless in my opinion. Let’s put aside the logistics for a second here and just take the smartphone at face value: Samsung has created a product that has a display with two curved edges and essentially stripped away their very functionality and purpose. The Note Edge SDK can not be used with the S6 Edge, and as such all of the existing content panels are useless. To make matters worse, you can’t do anything beyond the 4-core functions present in the S6 Edge and thus there is no potential to tweak or tinker. Edge Lighting, People Edge, Information Stream, and Night Clock: all of these could technically be done on a normal “flat” phone, just with slightly less comfort.
Why did Samsung strip away the real functionality of the Edge Display?
Edge Lighting has the side of the screen light up when you get a phone call or receive a notification. People Edge allows you to color-coordinate the lights with up to 5 contacts. Information Stream is similar to the ticker feature mentioned earlier on the Note Edge, and Night Clock is also related to lights. That’s it. Nothing impressive whatsoever, if you ask me, at least nothing that justifies making use of such a new piece of display technology.
Why did Samsung strip away the real functionality of the Edge Display? Simple: the S6 variant is much thinner than its Note sibling and, therefore, the curves are much less subtle. This in turn means that there is simply no place to put icons and the like. Unlike the Note Edge, the S6 Edge’s display is one single screen as opposed to “two”.
A Problem of Pricing
Another large issue I have here is the pricing structure. The Galaxy S6 Edge is significantly more expensive than the standard S6 and yet the only thing it brings to the table is the curved display. Granted that will cost more to create, but when you think about all the Note Edge could do, and all the S6 Edge can’t, how is the exorbitant pricing justified? Especially because you’re getting less phone for the money than you would with the Note Edge. By this I mean the Note Edge is a significantly larger product with a larger battery and SPen, and so forth.
In this picture it’s actually somewhat difficult to even tell the screen is curved. Your wallet will remember though, that’s for sure.
Samsung is charging an arm-and-a-leg for the S6 Edge because it can. This year more than ever, its products are finally being characterized as premium and precious, something that has been a characterization for Apple ever since the iPhone 4 released, and especially with the iPhone 5. Taking into consideration how expensive the Galaxy S line has always been, basically we’re saying that Samsung finally has a more legitimate claim of “value for money”.
Customers might very well be interested in the Galaxy S6 Edge, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will buy it, all the more so when they go to the store and see the price tag.
Still, given that the Galaxy S6 Edge costs almost as much as the Note Edge did, it remains to be seen just how popular the device will be. Reports have been coming in of Samsung ramping up production of the S6 Edge, but even if they are true, the numbers are based entirely on retail-side expectations, the same lofty projections which resulted in the horrendous Galaxy S5 sales situation last year. Customers might very well be interested in the Galaxy S6 Edge, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will buy it, all the more so when they go to the store and see the price tag, and perhaps compare it with the Note Edge.
While the extra cash required to obtain the S6 Edge actually doesn’t factor into my decision, the fact that the standard S6 costs less, and is basically the same phone, will make some buyers pause.
A Sad Strategy
Let’s not beat around the bush here: if the Galaxy S6 Edge was truly a unique product, it would exist as one, and probably wouldn’t be releasing simultaneously with the standard flagship. Therein lies the problem with the S6 Edge, or at least how I see it: the device is little more than a slightly modified S6. Instead of making a separate, legitimate product a la the Galaxy S Active or Zoom series, Samsung has taken the easy way out and just provided a slight cosmetic change to an existing one a la the Mini series.
At the end of the day, you’re basically getting the Galaxy S6, but with different sides.
The Galaxy S6 Edge should, in my honest opinion, be a product that stands above the S6 in every way, shape, and form. People are complaining about the lack of a removable battery and lack of microSD card support. Two things that the real Edge should have. At the very least, the rear could have been made out of metal (like the Galaxy A and E series) so that the higher price could be less prone to problems; glass just isn’t as durable as metal. If you’re going to be charging more, then why not actually offer more?
The Galaxy S6 Edge should be a product that stands above the S6 in every way, shape, and form.
Now I am well aware that the Galaxy Note Edge itself wasn’t so much a new product as it was a modified Note 4. Perhaps nowhere could this be seen as obviously as here in Japan, where the standard Note 4 wasn’t released at all. This is a fair conclusion, though given the heavy amount of optimization Samsung did with the Edge variant, there was some real work put into making it different, and that permeated throughout the entire experience.
Is the standard Galaxy S6 a bad phone? Hardly. Yet it’s significantly cheaper. Why doesn’t the S6 Edge have some real unique points to justify the price?
How is it that Samsung failed to see the true value of a product like the Edge series and instead relegated it to being a “plus” version of existing hardware, as opposed to existing as a separate brand entirely? The Galaxy Edge series should be positioned as a major step higher than the S or Note lines, and showcase some truly impressive features that not only can’t be done on a normal phone, but also take full advantage of the curved portion(s). The Note Edge did this in my opinion. The S6 Edge does not.
In short, the issue is not so much that the Galaxy S6 Edge isn’t a good phone, rather it’s actually the same phone. It’s the same as the Galaxy S6. Sadly, I don’t need two of the same phones. What do you think, do you agree with my thoughts on the Galaxy S6 Edge or do you prefer the double-edged Galaxy S6 variant over the Note Edge’s implementation?
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AIVAnet 