Samsung refutes recent claims that the Galaxy S6 isn’t selling well
Despite the much-improved build quality on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, there have been a few rumors floating around the web stating that sales of the handsets thus far have been a disaster for the company, and that its mobile business is “imploding”. According to investment banking firm Oppenheimer, the poor sales are largely due to the fact that most of the improvements made this time around are solely based on hardware, and that Samsung’s software has barely seen any improvements.
In a letter to its clients, the banking firm explained:
When we look at Samsung’s flagship in 2015, the Galaxy S6 Edge, almost all of its differentiators fall back to hardware: a cutting-edge CPU, curved display, iPhone-like metal casing, front area fingerprint sensor, and camera with OIS. At the same time, we see little improvement in Samsung’s software user experience, and no value-added to existing Samsung users who are on prior generations of devices.
As evidence of this claim, Oppenheimer points out that Samsung sold roughly 10 million Galaxy S6 units in about one month’s time, compared to the 11 million Galaxy S5 units the company sold within the same timeframe last year.
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Whether these rumors that the Galaxy S6’s numbers are devastating to the company are true or not, Samsung still found it necessary to refute the claims. According to The Korea Times, an unnamed Samsung executive said in an interview that the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are both selling very well. The exec explains:
Sales of the S6 and S6 Edge are meeting our internal target. S6 sales will clearly be higher than those of the S5. Samsung will aggressively promote sales in our target markets… You have to wait and see; however, the S6 and S6 Edge sales will be far higher than those of the S5.
Although the Galaxy S5 may have seen better initial sales than the S6, the company reportedly sold 40% fewer Galaxy S5 units than it anticipated. The Samsung employee added that roughly 305,000 GS6 units were being sold daily, which is much better than the S5 and S4’s 124,000 and 241,000 per day, respectively.
While Samsung’s claims seem genuine, we’ll have to wait until the company releases its next financial report before we make anymore assumptions.
Best for 4G: Galaxy S6 v Huawei P8 v LG G4
I often get asked which handset has the best network performance and reliability and usually the answer is Samsung, as for many years now the company has had by far the fastest LTE speeds on mobile devices.
With the change in build from plastic to metal and glass on the Galaxy S6 however, the company was faced with having to redesign its network antennae, so is the performance as good as past Samsung devices? How does it compare to the plastic-clad LG G4 and the metal-built Huawei P8, which comes with Huawei’s own extensive knowledge of mobile networks.
Which of these has the most reliable network connection, including call success rate, antenna strength and 4G Speed Tests? Let’s find out:
N.B. All handsets were tested using the same network – EE, which supports speeds of up to 300Mbps in the London area – and at the exact same time. The results below are based on a sample of 52 tests in 11 different areas spanning a distance of 170 miles.
Network Switch Rate
One problem with most current LTE networks is that VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) isn’t supported in large parts of the network, meaning handsets need to switch down to a 3G connection when attempting to make a call while connected to an LTE connection. Often, the time taken to locate and switch to a 3G network can result in a dropped call; both, when making a call or receiving a call.
The purpose of this section was to test the handset’s ability to switch from LTE to 2G/3G and vice versa, while also determining which handset remained connected to the fastest network for longest. During our testing, we found the following:
| Galaxy S6 | LG G4 | Huawei P8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Time taken to switch to fastest network | 1 minute 48 seconds | 52 seconds | 41 seconds |
| Number of dropped calls when connected to LTE | 21 dropped calls | 11 dropped calls | 6 dropped calls |
| Time connected to fastest network | 49 seconds | 1 minute 3 seconds | 2 minutes 9 seconds |
The network switch rate on the Galaxy S6 is certainly surprising given that past Samsung devices – albeit they were made of plastic – would usually latch onto the best network. The LG G4 certainly performs well but Huawei’s network coverage shone through in testing, with the Huawei P8 switching the fastest and remaining connected to the best network for longest.
Antenna Strength
This section tests how strong the antennae performance on each smartphone actually is. To test the antenna strength, we used the figures reported in the Settings > About Phone > Status screen. A signal rating of -60 dBm is recognised as near perfect while anything above -110 dBm is considered call-dropping quality.
Our testing shows that:
| Galaxy S6 | LG G4 | Huawei P8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average antenna strength | -91 dBm | -74 dBm | -62 dBm |
| Ratio of average connection (3G:LTE) | 4:1 | 1:5 | 1:8 |
| Occurrences of zero signal (out of 52 tests) | 13 | 3 | 3 |
The Galaxy S6 again fails to excite here, with the handset often not even connecting to LTE. Considering that this particular unit may have been faulty, we decided to test with an alternate handset and found similar levels of performance: the second Galaxy S6 was on average 6 dBm better than the first handset and not enough to warrant the first unit as faulty.
The LG G4 again performs relatively well, with a relatively strong network antenna, but the Huawei P8 is again the best (and this time, by far).
LTE Speed Tests
Now to the final section and probably the most interesting: superfast LTE speeds. This was a simple test to conduct; each handset was using the latest version of Ookla’s SpeedTest application and was connected to 4G.
Our testing found:
| Galaxy S6 | LG G4 | Huawei P8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average speed test: download | 50.03 Mbps | 53.37 Mbps | 58.31 Mbps |
| Average speed test: upload | 15.69 Mbps | 18.38 Mbps | 20.04 Mbps |
| Fastest LTE speed recorded: | 78.39 Mbps | 88.46 Mbps | 91.44 Mbps |
The results were very surprising, given that the Ascend P7 was slower than both the LG G3 and the Galaxy S5. The G4 is better than the G3 thanks to the addition of Cat 6 support and the Huawei P8 is a marked improvement over the Ascend P7, with Huawei’s network knowledge really shining through thanks to the dual antenna system.
The Galaxy S6 tests showed that the handset is significantly slower than the Note 4 and Galaxy S5, despite the newer internal hardware and LTE Cat 6 support (which the Galaxy Note 4 also has). The Galaxy S6 also failed to latch onto 4G+ (Cat 6) – which offers downloads speeds of up to 300Mbps – and was instead limited to Cat 4, which offers a maximum download speed of 150Mbps.
Conclusion
Looking at all the tests and the various results, I think it’s safe to say that the Huawei P8 is the best handset for LTE, while the LG G4 comes second and the Galaxy S6 is significantly further back. Samsung’s adoption of metal and glass certainly worked for most parts of the handset but the network antenna seems to have suffered as a result of the switch, which could be expected given the problems others have had with metal builds.
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With the G4, LG have made the antenna stronger than the G3 and the result is much better performance overall. The G4 is certainly impressive in holding onto a network connection and with Cat 6 support, the maximum download speeds have also vastly improved. The dual antenna system on the Huawei P8 clearly prevents any antenna-gate issues – where holding the handset the wrong way can affect your signal – and the handset can intelligently switch between the two antennae, depending upon which is the strongest.
Now read the reviews:
Huawei P8 Review
LG G4 Review
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Review
Samsung Galaxy S6 Review
What do you think? Is LTE performance and network resilience important to you? Let us know your views in the comments guys!
HBO Go, Vimeo, Twitch and many more apps will soon make their way to Android TV
Android TV has seen some big advancements since its launch at Google I/O 2014. While a number of major hardware manufacturers have partnered with Google to bring the platform to more devices, the number of Android TV-specific applications is still relatively scarce compared to the competition. But that might change soon, according to a recent announcement post from Nvidia.
Included in its Shield Android TV announcement post, Nvidia made reference to a few new applications that will soon make their way to the platform, including HBO Go, Twitch, Vimeo, CBS News, USA Today and many more. Many of these apps have had cast functionality for some time, but so far they have been unavailable for download on the Android TV platform.
Here’s the full list of new apps we can expect to see on Android TV soon:
- HBO Now
- HBO Go
- CBS News
- CBS Sports
- Fox Sports
- FX Now
- Fox Now
- Fox News
- EPIX
- WWE
- UFC
- USA Today
- Vimeo
- Qello
- Vudu
- Twitch
To be clear, no dates were given as to when we can expect these apps to land on Android TV. We’ll be sure to update you as we learn more. This news comes after Google’s recent announcement that HBO Now would soon make its way to the Google Play Store, a service that has been exclusive to Apple up until this point.
Welcome to Public Access: Community storytelling at its weirdest
Before YouTube, before Twitter, before Lil Bub and The Dress, there was the localized meme generator known as public-access television. As an alternative to commercial broadcasting, public access gave voice to local communities, fostering often bizarre, sometimes thought-provoking outpourings of DIY creativity.
It’s in the spirit of that great social melting pot that Engadget invites you to embark on a new journey in community storytelling. With the launch of Public Access, we’re giving you the tools to publish your opinions, experiences and discussions alongside those of Engadget’s editors and some of tech’s brightest minds. This is your chance to have your voice heard by millions of humans like you, and maybe…
… a few like this guy.
Beginning today, you can apply for an account, create a profile page and start telling us about your 21st century experience through a version of Engadget’s content-management system (aka AMP). Your bio, stories and discussions will all live on your profile page. If we like what you have to say, we’ll promote your work on the Public Access home page (launching soon), where we’ll surface the best stories, discussions and reviews from our editors and the Public Access community.
And because writer’s block is a very real thing, we’ll be giving you optional “assignments” each week to help get the creativity flowing (e.g., a list of the best AI films of all time, an essay on your post-apocalyptic fallout plan or a haiku about your ISP). Every Monday, we’ll send out a weekly digest of the best stories from the week prior, suggested assignments for the week ahead and a letter from our editors.
What about the forums, yo?
As many of you are already aware, Public Access isn’t Engadget’s first community initiative. Over the past 10 years, we’ve engaged with y’all in person and online through events, comments, forums and user reviews. While we love the conversations many of you have created through our forums, however, today marks the end of that section of our site. In an effort to consolidate our community experience, we’ll be shutting down the forums and encouraging discussion through comments on Public Access posts. If you have a question or want to start a conversation around a particular subject, just write a new post, share it through your social channels and follow the comments thread like you would on any other Engadget post.
For the time being, you’ll still need to sign in to Livefyre to comment on both Engadget and Public Access posts and for those of you who want to write a user review, you’ll have to do that through yet another account. We know having three different accounts to interact with one site is a major pain in the ass and Public Access is the first step in remedying that. In the coming months, we’ll be unifying all of these accounts to make dialogue between Engadget and our users as seamless and as streamlined as possible.
So bear with us, and in the meantime, let’s keep the weird and wonderful spirit of Public Access alive. Apply now!
[Photo credit: Ekkamai Chaikanta / Shutterstock]
Filed under: Announcements
Smart thermometer is ready to track your kid’s fever all day long
You no longer have to disturb your kid’s sleep just to see if that fever is getting any better. Months after its CES debut, Blue Spark’s TempTraq thermometer is available for a fairly reasonable $25. The Bluetooth patch keeps tabs on a child’s temperature in relative comfort for a full 24 hours, giving your progeny a chance to rest instead of enduring yet another probe in the ear. It can warn you if the temperature gets above a certain level, and you can use the Android and iOS apps to log when your tiny patient eats or takes medicine. This won’t track the illness from start to finish, unfortunately, but it might be all you need for that one day when you’re worried your little one’s condition might get worse.
Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables, Mobile
Source: TempTraq
‘XCOM 2’ infiltrates PCs in November
Prepare for permadeath. XCOM 2, the sequel to 2012’s wonderfully rich strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown, is due to hit PC in November. XCOM 2 comes from publisher 2K and developer Firaxis Games, the very same team behind Enemy Unknown. They’ve been teasing a big announcement with a website for the Advent Administration, a futuristic government that advertises gene therapies and other technologies that rid humans of all illness — but the site has been hacked with messages that suggest all is not as rosy as it seems.
In XCOM 2, it’s 20 years in the future and aliens control the Earth. The XCOM special forces have gone guerrilla and “must strike back to reclaim control of Earth and free mankind from the aliens’ rule,” 2K says. So far, XCOM 2 is confirmed for PC only, with no mention of consoles or mobile. XCOM 2 is a continuation of the XCOM franchise, which has been around since 1993. XCOM as a series is historically acclaimed for its deep turn-based strategy gameplay and heart-breaking use of permadeath — meaning once characters die, they’re gone forever.
Even through the tears over fallen comrades, Joystiq adored XCOM: Enemy Unknown, calling it “an exemplary turn-based strategy game.” Three years later, we’ll see if XCOM 2 continues to carry the tactical torch.
Source: @XCOM
Shopping online doesn’t mean you have to skip the tailor
Before the end of the year, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s will offer custom tailoring for clothes you purchase online. How does that work? Well, thanks to a new startup from Men’s Warehouse founder and CEO George Zimmer, you just buy the clothes, and when they’re delivered a tailor comes to you to ensure the proper fit. As you might expect, the on-demand option is only available in certain areas… for now. Los Angeles is the first pilot city, with other trials planned for New York City, San Diego, San Franciso and the states of Washington, Oregon and Florida. Don’t live in any of those places? Fret not, the option is set to go nationwide this fall.
Zimmer’s new project is called zTailor, a company allows customers to coordinate an in-home fitting. All you have to do is book the appointment and a clothing pro with no less than five years of altering experience will take your measurements and return the items in a week or less. What’s more, if the item still doesn’t fit, any further changes are done free of charge. The same applies if you coordinate through the aforementioned retailers, too. zTailor is available in more areas, though, as folks in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. The plan is for the service to be available throughout the US before summer’s end.
Filed under: Internet
ASUS announces the ZenFone Selfie
Hopping into the selfie-oriented market as promised earlier this year, ASUS has announced the new ZenFone Selfie smartphone for the consumer ready for a picture of themselves. The main contrast between the ZenFone Selfie and a “normal” smartphone like the ZenFone 2 is the upgraded front-facing camera. In this case, ASUS has matched the 13 MP rear-facing camera with a 13 MP front-facing camera that comes with the same dual-tone flash as well. The rear-facing camera does get laser auto-focus, but the front-facing camera gets a wider 88-degree field of view.
As far as smartphone specs go, the ZenFone Selfie comes equipped with a 5.5-inch 1080p LCD screen covered with Gorilla Glass 4 and a Snapdragon 615 processor. Like LG and ASUS’s own ZenFone 2, the ZenFone Selfie comes with volume rockers located on the back of the device and the phone has a slightly curved shape to help users grip it better.
The ZenFone Selfie also comes with an optional Swing attachment. This can be used to extend your reach a tiny bit instead of going full-bore with a selfie-stick. The Swing can also double as a kickstand to hold the device in an upright position.
ASUS has not yet announced a release date, market availability or pricing details.
source: Engadget
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Sony Mobile cuts almost half of workforce in Sweden
Sony has confirmed media reports that the company’s mobile division in Sweden is cutting almost 1,000 jobs, which is close to half of the 2,200 jobs at their Lund, Sweden location. According to Sony, the cuts are impacting jobs in all areas of the division, both administrative and technical staff. Of the positions being cut, approximately 400 are contract positions while the rest are staff positions.
Sony Mobile has been a bit of sore spot for the company as it has struggled to be a profitable business center. Earlier this year Sony announced they would lay off about 2,100 people in the division in both European and Chinese locations. Once completed, the reduction will leave Sony Mobile with about 5,000 positions.
Last week, Pierre Perron who was president of the North West Europe division of the company announced he was leaving the company. It is not known whether that move and this latest layoff announcement were related.
source: TechCrunch
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You can watch a sneak peek from Jurassic World on Samsung’s Gear VR at Best Buy stores until June 12
If you are getting more and more excited the closer it gets to June 12th, the release date of Jurassic World, then this may well send you over the edge. Or at least to Best Buy anyway, because the retailer has teamed up with universal Pictures and Samsung to bring an exclusive clip of the film to selected Samsung devices.
The clip allegedly contains a big reveal, and can be viewed at the Samsung Entertainment Experiences at Best Buy stores until June 12th. Are you going to pop down to your nearest store to view the exclusive clip?
Source: Best Buy
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