Samsung S6 Edge with curved screen unveiled at MWC

Samsung will sell two versions of its next flagship phone, one of which has a screen that curves round its sides.

The Galaxy S6 Edge uses the feature to provide a quick way to stay in touch with select contacts, and to alert owners to important information.
It will be sold for a higher price than the standard S6, which otherwise has the same specifications.
Samsung lost market share to Apple and others after the S5 sold fewer copies than its predecessor in many countries.
Its replacements were unveiled in Barcelona, ahead of the start of Mobile World Congress. They go on sale on 10 April in 20 countries, including the UK.

Samsung says the two phones feature a 64-bit processor it designed to be both more powerful and energy efficient than before

Metal frame The South Korean firm said it had set out to address past "missteps", and had codenamed the devices "project zero" to reflect the need for a rethink.
Changes include making the TouchWiz user interface simpler to use by cutting the number of pop-up messages and introducing a metal frame and glass back instead of the plastic styling of earlier models.
The redesign has, however, meant some features have had to be jettisoned: the phones are not water-resistant, they do not have a microSD slot for extra storage and their backs cannot be removed to change their batteries.

The Galaxy S6 Edge's curved screen lets it shine a colour on the table when face down, providing a signal as to who is calling

Even so, one expert praised the company's choices.
"Samsung has clearly listened to feedback - not just for the Galaxy S5, which just missed the mark last year costing the company greatly - but also the S4, which was a product that tried to cram in every piece of technology it could find," said Ben Wood, head of research at the CCS Insight tech consultancy.
"The software has been made into a much more crisp and clear experience, the design of the product has clean lines and looks very nice, and the marketing campaign is expected to only pinpoint three things - and that's certainly something that had been missing from Samsung's products for quite some time."
Others were more critical. Rob Kerr, from the price comparison site uswitch.com, declared: "The dual-curved display just seems too gimmicky, too niche, to really be a crowd pleaser."

Samsung said the metal used in the Galaxy S6 Edge "would not bend" - a dig at Apple

Coloured contacts The three topics Samsung is focusing on are:

• Revamped designs, including the premium model's curved screen
• Camera upgrades
• In-built support for wireless charging, with support for two rival standards

The S6 Edge uses its curves to provide a couple of services.
The first is called People Edge, which provides a quick way to bring up calls, texts and other messages from five acquaintances of the owner's choosing. Each person is assigned a different colour, which the phone's edge flashes when it rings, providing a hint of the caller's identity even if the device is face down.
The second is Information Stream, which displays the time, weather and selected notifications on the curved part.
It appears Samsung has deliberately kept the functionality more basic than on its Galaxy Note Edge - a larger handset whose screen curves only around one of its sides. The older phone uses the extra space to both run apps of its its own and to add controls to other apps.

Samsung's two Galaxy S6 models feature wireless charging support

The S6 phone's front camera has been upgraded to five megapixels, while the rear one stays at 16MP.
Both gain from a wider aperture, which should improve their ability to take photos and videos in low light conditions.
Samsung has also taken steps to make the camera quicker to use, saying it now takes less than a second to double tap the home key and snap a shot.
The firm is claiming a "world first" by embedding support for both the PMA and WPC's Qi wireless charging standards.
The Android-powered handsets are also faster to recharge, and should return to 50% battery strength within half an hour of being plugged in.
Samsung said that this was half the time it would take to charge an iPhone 6.

Samsung said it had worked with Mastercard and Visa to add smart wallet features

Other improvements over the S5 include:

• Increased screen resolution - now 577 pixels per inch - and the ability to go 20% brighter
• A new 14 nanometre processor designed by Samsung, rather than bought from Qualcomm, that should be more energy efficient
• The addition of Samsung Pay, a smart wallet service that allows the handsets to act as a credit or debit card when tapped against a shop's NFC chip reader or used to transmit magnetic stripe data. It will initially be limited to the US and South Korea

The firm also revealed it had developed a new version of its Gear VR virtual reality kit that uses the S6 models as a screen.

Samsung has developed a new version of its virtual reality headset that uses the Galaxy S6 as a screen

Market share down A lot is resting on the phones' appeal.
Samsung's head of mobile design was moved from his role in May after criticism of the Galaxy S5's styling, and last week Samsung Electronics announced it would freeze its workers' wages for the first time in six years following a drop in its annual profits.
Samsung is still the best-selling smartphone maker.
But it barely saw its total smartphone shipments grow in 2014. By contrast, Apple's decision to make its iPhone 6 models larger and the continued rise of China's Xiaomi, Lenovo and Huawei saw those firms report much bigger gains.

INTERACTIVE

1. Samsung Galaxy
2. Samsung Galaxy S
3. Samsung Galaxy S2
4. Samsung Galaxy S3
5. Samsung Galaxy S4
6. Samsung Galaxy S5

• April 27 2009: Samsung Galaxy

  ×
  Samsung’s first Android-powered phone ran version 1.5 (Cupcake) of Google’s mobile operating system.
  It had a 3.2in (8.1cm) screen and was the first Android phone to include a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing normal headphones to be easily connected.
  

• March 23 2010: Samsung Galaxy S

  ×
  The first of Samsung’s S-branded series had a 4in (10.2cm) screen, ran Android 2.1 (Eclair) and could shoot video in 720p high definition.
  A 4G variant of the device attracted the ire of Apple’s lawyers, and became part of a high-profile patent case fought by the two rivals.
  

• 13 Feb 2011: Samsung Galaxy S2

  ×
  The S2 was marketed as the world’s thinnest smartphone, measuring less than 8.5mm (0.33in) thick.
  It had a 4.3in (10.9cm) screen and was powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).
  Samsung promoted the “zero lag” shutter speed of its main camera as being suitable for snapping fast-moving objects.
  

• 3 May 2012: Samsung Galaxy S3

  ×
  The S3 used eye-tracking software to detect when it was being looked at, keeping its screen bright until its owner turned away.
  It had a 4.8in (12.cm) screen and ran Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
  The phone also introduced S-Beam, a way to send files and contacts between Samsung handsets.
  

• 14 March 2013: Samsung Galaxy S4

  ×
  The S4 bordered on “phablet” status with a 5in (12.7cm) touchscreen, which could be used while wearing gloves.
  Running Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) it introduced a dual-video capture mode, allowing users to record footage from both cameras simultaneously.
  

• 24 February 2014: Samsung Galaxy S5

  ×
  The S5 added dust and water resistance, promising to work after being submerged 3ft (0.9m) deep.
  It came pre-installed with Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) and introduced a fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor.
  Samsung promoted its “ultra power saving mode”, which let the device eke out a day of life when its battery fell below 10%.
  

As a result, Samsung's market share slipped from 31% in 2013 to 24.5% last year, according to research firm IDC.

The price of the new handsets has yet to be announced, but Mr Wood thought the S6 Edge in particular could mark a turning point.
"In a sea of sameness where nearly every smartphone is a rectangular touchscreen with a camera in the back, this will stand out," he said.
"It may be outside many people's budgets, but it will still act as a signature product that attracts people to the rest of Samsung's range."

Analysis - Dave Lee, Barcelona

Samsung said its phones' cameras take photos and record videos in low light conditions better than the iPhone 6 Plus' - one of many comparisons it made to Apple's rival products

It charges faster than the new iPhone. It has better cameras than the iPhone. The video quality is higher than the new iPhone.
And it doesn't bend.
That's the takeaway from Samsung's latest Unpacked event where it unveiled the next Galaxy phone, the S6.
Sleek and powerful, certainly - but it was a fairly bitter presentation. The firm took more than a few snipes at Apple, rather than leaving it to reviewers and users to draw their own conclusions about the Galaxy's many innovations .
The demonstrations of like-for-like pictures and video appeared to put the S6 streets ahead of the iPhone 6, but I imagine Apple would dispute the conditions.
Tellingly, there was no mention of China's Xiaomi - a company whose Android handsets have proved wildly popular in Asia, and which potentially presents a far bigger threat to Samsung's future.

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Fingerprint sensor revealed by Qualcomm at MWC

Qualcomm says its new sensor will use ultrasonic sound waves to scan fingerprints

A new type of fingerprint sensor said to be able to read prints through glass, metal and plastic smartphone covers has been unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade fair.

The Snapdragon Sense ID 3D Fingerprint Technology is the latest product from US chipmaker Qualcomm.
The firm says its ultrasonic sound wave-based solution can scan through sweat, hand lotion and condensation.
Experts say it has the potential to outclass Apple's Touch ID.

 

 

Qualcomm says the new component is compatible with several of its existing processors

However, they add that Qualcomm needs to provide more data before the two technologies can be properly compared.
"What we do know is that for a lot of the fingerprint sensors outside of what Apple's done, consumers have found the accuracy to be lacking," commented Jon Erensen, an analyst from research firm Gartner.
"When fingerprint sensing works, it's fantastic. But when you have complications it's incredibly frustrating.
"As phones become used more as mobile wallets and a place to store sensitive data, then biometrics in general and fingerprints specifically are likely to become more important as an authentication method.
"But the onus is on Qualcomm to show its solution is more reliable than the competition, and we're going to have to wait to see that."
'Get a new finger' Qualcomm said that its sensor works by using sound waves to penetrate the outer layers of the user's finger.
The information gathered is then used to create a surface map of the person's skin including the ridges of their fingerprints and sweat pores.

 

 

 Apple uses a capacitive sensor in its Touch ID solution

By contrast, Apple and others use capacitive sensors - which make use of the human body's electrical properties - to take high-resolution scans of sub-epidermal skin below the outer layer of a user's finger.
Qualcomm suggests its method is superior because it scans through both contaminants and smartphone covers.
"Snapdragon Sense ID 3D Fingerprint Technology's unique use of ultrasonic technology revolutionises biometrics from 2D to 3D, allowing for greater accuracy, privacy and stronger authentication," said Raj Talluri, a Qualcomm executive.
One security expert agreed there were merits to the approach.
"The Qualcomm offering is a good idea, as it appears to deal with some of the issues around 'lifting' of prints from other surfaces," said Ken Munro from Pen Test Partners.
"But the biggest concern for me is that of revocation: if your password is stolen in a breach, you simply come up with a new one.
"If your fingerprint or other biometric is stolen, you have a problem. What are you supposed to do? Go get a new finger?"
Competition probes Qualcomm is pitching its forthcoming component to manufacturers as part of a chipset package that would also include its processors.
The launch at MWC comes a day after Samsung confirmed that its latest Galaxy S6 phones would exclusively use its own Exynos chips.

 

 

Samsung has opted not to use Qualcomm's processors in its new flagship phones, which also feature fingerprint sensors

Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors had featured in versions of Samsung's past flagship handsets.
The US chipmaker has also suffered other setbacks recently including a $975m (£623m) fine by China's competition regulator and news that a South Korean watchdog is also investigating whether it abused a dominant position by demanding too much money for its 3G and 4G wireless chip technologies.
"It's absolutely essential that Qualcomm innovates and broadens the area that it operates in," said Chris Green, a technology analyst with the Davies Murphy Group consultancy.
"We're seeing the level of competition in the mobile processor market, in particular, grow exponentially. Others are also starting to gain ground there, including Intel.
"So, Qualcomm needs to start doing more in security and authentication to make its package more appealing to device makers."

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 Huawei and LG unveil round smartwatches at MWC

LG and Huawei have unveiled a range of new smartwatches featuring metal-framed circular designs.

LG's Watch Urbane comes in two editions - a basic version powered by Android Wear, and a high-end one with a 4G chip and a new operating system.
The latter can make and answer calls and send texts without needing to be linked to a phone.
The Huawei Watch uses Android Wear, and has a bigger display made out of sapphire crystal.
To date, demand for computer-powered watches has been limited.
Only 720,000 watches powered by Google's Android Wear were shipped in 2014 despite considerable publicity for the launches of the Moto 360, Asus ZenWatch and Samsung Gear Live, according to market research firm Canalys.

The Huawei Watch comes with more than 40 pre-installed graphical watch faces

But sales are expected to jump in 2015, in part because Apple is releasing its Watch in April alongside a big budget marketing campaign, which may benefit the wider sector.
The Watch Urbane models are LG's third and fourth smartwatches, and the Huawei Watch the Chinese firm's first.
"Huawei's market entry will accelerate price competition, but the increasingly crowded market, differentiation challenges and the looming Apple Watch will limit its opportunity," commented George Jijiashvili, wearables analyst at the tech consultancy CCS Insight.
The announcements were made on the eve of the Mobile World Congress trade fair in Barcelona.
Standalone watch The 4G-enabled Watch Urbane LTE features a 1.3in (3.3cm) plastic OLED display, a brushed stainless steel frame, and has three buttons on its side.

 

 

The LG Watch Urbane can be used as a walkie-talkie with devices on the same cellular network

One of these acts as a panic alarm. When pressed it calls a preset phone number and sends details of the wearer's location - provided by its on-board GPS chip - to the recipient.
In addition to making calls, it also provides a push-to-talk facility, acting like a walkie-talkie with other compatible devices on the same data network.
Other facilities include:

• An NFC (near field communication) chip for touch-and-go payments
• IP67 dust and waterproofing certification, allowing it to be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes
• A heart rate monitor, barometer and nine-axis accelerometer to provide activity-tracking readings

LG said the watch was its first device to run its new LG Wearable Platform OS, which would also feature in other future products.
The more basic model is the slightly thinner, but features a smaller capacity battery, just one side-button, a polished metal exterior and lacks GPS and NFC functionality.
Even so, one expert said its cheaper price and use of Android Wear OS - which provides calendar reminders, app notifications, map directions, emails and more, all sent via a compatible smartphone - was likely to make it the more popular option.
"I think LG is trying to do something a little different here by focusing on design, and that matters a lot," said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at KWP ComTech.
"Some people who want to be seen on the cutting edge might be interested [in the 4G version] but LG aren't really thinking consumers will flock to it."
Crystal display The Huawei Watch features a 1.4in (3.6cm) crystal OLED display - which the company says is scratchproof and more vibrant than the competition - in a 4.2cm (1.7in) diameter stainless steel metal frame.
Its screen is slightly higher resolution at 286 pixels per inch than the 245ppi specification of LG's devices.

 

 

Huawei unveiled its first smartwatch at Mobile Congress in Barcelona

The Chinese firm highlighted that it was also easy to recharge via a magnetic cradle.
Other features announced include:

• A heart rate monitor, barometer and six-axis accelerometer
• Four gigabytes of internal storage
• Three colour options - gold, silver and black - and a variety of watchstraps

Several tech blogs immediately declared Huawei's device the best-looking Android Wear watch to date - an important consideration since, unlike most computer equipment, smartwatches double up as jewellery.
"Consumers, specifically in the Western world, may not have expected a great smartwatch from Huawei," said Thomas Husson from the consultancy Forrester.
"However, Huawei's new Android-powered smartwatch looks great.

Huawei's other wearables also act as standalone activity trackers. The headphones use magnets to link the two buds together when not in use, helping prevent them from falling off the wearer

"The main challenge and key success factor for Huawei is now to establish its brand in the new connected world."
Huawei also unveiled the TalkBand B2, a revamped version of its activity tracker wristband that can be split in two to allow one part to act as a Bluetooth headset.
In addition, it showed off the TalkBand N1, a pair of earphones that feature a built-in activity tracker and four gigabyte MP3 player, allowing them to be used for exercise without the need for another device.

Analysis - Dave Lee, Barcelona

With four smartwatch models unveiled in less than a year, there's no doubting that LG is keen about wristwear.
But analyst Carolina Milanesi told me these models were essentially about the firm proving its innovation credentials. She certainly doesn't expect them to fly off the shelves.
LG says its goal is to design a smartwatch that looks like a classic timepiece, but is packed with modern features,
The 4G-enabled Urbane feels like a step forward, but not a breakthrough.
The watch suffers from multiple trade-offs that might be turn-offs for consumers. It's pretty beastly in size, for starters - it sits considerably high off the wrist.
And the battery life only lasts beyond a single day if you just use it like a normal watch, ie without using any of its apps or "smart" functionality.
But of course, using a smartwatch "just as a watch" is largely pointless, particularly when a non-smart watch battery can last for several years.
The challenge remains to try and get people interested in moving from classic watches, with their style and iconography, into souped-up tech equivalents.

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