Samsung Galaxy S6 Images Leaked

As March 1 approaches and Samsung inches closer to revealing its latest flagship smartphone, rumors and leaks are hitting the web with full force.  A new post on CNET today offers up an image that purports to show the Galaxy S6 in all its glory – including the rumored Edge variety.

The image comes via CNET’s Asian affiliates, CNET Korea and ZDNet Korea, who received it from “sources at a South Korean electronics distributor,” and shows five Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphones, two of which are encased in Verus-branded cases. On the right, however, you can see the Galaxy S6 with a tapered edge – which seems like a pretty clear indication that Samsung has brought the Note 4 Edge feature to its flagship phone.

It should be pointed out that the image here is a render – so it’s entirely possible that this isn’t what we’ll actually get at the upcoming March 1 event in Barcelona. On the other hand, the constant leaks and rumors keep pointing this way, so it seems unlikely that we won’t get something resembling these phones.

The post adds that the Edge versions of the Galaxy won’t simply have one tapered side, but will be tapered at both ends, providing some interesting new possibilities for features and functions.

That said, there are some interesting questions that come with new Edge phones. Namely: will people respond to Samsung’s latest smartphone concept? And will they charge a premium for the feature?

To me, the Edge seems like an interesting idea that definitely has a unique and stylish look. Samsung may finally succeed in out-innovating the competition, providing a whole new way for users to interact with their devices. However, it’s possible that this will land with a resounding “thud.” It almost feels like gilding the lily – do smartphones really need a separate, unique spot for interaction that’s just to the side of the main screen? Is there much that the touch-capable edge can offer that the majority of non-edged smartphones can’t?

I’m excited to find out what happens when Samsung launches this phone in 2015, if only because this is the kind of innovation the mobile industry hasn’t seen in quite a while. But I also have a feeling that this is beyond “too little, too late.” The Galaxy Edge might simply end up being “why bother?”

[Source: CNET]