If you were one of the many looking for an announcement on the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active at this year’s Mobile World Congress event, then you already know it didn’t come. Early rumors speculating we would see the GS7 Active launching alongside the GS7 and GS7 Edge didn’t surprise us when it didn’t come, and the new lineup of features of Samsung’s upcoming flagship suggests it may not even come.
The Galaxy S Active concept has been appealing to those looking for a high-end smartphone with similar specs to the standard version, but offering much more in the durability department. While the Galaxy S7 Active has yet to be confirmed or denied from Samsung, we’re still holding out for a 2016 summer release which we’ve seen in year’s past.
One of the biggest reasons some analysts are now suggesting the Galaxy S7 Active may not come is the IP68 rating coming standard in both the GS7 and GS7 Active. This brings back something that was missing in both variants of the GS6 as consumers can now take full advantage of waterproof and dustproof features. The IP68 rating is actually higher than originally thought as leaks suggested we would see an IP67 rating which is lower than what we’re actually getting.
We’re still hearing plenty of rumors the Active will once again debut later this year, and probably around the same time the Galaxy S7 Edge Plus is unveiled. The GS7 Edge Plus will be the larger variant of the GS7 and will share similarities of a Phablet as far as size and productivity, and its little brother when looking at the Edge functionality of the screen itself.
The Galaxy S7 Active is expected to be unveiled June or July this year, and will only be available in limited markets including the US, UK, China, Korea, India, and many more. The GS7 Active could sport a 5.2” Super Amoled display which will offer a slightly lower resolution than the QHD display of both the GS7 and GS7 Active. A 32GB variant is the most likely option considering you will be able to expand the memory with an optional Micro SD card.
The trademark of the Active concept will once again be seen with the rugged design offering superior protection with a nearly indestructible exterior. The S7 Active will also offer waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof features with its own IP68 rating providing up to 30 minutes of submersion in 1.5 meters of water.
AT&T is once again expected to be the sole provider, so if you’re not an AT&T customer it’s time stop and consider. If the Galaxy S7 Active does become a reality, the price will come in around $800 which will be comparable with other high-end handsets.
Mike says
I can’t wait till the S7 Active comes out. I have the S4 Active now and did not upgrade to the S6 Active because it didn’t have the expansible SD card like the S4 Active did. I hope they do release a Active series for the S7.