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Hola, Galaxy S7.
That’s what Samsung will be saying later today when it shows off its newest flagship smartphone at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
The South Korean electronics giant has used the trade show as the venue for its Unpacked events over the past several years. This year’s event is sure to be brimming with news about its latest mobile devices and its push with virtual reality.
CNET will be on the ground in Spain to bring you all the news, commentary and photos from Samsung’s Unpacked event. Things kick off with a CNET live show at 9:30 a.m. PT / 12:30 p.m. ET, and the actual press conference starts 30 minutes later. (Calculate your time zone.)
Tune into CNET’s live blog here.
This year’s launch is key for Samsung. The company has been counting on its flagship devices to revitalize consumer interest in smartphones, but so far, that’s not happening. The hope is this year’s phone, the Galaxy S7, has enough new features — and maybe even some favorite old features — to get consumers reaching for their wallets.
Samsung has already hinted at some of the new features in the Galaxy S7, including water resistance, a popular feature in 2014’s Galaxy S5 that didn’t make it to last year’s Galaxy S6. Rumors also suggest the return of expandable microSD storage, letting you boost the number of photos and other items you can keep on your device. Don’t expect major design changes after last year’s big overhaul, though.
And Samsung likely won’t be pushing the smartphone on its own at the event. The company has increasingly been positioning its smartphone as part of a broader galaxy of devices; It’s not just a phone, it’s also the way to control virtual reality headsets and smartwatches. We’re likely to see more evidence of that Sunday. If rumors are correct, Samsung could show off a camera that lets you shoot 360-degree video for virtual reality.
Earlier today, rival LG introduced its first big flagship phone of 2016, the LG G5. It offers a unique modular design and will be released with a bevy of interesting accessories, including a 360-video camera and dedicated VR goggles.
Stay with CNET for full coverage from Mobile World Congress.
