Samsung enlists Facebook’s Zuckerberg at unveiling of Galaxy S7, LG shows off modular G5 on eve of Mobile World Congress
Two South Korean companies banking on smartphone recovery but S7 fails to attract much buzz; Facebook CEO invited to discuss virtual reality
Smartphone rivals Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics unveiled their latest flagship devices on the eve of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which starts Monday, as they seek to revive sales momentum and buck slowing industry growth.
In a surprise move, Samsung also brought in Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to tout the potential of virtual reality, prompting hundreds of people to rush to the stage to record the moment.
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Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge devices made a splash when it was revealed they can be submerged at depths of up to 1.5m for 30 minutes. Both devices also accept MicroSD cards with up to 200GB of storage. The company said they will be available for purchase from mid-March.
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The two devices also feature new gaming tech and a rear camera better equipped to handle low-light conditions, while stronger batteries mean the Edge can now play up to 15 hours of high-definition video on a single charge, according to media reports.
But both are similar in design to the S6, which left some critics underwhelmed.
“Samsung is awkwardly positioned between Apple and cheaper Chinese brands at the moment,” said Alex Ng, an analyst with China Merchant Securities.
“It cannot justify prices as high as Apple’s, but it can’t be as cost-effective as Chinese brands ... [which] are also now moving up to the premium markets.”