The Samsung Galaxy S7 is here — but how will it compare to the iPhone 7?
Yes, iMore is an Apple-centric website and I can already feel Samsung enthusiasts getting ready to blast this with expletive-strewn charges of bias. But wait. This isn't about Apple vs. Samsung, this is about basic buying advice.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 has just landed and our sibling site, Android Central, will be bringing you everything you need to know about it and then some — including a full Hands on with the Galaxy S7.
The iPhone 7, however, probably won't be coming out September. That means, if you want to decide between the two, you have about six months before you have to make that particular decision. (In the meantime, all we have is a lot of iPhone 7 rumors.)
Our usual advice is, if you're not sure and you can wait, wait. Then buy when you're sure and enjoy with no regrets. The iPhone 7 will certainly be one of the most in-demand phones coming out this year and it's very likely the Galaxy S7 will be another one.
So here are you current choices:
If you need a phone now, you saw the Galaxy S7, and it's everything you wanted, buy away.
If you need a phone now, you saw the Galaxy S7, and it's nothing that you wanted, consider an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus.
If you need a phone now but want a smaller phone, and you can wait until March, consider the upcoming 4-inch iPhone 5se
If you're in no hurry, wait until September, check out the iPhone 7 and make your choice then.
Phones have never been more important to how we live our daily lives. Privacy, security, health, finances, photos, messages, and more are what we depend on every day. No other technology decision is more personal or more important.
Whatever you decide, and whether you choose to wait until September or not, inform yourself as best as you can and then pick the perfect phone — or iPhone — for you.
Reader comments
Should you get Galaxy S7 or wait for iPhone 7?
I'm not even thinking about the iPhone 7 as I'm going to spend £709.99 (price of the 64GB 6s Plus here in the UK) on a 64GB 6s Plus so I'm not likely to get the iPhone 7 anyway, I'm sure it won't be that much better that the 6s or 6s Plus anyway, but I know the 7s Plus (which is what I'll be aiming to get).
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admitting s7 is a beautiful, hi tech, feature packed phone is not actually a crime...
iphone 7 is still long way to wait....
:D
Definitely wait for the iPhone 7. My 6s is more than enough to fulfill my current needs and I really don't plan on switching to android. I could buy a (n older) Samsung because I travel to countries now and then where safety is an issue so I wouldn't be too bothered if the phone got nicked. It would hurt though if I'd loose my iPhone.
*lose my iPhone
I have another perspective.
If you're gonna wait for 6 months for the iphone 7, might as well wait 6 more months for the Galaxy s8. If you're gonna wait 6 months for the Galaxy s8, might as well wait for the iphone 7s. If you're gonna wait 6 months for the iphone 7s, you might as well...
What a ridiculous article. It's funny that when I came to this site I already was expecting an "switch to iphone" article from Rene due to the announcement of the s7/edge. The tone of the article is an attempt to mask the true intent of it, damage control in hopes of keeping people from switching. I don't see why he cares so much. The site should focus on Apple news and how to get the most of Apple services and hardware for those seeking it.
Shut up Rene. Your rants like these reek of desperation.
Posted from my Nexus 6P
This is clearly an attempt to garner some additional SEO hits on the S7 hype and some links to AC as this article basically says do your homework and buy what you want when it makes sense for you. So informative.
Yes, but it was from Rene!
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i havent read the article but let me guess. I should wait for the IPhone 7 cause it will be thinner!!!!!
You obviously haven't read the article. Or any for that matter…
Wait the iPhone 6s is still new though. I don't know why people compare the iPhone's to the Galaxy S series when they should really be compared to the Note series later on in the year.
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Oh no you didn't just compare an iphone to a note. The iphone, any size compares to note of any period. The note line of phones is its own class of phones. Iphone to s line iphone plus to other big screen phones. Particularly edge plus.
But the note series is the pinnacle of big screen phones. Sure it may be running TouchWiz but it has the S pen and unrivaled optimization as a true productivity phone. Apples only relatively close comparison productivity wise is the new iPad pro with pencil. And even that is a whole different class of item. I am biased as a note owner. But my primary phone is an iphone 6.
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Wait for the 7. Why chance ecosystems?
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Yeah, why have an opinion of your own? :)
Wait for iPhone 7 Plus of course.
Getting both cause that's how roll
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IMO Galaxy phones have lost its luster. I think the more appealing phone coming from Android is either the LG G5 or Nexus 6P.
If I was recommending an Android phone to someone... I'll tell them about the LG G5.
I need a phone ASAP, I'm currently using s 5c and for the first time ever, using an iPhone, I sometimes experience lag, and the screen is a bit on the small side now, I'm already set on getting a 6s Plus(and n a week on Friday) Samsung and Android simply isn't an option(I tried stock Android and it isn't that bad but there are just too many annoying things about Android, poor app quality, poor RAM management, poor and slow updates policy while Marshmallow is better I've always preferred iOS and iPhone) I will probably wait until the iPhone 7s once I've got my 6s Plus.
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You need some geritol asap
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There is always some smart *** I expect this comment 'you need some geritol asap' comment from an Android fan but not from a fellow Apple user. Grow up.
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All phones are amazing...this is just a really pansy generation. Just pat them on the back and give them a participation trophy for posting.
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Wow, its surprising how easily people get angry about phones. I'd personally never use anything but an iPhone, but having had experience with Android, I know that its a solid mobile platform, and the S7 in particular is a great smartphone. So, both smartphones are great. The question is, as its always been, about platform choice. iOS and Android have a completely different focus. It comes down to which focus meets your needs. This should not be an angry discussion between fanboys, but a fun discussion, where the consumer can't really lose.
It's more like fascism vs democracy
@andrewjacobj:
"the android OS remains the key deterrent reverting me from jumping ship"
Same as it ever was. Hardcore iOS people won't give up iOS, hardcore Android people won't give up Android.
I guess it depends how hardcore you are. I used to use Android and I really wanted to stay with it, I'm all about having complete freedom over the OS, but (at least at the time) the interface was stuttering, it wasn't always stable, and the general app quality wasn't nearly as good as the iPhone. The general battery life wasn't great either, and I just kept seeing people with iPhones loving them and seeing how smooth the interface was and how their devices lasted all day.
I'm pretty sure Android devices have improved a lot since I last used them, and I probably will go back one day, but for now the iPhone is working fantastic for me, and a few shortfalls of lack of customisability isn't enough to immediately go back yet
As an avid iPhone user, I have to concede Samsung appears to have made a brilliant phone whilst repairing the flaws of the S6.
That said, the android OS remains the key deterrent reverting me from jumping ship.
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*preventing me from jumping ship*
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^This
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iOS should be MAKING you jump ship - it sucks now...used to be excellent. And iTunes.....??? come on, it completely sucks!
iOS sucks now? How? Each release sees less need to jailbreak, we even have custom keyboards now. As for iTunes, I only hate the syncing mechanism, but that's been terrible all the way back to the iPod, I never understood why you can't put things on and take things off the device without it being synced to some sort of library which forces you to be stuck to one computer
OR ... I can buy a phone from LG, Huawei, HTC, Asus, Motorola, Oppo, OnePlus or Google(Nexus) and at some point this year will be able to buy phones from LeCo and Xiaomi too. That is in addition to budget phones from ZTE, Kyocera, Archos, Lenovo and Blu.
Bascially, the obsessive focus on Samsung and Samsung alone (primarily because Samsung is the only company that Apple sued) is to Apple's detriment. For example, despite all the (childish) claims that Apple copies Samsung, the truth is that Android vendors INFLUENCE each other more than they "copy" Apple. Also, we saw in 2015 that Samsung's sales declines are primarily due to their losing sales to the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi, not people switching to Apple, and that a lot of people are switching from Apple to cheaper (but still very good) Android phones and not to overpriced Samsung Galaxy phones also, especially in Asia. (Rumor has it that Samsung has FINALLY realized this and will drop the prices of their phones this year.) And in India, which is expected to be the #1 smartphone market in the world by the end of 2016, neither Samsung or Apple dominate, and further (and perhaps more importantly) neither is an aspirational brand the way that Apple is in China and Japan.
But hey, keep the focus only on Samsung if you like. If Apple does this too, it will be to their detriment.
Frankly, I wouldn't get a Samsung in any case. Other Android makers, maybe - I like Nexus devices and still have the first Nexus 5, though it's only used at home to check out new Android features and the occasional Android exclusive app these days.
Have to agree, until the 6s came out, I had been on Android since the original Moto droid and other than Samsung's Galaxy Nexus have never and for the foreseeable future will never own a "normal" Samsung smartphone. About the only thing that could change that, maybe, is if they dump Touchwiz. If I'm going to use an Android phone though I'd rather have a Nexus line that I can tweak/etc. to my liking and actually get OS updates.
You can tweak most Android phones, get a custom ROM and Touchwiz is gone, you can even root your phone and tweak even more things
Yes, but it's a lot easier on a Nexus. I was previously running a 2014 Motox X Pure Edition with unlocked bootloader, rooted, etc., but there were more hoops to jump through to get it to that state than with a Nexus phone. Admittedly though I've never looked into what it would take to root/ROM a Galaxy phone though.
I've added custom roms to a few Android phones, it's usually a case of rooting/unlocking bootloader, using some software to flash a custom recovery, then downloading a rom and installing it using the custom recovery. You only have to follow the first 2 steps the first time, then it's just a matter of switching between roms via custom recovery. Once you've done it a few times it's pretty straightforward, there's plenty of guides online too
Samsung devices are the easiest to root and flash a custom rom. If you don't want to root it but still get rid of touch wiz just download a custom launcher from the Play Store, I use the Nova Launcher Pro. That launcher has more features to work with. It's amazing and you don't need root to download it. Good Luck. I have the iPhone 6S with 128gb of int-storage. Love it but my daily driver is my Note 5. I'm going to buy the Samsung S7 because I enjoy the smaller device to carry in my pocket. I'll put my SIM card in a different phone every 2 weeks.
HTC is nicer than Samsung, barring the camera. Supposed to change, but remains to be seen
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Ill be on the market later this year, and i may well come back to the iPhone. I use an S6 right now and it's ok, but I miss a few features my gf has on her iPhone 6s, such as live pics which are really more than a gimmick, at least for me. On top of that I feel cheated by Samsung on the fact that it included features in the S7 than I think they could have easily included in the s6 (SD Card slot and waterproofing). I already use a MBP and a bunch of iPads, so going back wont change much for me.
The ONLY thing that'll keep me away from the iPhone 7 would be the absence of audio jack. Im too heavily invested in high end headphones to buy smth else now. And unless they come up with some REALLY superior design for an lightning/jack adapter (and not merely an appendice or smth dangling off the bottom of the phone), i'll have to pass. I'll then have to see what LG or Nexus have to offer.
Minor nit pick... but "high end headphones" and 1/8 TRS connector doesn't make sense to me. I mean, if you are into "high end headphones" for the audio capabilities, moving away from the unbalanced mini headphone jack is actually full of potential.
He means expensive. Some people equate expensive with high quality
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I thought everyone had moved past this headphone jack thing now? Technology moves on and the port has to go, it doesn't mean you can't use your existing headphones, I'm sure the adaptor won't be THAT bad
The port doesn't have to go. Moving on because something is better is one thing, moving on for the sake of moving on is another.
So you'll go back to a phone WITHOUT SD card, NOT waterproof?? That doesn't make any sense...
" I can already feel Samsung enthusiasts getting ready to blast this with expletive-strewn charges of bias"
You were also being "blasted" by iPhone users for a sloppy, lazy article.
Lol. He actually thinks it's only "Samsung enthusiasts" questioning his posts.
iMore has become such a place intended for nothing but to jerk off Apple. I can't believe how biased this guy has gotten over the years. He even got the executive editor of Mobile Nations gig. I really used to enjoy Rene's work, but man has his integrity as a writer really deterioated.
Yeah, never mind that I use iPhones and think he's an *****
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He ignored the iPhone users blasting him and only read the other fanboys praising him for such an insightful and thoughtful article...
(I agree with Fyrfyter in that the word "until" seems missing from the third paragraph.)
I think that there's more to take into consideration than the mere smartphone: the ecosystem.
Those here using Macs or Apple Watches won't want to change from iPhone to Galaxy (but like me they may have a foot in both camps). Samsung does have some ecosystem of its own, but it extends into television sets and even washing machines rather than desktop computers.
Upon choosing the ecosystem (explicitly or impliedly) it's the software that matters. The apps available, but also the lifecycle. I have upgraded my iPad 2 to the current version of iOS as soon as it was released, but I'm still waiting to get the latest version of Android onto my Galaxy S6, and I can doubt its upgradeability beyond that. Which means that "cost of ownership" may be lower with Apple than with Samsung.
If I seem biased, I'd rather say: disappointed.
I can't agree with you more Chris,Apple always loses its battle again Samsung when it comes to hardware specs and features but when it comes to software,updates and performance Apple is king and that's the reason I decided to switch to iPhone after using Samsung for years,I had to wait 7 months for my galaxy s5 to receive android 5.0 back in 2014 and I said myself I'm done with android.This is not Samsung's fault though but Google since they are the ones responsible for android updates unlike Apple which fully controls hardware/software and it's a big advantage of Apple,so yeah the Galaxy s7 looks great but I'm staying on Apple's camp for now.
(Excuse me for going off-topic: into Android country.)
Yordan, some months ago I noticed somebody commenting that Google would be shifting ever more Android functionality into Google Play Services.
Since then, I am of the opinion that by doing so, Google would be able to reduce Android to little more than a collection of device drivers, to be maintained by the hardware makers. That would allow for great development of then Google Play Services, and it might considerably lighten the load of updating for the hardware makers.
This scenario could greatly boost the functional power of that "Google camp". That would increase the pressure on the developers of iOS to deliver better features and less bugs.
I doubt if Apple could be defeated by such string of events, but they better start acting.
In the end, the users in both camps would benefit. And Microsoft... What Microsoft???
I fond it interesting that the advice includes waiting until March for a device Apple may not even release. If Apple doesn't release this iPhone 5se (or the use a different naming convention) you are going to look very silly. Your advice should include current solutions, not rumoured ones.
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It's a pretty strong rumor that's come from a some reputable sources when it comes to past history of rumors, plus it makes sense that Apple does this considering the large amount of people that want a smaller phone and that the iPhone 4S will soon be unsupported
The article says iPhone 7 won't be coming out in September, then says wait until September. Contradictory much? Which is it, it's coming or it's not?
Missing the word "until".
He should really proofread his articles.
He's waiting for a Re/Code confirmation on the date, so nothing until that happens
Just isn't a culture of caring at iMore.
Everyone is susceptible to a mistake. I don't know that there is a better evangelist out there for the Apple brand than iMore, including and especially Rene Ritchie.