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MWC 2015: what to expect from Samsung

By Victor Hristov

Updated: Feb 18, 2015, 11:14 AM

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Samsung MWC

The Mobile World Congress is the biggest consumer show for mobile technology this year, and with all the gadget festivities starting in just around two weeks, all eyes are on Samsung as the company is expected to lift the cover off its 2015 flagship: the Samsung Galaxy S6.

The stage for MWC is set at Fira Barcelona, and the date when all the big announcements will happen is March 1st. With hopes to launch a brand new phone design and modernized TouchWiz, Samsung is surely preparing a grandiose 'Unpacked' event where the world will first see its 'next big thing.'

The Galaxy S6, however, is not the only new device we expect to see from Samsung. The company has teased a device with a curved display, and we've seen the rumors for tablets and a round smartwatch. Here's what all the buzz is about.

Samsung Galaxy S6

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is said to be a radical overhaul of the company's strategy as it goes back to the drawing board. The 'Project Zero' (the codename for the Galaxy S6) is expected to wave a final goodbye to uninspiring plastic Samsung designs of the past in favor of a sleek and sturdy metal body, and bring a hugely refined, cleaned out of the cluter and lag, TouchWiz user interface.

Rumors so far say that the Galaxy S6 will feature a 5.1-inch display (some say that it will have a Quad HD resolution), a Samsung-made octa-core Exynos system chip, but the big focus seems to be on the camera. After all, Samsung itself released a teaser of the new shooter in the Galaxy S6 setting expectations high. We came away impressed with what the Galaxy Note 4 offered, and we're looking forward to see how Samsung tops itself in this regard.

Good news is that the expected dimensions and size of the Galaxy S6 have leaked out from multiple places, and even alleged prototypes have surfaced, so we have a fairly good idea about how the phone will look like. We have summed up the most interesting leaks and renders right below.

Galaxy S6 Edge

After the experimental Samsung Galaxy Round opened the doors to the new technology way back in 2013 and the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge introduced us to the nifty world of wraparound displays in 2014, Samsung has pretty much confirmed that it is committed to pushing the limits of bendable displays in 2015. The first device to up the ante is the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. The essential idea of the Galaxy S6 Edge can be summarized in just a single sentence: a smartphone with its screen bending to wrap around not one, but both of its side rims.

Unlike the Galaxy S6, very little detail apart from that has leaked out about its S6 Edge sidekick. We, however, expect Samsung to handle the launch in a way similar to what it did with the Note 4 and Note Edge, meaning that the two devices may share the same design language with the only major difference being in the wrap-around screen on the S6 Edge.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Samsung is one of the most prolific brands in the world, and we expect it to show us its new family of tablets. We have seen the leaks for a series of devices under the new Galaxy Tab S2 name.

Little is known about the Galaxy Tab S2 slates except for expectations that there will two of them: an 8-inch model, and 9.7-inch one with a body even thinner than that of the iPad Air. We've seen Samsung adopt AMOLED screens for its tablets last year, and this year we expect this trend to continue, as newer and better displays become available. The benchmark for screen resolution in the tablet world is also set high, and while we don't expect any revolutions this year, chances are that we'll see pixel densities of above 200ppi on these new tablets.

The Tab S2 is expected to be slimmer than an iPad Air

Samsung Orbis smartwatch

We have seen the patents and we have seen other companies like Motorola release smartwatches with round body. Knowing Samsung as a company that loves to be present in every market and form factor, we expect the rumor for the Samsung Orbis watch with a round body to have a lot of credibility.

The most interesting feature of this expected device is a physical ring embedded around the bezel that you rotate to navigate elements in the menu. Such a physical element would definitely set the Orbis apart from all the other Android Wear smartwatches.

Massive Unpacked 2015 event

Finally, as much as we're looking forward to all the new devices that Samsung will unveil at the Mobile World Congress 2015, we're also eager to see the 'Unpacked' event itself. Samsung is known for holding grandiose showings for its new products, often recruiting a world-class orchestra, and preparing a carefully staged event. At the same time, there are no guarantees that Samsung won't mess something up like it did in previous years where a few strange moments defined the company's events. Hopes are that it has learned its lessons, and we're in for a big show. Stay tuned as we will be in Barcelona with live updates from the event and (hopefully) a hands on with the Galaxy S6 and the rest right after it's unveiled.

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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.