Tech fans are looking forward to next year's flagship smartphone battles. The upcoming Xperia Z6 and the Galaxy S7 are among those that observers have been comparing and pitting into imaginary matches, as both devices have not yet been formally announced or confirmed by their respective makers, Sony and Samsung. However, both have been largely speculated to be released in 2016.
So, which flagship is likely to win?
"Both Sony and Samsung will be using the latest internal hardware in the Xperia Z6 and the Galaxy S7 respectively, so expect to see fairly similar results in terms of hardware performance," XperiaZ6info.com predicted. "The difference between the devices lies in a few areas. Firstly, build design - would you prefer the more premium style of the S7 or would you go for the more minimalistic, more durable design of the Xperia Z6?"
One of the predictors for either handset's success is the current iterations. Based on Stuff's comparison review of both devices, it appears Samsung's flagship phone is the more superior one, as it reportedly nailed "the peak equilibrium of power and performance, style and stamina."
"It's not perfect, but it's a darn sight close - much closer than Sony's flagship," the site said of the South Korean smartphone.
However, if Sony improves on its weak points and apply that in its next flagship release, it's likely that the Z6 will be a serious S7 contender - a killer, even.
If the next Sony phone is thinner, has a more premium feel, better quality display, a faster processor, and a sharper-quality camera, it may just beat Samsung's.
Interestingly, initial reports have relayed that the upcoming Z6 may indeed have a better processor (hello Qualcomm Snapdragon 820) and "can process 4K videos at 60fps and 30fps wirelessly," according to Android Standard.
"Sony may use 30 MP Rear Camera with Dual LED flash in Xperia Z6," the news portal added. "It may also feature 4K video recording at 60fps with HDR support."
Also, a better sensor to reduce noise and Optical Image Optimization features will reportedly be included in the Z6 to boost image quality.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S7 may also have the Snapdragon 820 chip, which is said to perform better than the Exynos processor currently in the S6.
"A report in early September indicated the Galaxy S7 is likely to sport a 4K display, but it's not clear if both the 5.2-inch and 5.8-inch variants will get such treatment," Digital Trends noted. "It's possible that Samsung will reserve this high end display for the larger model, which would put it at 759 pixels per inch."
Sounds like a close fight, with the S7 appearing to edge out the Z6 a bit. What do you think?
New reports have emerged saying that the S7 could be released January 2016, which stemmed from information from Samsung sources that the company had began making firmware for the upcoming flagship a month earlier than usual, The Independent said.
For the Z6, it's been speculated that Sony will release a new flagship sometime in the second half of 2016.
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