Samsung Electronics to renovate design for Galaxy S6

Employees of Samsung Electronics pose at the Fira Gran Via, the main exhibition venue for the Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

LG to aim at European market with budget handsets

By Yoon Sung-won

Samsung Electronics is set to unveil the new Galaxy smartphone on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday.

As the world's top smartphone maker is expected to try to build fresh momentum with the new Galaxy S6, it is likely that the company has adopted a fresh concept for the external design, to reinforce what has been repeatedly compared to Apple's iPhone series.

On Feb. 13, the company hinted in a teaser that the new smartphone was likely to have a metal casing.

If this is true, the handset will be the first of the Galaxy S series to have a metal casing. Despite metal casing being increasingly used because it is considered to improve design and durability, Samsung Electronics has so far insisted on plastic casing for the series.

The new handset is also known to have a battery that cannot be detached resulting in a slimmer body. Another expectation is that the Galaxy S6 will have a wireless recharging system.

Alongside the new external design, the Galaxy S6 is expected to have the latest hardware specification including Samsung Electronics' 64-bit Exynos mobile processor and high-definition front and rear cameras.

It is also expected to support a mobile payment function called “Samsung Pay.”

The company has pushed ahead with the mobile payment technology to counteract Apple's “Apple Pay” service, which is expanding its presence in the U.S. market.

Samsung Electronics said it would expand the media and trade booth at this year's MWC show and showcase network technologies including long-term evolution, Internet of Things, network function virtualization and the fifth-generation mobile network.

The company will also showcase new semiconductor products such as high-speed universal flash storage.

LG to showcase low-end handsets

While Samsung emphasizes one of its flagship models, LG Electronics, the nation's second-largest smartphone maker, will focus on low-end smartphones at MWC 2015.

The company said will unveil four budget smartphones including LG Magna, LG Spirit, LG Leon and LG Joy at the show. These budget models are expected to raise the market share overseas including Europe.

Although they are priced in the middle range, the company says the handsets have curved edge designs, In-cell Touch display and camera functions used for high-end models.

Alongside the budget smartphones, LG Electronics will exhibit wearable devices. These include the “Urbane” smartwatch series, vehicle control technology using the smartwatch, and the Internet of Things technologies for home appliances.