Samsung has unveiled a stylish new flagship phone that ditches its signature plastic design for more stylish metal and glass.
The South Korean phone manufacturer also unveiled a premium model with a display that curves around the left and right edges so that information can be quickly glanced at on the side. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will both include technology for mobile payments, though Samsung isn't unveiling a service to rival the iPhone's Apple Pay until this summer.
Although the resolution of the phones' rear camera remains at 16 megapixels, cameras on both sides will have wider openings to let in more light. The phones also promise better focus and colour accuracy–achieved in part by using the infrared capabilities on the phones' heart-rate sensor to detect lighting conditions.
Earlier Sunday, HTC announced a new HTC One smartphone that also sports a better camera, while keeping such previously lauded elements as a metal design and polished finish. HTC Corp also unveiled a fitness tracker, the Grip. Unlike trackers from Jawbone and Fitbit, the Grip isn't meant for couch potatoes looking to motivate themselves by counting steps. Rather, HTC is partnering with sports clothing maker Under Armour to offer features for those with active lifestyles.
The announcements came on the eve of this week's Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain.
Samsung Electronics Co said its new design took years to develop. As phones got thinner, the company inevitably ended up "with a device that's very cold and very industrial," said Hong Yeo, a senior designer at Samsung. The company's Project Zero team "was given the freedom to design our dream device," he said. (AP)